Editing Doc Pomus (section)

=== Songwriter ===
In 1946, [[Gatemouth Moore]] had recorded one of Pomus' own songs for [[National Records]]. In 1947, he became one of Atlantic Records original songwriters.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> In the early 1950s, Pomus began writing magazine articles,{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} as well as songwriting for [[LaVern Baker|Lavern Baker]], [[Ruth Brown]], [[Ray Charles]], and [[Big Joe Turner]] (whose music had changed Pomus' life). Charles’ 1956 recording of the [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] top ten song "[[Lonely Avenue]]" marked a national breakthrough for Pomus, though he made little money.<ref name="Times Obit" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman |url=https://www.history-of-rock.com/doc_pomus_and_mort_shulman.htm |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=www.history-of-rock.com}}</ref>  

In 1957, he married an aspiring Broadway actress from [[Westville, Illinois]], named Willi Burke.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Charles |date=January 31, 2022 |title=Save the Last Dance for Me — a poignant story lies behind this 1960 hit |url=https://ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/save-the-last-dance-for-me.html |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Financial Times |language=en-GB}}</ref> (She later performed in the Broadway play ''Fiorello''.<ref name=":4" />) They were divorced in 1966.<ref name=":5" /> 

His first rock and roll songwriting break came when the [[The Coasters|Coasters]] recorded a hit with the song "[[Young Blood (The Coasters song)|Young Blood]]".<ref name="Times Obit" /> He had sent a demo of the song to [[Jerry Leiber]] and [[Mike Stoller]], his role models for this new kind of songwriting. They substantially rewrote the song for the Coasters, and Pomus only first heard about its being recorded by playing it on a jukebox.<ref name=":8" />  Still, Pomus had co-credit as lyricist, and soon received a royalty check for $2,500{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|2500|1957}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) (reported elsewhere as $1,500<ref name=":8" />), an event that convinced him that songwriting was a career worth pursuing. By 1957, Pomus had given up performing<ref name=":8" /> in favor of songwriting.

Pomus collaborated with pianist [[Mort Shuman]], whom he met when Shuman was dating Pomus's younger cousin.<ref name=":6" /> Songwriter [[Otis Blackwell]] introduced the duo to [[Hill & Range]] Music Co./Rumbalero Music at its offices in New York City's [[Brill Building]].<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":6" /> Pomus asked Shuman to write with him because Pomus did not know much about contemporary rock and roll, whereas Shuman was acquainted with popular artists of the day. For the most part, Pomus wrote the lyrics while Shuman composed the [[melody|melodies]], but they often collaborated on both aspects of their songs. Together they wrote "[[A Teenager in Love]]", "[[Save the Last Dance for Me]]", "[[Hushabye]]", "[[This Magic Moment]]", "[[Turn Me Loose (Doc Pomus song)|Turn Me Loose]]", "[[Sweets For My Sweet]]" (a hit for [[The Drifters]], and later [[The Searchers (band)|The Searchers]]), "[[Go, Jimmy, Go]]", "[[Little Sister (Pomus/Shuman song)|Little Sister]]", "[[Can't Get Used to Losing You]]", "[[Suspicion (Terry Stafford song)|Suspicion]]", "[[Surrender (Elvis Presley song)|Surrender]]", and "[[(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame|(Marie's the Name of) His Latest Flame]]".<ref name="Times Obit" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Palmer |first=Robert |date=July 25, 1986 |title=DOC POMUS STILL WRITES, ROCKS AND RAMBLES |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/25/arts/pop-jazz-doc-pomus-still-writes-rocks-and-rambles.html |work=New York Times}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> They wrote regularly for [[Elvis Presley]] and [[The Drifters]], and wrote hits for others, such as [[Bobby Darin]], [[Dion and the Belmonts]], and [[Fabian Forte|Fabian]].<ref name="Times Obit" /> Pomus' innovation in writing his early rock song lyrics was focusing on the realities and difficulties of being a teenager, rather than trying to paint an idealized teenage life.<ref name=":8" /> 

"Save the Last Dance for Me" has been called his crowning achievement. The lyrics came to him at his wedding, watching his wife dance with others, Pomus being unable to dance because of polio's effects on his body.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> The song has been performed by singers as diverse as country singer [[Eric Church]] and jazz guitarist [[Bill Frisell]], and it was a top ten country hit for both [[Dolly Parton]] and [[Emmylou Harris]].<ref name=":8" /> It is said to be the last song [[Leonard Cohen]] ever performed on stage.<ref name=":5" />

[[Phil Spector]] became a protege of Pomus.<ref name=":0" /> During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Pomus wrote several songs with Spector ("Young Boy Blues", "Ecstasy", "First Taste of Love" and "What Am I To Do?"), Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber ("Young Blood" and "[[She's Not You]]"), and other Brill Building-era writers.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.history-of-rock.com/doc_pomus_and_mort_shulman.htm
|title=Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
|website=History-of-rock
|access-date=2007-06-30
}}</ref><ref name=":1" />