Don't Be Cruel
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| “Don't Be Cruel” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Elvis Presley | |||||
| B-side | "Hound Dog" | ||||
| Released | July 13, 1956 | ||||
| Format | single | ||||
| Recorded | July 2, 1956, New York | ||||
| Genre | Rock and roll | ||||
| Length | 2:04 | ||||
| Label | RCA Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley | ||||
| Producer | Steve Sholes, Elvis Presley | ||||
| Certification | Gold | ||||
| Elvis Presley singles chronology | |||||
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- For the Bobby Brown album, see Don't Be Cruel (album).
"Don't Be Cruel" is a song by Otis Blackwell, which was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1956. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
"Don't Be Cruel" was originally the A side of RCA single 47-6604, with "Hound Dog" on the B-side,[1] although both sides became chart-toppers, RCA reissuing the single in later decades as double A-side. The single was the first to top all three extant Billboard charts: pop, rhythm & blues, and country & western.
The song was recorded for RCA Victor by Elvis' regular band of Scotty Moore on lead guitar (with Elvis usually providing rhythm guitar), Bill Black on bass, D.J. Fontana on drums and backing vocals from the Jordanaires. Presley recorded this song on July 2, 1956 at RCA's New York City studio. The producing credit was given to RCA's Steve Sholes, however the studio recordings reveal that Elvis produced the songs in this session (as well as many others) himself, which is verified by the band members. Presley selected the song, reworked the arrangement himself on piano, and recorded eight takes of the song with the band (number 7 being the take released on the record) during one recording session following the thirty takes of "Hound Dog" (number 28 being released on the record) recorded that day. "Any Way You Want Me" was also recorded in that same session following "Don't Be Cruel". "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog" were released on July 13, 1956.
Presley reworked the Otis Blackwell demo and changed the music and lyrics, just as he did to other compositions by Blackwell. Hence the reason he received co-songwriting credit.
Presley, Scotty, Bill, DJ, and the Jordanaires first performed "Don't Be Cruel" on national television on the September 9, 1956 the Ed Sullivan Show. They revisited the song twice more when appearing on the Sullivan Show: October 28 of the same year, and on January 6, 1957.[2]
The song, listed as "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" at the time of its release, hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending August 18, 1956, and remained in the pole position for 11 consecutive weeks, tying it with the 1950 Anton Karas hit The Third Man Theme and the 1951/1952 Johnnie Ray hit Cry for the longest stay at number one by a single record until 1992's smash "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men.
[edit] Covers
- Crossover pop/country artist Jody Miller recorded a version of the song on her successful 1971 "He's So Fine" album.
- Cheap Trick did a cover version of "Don't Be Cruel" in 1988, which was a #4 hit in the United States.
- The Judds recorded a cover in 1987.
- The Residents did a cover of "Don't Be Cruel" as well in 1989. It was included on their album The King and Eye, and was released as a CD single in the United States and a 7-inch single in The Netherlands.
- Merle Haggard included "Don't Be Cruel" on his 1977 album "My Farewell To Elvis"
- Ringo Starr released a version of "Don't Be Cruel" in the 1990s.
- Keith Richards recorded the song in the 1970s.
- John Lennon recorded a version released on The Lost Lennon Tapes syndicated radio program.
- Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a cover on his 1958 first Sun album.
- Gene Summers and Sonny Fisher recorded a duet of "Don't Be Cruel" in Paris, France, 1981 for Big Beat Records.
- Foster Sylvers of the Sylvers recorded the song in the late 1970s.
- Jackie Wilson performed the song in Las Vegas in 1956 as part of Billy Ward's Dominoes with Elvis in the audience.
- Neil Diamond recorded a cover version.
- Deborah Harry and Blondie keyboardist Jimmy Destri recorded the song for the 1995 Otis Blackwell tribute album Brace Yourself.
- Devo recorded a cover version on their 1988 album Total Devo.
| Preceded by I Want You, I Need You, I Love You |
Cash Box magazine best selling record chart #1 record September 15, 1956–October 20, 1956 |
Succeeded by Love Me Tender |
| Preceded by "My Prayer" by The Platters |
Billboard Top 100 number-one single (Elvis Presley version) September 15, 1956 (7 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Green Door" by Jim Lowe |
[edit] References
- ^ "Hound Dog"/"Don't Be Cruel" album (image). rcs.law.emory.edu. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
- ^ Elvis' Television Appearances 1956 - 1973. kki.pl. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.
