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"Don't Be Cruel" is a song written by Otis Blackwell and recorded by Elvis Presley in 1956.[1] 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. The song is currently ranked as the 92nd greatest song of all time, as well as the fifth best song of 1956, by Acclaimed Music.[2][edit]
Recording
"Don't Be Cruel" was the first song that Presley's song publishers, Hill and Range, brought to him to record. Read Full Bio"Don't Be Cruel" is a song written by Otis Blackwell and recorded by Elvis Presley in 1956.[1] 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. The song is currently ranked as the 92nd greatest song of all time, as well as the fifth best song of 1956, by Acclaimed Music.[2][edit]
Recording
"Don't Be Cruel" was the first song that Presley's song publishers, Hill and Range, brought to him to record.[3] Blackwell was more than happy to give up 50% of the royalties and a co-writing credit to Presley to ensure that the "hottest new singer around covered it".[1]
Presley recorded the song on July 2, 1956 during an exhaustive recording session at RCA studios in New York City.[1] During this session he also recorded "Hound Dog", and "Any Way You Want Me".[3] The song featured Presley's regular band of Scotty Moore on lead guitar (with Presley usually providing rhythm guitar), Bill Black on bass, D.J. Fontana on drums, and backing vocals from the Jordanaires. The producing credit was given to RCA's Steve Sholes, although the studio recordings reveal that Presley produced the songs in this session by selecting the song, reworking the arrangement on piano, and insisting on 28 takes before he was satisfied with it.[1] He also ran through 31 takes of "Hound Dog".[3]
[edit] Release
The single was released on July 13, 1956 backed with "Hound Dog".[1] Within a few weeks "Hound Dog" had risen to #2 on the Pop charts with sales of over one million.[3] Soon after it was overtaken by "Don't Be Cruel" which took #1 on all three main charts; Pop, Country, and R 'n' B.[1] Between them, both songs remained at #1 on the Pop chart for a run of 11 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. By the end of 1956 it had sold in excess of four million copies.[1][3]
Presley performed "Don't Be Cruel" during all three of his appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1956 and January 1957.[1]
[edit] Legacy
"Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961.[1] It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with Jailhouse Rock or Teddy Bear during performances from 1969.[1]
Many artists including Billy Swan, Cheap Trick, The Judds, Merle Haggard, John Lennon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Diamond, and Jackie Wilson have recorded the song. Presley was said to be so impressed with Wilson's version that he would later incorporate many of Wilson's mannerisms into future performances.[1]
Recording
"Don't Be Cruel" was the first song that Presley's song publishers, Hill and Range, brought to him to record. Read Full Bio"Don't Be Cruel" is a song written by Otis Blackwell and recorded by Elvis Presley in 1956.[1] 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. The song is currently ranked as the 92nd greatest song of all time, as well as the fifth best song of 1956, by Acclaimed Music.[2][edit]
Recording
"Don't Be Cruel" was the first song that Presley's song publishers, Hill and Range, brought to him to record.[3] Blackwell was more than happy to give up 50% of the royalties and a co-writing credit to Presley to ensure that the "hottest new singer around covered it".[1]
Presley recorded the song on July 2, 1956 during an exhaustive recording session at RCA studios in New York City.[1] During this session he also recorded "Hound Dog", and "Any Way You Want Me".[3] The song featured Presley's regular band of Scotty Moore on lead guitar (with Presley usually providing rhythm guitar), Bill Black on bass, D.J. Fontana on drums, and backing vocals from the Jordanaires. The producing credit was given to RCA's Steve Sholes, although the studio recordings reveal that Presley produced the songs in this session by selecting the song, reworking the arrangement on piano, and insisting on 28 takes before he was satisfied with it.[1] He also ran through 31 takes of "Hound Dog".[3]
[edit] Release
The single was released on July 13, 1956 backed with "Hound Dog".[1] Within a few weeks "Hound Dog" had risen to #2 on the Pop charts with sales of over one million.[3] Soon after it was overtaken by "Don't Be Cruel" which took #1 on all three main charts; Pop, Country, and R 'n' B.[1] Between them, both songs remained at #1 on the Pop chart for a run of 11 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. By the end of 1956 it had sold in excess of four million copies.[1][3]
Presley performed "Don't Be Cruel" during all three of his appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1956 and January 1957.[1]
[edit] Legacy
"Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961.[1] It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with Jailhouse Rock or Teddy Bear during performances from 1969.[1]
Many artists including Billy Swan, Cheap Trick, The Judds, Merle Haggard, John Lennon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Diamond, and Jackie Wilson have recorded the song. Presley was said to be so impressed with Wilson's version that he would later incorporate many of Wilson's mannerisms into future performances.[1]
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Don't Be Cruel
by Elvis Presley
You know I can be found
Sitting home all alone
If you can't come around
At least please telephone
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
Baby, if I made you mad
For something I might have said
Please, let's forget the past
The future looks bright ahead
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
I don't want no other love
Baby it's just you I'm thinking of
Don't stop thinking of me
Don't make me feel this way
Come on over here and love me
You know what I want you to say
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
Why should we be apart?
I really love you baby, cross my heart
Let's walk up to the preacher
And let us say I do
Then you'll know you'll have me
And I'll know that I'll have you
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
I don't want no other love
Baby it's just you I'm thinking of
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
I don't want no other love Baby it's just you I'm thinking of
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ELVIS A. PRESLEY, OTIS BLACKWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Elvis Presley
You know I can be found
Sitting home all alone
If you can't come around
At least please telephone
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
Baby, if I made you mad
For something I might have said
Please, let's forget the past
The future looks bright ahead
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
I don't want no other love
Baby it's just you I'm thinking of
Don't stop thinking of me
Don't make me feel this way
Come on over here and love me
You know what I want you to say
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
Why should we be apart?
I really love you baby, cross my heart
Let's walk up to the preacher
And let us say I do
Then you'll know you'll have me
And I'll know that I'll have you
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
I don't want no other love
Baby it's just you I'm thinking of
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
Don't be cruel to who a heart that's true
I don't want no other love Baby it's just you I'm thinking of
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ELVIS A. PRESLEY, OTIS BLACKWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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