Elvis Little Sister Story
His Latest Flame c/w Little Sister
His Latest Flame – a Del Shannon Cover
Little Sister – generated an answer song
LaVern Baker’s Hey Memphis was the “little sister”‘s answer song to the Elvis hit single – Elvis Little Sister story
His Latest Flame c/w Little Sister
In 1961 Elvis had a double-sided hit with (Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame c/w Little Sister. It’s certainly an interesting single, the A-side was a cover. The B-side generated an answer song from LaVern Baker. Better than that, the coupling gave Elvis his 44th and 45th appearance on the Billboard Top-40 chart.
Both sides were written by Brill Building stalwarts, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.
Elvis Little Sister Story
28 August 1961
B-side Little Sister entered the Billboard-Top 40 chart. It peaked at #5.
Shortly after Elvis delivered his hit version of Little Sister, writers Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman reworked the song as Hey Memphis. As a result the song looked at the story from the little sister’s point of view. The label credit for the publisher went to, “Elvis Presley Music, BMI”.
R&B singer LaVern Baker released Hey Memphis in September 1961, on the Atlantic Records label.
Phil Spector was a house producer at Atlantic during this time and this was one of his earliest productions. Consequently, he received a label credit as, “Supervision Phil Spector”. Shortly after this he parted company with Atlantic and set up his own record company. With Lester Sill he set up the Philles label, beginning his “wall of sound” era. Following on, in the December he scored his first hit with The Crystals’ There’s No Other (Like My Baby).
Although, Phil Spector’s Hey Memphis failed to trouble the Pop or R&B Top-40s.
LaVern Baker scored a string of R&B hits in the second half of the1950s and early ‘60s. This included an R&B #1 with Jim Dandy in 1957. During this time. she also scored 7 cross-over hits.
4 September 1961
Elvis’s cover version of (Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame entered the Billboard-Top 40. It peaked at #4.
Del Shannon released the original version of His Latest Flame a little earlier, on his debut album, Runaway with Del Shannon.
Elvis Little Sister story
Author Derek Shelmerdine…
Author Derek Shelmerdine wrote the book Rock’n’Roll Unravelled. In short, its unique three-part structure tells the story of rock’n’roll from its roots to mid-1970s punk.
Record Collector reviewed Rock’n’Roll Unravelled and as a result, described the book as, “comprehensive… invaluable”.
Are any of the artists mentioned – on tour now…
The artists mentioned in the article are listed in 1960s and ’70s Artists on Tour Now.
As a result, check out if any of the people mentioned in the item are on the road now.
La La Brooks – lead singer with the Crystals – any gigs lined up?
Companion blog for – Elvis Little Sister Story
The Mop Tops and The King radio show
Elvis Presley Unravelled segment
Derek Shelmerdine makes a two-weekly guest appearance on Steve Chelmsford’s Mop Tops and The King radio show. The Beatles Unravelled and Elvis Presley Unravelled segments, therefore, alternate every two weeks.
TO HEAR Elvis Little Sister Story – 100 radio stations world-wide
between 9 to 15 September.
It is also available through my Podcasts page.
This Elvis Little Sister Story blog is the background to that show.
The Mop Tops and the King radio show is syndicated world-wide. It’s certainly a great name for a radio show specialising in The Beatles and Elvis Presley.
In addition to this blog, check out the links below for – Elvis Little Sister Story + all the Elvis and Beatles Unravelled segments.
