Elvis Presley Unravelled #41
Leiber & Stoller – and Elvis
Elvis loved them but Colonel Parker hated them because they tended to deal directly with Elvis – Leiber & Stoller and Elvis.
Podcast
Author of the book Rock’n’Roll Unravelled, Derek Shelmerdine, is a fortnightly guest on The Mop Tops & The King. In short, host Steve Chelmsford’s radio show is all about the music and the times of The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Consequently, the show is broadcast on the MTK network of nearly 100 radio stations around the world.
To hear this show LIVE
on The Mop Tops & The King radio show
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During the week: 30 December to 5 January 2023
Leiber & Stoller and Elvis
Brill Building songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller first met Elvis in April 1957. During the time Elvis was recording four of their songs for his upcoming movie Jailhouse Rock. The songwriters also worked as producers on some of the songs.
During this period Mike Stoller and Elvis became great friends, so much so that he even had a cameo part in the movie as Vince Everett’s piano player.
In the early days, the relationship between Elvis and Leiber & Stoller flourished. They worked with Elvis on his first Christmas album and gave Elvis another #1 with their song Don’t. In addition, three of their songs were featured in Elvis’s fourth movie, King Creole.
Following on from this, things turned sour for the relationship. Colonel Parker was very unhappy with Leiber and Stoller because he was liaising directly with Elvis. The song-writing pair took their song Don’t, directly to Elvis. As a result, the Colonel limited their direct access to the King of Rock’n’Roll.
In turn, Leiber and Stoller were less than impressed with the Colonel’s working methods. For example, he presented Leiber and Stoller with a blank piece of paper as a contract they were required to sign.
The result was inevitable. By 1962 the relationship was all but over. Elvis recorded a handful more Leiber and Stoller songs but they were all covers of other people’s original versions.
SONGS
Leiber & Stoller songs recorded by Elvis.
The dates are for entry into the Billboard Top-40 Hits chart.
The peak position is also listed
4 Aug 1956 Hound Dog #1 for 11 weeks
…..Originally an Billboard R&B #1 in 1953 for Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton.
24 Nov 1956 Love Me #2
1957 Hot Dog
…..Included on the Loving You album.
8 Aug 1957 Loving You #20
Jailhouse Rock movie
14 Oct 1957 Jailhouse Rock #1 for 7 weeks
21 Oct 1957 Treat Me Nice #18
Plus two more movie songs
I Want to Be Free
(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care
1957 Santa Clause Is Back in Town
…..Elvis Christmas Album
27 Jan 1958 Don’t #1 for 5 weeks
King Creole movie
1958 Trouble
King Creole
Steadfast Loyal and True
1960 Dirty, Dirty Feeling
…..Elvis Is Back album
11 Aug 1962 She’s Not You (co-written with Doc Pomus) #5
11 Aug 1962 Just Tell He Jim Said Hello – B-side of She’s Not You
The remaining Leiber & Stoller songs recorded by Elvis
were all covers of other people’s originals
1962 Girls! Girls! Girls!
…..From the movie Girls! Girls! Girls!
……..Originally released by The Coasters in 1961.
2 Nov 1963 Bossa Nova Baby
…..A #8 hit single for Elvis – for the movie Fun in Acapulco.
……..Originally released by Tippie and the Clovers in 1962.
Recorded in for the Viva Las Vegas movie in 1964 – You’re the Boss
…..A duet scene with Ann-Margret, cut from the movie.
……..Originally recorded by LaVern Baker & Jimmy Ricks in 1961.
1964 Little Egypt
…..Recorded by Elvis for the Roustabout movie.
…..Originally a Billboard R&B (#16) and Top-40 (#23) hits for The Coasters in 1961.
1967 Fools Fall in Love
…..B-side of Indescribably Blue
……..Originally a Billboard R&B #10 for The Drifters in 1957.
1968 Saved
…..Recorded by Elvis for the NBC TV Special – part of a gospel medley.
……..Originally a Billboard R&B (#17) and Top-40 (#37) hits for LaVern Baker in 1961.
1973 Raised on Rock album
…..Elvis recording – If You Don’t Come Back
……..Originally recorded by The Drifters in 1963.
…..Elvis recording – Three Corn Patches
……..Originally recorded by T-Bone Walker in 1973.
