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Songs from ELVIS 2ND TO NONE, 2 / 5
An In-Depth Look at the Songs from the New Hit Album ELVIS 2ND TO
NONE:
MEAN WOMAN BLUES
Freddy Bienstock, who was seeking songs for Elvis to record for the
Hill and Range publishing catalog, commissioned H&R staff writer
Claude DeMetrius to write this song for Elvis. Elvis recorded it on
January 13, 1957 at Radio Recorders of Hollywood and it was used in
the film "Loving You". Scotty Moore and Elvis played guitar. Bill
Black was on bass and D.J. Fontana was on drums. Gordon Stoker of
The Jordanaires played piano for this session and The Jordanaires
provided the backing vocals. It was released in sthe summer of 1957
on an EP and on an LP, both of which were entitled "Loving You". The
EP peaked at #4 on the U.S. chart and the LP hit #11. The song
peaked at #11 on "Billboard" magazine's R&B singles chart and
country singles chart. Some of the other artists who have recorded
it are: Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbinson, Dion, Charlie Feathers, Jay
and the Americans, Allman Brothers Band, Commander Cody, The
Quarrymen, Spencer Davis Group and Ivory Joe Hunter.
LOVING YOU
"Loving You" was written by the songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and
Mike Stoller for the movie "Loving You". Elvis recorded the song on
February 24, 1957 at Radio Recorders of Hollywood. Elvis and Scotty
Moore played guitar, Bill Black played bass, and D.J. Fontana played
drums. Session artist Dudley Brooks played the piano and The
Jordanaires provided the backing vocals. It was released in June
1957 as a single with "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" (a song also
featured in the movie) on the flip side. It was also included on the
LP "Loving You" released July 1957and as well as on the "Loving You"
EP relased in August 1957. In the U.S. the song was on "Billboard"
magazine's pop singles chart for a total of 22 weeks, peaking at
#20, and it peaked at #15 on their country chart. On the U.K. pop
singles chart it reached #24. It hit #15 on the U.S. Country chart.
The LP became a #1 album in the U.S.A., staying at #1 for 10 weeks.
The "Loving You" LP's action on the "Billboard" pop album chart in
the U.S.A. included at 10-week reign at #1.
TREAT ME NICE
"Treat Me Nice" was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the
movie "Jailhouse Rock". Elvis recorded it on September 5, 1957 at
Radio Recorders of Hollywood. Elvis had worked on it in a session in
May of 1957 but wasn't satisfied with it and was eager to polish it
up for release as a single. At this session Elvis and Scotty Moore
played guitar, Bill Black played bass, D.J. Fontana was on drums,
and Dudley Brooks played piano. Elvis added to The Jordanaires'
backing vocals the soprano voice of Millie Kirkham.
"Treat Me Nice" was released as a single in September 1957. In the
U.S.A. it peaked at #18 on the pop singles chart, #7 on the R&B
singles chart, and #11 on the country singles chart. (The single's
flipside "Jailhouse Rock" hit #1 on all three of these charts.)
WEAR MY RING AROUND YOUR NECK
This song was written by Bert Carroll and Russell Moody. Elvis
recorded it on February 1, 1958 at Radio Recorders of Hollywood. He
returned to the studio on February 26, 1958 and performed a piano
part and a guitar back-slap percussion part to add to it. Musicians
working the session on February 1 were Elvis, Scotty Moore, and Tiny
Timbrell all on guitar, Bill Black on bass, D. J. Fontana on drums
and Dudley Brooks on piano. The Jordanaires were backing vocalists.
This was his last time to record with his full original band -
Scotty, Bill and D.J., as Bill soon left the fold. The "Wear My Ring
Around Your Neck" single was released in April 1958 with "Doncha'
Think It's Time" as the flip side. In the U.S.A. "Wear My Ring
Around Your Neck" had: a 15-week run on the country singles chart,
peaking at #3; a 3-week run on the R&B singles chart, peaking at #1;
and a peak at #2 on the pop singles chart. In theU.K. it reached #3
in its 10-week run on the pop singles chart.
KING CREOLE
This song was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the movie
of the same name. Elvis recorded it at Radio Recorders of Hollywood
on January 23, 1958. Working this session were: Elvis and Scotty
Moore on guitar, Bill Black on bass, Ray Siegal on bass and tuba,
Neal Mathews of The Jordanaires on bass and guitar, D.J. Fontana and
Bernie Mathinson on drums, Gordon Stoker of The Jordanaires on
bongos, Dudley Brooks on piano. Hoyt Hawkins of The Jordanaires on
cymbals, Warren Smith on trombone, Mahlon Clark on clarinet, John Ed
Buckner on trumpet, and Justin Gordon on saxophone. The Jordanaires
sang backing vocals. Elvis's recording of "King Creole" was released
in July 1958 on both the EP "King Creole Vol. 1" and the LP "King
Creole". On the pop charts in the U.S.A. the EP reached #1 and the
LP reached #2. On the U.K. pop chart the song peaked at #2 in a
15-week run.
TROUBLE
"Trouble" also was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the
movie "King Creole". It was recorded on January 15, 1958 at Radio
Recorders in Hollywood with much the same lineup of players as on
the January 23 session that produced the "King Creole" single. This
time Bernie Mattinson didn't help out with the percussion and it was
Elmer Schneider on trombone rather than Warren Smith. "Trouble" was
released on the U.S. #1 EP "King Creole, Vol. 1" and on the U.S. #2
LP "King Creole".
I GOT STUNG
This song was written by Aaron Schroeder and David Hill. Elvis
recorded it on June 10, 1958 while on leave from the U.S. Army. This
was his last recording session until after his March 1960 discharge
from active army duty. RCA was anxious to have material ready for
release while Elvis was away in the service. TWorking this session
at RCA's Studio B in Nashville were: Elvis, Hank Garland, and Chet
Atkins, all on guitar, Bob Moore (no relation to Scotty Moore) on
bass, Floyd Cramer on piano, Buddy Harman on bongos, and D. J.
Fontana on drums. The Jordanaires provided backing vocals. While
Elvis was getting settled into his 18 months' stationing in Germany
with the U.S. Army, the "I Got Stung" single was released in October
1958 with "One Night" as the flipside. It reached #8 on the
"Billboard" pop singles chart, staying a total of 16 weeks on the
chart. In the U.K. the single hit #1 for 5 weeks on the pop chart.
Incidentally, by this time, 45 RPM singles had come a long way in
their eventually complete domination over the old 78 RPM format.
This turned out to be the last U.S. Elvis single to have a 78 RPM
version. Paul McCartney has also recorded this song.
I NEED YOUR LOVE TONIGHT
This song was written by Sid Wayne and Bix Beichner. Elvis recorded
it on June 10, 1958 at the RCA studio in Nashville. It was the first
song recorded in the same session that produced "I Got Stung". "I
Need Your Love Tonight" came out as the B-side of the single "(Now
and Then There's) A Fool Such as I", released March 1959 while Elvis
was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. "I Need Your Love
Tonight" had a 13-week run on the pop singles chart in the U.S.A.,
peaking at #4. On the U.K. pop singles chart the song was #1 for 6
weeks. |
