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DON'T BE CRUEL
This song was written by Otis Blackwell. Elvis recorded it at RCA studios in New York on July 2, 1956.
Colonel made deals with writers/publishers for Elvis to get a share of publishing ownership in many songs he recorded and,
as a result, Elvis' name appeared in the writer's credits on "Don't Be Cruel" and some others.
Reportedly,Elvis was uncomfortable with this part of the publishing deals and the practice of adding him
to the writer's credit listing soon ceased.
On lead guitar was Scotty Moore. Bill Black played bass.
On drums was D.J. Fontana, who also added another dimension to the sound by using
a mallet on the back of Elvis' leather covered guitar. Also, Elvis slapped in time the back of his guitar.
On piano was Shorty Long. Backing vocals were by The Jordanaires: Gordon Stoker (lead), Neal Matthews (tenor),
Hoyt Hawkins (baritone) and Hugh Jarrett (bass).
The engineer was Ernie Ulrich.
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Don't Be Cruel
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by:
Otis Blackwell - Elvis Presley
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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 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 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 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 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 a heart that's true.
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
I don't want no other love,
Baby it's just you I'm thinking of.
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Take number 28 became the single shipped July 13, 1956.
It sold so quickly that five gold records were given to Elvis all on one plaque.
It reached #1 on all three major US charts.
It was #1 in the USA on the Billboard's pop singles chart for 11 weeks, staying a total of 27 weeks on this chart.
On the Billboard's country singles chart it was #1 for 10 weeks with a total of 28 weeks on the chart.
It was #1 on Billboard's R&B singles chart for 1 week with a total of 17 weeks.
In 2002, this recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Elvis asked for personal copies of the acetates from this recording session so he could study them
and try to give his live concert performances the same sound and feel of his recordings.
Later, he commented to Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins that he liked Jackie Wilson's
cover of the song better and he demonstrated the difference for them during the famed "Million
Dollar Quartet" session
(an informal jam session recording made when Elvis visited old friends
at Sun Studio in December 1956.)
Others who have recorded the song are Pete Best, Bobby Brown, Cheap Trick, Fleetwood Mac, Connie Francis,
Tom Jones, Marty Stuart, The Judds, Albert King, The Platters, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Billy Swan,
Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty and Rodney Crowell.
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