Sunday, November 16, 2014

Record #0608: (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Loving You – ELVIS PRESLEY

RCA Victor 47-7000 (original) USA, Jun. 11, 1957
Words & Music bySide AKal Mann, Bernie Lowe; Side BJerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Musicians: Elvis Presley (vocals, rhythm guitar on side B, percussion on side A), Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (upright bass), D.J. Fontana (drums), Dudley Brooks (piano), The Jordanaires (backing vocals), Hilmer J. Timbrell (rhythm guitar on side A)
Recording sessions: Side A - Produced by Walter Scharf at Paramount Scoring Stage, Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 16, 1957; Side B - Produced by Steve Sholes at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA, Feb. 24, 1957
Highest chart positions:  Side A - US #1, US Country #1, US R&B #1, UK #3; Side B - US #20, US Country #15, UK #24

Both tracks are from Elvis' 1957 movie and album "Loving You". This single came out about 3 weeks before the album did. The movie was released on July 9, 1957.

Elvis played the belly of his guitar as a percussion on "Teddy Bear". He did the same also in the movie scene, which is about in the middle of the movie. The scene where he performs "Loving You" is about five minutes before the end.

"Teddy Bear" required 13 takes and "Loving You" was nailed on the 4th take in the studio.

List price:  Very Good+ is $20, Near Mint is $40. Two other variants known; both of them have parenthesis around "Let Me Be Your" and one of them has a horizontal line on the label. Those variants are listed $30 in a Near Mint condition.

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