please click pictures to enlarge

1955 -1964

please note:

in this chapter you´ll also find some of elvis ´ singles released on the

78 rpm schellack format. also discs with 33rpm speed are included,

the so called "33rpm compact singles".

1956

heartbreak hotel / i was the one

this is elvis ´first new single for rca-victor. back in 1956 it came

along with a standard rca sleeve. his first 5 rca victor singles

contained previous released sun tracks.

47-0605 / us gold standard reissue 1959

pb-11005 / usa reissue 1977

us pop #01/19

us country #01/08

united kingdom #02

canada #01

australia #03/40

germany #12

italy #01

sweden #08

1956

hound dog / don´t be cruel

this single was released on july 13,1956. within a few weeks "hound

dog"had risen to #2 on the pop charts with sales of over one million.

soon after it was overtaken by "don't be cruel" which took #1 on all

three main charts; pop, country, and r 'n' b. between them, both

songs remained at #1 on the pop chart for a run of 11 weeks tying it

with the 1950 anton karas hit "the third man theme" and the

1951/1952 johnnie ray hit "cry" for the longest stay at number one

by a single record from late 1950 onward until 1992's smash "end of

the road" by boyz ii men. by the end of 1956 it had sold in excess of

four million copies in the u.s. alone.

hmv pop 249 / 78 rpm schellack / uk

please note:

until 1957 elvis ´records in the u.k were issued on the hmv label (his

masters voice).

a litlle info about 78 rpm schellacks or "grammophone records":

the 78 rpm record was the first disc format, invented around 1900.

the first record player was invented around 1870 by thomas edison,

but this used cylindrical records about the size of an empty toilet

paper tube. the flat 78´s were much easier to store. the grooves on

this records were much larger than later lp´s and 45 rpm singles

(about 4 times as big) and the needles were much larger too. though

78´s were obsolete around 1960, in many oversee countries 78 rpm

rpm records were produced until the mid 1970´s.

until 1958 most of elvis ´singles were released on both - 45 an 78

rpm - formats. the last elvis 78 in the usa was "hard headed woman /

dont ´ask me why" (20-7280)

447-0608 / usa reissue 1964

megarare "gold standard" pressing with rca red-label.

47-6604 / usa (reprint 2014)

us pop #01/ 01

us country #01/01

united kingdom #02

canada #01

australia #17/12

germany #--/12

italy #01

sweden #10/10

1956

love me tender / anyway you want me

his first motion picture. originally called "the reno brothers" it

eventually became "love me tender". the picture sleeve was available

in different colors. for example: black & white, black & green ect.

this one pictured her is the "black & darkpink" one.

47-6643 / usa

us pop #01/20

us country #03

united kingdom #11

canada #01

australia #06

austria #06

germany #16

1956

i want you, i need you, i love you / my baby left me

"i want you, i need you, i love you" backed with "my baby left

me" was released on may 4, 1956. pre-orders of over 300,000 were

the biggest ever in the history of the company. at the time of it´s

release, elvis had three songs in the top 20: "heartbreak hotel/i was

the one," "my baby left me", and "i want you, i need you, i love you".

on june 5, 1956, elvis performed the song on the milton berle show,

as well as an early version of "hound dog" that resulted in both

overwhelmingly favorable audience reaction and outrage.

hmv pop 235 / 78 rpm schellack / uk

47-6540 / germany

us pop #01/01

us country #--/13

united kingdom #14

australia #19

1957

jailhouse rock / treat me nice

his first motion picture for "mgm". it was such a success that a

further 13 films were planned for "mgm". the "jailhouse rock" dancing

scene is still convincing today, after more than 50 years.

47-7035 / usa

20-7035 / 78 rpm schellack / usa

47-7035 / germany

45-rca1028 / uk

us pop #01/18

us country #01/11

united kingdom #01

canada #01/13

australia #03/44

austria #08

germany #10

italy #05

south africa #01

sweden #02/10

1957

paralyzed / when my blue moon turns to gold again

hmv pop-378 / 78 rpm schellack / uk

please note:

until 1957 elvis ´records in the uk where issued on the hmv label (his

masters voice).

1957

too much / playing for keeps

"too much" was written by bernard weinman and lee rosenberg. it

was first recorded in 1954 by bernard hardison on republic records.

elvis recorded the song in september 1956 and first performed it on

january 6,1957 on cbs-tv's "the ed sullivan show." released as a

single, elvis´ "too much" reached number one on both the cashbox

and billboard sales charts and went to number three on the r&b

chart.

47-6800 / germany

47-6800 / usa

us pop #01/03

us country #--/08

united kingdom #06

australia #14

1957

all shook up / that´s when your heartaches begin

elvis himself, during an interview on october 28, 1957, said: "i've

never even had an idea for a song. just once, maybe. i went to bed

one night, had quite a dream, and woke up all shook up. i phoned a

pal and told him about it. by morning, he had a new song, 'all shook

up'.on january 12, 1957, elvis recorded the song at radio recorders

in hollywood. the duet vocal on the record is by the jordanaires first

tenor gordon stoker. take 10 was selected for release, and in march

the song entered billboard's top 100 chart at #25.within three weeks

it had knocked perry como's "round and round" off the top spot, and

stayed there for eight consecutive weeks.the song also became elvis´

first no.1 hit on the uk singles chart, remaining there for seven

weeks.

47-6870 / usa

45-rca1088 / uk

hmv pop-359 /78 rpm schellack / uk

us pop #01

us country #01

united kingdom #01

canada #01

australia #05

austria #07

germany #16

italy #01

1957

teddy bear / loving you

"(let me be your) teddy bear" is a popular song first recorded by

elvis in 1957 for the soundtrack of his second motion picture, loving

you, during which elvis performs the song on screen. it was written

by kal mann and bernie lowe and published in 1957 by gladys music.

clear melodic roots of this tune can be heard in the many early

recordings of "boll weevil", a traditional blues song.the song was a

number-one hit for elvis during the summer of 1957, staying at

number-one for seven weeks, and his third of the four that he

would have that year. "(let me be your) teddy bear" would also hit

number one on the r&b best sellers list, becoming his fourth number

one on that chart. in addition the song would hit number one on the

country charts for a single week

rca-1013 / 78 rpm schellack / uk

47-7000 / usa

47-7000 / germany

us pop #01/20

us country #01/15

united kingdom #03/24

canada #01/15

australia #08/22

sweden #04

1957

santa bring my baby back to me / santa claus is back in

town

both tracks were taken from the "elvis christmas album"

rca-1025 /78 rpm schellack / uk

united kingdom #07

1957

party / got a lot o ´livin ´ to do

this pairing wasn´t released in the u.s. both tracks were taken from

the "loving you" soundtrack album.

rca-1020 / 78 rpm schellack / uk

47-9144 / germany

united kingdom #03/24

1958

don´t / i beg of you

"don't" was written and produced by jerry leiber and mike stoller, it

was elvis´ eleventh number-one hit in the united states. "don't" also

peaked at number four on the r&b charts. billboard ranked it as the

no. 3 song for 1958. the song was included in the musical revue

"smokey joe's cafe", as a medley with "love me".

47-7150 / usa

us pop #01/08

us country #02/04

united kingdom #02

canada #01

australia #09/34

germany #17

italy #04

south africa #01

1958

wear my ring around your neck / doncha´think it´s time

47-7240 / usa

us pop #02/15

us country #03

united kingdom #03

canada #01/10

sweden #05

1958

one night / i got stung

elvis recorded a version of the song with its original lyrics on

january 18, 1957, but this version would not be released until 1983.

both col. tom parker and record company had reservations about the

suggestive lyrics. elvis did not give up on the song. he continued to

play with it during his spare time on the set of loving you, finally

rewriting the lyrics that he felt were holding the song captive,

changing "one night of sin is what i'm now paying for" into "one night

with you is what i'm now praying for." elvis´ recording credited

anita steinman as an additional co-writer, with bartholomew and

king.

47-7410 / germany

47-7410 / usa

45-rca-1100 / uk

us pop #04/08

us country #24

united kingdom #01

canada #01

australia #33/10

netherlands #07

norway #--/02

sweden #09/05

1958

hard headed woman / don´t ask me why

taken from elvis last pre army movie "king creole". elvis 4th film and

by far his best one. the movie is based on the bestseller of harold

robbins -"a stone for danny fisher". the book is about the shady

business of a boxer in new york, the filmstory features a singer in

new orleans.

rca-1070 / 78 rpm schellack /uk

47-7280 / usa

20-7280 / 78 rpm schellack / usa

please note:

this was elvis ´last u.s. 78 rpm release

47-7280 / germany

447-0623 / usa (1976 gold standard reissue)

us pop #01

us country #02

united kingdom #02

canada #01/04

australia #02

sweden #04

1958

dixieland rock / lover doll

very rare single from germany. also like the one before both sides

were taken from the movie "king creole". this pairing wasn´t

released in the u.s. or the u.k. paradoxically "dixieland rock" was the

flip side of elvis´ next single release in the u.k and west germany.

(look next entry below)

47-9200 / germany

1959

king creole / dixieland rock

please note:

in the u.s. "king creole" wasn´t released as a single.

47-9201 / germany

united kingdom #02

canada #15

australia #51

italy #04

sweden #01

1959

a fool such as i / i need your love tonight

"(now and then there's) a fool such as i" is a popular song written by

bill trader and was published in 1952. performed by hank snow it

peaked at number four on the country charts early in 1953.

since the original "snow" version, "fool such as i" — as the song

is sometimes known — has been covered and released as singles

several times, by artists as diverse as jo stafford, bob dylan and

baillie & the boys.

45-rca-1113 / uk

447-0625 / usa (1976 gold standard reissue)

us pop #02/04

united kingdom #01

canada #01

australia #01/18

belgium #13

germany #--/15

netherlands #15

norway #05/02

south africa #01

sweden #17/04

1959

you´re a heartbreaker / one night

71.238 / 78 rpm schellack / south africa

1960

stuck on you / fame and fortune

"stuck on you" is elvis´first hit single after his two-year stint in the

us army. he recorded the song during march 1960, and the single was

released within weeks and went to number one on the billboard hot

100 chart in late-april 1960, becoming his first number-one single of

the 1960s.

47-7740 / usa

us pop #01/17

us country #27

united kingdom #03

canada #01

australia #01

austria #08

belgium #13

germany #23

netherlands #10

italy #01/12

norway #02

sweden #03

1960

are you lonesome tonight / i gotta know

the only known song col. parker, ever explicitly requested him to

sing. it was the colonel´s wife´s marie favourite, an al johnson hit

dating back to 1927.

47-7810 / germany

47-7810 / germany

same record as listed above but the title is written in german.

(bist du einsam heut nacht)

47-7810 / germany (reissue 1960´s)

45-rca-1216 / uk

47 -7810 / usa

us pop #01/20

us country #22

united kingdom #01

canada #01

australia #01

austria #05

belgium #01

germany #04

netherlands #04

italy #03/12

norway #04

south africa #01

sweden #02

switzwerland #03

reprint - verification pending

readdy teddy / rip it up

47-7906 / usa ???

originally the number 47-7906 was used for a single by juliana in

1961:

side 1: you can have any boy

side 2: you´re saying goodnight

1960

it´s now or never / a mess of blues

please note:

in a few countries "make me know it" was also available as the b-side

instead of "a mess of blues". the chart positions denote the "a mess

of blues" release.

this is one of two popular songs based on the italian song "'o sole

mio" (music by eduardo di capua), the other being "there's no

tomorrow", recorded by u.s. singer tony martin in 1949, which

inspired elvis´ version. the lyrics were written by aaron schroeder

and wally gold. the single is one of the best-selling singles of all time

according to "guinness world records".

it´s now or never / a mess of blues
47-7777 / usa

o sole mio (it´s now or never) / make me know it
s-rc-8066 / yugoslavia

rca - yugoton used the same picture for a lot of single releases

during the early 60´s

o sole mio / make me know it
47-9314 / germany

the second one is the rare u.s. - army pressing

it´s now or never / a mess of blues
47-7777 / germany

though the number "47-7777" indicates an u.s. release it´s in fact a

german pressing made by telefunken for the u.s. army.

it´s now or never / make me know it
45-rca-1207 / uk

it´s now or never / make me know it /a mess of blues
rca-1207 / uk reissue 2005 / maxi single

it´s now or never / a mess of blues
447-0628 / usa (1976 gold standard reissue)

us pop #01/32

united kingdom #01

canada #01

australia #01

austria #01

belgium #01/20

germany #02

netherlands #02

italy #02/11

norway #01

south africa #01

spain #01

sweden #01/06

switzwerland #01

1960

wooden heart / tonight is so right for love

taken from the g.i. blues movie soundtrack, this one became one of

elvis ´biggest hits in europe. in the u.s "wooden heart" wasn´t

released as a single until 1964 when it was coupled with "blue

christmas" eventually reaching #107 on the billboard pop charts.

"wooden heart" was also the flip side of "puppet on a string" . a

1965 us "gold standard single" (see 447-0650 in the "1965-1974"

chapter)

muß i denn, muß i denn /g´schichten aus dem wiener wald
47-9340 / germany

wooden heart / tonight is so right for love
45-rca-1226 / uk

united kingdom #01

canada #02

australia #01

austria #01

belgium #01

germany #02

netherlands #01

italy #01

norway #03

south africa #01

sweden #12

some important info about the u.s.

"billboard adult contemporary" charts:

the adult contemporary chart is published weekly by billboard

magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary

radio stations in the united states. the chart is compiled based on

airplay data submitted to billboard by stations that are members of

the adult contemporary radio panel. the chart debuted in billboard

magazine on july 17, 1961. over the years, the chart has gone under

a series of name changes, being called easy listening (1961–1962;

1965–1979), middle-road singles (1962–1964), pop-standard singles

(1964–1965), hot adult contemporary tracks (1979–1982) and adult

contemporary.

i use the sign "us ac" for a easier reading of the chart statistics

from 1961 until today!

1961

surrender / lonely man

"surrender" is an adaptation by doc pomus and mort shuman of the

music of a 1902 neapolitan ballad by giambattista and ernesto de

curtis entitled "torna a surriento" ("come back to sorrento"). it hit

number one in the us and uk in 1961 and eventually became one of

the best selling singles of all time. this was one of 25 songs doc

pomus and mort shuman wrote for elvis. it has been recorded by

many other artists.

47-7850 / germany

47-7850 / usa

45-rca-1227 / uk

37-7850 / 33rpm compact single / usa

in 1960 rca victor invented a new disc format - the 33 rpm compact

single. in january 1961 this discs hit the market. the compact 33

discs were released simultaneously with their 45 rpm counterparts.

the long time goal was to phase out the 45 rpm singles. this campain

eventually failed by early 1962. today elvis ´ us "33 rpm compact

singles" are the most sought after discs from collectors worldwide. in

other countrys, for example argentinia, mexico, japan and many

others the production of this disc format lasted until the mid 1970´s.

us pop #01/32

united kingdom #01

canada #01

australia #01

austria #03

belgium #01

denmark #07

france #05

germany #06

netherlands #03

norway #02

south africa #01

sweden #01

1961

i feel so bad / wild in the country

"wild in the country" was elvis' last dramatic lead role until "charro!"

in 1969 as his next film, blue hawaii, was his first big budget musical and

was a box office sensation. all his subsequent movies were largely

formula musicals which were quite lucrative but never gave him the

chance to develop his potential as a serious actor that was very

apparent in "wild in the country". phil dunne later wrote that the

film "fell between two stools. audiences who might have liked a

clifford odets drama wouldn't buy elvis and his songs; elvis's fans

were disappointed in a presley picture which departed so radically

from his usual song-and-sex comedy formula. on both factions his

fine performance was tragically wasted."

47-7880 / usa

37-7850 / 33rpm compact single / usa

in 1960 rca victor invented a new disc format - the 33 rpm compact

single. in january 1961 this discs hit the market. the compact 33

discs were released simultaneously with their 45 rpm counterparts.

the long time goal was to phase out the 45 rpm singles. this campain

eventually failed by early 1962. today elvis ´ us "33 rpm compact

singles" are the most sought after discs from collectors worldwide. in

other countrys, for example argentinia, mexico, japan and many

others the production of this disc format lasted until the mid 1970´s.

us pop #05/26

united kingdom #04

canada #06

australia #27

austria #26

belgium #--/04

germany #19/24

netherlands #13

italy #10

sweden #01

1961

can´t help falling in love / rock a hula baby

"can´t help" was the regulary closing number for elvis ´70´s live

shows and became one of his signature songs.the song was based on

an 18th century french melody and made it´s first appearance in the

movie "blue hawaii"

47-7968 / germany

45rca-1270 / uk

us pop #02/23

us ac #01

united kingdom #01

canada #04

australia #01

austria #20

belgium #09

germany #22/26

netherlands #11

norway #--/06

south africa #01

sweden #02/12

1961

(marie´s the name) his latest flame / little sister

"his latest flame" was written by doc pomus and mort shuman and

originally recorded by del shannon on the album "runaway with del

shannon", which was released in june 1961. the more famous and

successful recording by elvis was released in august 1961.

47-7908/ usa