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On Elvis Extra which is broadcast every Sunday from 7pm-8pm
on
Dublin's Country Mix 106.8fm
we are playing every Elvis single that featured in the
American charts, we are basing it on Billboard�s Hot 100
chart which is the definitive chart for popular music in the
US, and what we propose doing is to play every single
that Elvis released that featured on this chart, now when I
tell you that Elvis had a record one hundred and twenty
eight songs that featured you will appreciate what a massive
undertaking this is, now to make it even more interesting we
are doing it in reverse order basing our chart on the
highest position that a particular recording reached, and
the amount of weeks it spent in the charts, In the
countdown we are going to feature 10 tracks every week
starting with number 115.
Well after a
twelve week marathon when we have played over one hundred of
Elvis�s US Billboard Top 100 chart entries we have finally
arrived at the final countdown, the top 14 songs which all
reached the number one spot, and as we have been doing all
through this countdown we have based our chart on firstly
how high the song reached, secondly how long it held that
position and thirdly how long it remained in the charts. So
we are going straight down to the final countdown starting
at number 12 with �Don�t� which held the number one spot for
just one week with a 20 week stay in the charts.
(12) Don�t
Written by
Leiber and Stoller, Don�t was recorded by Elvis in 1957 and
although it sounds quite a simple song it took 26 takes
before Elvis was satisfied with the recording, to try and
get in the mood for the song Elvis asked that all the light
in the studio be turned off he lay on the floor, and it was
recorded in the dark. �Tequila� by the Champs took over the
number one spot.
�Don�t�
held the number one spot for just one week, with a 20 week stay
in the charts.
(11)
Suspicious Minds
Originally written and recorded by Mark James in 1968, his
version did not chart, in January 1969 Elvis recorded the
song using the same musicians that James had used at 4 mins.
22 seconds suspicious Minds was Elvis�s longest record to
reach the number one spot in the US, unfortunately it only
had a one week stay at the top with a 15 week stay. Was
replaced by �Wedding Bell Blues� by the Fifth Demensions.
(10)
Surrender
Surrender was a contemporary version of the Italian ballad
�Come Back To Sorrento� which was written by Ernesto De
Curtis, the English words were written by Doc Pomus and Mort
Shuman, released in 1960 it had a two week stay at the top,
at only 1 min. and 51 seconds it was one of the shortest
number one�s in history, the shortest being �Stay� by
Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs which came in at 1 Min. and
36 seconds. Surrender was knocked off the top spot by the
Marcel�s �Blue Moon� a song that Elvis himself had recorded
at Sun studios in 1954.
(9) Good
Luck Charm
Recorded
October 15th. 1961 it also spent two weeks at
number one in the US with a thirteen week stay, written by
Aaron Schroder and Wally Gold, this song has become a big
favourite with the Elvis fans and is regarded as one of the
classic Presley tracks of the 60s.
The Shirelles �Soldier Boy� took over the number one spot.
(8) A Big Hunk Of Love
A Big Hunk Of
Love which was recorded by Elvis in 1958 while he was on
leave from the Army had a two week stay at number one
spending fourteen weeks in the charts, also written by Aaron
Schroder the song was a big hit on both side�s of the
Atlantic for Elvis.
(7) Love Me
Tender
Written by Ken Darby,
Love Me Tender was recorded in
1956 for the film of the same name. It spent four weeks in
the number one spot in the US, staying in the charts for
nine weeks, Elvis became the first person in American
recording history to replace himself at number one in the
charts when Love Me Tender replaced Heartbreak Hotel in the
number one spot. Replaced at the top by Guy Mitchell�s
�Singing The Blues.
(6) Stuck
On You
Staying in the charts for sixteen weeks and holding the
number one spot for four weeks Stuck On You was written by
Aaron Schroder and Leslie McFarland and recorded by Elvis in
RCAs Nashville Studios in 1960. Was replaced by the Everly
Brothers �Cathy�s Clown� at the top.
(5) I�ts Now Or Never
Based on the Italian song �O
Sole Mio� written in 1901by G Capurro and Eduardo Di Capua
�O Sole Mio� means �My Sunshine� over the years this song
has been recorded by literally hundreds of singers including
two of Elvis�s favourite singers Enrico Carouso and Mario
Lanza. Recorded by Elvis in 1960 �Its Now Or Never� spent
five weeks in the number one spot being replaced by Chubby
Checker�s �the Twist� to date it has sold over twenty three
million records the most for any Presley recording.
(4) Are You
Lonesome Tonight
Written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman and recorded by Elvis on
April 3rd. 1960 Are You Lonesome tonight spent
six weeks at number one, it was originally recorded by Al
Jolson in 1927, also in 1974 Donny Osmond reached number 14
in the American charts with his cover version of the song.
Bert Kaempkert�s �Wonderland By Night� took over the top
spot.
(3) Teddy
Bear
Written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe
for the movie
Loving You,
Teddy Bear spent seven weeks at
number one in the USA staying in the charts for twenty four
weeks, the song launched a whole industry with millions of
Elvis Teddy Bears going on sale all over the world. It was
replaced at the top by Debbie Reynolds �Tammy�
Now we have three songs that tied for the number two spot.
(jt-2) Heartbreak Hotel
Heartbreak
Hotel, written by Tommy Durden and Ma Axton and based on a
story that appeared in the Miami Herald about a man that
committed suicide in an Miami Hotel, the headline in the
paper was �Do You Know This Man� a photograph of the dead
man was printed beside the article, the song of course was a
monster hit for Elvis in 1956 going to number one in the
American charts with a seven week stay at the top, and a
twenty seven week stay in the charts. �The Wayward Wind� by
Gogi Grant took over the number one spot.
(JT-2)
Don�t Be Cruel
The legendary
recording Don�t Be Cruel although recorded by many other
artist�s will forever be identified with Elvis Presley who
recorded the song in 1956, and also enjoying a seven week
stay at the top of the charts where it had a twenty seven
week stay, finally losing the top spot to Jim Lowe�s �The
Green Door�. Written by Otis Blackwell who sold the rights
of the song to Shalimer Music for twenty five dollars.
(JT-2)
Jailhouse Rock
Jailhouse Rock
also spent seven weeks at the number one spot in the US.
Written by the most prolific writers of Elvis Hits Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber for the 1957 movie of the same
name, Sam Cooke�s �You Send Me� replaced it at the top, it
had a twenty seven week stay in the charts.
Now after a
countdown that lasted twelve weeks and a mammoth one hundred
and twenty seven songs we have finally arrived at the song
that holds the number one spot in our chart, with an eight
week stay at the top of Billboard�s Top 100 chart knocking
Perry Como�s �Round and Round� from the top spot, the total
stay in the charts was thirty weeks another record for an
Elvis song, it also was the first song to top the British
charts where it stayed for seven weeks, so whatever your own
personal favourite may be there is no disputing that this
song rightly deserves the title of the top Elvis Presley
recording of all time and what is it? Well it was recorded
by Elvis in 1957 and was written by Otis Blackwell and it is
�All Shook Up�
(1) All Shook Up
You can tune into
Elvis Extra on Dublin's Country Mix 106.8fm between 7pm-8pm
every sunday or on line at
www.perfectstation.com
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