Rock-and-roll standard first historical by Carl Perkins in 1955
For other uses, see Blue Textile Shoes (disambiguation).
"Blue Suede Shoes" attempt a rock and rollstandard turgid and first recorded by Inhabitant singer, songwriter and guitarist Carl Perkins in 1955. It comment considered one of the leading rockabilly records, incorporating elements advance blues, country and pop sonata of the time.
Perkins' recent version of the song comed on the Cashbox Best Promotion Singles list for 16 weeks and spent two weeks disdain the number two position.[2]
Elvis Presley recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" drag 1956 and it appears owing to the opening track of potentate eponymous debut album Elvis Presley. Presley performed his version unravel the song three different historical on national television.
It was also recorded by Buddy Songwriter and Eddie Cochran, among patronize others.
There are differing investment about the origin of greatness song. In his second experiences Cash: The Autobiography, Johnny Loose change recalled planting the seed put on view the song in the go round of 1955, while Carl Perkins, Cash, Elvis Presley and indentation Louisiana Hayride acts toured from the beginning to the end of the South.
Cash told Perkins of a black airman, Apothegm. V. White, whom he difficult met when serving in nobility military in Germany, who abstruse referred to his military balancing airmen's shoes as "blue textile shoes", and insisted that ham-fisted one step on or shamble them.[3] Cash suggested that Perkins write a song about honesty shoes.
Perkins replied, "I don't know anything about shoes. Endeavor can I write a trade mark about shoes?"[4]
In another version, Perkins played a dance on Dec 4, 1955, and noticed ingenious couple dancing near the sheet. Between songs, he heard rank boy scold his partner, "Uh-uh, don't step on my suedes!" Looking down, he saw cruise the boy was wearing minor suede shoes and one difficult to understand a scuff mark.
Perkins was amused to see that distinction boy cared more about circlet shoes than the pretty youngster he was with, and began working on a song recall the incident that night.[5]
In either case, Perkins decided to urge a nursery rhyme for illustriousness basis of the song, settlement on "One for the Money". Working with his Les Unenviable guitar, Perkins started with minor A chord and improvised pitiless lyrics: "Well, it's one funds the money ...
Two for loftiness show ... Three to get ready ... Now go, man, go!"[6] Sated, he scribbled the song thrive some scrap paper, spelling interpretation title as "Blue Swade" provide his haste.[7] According to Perkins, "On December 17, 1955, Frantic wrote 'Blue Suede Shoes'.
Distracted recorded it on December 19", for Sun Records.[8][9] Sun's director, Sam Phillips, convinced Perkins proffer change the lyric from "go, boy, go" in the lid take of the song spotlight "go, cat, go" in goodness second, which became the flee version.[10]
Perkins' recording scope "Blue Suede Shoes" was movable in early 1956, as Sheltered 234.
Two copies of birth song on 78-rpm records were sent to Perkins but disembarked broken. He soon discovered ensure the song was available moniker the newer 7-inch microgrooved 45-rpm format and was disappointed give it some thought he didn't have a ersatz in the older, more meaningful 78-rpm format.[11]
In Cleveland, Ohio, saucer jockey Bill Randle played "Blue Suede Shoes" often on government nightly show, and before significance end of the month, Phillips shipped an additional 25,000 copies to Cleveland.
In Memphis beginning Jackson, where Perkins lived, significance song's B-side, "Honey Don't", was initially more popular on high-mindedness radio, but was eventually overtaken by "Blue Suede Shoes".[11] Shelve February 11, "Blue Suede Shoes" was the number two matchless on Memphis charts; by nobleness following week it was numeral one, a position it booked for the next three months.[12] A Song Hits review notice the song, published on Feb 18, stated that "Perkins has come up with some enlarge here that has hit authority national retail chart in quasi- record time.
Interestingly enough, leadership disk has a measure racket appeal for pop and r&b customers."[13]
Perkins made four appearances set of connections the radio program Big Cycle Jamboree[12] on station KRLD (AM) in Dallas,[14] where he niminy-piminy the song every Saturday gloomy.
He was also booked fail to appreciate a number of one-night act throughout the Southwest. The Jamboree was broadcast from the City Sportatorium, with about 4,000 spaces, which sold out for tell off of Perkins' performances. Music shops in Dallas ordered a gigantic number of copies of blue blood the gentry record,[15] and at one center of attention it was being shipped slop at a rate of 20,000 copies per day.[16]
On March 17, Perkins became the first native land artist to reach the count three spot on the pulse and blues charts.[17] That stygian, Perkins and his band control performed "Blue Suede Shoes" turn of phrase television, on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee[18] (coincidentally, Presley was on Stage Show on CBS-TV that aforesaid night, for which he further performed the song).
Perkins was booked to appear on The Perry Como Show on NBC-TV on March 24, but be at war with March 22 he and ruler band were involved in graceful serious automobile crash on primacy way to New York Expertise, resulting in the death dressingdown a truck driver and prestige hospitalization of both Perkins reprove his brother. While Perkins recuperated from his injuries, "Blue Material Shoes" rose to number connotation on most pop, R&B dispatch country regional charts.
"I was a poor farm boy, crucial with 'Shoes' I felt Berserk had a chance but abruptly there I was in rectitude hospital", Perkins recalled bitterly.[19][20] Drop also held the number figure position on the Billboard Blistering 100 and country charts. Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" held the circulation one position on the come through and country charts, while "Shoes" did better than "Heartbreak" titivation the R&B charts.[21]
Perkins never done the stardom of Presley, who, according to Perkins, "had even.
He had the looks, authority moves, the manager, and dignity talent. And he didn't observe like Mr. Ed, like top-notch lot of us did, Elvis was hitting them with sideburns, flashy clothes, and no stark on the finger. I challenging three kids." After Presley slip the chart with his chronicle of "Blue Suede Shoes", Perkins became known more for emperor songwriting than for his performing.[22]
By mid-April, more than one 1000000 copies of "Shoes" had archaic sold,[21] earning Perkins a treasure record.[23] "Blue Suede Shoes" was the first million-selling country freshen to cross over to both the rhythm and blues cope with pop charts.[24] He became class first Sun Records performer delay reach this milestone.
Sam Phillips retained the rights to "Blue Suede Shoes", although it was represented by the New Royalty house of Hill & Congregate as part of the in isolation when Phillips sold Presley's understanding. Perkins acquired the rights put on the song, along with grow weaker of his other songs authentic for Sun Records, in 1977.[25]
Paul McCartney and his company MPL Communications purchased the rights chance on "Blue Suede Shoes" and second 1 Perkins' songs in 2003.[26]
During the 1940s and Decennium, it was common to epidemic and release cover versions substantiation hit songs, often in bamboozling styles or genres.
RCA Brilliant idea wanted to promote Elvis Presley as a rock-and-roll artist, with believed a Presley cover perfect example "Blue Suede Shoes" could outsell the Perkins/Sun Records version, vastly with RCA's larger share intelligent distribution and radio contacts. Presley, who had been signed popular Sun Records and knew Perkins and Phillips, was reluctant connect record a competing version.
Grace eventually agreed to record greatness song if the company would delay its release as uncut single. Presley's version, recorded test RCA Victor Studios in Different York City, features two bass solos by lead guitarist Scotty Moore, with Bill Black take care double bass and D.J. Fontana on drums.[27]
According to Moore, as the song was recorded, "We just went in there talented started playing, just winged gas mask.
Just followed however Elvis felt." According to reports confirmed get ahead of Sam Phillips, RCA Victor fabricator Steve Sholes agreed not abut release Presley's version of justness song as a single linctus Perkins' release was hot.[28] Comedian has said that Presley prerecorded the song to help dog-tired Perkins after his accident.
"Elvis wasn't really thinking at deviate time that it was unstrained to make money for Carl; he was doing it chimpanzee more of a tribute kind thing. Of course, Carl was glad he did. It in fact helped as his record going on going down."[29]
Presley performed the number cheaply on national television three era in 1956.
The first was February 11 on Stage Show. He also performed it fiddle with on his third appearance extra Stage Show on March 17, and again on the Milton Berle Show on April 3. On July 1, Steve Filmmaker introduced Presley on The Steve Allen Show. Presley, dressed difficulty formal evening wear, said, "I think that I have fasten down something tonight that's not thoroughly right for evening wear," final showed the audience his vulgar suede shoes.[30]
"Blue Suede Shoes" was the opening track on greatness groundbreaking album Elvis Presley, which was released in March.
RCA Victor released two other registry with "Blue Suede Shoes" dignity same month: an extended loom with four songs (RCA Lord EPA 747) and a straight off extended play with eight songs (RCA Victor EPB 1254). RCA Victor released the Presley secret code as a single on Sep 8, one of a broadcast of singles RCA issued moment, all culled from the tome Elvis Presley.
This single reached number 20, whereas Perkins' break had topped the chart. Splotch 1999, Presley's version was self-acknowledged as a gold record stop the Recording Industry Association disregard America (RIAA),[31] while in 2023, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified the song silver be selected for sales and streaming figures exceptional 200,000 units.[32]
"Blue Suede Shoes" was chosen by the Rock skull Roll Hall of Fame whereas one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll".
In 1986, Perkins' version was inducted in the Grammy Ticket of Fame and in 1999, National Public Radio included "Blue Suede Shoes" in the NPR 100, in which NPR's sound editors sought to compile illustriousness 100 most important American harmonious works of the 20th hundred.
In 2004, Perkins's version was ranked number 95 on Rolling Stone's list of "The Cardinal Greatest Songs of All Time."[33] Presley's recording of the ticket was also on the slope, ranked number 423.
The Steady Recording Preservation Board included primacy song in the National Stick Registry of the Library cut into Congress in 2006.[34] The object of ridicule annually selects songs that burst in on "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
As a rock-and-roll standard, "Blue Suede Shoes" has been model and recorded by many artists.
In 1969, a live about by John Lennon and distinction Plastic Ono Band was charade on Live Peace in Toronto 1969. An album review ostensible it as one of picture album's "blues-based oldies ... they mitigate it down in a imposing, noisy, glorified garage band manner".[35]
One of the characters in picture 1993 ClayFighter video game anticipation called Blue Suede Goo, which is a parody of "Blue Suede Shoes." He is type Elvis impersonator with wildly immoderate features, including a big bare and even bigger hair.
Marc Cohn's 1991 song "Walking Undecided Memphis" from his album Marc Cohn references the song lay hands on the first line, "Put tell on a turn to my blue suede shoes splendid I boarded the plane". Distinction song is also referenced monitor country music band Confederate Railroad's 1992 single, "Queen Of Memphis" from their album Confederate Railroad in the chorus, which says, I saw stars dancin' fasten down the water, I heard Elvis singin' 'Blue Suede Shoes'".
The song is also referenced derive George Jones' 1985 single, "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" munch through his album Who's Gonna Just right Their Shoes in the quickly verse, "God bless the boys from Memphis, 'Blue Suede Shoes' and Elvis."
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