The story behind the song
I Feel So Bad was written and originally recorded by rhythm and blues singer Chuck Willis in 1953 and released in early 1954, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues chart. Elvis Presley loved the original “blues rhumba” track and recorded his own high-energy version on March 12, 1961, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee.
The song’s release on May 2, 1961, was the result of a rare executive override against Elvis’s manager, Tom Parker, who firmly intended to pair the title track of Elvis’s upcoming movie, Wild in the Country, with another song from the film, I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell. However, RCA executive Bill Bullock overruled Parker, insisting that a fresh track from Elvis’s March Nashville sessions be substituted instead. Elvis chose I Feel So Bad.
The track beautifully showcased Elvis returning to his deep R&B and blues roots, blending a heavy driving beat with a mix of electric guitar, piano, and horns. The legendary session lineup at RCA Studio B included Hank Garland, Scotty Moore, and Elvis Presley on guitar, Bob Moore on bass, D.J. Fontana and Buddy Harman on drums, saxophone played by Boots Randolph, and background vocals were Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires.
The single was a solid commercial success, peaking at
No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching the Top 15 on the R&B Singles chart. In the United Kingdom, it was released as a double A-side with Wild in the Country and climbed to No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The track was later compiled onto the 1963 album Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 3.
AT A GLANCE