The story behind the song
Don’t Be Cruel stands out as one of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits and most important songs in music history. When Elvis recorded and put out this song in 1956, it made history by becoming the first double-sided number-one single ever when it was paired with Hound Dog. This combo helped kick off the rock ‘n’ roll movement that took over in the middle of the 1900s.
The track was written by the legendary rhythm and blues songwriter Otis Blackwell. Ironically, Blackwell had originally sold the song to a publisher for just $25 before it ever reached Elvis.
Elvis’s music publishers at Hill & Range brought him this song, making it the very first track they’d ever pitched to him. They’d worked out a deal with Blackwell, and to make sure the hottest rising star in America would record it, Blackwell agreed to give up half of the royalties and give Elvis a co-writing credit too. According to Elvis’s music publisher Freddy Bienstock, Elvis would often make small changes to the lyrics during this time if he didn’t like a certain line, but the credit arrangement was really just a business move to get him interested.
After a session in Nashville didn’t go well, producer Steve Sholes decided to move things to RCA’s main studio in New York City. Elvis was already going to be in town on July 1, 1956, to appear on The Steve Allen Show on television. On July 2, 1956, Elvis and his main band went into the studio. Even though the main reason for the session was to record Hound Dog, Elvis totally took over when they switched to Don’t Be Cruel. He made his musicians do 28 takes because he wanted to get the exact rhythmic swing that he was looking for.
RCA Victor put out the single on July 13, 1956. It became a huge cultural phenomenon, quickly selling over 3 million copies by October of that year.
Don’t Be Cruel hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 on September 15, 1956. What’s really cool is that it topped three different Billboard charts at the same time: Pop, Country, and R&B. Along with its B-side Hound Dog, the single stayed at No. 1 for 11 straight weeks.
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