A Big Hunk o' Love
"A Big Hunk o' Love" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single cover art work for A Big Hunk O' Love by Elvis Presley | ||||
Single by Elvis Presley | ||||
B-side | "My Wish Came True" | |||
Released | June 23, 1959 (1959-06-23)[1] | |||
Recorded | June 10, 1958 | |||
Studio | RCA Studio B, Nashville[1] | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length | 2:12 | |||
Label | RCA Victor | |||
Songwriter(s) | Aaron Schroeder, Sidney Wyche | |||
Producer(s) | Steve Sholes | |||
Elvis Presley singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"A Big Hunk o' Love" (audio) on YouTube | ||||
"A Big Hunk o' Love" is a song originally recorded by Elvis Presley and released as a single on June 23, 1959[1] by RCA Victor, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks.[3]
The song was revived by Presley in 1972 during his engagements at the Las Vegas Hilton in February 1972 and was used regularly in his live shows until mid-1973. It was performed live for the last time on January 26, 1974. The song is included in the 1972 documentary Elvis On Tour and his 1973 show broadcast via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. During this time period, it was played by the Elvis' TCB Band, and featured Glen D. Hardin and James Burton.
The song was written by Aaron Schroeder and Sidney Wyche, under the name Sid Jaxon and published by Elvis Presley's company Gladys Music, Inc. Aaron Schroeder (along with Wally Gold), also wrote "It's Now or Never" and "Good Luck Charm", both of which, like "A Big Hunk o' Love", were originally recorded by American rock and roll icon Elvis Presley.
Syd Wyche is best known for writing the jazz standard "Alright, Okay, You Win", whereas Aaron Schroeder co-wrote many hits in the rock`n`roll area, from "Fools Hall of Fame" (Pat Boone) to "Because They're Young" (Duane Eddy). In an interview conducted by Jan-Erik Kjeseth, he also revealed that in fact he worked with his partner Wally Gold in order to improve a song submitted by another writer, and the result was "It's My Party", a big hit for Lesley Gore. Schroeder and Gold tossed a coin as to whose name should go on the record, and Gold "won".
The song appeared on the 1959 compilation 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong, the 2002 career retrospective ELV1S: 30#1 Hits, and the 2016 compilation The Wonder of You.
Recording
"A Big Hunk o' Love", a hard, driving rocker, was recorded at Elvis' first and only session during his two years of Army service. The session took place on June 10, 1958, in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the first session that did not include guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, who had both worked with Elvis since his first recordings for Sam Phillips at the Memphis Recording Service, which later became known as Sun Studios.
The recording featured Elvis' drummer D.J. Fontana and backing vocalists the Jordanaires, who would continue to work with Elvis until Elvis' appearance at the Hilton in Las Vegas. The rest of the musicians were noted Nashville session men, such as guitarist Hank Garland on a Gibson Byrdland guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano, Bob Moore on double bass, and Buddy Harman and D.J. Fontana on drums. The song was recorded in four takes, the released version is actually spliced from takes three and four.[1][4]
Personnel
- Elvis Presley – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Chet Atkins – rhythm guitar
- Hank Garland – lead guitar
- Bob Moore – double bass
- D.J. Fontana, Buddy Harman – drums
- Floyd Cramer – piano
- Steve Sholes – producer
- Bob Ferris – engineer
Release and chart performance
RCA Victor had paired "A Big Hunk o' Love" for release as a single with "My Wish Came True" as the B-side in both the United States and England. When the single was released on June 23, it was the third release to come from Elvis' army session after "I Got Stung" on October 21, 1958, and "I Need Your Love Tonight" b/w "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I" on March 10, 1959.[1][4]
The A-side spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the B-side peaked at No. 12.[3] The single was less successful on the Cashbox Top 100 with the A-side peaking at No. 2 and the B-side at No. 23.[5] On the UK Singles Chart the A-side peaked at No. 4, while the B-side did not appear on the chart.[6] The A-side also peaked at No. 10 on Billboard magazine's R&B Singles chart.[7]
Presley's next single was another Aaron Schroeder co-composition, "Stuck on You". "A Big Hunk o' Love" was the first of four of Schroeder's songs that became No. 1 hits for Presley.[1]
"A Big Hunk o' Love" b/w "My Wish Came True" was Presley's last commercially released Canadian 78 RPM.[8] It was Elvis' first single to not receive a 78 RPM pressing in the United States.[9]
Single track listings
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "A Big Hunk o' Love" | Aaron Schroeder, Sid Jaxon | 2:12 |
2. | "My Wish Came True" | Ivory Joe Hunter | 2:32 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "A Big Hunk o' Love" | Schroeder, Sidney Wyche | |
2. | "My Wish Came True" | Hunter | |
3. | "A Big Hunk o' Love – Alt. Take 1" | Schroeder, Wyche |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits (CD liner). Elvis Presley. RCA Records. 2002. pp. 11, 18. 68079-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Breihan, Tom (February 7, 2018). "The Number Ones: Elvis Presley's "A Big Hunk O' Love"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
It's a pretty standard rockabilly number..."A Big Hunk O' Love" isn't one of Presley's better rockers.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2010). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (9th ed.). Billboard Books. p. 520. ISBN 978-0-8230-8554-5.
- ^ a b Jorgensen, Ernst Mikael (1998). Elvis Presley: A Life in Music – The Complete Recording Sessions. New York City: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-18572-3.
- ^ "The Cash Box Top 100 Singles: Week Ending August 29, 1959". Cash Box Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "Featured Artists: Elvis Presley". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 468.
- ^ "Elvis Presley 78 RPM Canadian Discography | elvisrecords.com". Elvisrecords.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Elvis Presley 78 RPM - Discography - USA - 78 RPM". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- v
- t
- e
- Elvis Presley
- Elvis (1956 album)
- Elvis' Christmas Album
- Elvis Is Back!
- His Hand in Mine
- Something for Everybody
- Pot Luck
- How Great Thou Art
- From Elvis in Memphis
- From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis
- That's the Way It Is
- Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)
- Love Letters from Elvis
- Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas
- Elvis Now
- He Touched Me
- Elvis (1973 album)
- Raised on Rock / For Ol' Times Sake
- Good Times
- Promised Land
- Today
- From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee
- Moody Blue
- Loving You
- King Creole
- G.I. Blues
- Blue Hawaii
- Girls! Girls! Girls!
- It Happened at the World's Fair
- Fun in Acapulco
- Kissin' Cousins
- Roustabout
- Girl Happy
- Harum Scarum
- Frankie and Johnny
- Paradise Hawaiian Style
- Spinout
- Double Trouble
- Clambake
- Speedway
- Viva Elvis
- Elvis Presley: The Searcher
- Love Me Tender
- Peace in the Valley
- Jailhouse Rock
- Flaming Star
- Follow That Dream
- Kid Galahad
- Viva Las Vegas
- Tickle Me
- Easy Come, Easy Go
- Elvis (1968 album)
- From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis
- On Stage
- As Recorded at Madison Square Garden
- Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
- Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis
- Having Fun with Elvis on Stage
- Elvis in Concert
- An Afternoon in the Garden
- Elvis Sings Flaming Star
- Let's Be Friends
- Almost in Love
- C'mon Everybody
- I Got Lucky
- Elvis' 40 Greatest
- Pure Gold
- Elvis' Golden Records
- For LP Fans Only
- A Date with Elvis
- 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong
- Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3
- Elvis for Everyone!
- Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4
- Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1
- Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2
- The Sun Sessions
- Welcome to My World
- He Walks Beside Me
- Mahalo from Elvis
- Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3
- Greatest Hits Volume 1
- Elvis' Gold Records Volume 5
- Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances
- Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II
- Elvis 56
- Tiger Man
- Memories: The '68 Comeback Special
- Sunrise
- Suspicious Minds: The Memphis 1969 Anthology
- The 50 Greatest Hits
- ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits
- 2nd to None
- Elvis at Sun
- Hitstory
- Elvis Inspirational
- Elvis Rock
- Elvis Christmas
- The Essential Elvis Presley
- Christmas Duets
- If I Can Dream
- Way Down in the Jungle Room
- The Wonder of You
- Where No One Stands Alone
- Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits Vol. 1
- The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters
- From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters
- Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters
- Peace in the Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings
- Live in Las Vegas
- Today, Tomorrow, and Forever
- Elvis the King
- The Complete '68 Comeback Special
- The Complete Elvis Presley Masters
- Elvis (1979 film)
- Elvis and Me (miniseries)
- Elvis (1990 series)
- Elvis Meets Nixon
- Elvis (2005 miniseries)
- Elvis & Nixon
- Elvis (2022 film)
- Agent Elvis (2023 series)
- Priscilla
- The Pied Piper of Cleveland
- Elvis: That's the Way It Is
- Elvis on Tour
- This Is Elvis
- The New Gladiators
- Elvis Presley: The Searcher
- The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis
- Elvis ('68 Comeback Special)
- Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
- Elvis in Concert
- Cooking with Elvis
- All Shook Up
- Elvis. The Musical
- Elvis: The Concert
- Viva Elvis
- The Elvis Dead
- Lisa Marie Presley (daughter)
- Riley Keough (granddaughter)
- Priscilla Presley (ex-wife)
- Brandon Presley (second cousin)
- Sam Phillips
- The Blue Moon Boys
- The Jordanaires
- The Imperials
- The Sweet Inspirations
- TCB Band
- J. D. Sumner
- Stephen H. Sholes
- June Juanico
- Memphis Mafia
- Colonel Tom Parker
- George C. Nichopoulos
- Judy Spreckels
- Linda Thompson
- Ginger Alden
- Larry Geller
- Graceland
- Audubon Street House
- Impersonators
- Elvis and Gladys
- Elvis and Me
- Elvis: What Happened?
- Elvis-A-Rama Museum
- Sun recordings
- Million Dollar Quartet
- Cultural depictions of Elvis Presley
- Songs about Elvis
- Elvis Presley Enterprises
- Elvis Presley Lake
- "Elvis has left the building"
- Elvis Radio
- FBI files on Elvis Presley
- Military service
- Eight Elvises
- Triple Elvis
- Elvis Presley's Pink Cadillac
- Elvis Presley's guitars
- Elvis Presley single
- Elvis Presley Forever stamp
- Elvis sightings
- Elvis sandwich
- Fool's Gold Loaf
- Elvis' Greatest Shit
- List of memorials
- Category