Heartbreak Hotel
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| “Heartbreak Hotel” | |||||
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| Single by Elvis Presley | |||||
| B-side | "I was the One" | ||||
| Released | January 27, 1956 | ||||
| Format | single | ||||
| Recorded | January 10, 1956 | ||||
| Genre | Rock and roll | ||||
| Length | 2:08 | ||||
| Label | RCA Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Mae Boren Axton, Thomas Durden, and Elvis Presley | ||||
| Producer | Steve Sholes | ||||
| Elvis Presley singles chronology | |||||
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For other uses, see Heartbreak Hotel (disambiguation).
"Heartbreak Hotel" is a rock and roll song performed by Elvis Presley, with Bill Black (bass), Scotty Moore (guitar), D.J. Fontana (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano) and Elvis on rhythm guitar as the main supporting musicians. Recorded in January 1956 in Nashville, the song introduced Presley to the American national music consciousness. It was released as a single with the b-side song "I Was The One" on January 27, 1956. "Heartbreak Hotel" became the first No.1 pop record by Elvis and was the best selling single of 1956.[1]
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[edit] Song's history
This was the first song recorded by Elvis at RCA Victor. Elvis selected the song. He had earlier promised co-writer Mae Boren Axton that he would want to record it. He arrived at the studio with the song ready to record it without input from RCA. Although producer Steve Sholes was worried, he recorded the song taking it on faith that Elvis knew what he was doing. Most others at RCA Victor believed that it was a mistake, especially after hearing that the finished recording sounded nothing like the prior Elvis recordings at Sun Records.
In 1956, Presley sang the song live and introduced it at the Tommy Dorsey TV Show, on February 11. He also sang it on March 1 and March 24 of that year, and on his third and last appearance at the Ed Sullivan Show, also on CBS, on January 6, 1957. Cumulative viewers for these first television performances are estimated at over 60 million. In 1968, he also sang it on his celebrated "Comeback TV Special", in a medley with Hound Dog and All Shook Up.
The song is an example of simple verse form based on the eight-bar blues progression. It was written by Thomas Durden, then a steel-guitarist in Smiling Jack Herring and his Swing Billies, [1] and Mae Boren Axton, a teacher at Dupont Jr.-Sr. High School in Jacksonville, Florida, and the mother of singer/songwriter/actor Hoyt Axton. She was a publicist for Hank Snow, who was managed by Colonel Tom Parker, who also managed Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley received co-songwriting credit for his contributions to the final recorded release.[2] In an interview, Tommy Durden conceded that he did not recognize the song after Elvis had made the changes to the song in the studio, including changes to the tempo, phrasing, lyrics, and overall sound.
"Heartbreak Hotel"'s lyrical matter deals with the singer's sadness, implicitly that following the end of a romantic relationship. It uses the metaphor of a hotel to represent this emotional state. Durden read about a suicide in the Miami Herald in 1955. A well-dressed man had removed all labels from his clothing, destroyed his identity papers and left a note saying: "I walk a lonely street." [3]
Steve Sholes used a hallway at the studio to get a noticeably unusual echo for the single. Sholes was attempting to recapture the Sun Records sound however, Sam Phillips had used two tape recorders and a slight time delay to create the echo on prior Elvis recordings, unbeknowst to the RCA personnel.[2]
Because the vocals on the original record featured such a heavy use of reverb, the song was immediately lampooned in radio humorist Stan Freberg's parody of the song, where the lead singer repeatedly asks for "more echo on [his] voice." When Elvis recorded Hound Dog a few months later, he had completely taken over the role of producer, using what he learned at Sun Records (although Steve Sholes was still credited) and decided not to use echo.
[edit] Song's status on the charts
"Heartbreak Hotel" was no. 1 for 8 weeks on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart when released in 1956 on RCA Records. The record was no. 1 for 17 weeks on the Billboard Country Chart and reached no. 3 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues Chart. In 2006, more than 50 years after its initial release, "Heartbreak Hotel" returned to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart when re-released.
The song was later ranked #45 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is a Grammy Hall of Fame.
[edit] Song's legacy
There is now a real hotel named after the song, and located across from Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee.
A movie with the same title, based on a mythical incident involving the kidnapping of Elvis Presley, was released theatrically in 1988. It starred David Keith as Elvis Presley, and Tuesday Weld and was directed by Chris Columbus.
[edit] Cover versions of the song
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During the late-1950s and early 1960s, Johnny Cash and his band (The Tennessee Three) performed a parody of Elvis' stage techniques as a comedy act during concerts. Johnny would have Marshall Grant (his bass player) hand him a comb, so he could re-style his hair in an exaggerated approximation of Elvis' hairstyle. He would then proceed to sing "Heartbreak Hotel" whilst shaking his hips and legs in the manner of Elvis. After his 'song', Johnny would take the comb back and put his hair back to normal, while saying "I walked past a barber shop earlier today, and the barber came out and said 'hey son, I'll give you an estimate'". He'd drop the comb (implying it had come alive from all the wax and such that was in his hair) and Marshall would shoot it with a blank pistol; Johnny and Luther Perkins (his lead guitarist) would jump off the stage in fright, and his drummer (W.S. Holland) would fall off his stool.
There are numerous cover versions of the song, including one by avant garde musician John Cale, although the mood of the song was significantly more unsettling than Elvis's version. Tommy Emmanuel has recently included this song into his repertoire and only involves him on lead guitar and vocals.
Dread Zeppelin, a reggae band fronted by an Elvis impersonator, does a medley of "Heartbreak Hotel" and Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker" entitled "Heartbreaker (At the End of Lonely Street)". This tune appears on Un-Led-Ed and De-jah Voodoo.
Three other songs, also entitled "Heartbreak Hotel" were released as singles, one by The Jacksons (later renamed "This Place Hotel"), a second by Whitney Houston, whose mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston performed in several Elvis recordings, both in the studio and live, as a member of the Sweet Inspirations. A third song called "Heartbreak Hotel" was performed by C. C. Catch. None of these songs are connected to Elvis's song.
Paul McCartney recorded "Heartbreak Hotel" using Bill Black's bass at Abbey Road Studios. McCartney said: "It was Elvis who really got me hooked on beat music. When I heard 'Heartbreak Hotel' I thought, this is it... Musically it's perfect."
Merle Haggard included "Heartbreak Hotel" on his 1977 album "My Farewell To Elvis"
Van Halen, featuring David Lee Roth on lead vocals, performed the song on their 1983 Diver Down World Tour. Van Halen also performed the song live in the 1970s.
Jimi Hendrix recorded the song as part of an Elvis Presley medley along with "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Trouble".
Guns N' Roses have performed the song live in concert with Axl Rose on lead vocals in the late 80s. They also recorded a studio version, which is available on the internet.
Bruce Springsteen has performed the song in concert.
Legendary guitarist Chet Atkins has covered the song.
George Harrison of The Beatles remembered in an interview that "Heartbreak Hotel" was the first rock and roll record he ever heard.
"Heartbreak Hotel" was also a favorite of Jim Morrison of The Doors. The Doors performed "Heartbreak Hotel" as part of a medley in 1970 in Detroit in concert with Jim and Ray Manzarek sharing the vocals.
Led Zeppelin performed "Heartbreak Hotel" as part of a medley during their 1972 tour. The recording remains unreleased.
Willie Nelson and Leon Russell had a no. 1 cover version in 1979 on the country charts.
Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones said: "When I heard 'Heartbreak Hotel', I knew what I wanted to do in life."
Oldies group Sha Na Na has recorded "Heartbreak Hotel".
Fats Domino recorded his version of "Heartbreak Hotel".
An instrumental version of Heartbreak Hotel was recorded by early Texas rock group Tommy & The Tom Toms in 1960. It was produced by Major Bill Smith (Hey Baby, Hey Paula, Last Kiss) and released on Chess Records (#1773) under the pseudonym of the Bill Smith Combo.
Legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded the song.
Country legend Roger Miller covered "Heartbreak Hotel" on his 1966 Words and Music album.
In 2007, Justin Timberlake performed "Heartbreak Hotel" in concert.
Fonzie, Henry Winkler, sang the song on Happy Days in the 1970s.
Tanya Tucker recorded the song in the 1970s.
US President Bill Clinton performed a cover of "Heartbreak Hotel" on sax on the Arsenio Hall Show in the 1990s during his campaign.
Tom Jones covered "Heartbreak Hotel". Jones said Elvis inspired him to become a singer: "It was the first time I heard 'Heartbreak Hotel'. It gave me hope that I could become a famous performer, too. I knew I had the voice and the flair for it. Of course, Elvis and I became great friends."
Roger McGuinn of the Byrds recorded a version of "Heartbreak Hotel". He stated that "Heartbreak Hotel" was the first rock record he heard in 1956. Afterwards, he got his parents to buy him a guitar.
Al Kooper: "When I first heard this in 1956, I thought it was a little black man with a pork-pie hat hunched over a piano with a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he sang and tickled the ivories. My jaw dropped when I saw the real thing."
The song was also covered by Ann-Margret, Frijid Pink, Homer and Jethro, Conway Twitty, Delaney and Bonnie, Katie Melua, and Pat Boone.
Then in early 2004 Stephanie Butland covered this song, as a new version of the song.
The Vandals covered this song, changing it radically and incorporating comically over-explicit lyrics. It appears on their album Peace Thru Vandalism under the title "H.B. Hotel".
[edit] Song mentioned in other songs
- Patty Loveless's single "Blue Side of Town" from her Honky Tonk Angel album in 1988 had a line in the song's chorus with "And it's Heartbrak Hotel. Yes I know it well. I hang around. The Blue Side of Town."
- U2 wrote a song called "A Room At The Heartbreak Hotel." It is a b-side to their "Angel of Harlem" single, released in 1988. It was also covered by Hugh Jackman for the 2006 animated film Happy Feet where it mixed with Nicole Kidman's voice singing Kiss.
- "Heartbreak Hotel" is referenced in "Short Fat Fannie" by Larry Williams: "One day while I was visiting the Heartbreak Hotel."
- Dire Straits' song "Calling Elvis" mentions it in the chorus.
- Meryl Streep sings Shel Silverstein's "I'm Checking Out of This Heartbreak Hotel" in the final scene of "Postcards from the Edge."
[edit] Cultural references
- In 2005, Uncut Magazine ranked the first performance of "Heartbreak Hotel" in 1956 by Elvis Presley as the no.2 greatest and most important cultural event of the rock and roll era.
- Heartbreak Hotel is the name of the rebels' hideout in the musical 'We Will Rock You'.
- Several lines from the song are referenced in Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale.
- In Professional Wrestling, Shawn Michaels used to have a interview segment called The Heartbreak Hotel
[edit] References
- ^ Jim Dawson, & Steve Propes (1992). What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record. Boston & London: Faber & Faber, p. 194-197. ISBN 0-571-12939-0.
- ^ Raymond, Susan (Director) (1987, Re-released 2000). Elvis '56 - In the Beginning (DVD). Warner Vision.
- Gray, Michael "Thomas Durden obituary", The Guardian, 1999-10-28, Retrieved on April 19, 2007.
| Preceded by "The Poor People of Paris" by Les Baxter |
Billboard Top 100 number one single (Elvis Presley version) May 5 1956 (7 weeks) |
Succeeded by "The Wayward Wind" by Gogi Grant |
| Preceded by "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band |
Billboard Hot Country Singles number one single (Willie Nelson and Leon Russell version) September 1, 1979 |
Succeeded by "I May Never Get To Heaven" by Conway Twitty |
| Preceded by "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" by Perez Prado |
Billboard Top 100 Number one single of the year (Elvis Presley version) 1956 |
Succeeded by "All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley |
