(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care by Elvis Presley

Album: Greatest Hits (1957)

Get the Sheet Music License This Song

This was one of the songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for Elvis for the film Jailhouse Rock. It was one of four songs written during the famous Aberbach episode. Recounted in the book Hound Dog: The Leiber & Stoller Autobiography on page 107, Leiber and Stoller were in their motel room enjoying breakfast at the leisurely hour of 1 P.M. when Jean Aberbach, Elvis' music publisher, showed up to ask whether they had the songs for Jailhouse Rock yet. When they admitted that they hadn't, Aberbach said that he was not leaving without them, and pushed the sofa against the door of the hotel room and went to sleep on it. Leiber and Stoller wrote the songs and woke him up. After handing him the songs, only then would he let them go!
By the time Elvis recorded "Baby I Don't Care," Elvis and Leiber and Stoller had really hit their stride working together. Jerry Leiber reminisces, "The fourth song was the most fun because by then Elvis was deep into our producing style. Our style wasn't anything more than being loose and having fun. Elvis' initial shyness had totally melted away and he was completely in the spirit of the music."
Note the movie scene in the video to the right, where Elvis performs the song for a pool party. Have you ever seen such a quiet, still, well-mannered audience of ladies in your life? Of course, the filming was happening with Elvis lip-syncing to the music which was recorded earlier in-studio. If you look at the band behind Elvis very closely, rumor has it that you can see the guitarist wearing glasses in the long shots, but not in the medium and close-up shots. And yes, that's Mike Stoller tickling the ivories in that Hawaiian shirt!

Comments: 9

Jennifur Sun from RamonaThink that is also James Burton and D J Fontana in that clip as well.
Jennifur Sun from RamonaAdam you were right about Elvis playing bass for a while. Bill was upset because they wanted him to switch bassess. Scotty and D J did perform with Elvis on the Special. Sadly Scotty passed away last year. Jerry and Mike wanted to work more with Elvis but his manager put a stop to it.
Jennifur Sun from RamonaWondered who played bass, loved it. Also I understand that on the Blue Hawaii Lp the drummer was the fabulous Hal Blaine.
Jesse from Dallas, TxCee-Lo Green recorded a version of this song for the "Rave On-a Tribute to Buddy Holly" album released in 2011.
Bubblesk from Memphis, Tn"Baby I Don't Care" was included in a re-mastered compilation of Elvis's rockabilly songs & released in the mid-Eighties when I attended the University of Oklahoma. I bought the cassette at a record shop just off-campus and that's when I was first introduced to Elvis's rockabilly recordings. Great & really tough rockin' songs. I forget the name of the cassette release, but it could've been "I Was The One." I'm just not sure after all this time. The driving drums & instrumentation on "Baby I Don't Care" just capture the spirit of early rock & roll for me
Jeremy from Alapaha, Ga, GaNo rumor, Elvis is playing electric Fender bass on the song. Visit Keith Flynn's Elvis Sessions page to find out more.

Also, although Scotty Moore resigned from Elvis's band in early 1958 and missed Elvis's final studio session of the '50s in June 1958, Scotty returned to Elvis's band when Elvis returned from the army in March 1960. Scotty was on virtally all of Elvis's recording sessions until Elvis's '68 Comeback Special in June 1968.

As for D.J. Fontana, he was on virtually all of Elvis's recording sessions (including the June 1958 army session) until the '68 Comeback Special. Although Elvis expanded his studio band in the '60s, it is completely inaccurate to say Scotty & D.J. weren't there, because they were.

Bill Black was the only one who never played with Elvis again after he left in early 1958.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyBuddy Holly also did a great covered version of this song
Adam from Saint Albans, WvIn the video, Bill Black is playing upright bass. But in the recorded song, an electric bass is used (rumored to have been played by Elvis himself while Bill was out of the studio). The movies "Jailhouse Rock" and "Loving You" are unique in that Elvis' actual band are with him in the movie, these include Scotty Moore on guitar, Bill Black on bass, and DJ Fontana on drums. Scotty and Bill were there from the very beginning of his career when he recorded "That's Alright Mama" in 1954 at Sun Records, after his return from the army in 1960 Elvis used session musicians in his group. Black died in the mid 60's of a brain tumour, and the last time Presley worked with Moore and Fontana was the 68 Comeback Special. Moore and Fontana are still living and still perform occasionally.
Zabadak from London, EnglandThis song was charmingly covered by Joni Mitchell on 1982's Wild Things Run Fast album.