Don't Be Cruel

Album: Elvis' 30 #1 Hits (1956)
Charted: 24 1
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  • You know I can be found
    Sitting home all alone
    If you can't come around
    At least please telephone
    Don't be cruel to a heart that's true

    Baby, if I made you mad
    For something I might have said
    Please, let's forget my past
    The future looks bright ahead
    Don't be cruel to a heart that's true
    I don't want no other love
    Baby it's just you I'm thinking of, mmh

    Don't stop thinking of me
    Don't make me feel this way
    Come on over here and love me
    You know what I want you to say
    Don't be cruel to a heart that's true
    Why should we be apart?
    I really love you baby, cross my heart

    Let's walk up to the preacher
    And let us say I do
    Then you'll know you'll have me
    And I'll know that I'll have you
    Don't be cruel to a heart that's true
    I don't want no other love
    Baby it's just you I'm thinking of

    Don't be cruel to a heart that's true
    Don't be cruel to a heart that's true
    I don't want no other love
    Baby it's just you I'm thinking of Writer/s: Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell
    Publisher: BUDDE MUSIC FRANCE, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Raleigh Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 16

  • Raminjapan from Tokyo JapanI just heard on NHK radio some cool stuff about Don’t be Cruel. The bass in the intro never appears again. The piano and background singers continue throughout. There is a simple beat that continues throughout…that is someone tapping on a guitar case with his hand. At the very end is the lonely chord struck just that once. The guy who struck it was having a smoke waiting for his time.
  • Mick from ArkansasThis was his mother's favorite song of his.

    Blackwell also wrote "Paralyzed" for Elvis. It's a really good song, reaching the top 10 in the UK. On the recording Elvis played the guitar and the piano. Check it out if you've never heard it.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm {12-13-2018}...
    Tenor and Alto Saxophonist John 'Ace' Cannon, best remembered for his 1962 hit, “Tuff” (#17), died December 6th, 2018 at his home in Calhoun City, Mississippi at the age of 84...
    He played session sax at Sun Records in Memphis before hooking up as part of Bill Black’s Combo at Hi Records there-- heard on such hits as “Smokie” (#17), “White Silver Sands” (#9) and “Don’t Be Cruel” (#11)— all in 1960...
    With Bill’s blessing he embarked on a solo career in 1961 with “Tuff” (that included Bill’s Combo), but its follow-up, “Blues Stay Away From Me” (#36-1962) proved to be his only other top 40 record, though he continued performing regularly into the ‘70s and occasionally until his death. Ace was inducted into both the Rock and Soul Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2000..
    May he R.I.P..
  • Oto from SlovakiaThis song is good, but Elvis is overated... Everybody loves him, but no one listen to him...
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaCalum, I think the songwriter wrote it in 20 minutes.
  • Uli from Boston,maBruc - Hawaii

    I have that movie one of my favorites its called " Mischief " from 1985.
  • Bruc from HawaiiDoes anyone know the name of the movie?? I watched this movie a couple years ago that had "don't be cruel" in it. It's sort of like the movie "rebel without a cause." This rebel and nerd become friends and get picked on by preppy kids. The rebel ends up with the girl. At the end of the movie, the nerd rams his far into the preppy kids car for revenge. Anyone know the film???
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 22nd 1963, Barbara Lynn performed "Don't Be Cruel" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    One month later on February 17th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart for a four week stay, peaking at position #93...
    The year before on August 29th, 1962 she reached #1 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's R&B Singles chart with "You'll Lose A Good Thing"...
    R.I.P. to The King (1935 - 1977) and Ms. Lynn, born Barbara Lynn Ozen, celebrated her 72nd birthday six days ago on January 16th (2014).
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 6th 1957, Elvis Presley performed "Don't Be Cruel" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
    Six months earlier on July 28th, 1956 along with the flip-side, "Hound Dog", it entered Billboard's Top 100 chart...
    In a combination of both sides it was #1 for eleven weeks and spent over a half-year on the Top 100 (28 weeks)...
    This was the famous 'shot above the waist' appearance on the Sullivan show...
    R.I.P. Mr. Sullivan (1901 - 1974) and to The King (1935 - 1977).
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyEven though "Don't Be Cruel/HoundDog" stayed at #1 for eleven weeks in 1956, it was not the Number One Record for year. But I don't think Elvis was disappointed, his "Heartbreak Hotel" was the Number One Record of 1956!!!
  • George from Belleville, NjOne of Elvis' great hits of the 50's.A really good pop rock song,it has a nice melody,a smooth sounding song.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn Billboard'S Top 100 number one-singles chart this song became No. 1 on Sept. 15th, 1956. it was preceded by "My Prayer" by The Platters and by succeeded by "Green Door" by Jim Lowe
  • Pierre from Chelsea, Quebec, CanadaThe very first 45 record I got in my "library", a gift from my mother Maizy Lee, curious to hear the guy she had seen on TV, black and white, of course, with tons of snow ! Ah ! The Elvis of the fifties ! Shame on that stupd colonel Parker, the infamous manager who killed the real talent in that wonderful R'n'R singer.
  • Charles from Minneapolis, United StatesI heard Hound Dog was take 28 of 30 and Dont Be Cruel was 7 of 8. Maybe they did 7 takes in about 20 minutes? Or maybe 20 minutes of actual recording time?
  • Calum from Edinburgh, ScotlandI don't see how this song was recorded in 20 minutes (see above) if it took 28 takes! P.S. I think 28 takes is right, 20 minutes probably wrong :-)
  • Jeff from Boston, Ma"Elvis' 1st self-produced single, creating a new popstyle for himself, a kind of offhand, almost casual feel that he achieved only after pushing the band and himself through 28 takes!

    It was his favorite of his earlier hits.
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