be-bop-a-lula

Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps had an enduring classic with this rockabilly slowburner, and I don't mean maybe. Vincent met Donald Graves while recuperating at the US Navy hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, where the two men composed 'Be-Bop-A-Lula'. Vincent recalls: "It’s quite a funny story. I was in the Naval Hospital, actually I was crippled up; I just had a hit in Korea. My mother said to me: 'Son, why don’t you enter this contest?' I said, what bloody contest, what are you talking about? She said, why don’t you record something. So I recorded a thing that I wrote. I come in dead drunk and stumbled over the bed. And me and Don Graves were looking at this bloody book; it was called 'Little Lulu'. And I said, 'Hell, man, it’s bebopalulu.' And he said, 'Yeah, man, swinging.' And we wrote this song. And some man came to hear it … named Sheriff Tex Davis, and he bought the song from Donald Graves for $25, $25 dollars! So I recorded the song and told all my friends that I was going to get a Cadillac; cause all rock and roll singers had Cadillacs. So 'Be Bop-A-Lula' came out and for three weeks nothing happened. Then some man in Baltimore started playing it and that bloody thing hit. It went to number one in every bloody place you went. But I didn’t know how to handle a hit. I was only a child … a boy."

Capitol Records approached Vincent after hearing a demo of his performance of the song on a Norfolk radio station. They were excited to find a singer to rival the success of Elvis Presley. 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' was recorded on May 4, 1956 in Nashville, Tennessee at Owen Bradley's studio with Cliff Gallup on lead guitar, "Wee" Willie Williams on rhythm guitar, "Jumpin'" Jack Neal on string bass, and Dickie "Be Bop" Harrell on drums. Harrell screamed in the background so his family could hear him. The single came out a month later and was an instant hit. It went to number sixteen on the UK pop chart, number seven on the US pop music chart, number eight on the R&B chart, and number five on the C&W chart. Capitol announced that it had sold two million copies in April of 1957.

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/genevincent.html

Well

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby

Be-bop a lula

I don't mean maybe

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby

Be-bop a lula

I don't mean maybe

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby doll my baby doll my baby doll

Well she's the gal in the red blue jeans

She's the queen of all the teens

She's the one that I know

She's the one that loves me so

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby

Be-bop a lula

I don't mean maybe

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby doll my baby doll my baby doll

Let's rock!

Well now she's the one that's got that beat

She's the one with the flyin' feet

She's the one that bops around the store

She's the one that gets more more more

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby

Be-bop a lula

I don't mean maybe

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby doll my baby doll my baby doll

Let's rock again now!

Well

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby

Be-bop a lula

I don't mean maybe

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby

Be-bop a lula

I don't mean maybe

Be-bop a lula

She's my baby doll my baby doll my baby doll

too much / playing for keeps

Elvis did the livin' and the givin' with this vision of romantic excess. 'Too Much' was written by Bernard Weinman and Lee Rosenberg and became Presley's first chart topper of 1957. He performed the song dressed as Rudolph Valentino in 'The Sheik' on his final appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show'. Between that performance and the rise of the single to the top of the charts, it was announced that Elvis was eligible for the draft. 'Too Much' also went to number three on the R&B chart.

http://www.elvis.com/

Honey, I love you too much

Need your lovin' too much

Want the thrill of your touch

Gee, I can't hold you too much

You do all the livin'

While I do all the givin'

Cause I love you too much

You spend all my money too much

Have to share you honey, too much

When I want some lovin', you're gone

Don't you know you're treatin' me wrong

Now you got me started

Don't you leave me broken hearted

Cause I love you too much

Ev'ry time I kiss your sweet lips

I can feel my heart go flip flip

I'm such a fool for your charms

Take me back baby in your arms

Like to hear you sighin'

Even though I know you're lyin'

Cause I love you too much

Need your lovin' all the time

Need you huggin', please be mine

Need you near me, stay real close

Please, please, hear me, you're the most

Now you got me started

Don't you leave me broken hearted

Cause I love you too much

The b-side 'Playing for Keeps' went to number thirty-four on the pop chart and number eight on the country chart.

I'm playin' for keeps

This time it's real

And I want you to know

Exactly how I feel

I'm playin' for keeps

I'm sure this time

And I won't be happy

Until I know you're mine

There have been others

That could love me true

But no one else can thrill me like you do

I'm playin' for keeps

Oh love me too

Oh, don't make me sorry

That I fell in love with you

There have been others

That could love me true

But no one else can thrill me like you do

I'm playin' for keeps

Oh love me too

Oh, don't make me sorry

That I fell in love with you