'Let it Slide, Papa's Bride!' Elvis in other words Quiz

Answer: Jailhouse Rock

'Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone
The drummer boy from Illinois went crash boom bang
The whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang
'Let's rock!'

Great lyrics by Mike Stoller, music by Jerry Lieber. Number one Cashbox Pop and Country, number one UK. The movie sequence is one of the most enduring images of Elvis, but he didn't move like that on stage! The Hollywood choreographers got hold of him, and the result is less pelvis and more jazz dance steps. I prefer the spontaneity of his earlier gyrations. They're seen to better effect in the previous movie, 'Loving You'. His moves were considered shocking at the time. These days no one seems to bat an eyelid at 'twerking' and 'accidental' wardrobe malfunctions. Let's not name names!

'Chain Gang' was a memorable 1960 Cashbox number-two Sam Cooke hit. The others are made up of course.

Answer: Love Me Tender

'Love me tender, love me true. All my dreams fulfill
For my darling I love you and I always will.'

Can you imagine Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Chuck Berry or Gene Vincent crooning those lines? Still one of his best loved, the song was number one Cashbox Pop, number three country, and 11 in the UK. It was based on the public-domain civil war tune 'Aura Lee'.

A million copies were ordered before it was even released, unthinkable in 1956 and prompting the producers to change the title of his movie debut from the original ('The Reno Brothers'). A 'western' (or more accurately 'southern') starring Richard Egan and Debra Paget, it was to be the only one Elvis ever made for which he did not receive top billing. Initially Presley didn't want to sing in his movies at all, but to be taken seriously as an actor. 'Colonel' Tom Parker had other ideas.

'Mystery Train' was a song from the original Sun sessions, and also the title of a 1988 Jim Jarmusch movie, which the song began and ended. 'Gentle on my Mind', by country/bluegrass multi-instrumentalist John Hartford, is a later recording which had been a big hit for Glen Campbell in 1967. As far as I know he had nothing to do with Little Eva's 1962 smash 'The Locomotion'.

Answer: (I can't help) Falling in Love with You

'Wise men say ...' From the first note, that unmistakable baritone puts its stamp on the song. Elvis has entered the building and you are graced by his presence. You may grovel now ... Well, that's a little misleading as the song was more often used as a closer.

Originally recorded for the 'King's' most commercially successful movie, 1961's 'Blue Hawaii', it became Presley's signature tune in his later years after his 1968 live 'comeback' special, sometimes referred to as the 'sequinned jumpsuit years'. The melody closely resembles the 18th century chanson 'Plaisir D'Amour'. Notable covers include British white reggae band UB40 (number one in many countries in 1993) and Spaniard Julio Iglesias, the biggest selling Latin artist of all time, on his 1990 album 'Starry Night'.

'Flip, Flop and Fly' was a 1950s swing-boogie hit for Big Joe Turner. 'Over Under Sideways Down' was a 1966 guitar envelope-pusher for the Yardbirds featuring Jeff Beck. 'Please Help Me I'm Falling' was a 1960 top-ten country hit for hall-of-fame tenor Hank Locklin, not to be confused with Roy Orbison's moderately successful 1963 single simply entitled 'Falling'.

Answer: Don't Be Cruel

With Its B-side 'Hound Dog', this single shot to number one on all three US charts. On Billboard Pop, it remained there for 11 weeks, tying with Anton Karas's 'Third Man' theme from 1950 and Johnny Ray's 'Cry' of 1953. This achievement was not surpassed until Boyz II Men's 'End of the Road' in 1992. It had sold four million copies by the end of 1956 and six million by 1961.

'Don't Be Cruel' was almost always included in Elvis's concert performances. It was covered by numerous artists and reportedly was a staple of the Beatles' Liverpool live repertoire. No early recording by them is known to exist, but there is said to be an unreleased version in the 'Get Back' session archives.

'Treat Me Nice' was the B-side of 'Jailhouse Rock'; 'Wear my Ring Around your Neck' gained number two Pop for him in 1958. 'Lawdy Miss Clawdy', a 1952 R & B chart-topper by Lloyd Price regarded as one of the first rock'n'roll songs, was covered by Elvis in 1956 and memorably reprised in his 1968 TV comeback special.

Answer: Are You Lonesome Tonight?

By the time of his 70s Las Vegas concerts, the original, earnestly-spoken monologue had become an embarrassing joke to Presley, and he often used it for comic relief, with substituted nonsense words.

While delivering it, he would often sip a drink and mingle with the audience, and allow some of them to touch him and even hug him, to often emotional and hysterical scenes. Shades of 'the hem of his garment'. I don't know how many were lame and can now walk, or were blind and can now see, but give it a couple of hundred years or so ...

'Help Me Make it Through the Night' is a widely covered 1970 Kris Kristofferson song. 'Such a Night', originally recorded by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters in 1954, was a big UK hit for Johnnie Ray, and was also recorded by Elvis as a B-side in the 60s. "One Night with You' was also a 50s Elvis B-side.

Answer: (Let me be your) Teddy Bear

'I don't wanna be your tiger, 'cause tigers play too rough
I don't wanna be your lion, 'cause lions ain't the kind you love enough
Just let me be your teddy bear.'

The marketing folk were not stupid. Relief from the raunch - something cute and cuddly - was needed for the hordes of barely adolescent female fans and this one fit the bill perfectly. I wonder how many of them had their 'Elvis moment' with this number one hit from his second film, 'Loving You'. 70s rock bassist and band leader Suzi Quattro confessed to having hers when she was six.

Theodore Roosevelt acquired the nickname 'Teddy Bear' after he refused to shoot at point-blank range a distressed captured bear on a Mississippi hunting expedition. Dolls were marketed based on satirical drawings of the incident.

'Ready Teddy' was a Little Richard rave-up covered by Elvis. 'Roughriders' refers to Roosevelt's cavalry unit during the Spanish-American War, and 'Bananas in Pyjamas' was a popular kindergarten song developed for the Australian Broadcasting Commission's 'Play School' team.

Answer: All Shook Up

'Well bless my soul, what's wrong with me?
' ... My hands are shaky and my knees are weak
I can't seem to stand on my own two feet'

Not much wrong with him, I'd say. By early 1957 when this song was released, King Elvis may well have been feeling like King Midas. This Otis Blackwell song was number one Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, number one R & B four weeks, and his first number one on the UK singles chart (four weeks). In the US it became the top charting single of the year. I would call that 'standing on your own two feet' ...

Over the years it's been recorded by artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Suzi Quattro, Billy Joel and Rod Stewart, and performed live by Dolly Parton and Prince. Proto-Beatles 'Quarrymen' bandmate Len Garry stated they performed it on the day McCartney met John Lennon. Quite a pedigree. It's RIAA-certified double platinum.

'Rum and Coca-cola' was a huge but somewhat controversial 1945 hit for the Andrews Sisters, partly because of its risque lyrics and partly copyright infringement issues, but that's a whole other story. 'Let's Have a Party' was a track from Elvis's 'Loving You' movie, and was a 1960 hit for hard-rocking country-rockabilly star Wanda Jackson. 'Whole Lotta Shakin' was Jerry Lee Lewis's iconic international breakthrough hit.

Answer: (You're so square) Baby I Don't Care

Also from the 'Jailhouse Rock' EP, reportedly Elvis himself provided the bouncy upright bass backing on this catchy, sparsely arranged number. I don't recall any concert footage of it by the man himself, but it's been covered by many artists over the years, including Led Zeppelin, Queen, Joni Mitchell, Bobby Vee, Buddy Holly and Bryan Ferry.

In his movies Elvis always seemed to end up with the clean-living, 'square' girl-next-door type, managing to shrug off the vampy rival leading ladies trying to get their hooks in. I'm sure his private life was a somewhat different story, but I was no fly on his bedroom wall (nor would I want to be) so who am I to say?

'Love is a Many-Splendored Thing' was a 1955 Oscar-winning movie theme sung by the Four Aces (Billboard and Cashbox number one, UK Singles Chart number two). The movie, loosely based on a controversial interracial romance between Chinese writer and political commentator Dr Han Suyin and an American press correspondent in Hong Kong, starred William Holden and Jennifer Jones. The other two choices are also Presley recordings.

Answer: (Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I

This country standard was a hit for Hank Snow and others in 1953, but the Presley version was the highest-charting (surprise!), and soon went platinum. Petula Clark's version did better than his in France. Mais, ce n'est pas possible, n'est-ce-pas? She sang it in French ('Prends mon coeur'). Smart girl! Bob Dylan liked it enough to record it twice (not in French). My personal favorite version is that of country-rock singer Rodney Crowell in 1978, a former backing vocalist in Emmylou Harris's 'Hot Band'.

'What Kind of Fool Am I' was a much-covered 1963 Grammy-winner for Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse. The most successful version chartwise was by Sammy Davis Jr. 'Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)' dates back to 1940. The most famous rock-era version is by Ricky Nelson in 1963. 'King of Fools' was a later B-side for Gene Vincent.

Answer: (You're the) Devil in Disguise

Released on the eve of Beatlemania in the latter part of 1963, the King probably had little inkling of his impending usurpation by a plethora of British beat groups the following year. No need to tell you who the leaders of this insurrection were. Commenting on the song, John Lennon remarked on the BBC's 'Jukebox Jury' that Elvis was 'like Bing Crosby now'. Come again, John? All right - we heard what he said but we knew what he meant.

The song made number one on the UK Singles Chart and number three on the US Hot 100, and as usual for any new Presley single, number one or close to it all over the rest of the world, another RIAA certified gold record. Its beguiling tempo change from verse to chorus and back to verse makes this a personal favorite of mine. The bass vocal line 'Oh yes you are!' is credited to J.D. Sumner.

'Milk Cow Blues' was a Sun sessions recording. 'Little Devil' was a 1961 Cashbox top-ten Neil Sedaka hit. As for the other alternative, make of it what you will.

Answer: Hard-headed Woman

Before I ever heard this song, a junior-high-school friend recommended it because it 'really goes'. I said 'What do you mean "really goes"?' He said 'It just ... really goes!' So I listened to it. And ... it really goes!

Number one Billboard, number two R & B, the song has the distinction of being the first rock-and-roll song to go RIAA-certified gold. It was the main single from Elvis's personal favorite movie, 1958's 'King Creole', a tale of delinquent gangs and corrupt nightclubs in steamy New Orleans. He relished the dramatic opportunity playing alongside actors of the caliber of Walter Matthau and Carolyn Jones. Presley was allowed to delay his entry to the US Army for three months in order to complete the film and there was plenty of great music on the soundtrack to keep his fans happy for a while.

'Ever since the world began, a hard-headed woman's been a thorn in the side of her man.' One wonders what the reception would have been for this lyric in these post-feminist days. Wanda Jackson covered it, so it obviously didn't bother her.

'Little Egypt', 'Wooden Heart' and 'Gentle on my Mind' are the correct names of the alternatives, all Elvis recordings.

Answer: Viva Las Vegas

The red-hot chemistry between Elvis and his real-life girlfriend at the time, flame-haired bombshell Ann-Margret (Olsson, who was actually a natural brunette) leapt from the screen in this return to form after the onslaught of Beatlemania. I saw 'Love in Las Vegas' on a Saturday night at my small-town picture theater and the local 'greasers' were out in force. I recall it was 15 minutes into the movie before I actually caught any of the dialogue. The house manager had to come out and 'read the riot act' to the whole audience before things settled down. Elvis wasn't done with us yet!

The Doc Pomus-Mort Shuman song itself, as the B-side of the Ray Charles standard 'What'd I Say', charted only moderately however, perhaps a sign of the times. There have been innumerable covers, but mostly as album fillers and novelty turns rather than charting singles. Ann-Margret herself voiced it on the Flintstones cartoon series as 'Ann-Margrock'.

'The Gambler' is one of country star Kenny Rogers's signature tunes. 'The Garden of Eden' was a torchy ballad which became Frankie Vaughan's first UK number-one in 1957, and of course there was no 'tomorrah' for Sodom and Gomorrah if you know your Genesis. Personally I always thought the punishment for Lot's wife was a bit harsh. I would have wanted to look back too. Divine destruction is not something you see every day.

Answer: Suspicious Minds

'We're caught in a trap. I can't walk out
Because I love you too much baby'

These lines were to become as iconic as any in Presley's recording career, and opened his last major hit (US Billboard Hot 100 number one, UK Singles Chart number two, number one Australia, top ten most everywhere else).

Little-known Texan songwriter Mark James could not get a hit with his own recording of it and offered it to Presley for his American Sound Studio sessions, the basis of the 'From Elvis in Memphis' album, which was to see him return to his gospel and soul roots and shape the musical direction of his live performing career of the 70s.

'Jealous Guy' was a big comeback hit for another rock legend, John Lennon, some ten years later, recorded not long before his tragic assassination. Who would have thought in the 1960s that we would lose these true icons so early and within about three years of each other?

Answer: Rock-a-Hula Baby

The 'Blue Hawaii' soundtrack (Billboard Album Charts cite 20 weeks at number one) was quite listenable, but this was the only track that actually 'rocked', with duelling Hawaiian steel and electric guitars achieving a fusion quite innovative for the time. As the flip side of 'Can't Help Falling in Love', it effortlessly glided to number one on the back of its iconic partner.

Trivia: Angela Lansbury, who played his mother, was only ten years older than Presley. She is reported to have loathed her performance; Elvis was so pale-skinned he had to use a tanning lamp as part of his preparation; the female cast was put under a curfew after they repeatedly turned up on set bleary-eyed after Elvis's frequent after-shooting parties.

Answer: Bossanova Baby

'I said "Hey, little mama, let's sit down, have a drink and dig the band."
She said "Drink, drink, drink? Oh fiddle-de-dink! I can dance with a drink in my hand!"
...
'She said "Hey bossanova, baby, keep on workin' 'cos I ain't got time for that!"
She said "Go, bossanova baby, keep on dancin' or I'll find myself another cat!" '

Sound like someone you used to date? I guess if Elvis can't keep up no one can. This breakneck-paced Leiber-Stoller song was the featured single from 1963's 'Fun in Acapulco' soundtrack. It made US Billboard number eight and 13 UK.

Trivia: Elvis could not do any location shooting in Mexico, where he was officially 'persona non grata' mainly due to a smear campaign conducted by a Mexico City politician. It was apparently a vendetta after Presley's LA office had refused a substantial fee offered for Elvis to appear at his teenage daughter's birthday party. The singer was quoted in a Mexican gossip column as saying he would rather kiss three African-American girls than a Mexican one, according to an interview conducted in Tijuana which never took place. His earlier films had already been banned for 'inappropriacy'. Pro- and anti-Elvis factions rioted in the cinemas, making matters worse with scores of arrests. The truth did not surface until the late 90s and the death of the politician.

The Barry Manilow standard 'Copacabana', incidentally, is set in a New York nightclub and not the beach district of Rio de Janeiro by that name.