Puneet Varma (Editor)

(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear

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B-side
  
"Loving You"

Length
  
1:46

Format
  
45 rpm, 78 rpm

Released
  
June 11, 1957 (1957-06-11)

Recorded
  
January 22, 1957, Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

Genre
  
Rock and roll, rhythm and blues

"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" is a popular song first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957 for the soundtrack of his second motion picture, Loving You, during which Presley performs the song on screen. It was written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe and published in 1957 by Gladys Music. Clear melodic roots of this tune can be heard in the many early recordings of Boll Weevil, a traditional blues song.

Contents

Presley single

The song was a US number-one hit for Elvis Presley during the summer of 1957, staying at number-one for seven weeks, and his third of the four that he would have that year. "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" would also hit number one on the R&B Best Sellers List, becoming his fourth number one on that chart. In addition the song would hit number one on the country charts for a single week.

Personnel

  • Elvis Presley – lead vocal, acoustic guitar
  • Dudley Brooks – piano
  • Bill Black – double bass
  • D.J. Fontana – drums
  • The Jordanaires – backing vocals
  • Walter Scharf – producer
  • Thorne Nogar – engineer

    • Cover versions

  • Pat Boone on his LP Pat Boone Sings Guess Who? (1963)
  • Laurel Aitken on his LP Scandal in a Brixton Market (1969)
  • Glen Campbell on his album Live at the Royal Festival Hall (1977)
  • Angelyne on her album Angelyne (1982)
  • Mud on their album Les Grays Mud (1982)
  • Cliff Richard on his limited release album Rock 'n' Roll Silver (1983).
  • Tanya Tucker on the compilation It's Now or Never: The Tribute to Elvis (1994)
  • ZZ Top on their album XXX (1999)
  • Donna Loren on her EP Donna Does Elvis in Hawaii (2010)
  • The Residents on their album The King & Eye (1989)
  • João Penca e Seus Miquinhos Amestrados performs a Portuguese adaptation of the song, entitled "O Ursinho", in their album Os Maiores Sucessos de João Penca e Seus Miquinhos Amestrados (1983)
  • Take That with Mark Owen on lead vocal as a live performance (part of the "Rock 'N' Roll Medley") during their Everything Changes Tour (1993–1994)

    • Pop culture

    A modified version of the song has often been used for Teddy Grahams commercials. Also, during early episodes of Full House, the three main adult characters would often sing the song as a lullaby for Michelle Tanner (one of those three characters, Michelle's uncle Jesse Katsopolis, was a die-hard Elvis fan).

    Disney featured a music video in the special DTV Romancin' (1986), set entirely to clips featuring the bear characters from the company's animated films, including an introduction by the Gummi Bears.

    References

    (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA