Released March 1957 | Label RCA Victor | |
Recorded July 18, 1953, Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee (acetate)
January 13, 1957, Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California Length 02:52 (1953 acetate)
03:28 (1957 single) Writer(s) Fred Fisher
William Raskin
Billy Hill | ||
"That's When Your Heartaches Begin" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley on at least three occasions, most notably the first time in July 1953, when it was one of the two first songs recorded by Presley at Sun Records for a demo acetate he allegedly gave to his mother as a birthday present.
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History
While the song did not see any fame until Presley's recordings in the 50s, the song was actually written in 1937 by Fred Fisher, William Raskin and Billy Hill. It was recorded and released the same year by Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm, and again by the Ink Spots in 1941. R&B male soprano Billy Bunn and His Buddies recorded the song for RCA, which was released in 1952 to positive reviews. On July 18, 1953, a young Elvis Presley entered Sun Records in Memphis, where he paid $3.98 for enough studio time to record a double-sided acetate single. On the A-side, he recorded "My Happiness", later made famous by Connie Francis in 1958, while he recorded "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" for the B-side.
He would later revisit the song on at least two occasions, the first during the famous Million Dollar Quartet sessions on December 4, 1956, and the second when he re-recorded the song in January 1957 as a B-side to "All Shook Up".
Beatles cover version
According to eminent author Mark Lewisohn in "The Complete Beatles Chronicles" (p. 364) The Beatles performed That's When Your Heartaches Begin live from 1959 till 1961 (in Liverpool and Hamburg and elsewhere) with Paul McCartney on lead vocal. Author Allen J. Weiner adds (in "The Beatles The Ultimate Recording Guide", p. 5) that a home rehearsal recording (dated to 1960) survives and has come out on several unauthorized releases. No other recording is known to exist.
Other cover versions
A performance of the song was recorded by Italian singer Mina for her 1974 album Baby Gate where she recorded hits of the fifties.
Another notable performance of the song was by Andy Kaufman during the 1979 Johnny Cash Show Christmas special, when he performed the song to a standing ovation as part of his Elvis Presley imitation act.