Elvis Favorites

In honor of Elvis’ birthday (it would be his 76th), we just have to play some of our very favorite Elvis songs. So let’s start out with one that we really love, but is rarely even on the list of his top 10 songs: “Marie’s the Name (of His Latest Flame).” “Marie” was originally released by Del Shannon on his “Runaway” album in June 1961. When Elvis covered it in August of the same year went to No. 4 on Billboard.

Click on these video links to watch your favorite in a new tab or window:

“Burning Love” was first recorded by Arthur Alexander in 1971. It’s been said that Elvis did not like “Burning Love” that much, but plenty of other people did. When Elvis’ version came out in 1972, it went to No. 2. on the Billboard Hot 100. It also went to No. 1 on Cashbox, giving Elvis 20 No. 1 hits in the USA.

“Suspicious Minds” was first performed by Elvis at the Las Vegas Hilton on July 31, 1969. A 45-rpm single was subsequently released in that fall and went to No. 1. It was Elvis’ last No. 1 hit in the USA before his premature death on August 16, 1977.

“(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” peaked at No. 3 in the USA but was a No. 1 hit in the UK. When the song made its debut to a British audience on the BBC TV show “Juke Box Jury,” Beatle, John Lennon was a celebrity guess and he voted “Devil” a miss, saying Elvis was “like Bing Crosby now.”

“Little Sister” was the other side of “Marie’s the Name” and it went to No. 5 in the USA, one spot below “Marie’s” ranking. In the UK, however, it gave Elvis yet another No. 1 hit.

Of course, there are many more Elvis songs we love like “Hound Dog,” “All Shook Up,” “Teddy Bear,” “Don’t,” “Return to Sender,” and “Now or Never,” and like many of his fans, we wish he didn’t leave so soon.