THE KING Passed Away 48 Years Ago

16 August 2025

As we all know, except those who grew up on Mars (unless they had Internet),
ELVIS was one of the first real rock stars (let’s not forget other giants such as
Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bill Haley). Utterly cool, utterly
charismatic, utterly good-looking, and an utterly great voice signing utterly
catchy tunes. Oh, almost forgot his utterly swing-and-shake pelvis.

Today, 16 August, it’s already 48 years since his untimely
death. Only 42, after a heavy roller-coaster life. R.I.P.

Elvis biographer Joel Williamson wrote later: “Perhaps involving a reaction to
the codeine and attempts to move his bowels—he experienced pain and fright
while sitting on the toilet. Alarmed, he stood up … and fell face down in the fetal
position.” Drooling on the rug and “unable to breathe, he died.”

Bio – Discography – Instagram

11 August 1956 – ELVIS Releases Record-Breaking (Double) Single ‘DON’T BE CRUEL / HOUND DOG

Back in time

11 August 2025

The immortal King hit the No.1 spot in the US with his double
single DON’T BE CRUEL / HOUND DOG this day 69 years ago,
on 11 August 1956.

The pair of songs remained at the top seat for a record-breaking 11 weeks.
Presley would hold the record until he was surpassed in 1992, by soul band
Boyz II Men’s sugary tearjerker End Of The Road.

DON’T BE CRUEL

HOUND DOG

BOYZ II MEN

2 July 1956 – ELVIS Records Millionseller Hit ‘HOUND DOG’

2 July 2025

ELVIS PRESLEY (1935-1977) recorded his twelve-bar blues single HOUND DOG,
written by Leiber and Stoller, at RCA Studios in New York, this day in 1956, yes,
69 years ago. Take 31 was the version that was released.

This was the first time the King worked with The Jordanaires. The single sold over
10 million copies globally, became his best-selling song and topped the US chart for
11 weeks, a record that stood for 36 years.

Discography

KING HANNAH – Liverpool Pop Duo Will Have A Blue Christmas

Reveries for the laziest day of the week

24 November 2024

Liverpool‘s versatile pop duo released their 2nd
acclaimed full-length Big Swimmer last May.

As the Yule festivities are getting closer Xmas covers are coming in.
And King Hanna join the long queue too with their version of Elvis
Presley
‘s sugary 1957 ballad BLUE CHRISTMAS

KH: “We’ve been singing Blue Christmas together for the past couple of years, and so
it felt right to celebrate our favourite time of year in the only way that we know how; singing and harmonising together. Traditionally a love song about spending Christmas alone and longing for lost loved ones, we hope that our simple arrangement of just two vocals and one 60’s Gibson acoustic guitar enhances the romance and peacefulness that this time of year brings on cold, silent winter nights.”

KING HANNA


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ELVIS

ELVIS PRESLEY Released His 1nd Single ‘GOOD ROCKIN’ TONIGHT’ 70 Yeasr Ago Today

Top singles from the past

25 September 2024

THE KING (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) released his second single,
titled GOOD ROCKIN’ TONIGHT on 25 September 1954, 70 years ago
through Sun Records.

It was a song already recorded/released 6 years
earlier by American blues shouter Wynonie Harris.

ELVIS

WYNONIE HARRIS

CLASSIC No 1 CRACKERS – EAGLES – ELVIS PRESLEY And THE DOORS This Day In…

4 August 2024

EAGLES

No. 1 in the US on 4 August 1975, today 49 years ago.
It was the title track of their 4th LP.

Story

ELVIS PRESLEY

#1 in the UK with THE WONDER OF YOU on 4 August 1970, today 54 years ago.

Story

THE DOORS

Top seat on the US Singles Chart on 4 August 1965, today 59 years ago.

Story

ELVIS PRESLEY – It Was NOW OR NEVER For The King This Day 63 Years Ago

Top singles from the past

15 August 2023

This day in 1960, on 15 August 1960, yes, 63 years ago THE KING scored
one of his multiple number 1 hits with IT’S NOW OR NEVER . It topped
both the US and UK Charts.

Hail hail Elvis.

The song that inspired Now Or Never, was titled O’ Sole Mio and was already written in 1898. It was a melodramatic Neapolitan song, composed by Giovanni Capurro, Eduardo di Capua and Alfredo Mazzucchi. The title translates literally as ‘my sun‘ or ‘my sunshine‘. It was recorded for the first time in 1908 by Emilio de Gogorza and sounded like this…