45 RPMs 72: Carl Perkins ~ Blue Suede Shoes

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Carl Perkins ~ Blue Suede Shoes
     45 RPM record label, side 1

    

Seventy-two years ago today, on December 19, 1955, Carl Perkins recorded Blue Suede Shoes for Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennesee.                

I was heavy into rhythm 'n blues and was intrigued by this "new" sound and went crazy over the song. When Elvis Presley later released a cover of it on August 31, 1956, I hated his version and wouldn't buy it. It is the only Presley song from his early period I don't have on 45.         

This was the only Top 40 hit for Perkins on the pop charts but his influence reaches much further. He was extremely influential to other artists, including Presley, The Beatles and Johnny Cash. Perkins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. This was the first song to hit the US Pop, Country, and R&B charts at the same time. Released on January 1, 1956, the song made a slow climb up the charts, appearing on all three in May, which is when it reached its peak of #2 on the Pop charts.       

Blue suede shoes were a luxury item in the South, a stylish footwear for a night out. Perkins never owned a pair, but Johnny Cash told him a story about someone who did.                   

The lyrics describe things Perkins would prefer over getting his shoes scuffed, and the list includes derelict behavior: stepping on his face, stealing his car, burning down his house and drinking his liquor. Some in the Sinatra-loving older generation were horrified, and used the song to back their case that rock 'n' roll was the Devil's music.         

 

Blue Suede Shoes

 

Well, it's one for the money two for the show
Three to get ready now go, cat, go

But don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Well you can do anything but
Lay off of my blue suede shoes

Well, you can knock me down, step in my face
Slander my name all over the place
Do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh honey, lay off of my shoes

Don't you step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Now let's go cats (oh walk the dogs)

You can burn my house, steal my car
Drink my liquor from an old fruit-jar
Do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh baby, lay off of my shoes

Don't you step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Rock it

Well, it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready now go, cat, go

But don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Well you can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Go cat uh

Blue, blue suede shoes oh baby
Blue, blue suede shoes uh ha
Blue, blue suede shoes oh baby
Blue, blue suede shoes
You do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Songwriter: Carl Perkins

Perkins wrote Blue Suede Shoes on a 1953 Gibson Les Paul, a solid body electric guitar; he also used it on all of this Sun recordings. The guitar was originally a Gold Top when Perkins bought it new in 1953 and after his hit Blue Suede Shoes he had it painted Blue.       

1953 Gibson Les Paul

 

One of Perkins last appearances was with Dave Edmunds performing Blue Suede Shoes on The Jay Leno Show in 1997 (Perkins died the next year).         

        

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A Blue Suede Shoes - 2:14

Side 2:

B Honey, Don't! - 2:48

Companies, etc.

     Published By Hi-Lo Music

    Written by Perkins*

 

Credits:

 
A & B: Hi Lo Music (BMI)

 

Notes:

Runouts are etched.

Barcode and Other Identifiers        

        

    Rights Society: BMI
    Matrix / Runout (A side label): U 176
    Matrix / Runout (B side label): U 177
    Matrix / Runout (Side A runout): U-176-45
    Matrix / Runout (Side B runout): U-177-45

 

Label: Sun – 234
Format:    Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: Jan 1, 1956
Genre: Rock
Style: Rockabilly

        

        

        

        

Viewfinder links:       

         

Johnny Cash       

Dave Edmonds         
Carl Perkins         

Elvis Presley          
     
Net links:       

         

         

         

Songfacts ~ Blue Suede Shoes        
     
YouTube links:      
        
Carl Perkins ~ Blue Suede Shoes         

Elvis Presley ~ Blue Suede Shoes                   

        

        
         

Blue Suede Shoes sheet music

         

        

        

Styrous® ~ Monday, December 19, 2022  

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