Showing posts with label Don't Be Cruel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Don't Be Cruel. Show all posts
June 13, 2026
January 8, 2020
45 RPMs 38: Skatt Brothers ~ Don't Be Cruel (Disco Daze 4)
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Prentice John Delaney Jr. was born on January 8, in 1945. Known as Sean Delaney, he was an American musician, producer, road manager
and songwriter best recognized for his work with the rock band KISS (link below) from the early 1970s until the early 1980s.
date & photographer unknown
After releasing his solo album, Highway, Delaney formed a band in 1979 called Skatt Bros (link below). The band was composed of Delaney on keyboards, Pieter Sweval on bass (a member of Starz), Richard Martin-Ross on guitar, David Andez on guitar, Richie Fontana on Drums and Guitar ( a member of Piper) and Craig Krampf
on drums. Delaney had known Fontana from when he had produced the band
Piper, who had opened for KISS on the 1977 Love Gun tour.
The band released two albums: Strange Spirits (Casablanca, 1979) and Rico And The Ravens (Mercury, 1981). The second album was only released in Australia, on the strength of the band's popularity there. In support of the first album, a Village People inspired video for Life At The Outpost was filmed, created by their record company (Polygram Records in Australia), using actors to appear in the video. The members of The Skatt Bros do not appear in the video.
Because of the Strange Spirits album the band was pegged into the disco category. However, this 1980 recording of their cover of the Elvis Presley song, Don't Be Cruel, clearly places them as a rock band. However, a "sledgehammer" version (link below) of the Presley song, (Casablanca NB-2258), backed with Dancin' For the Man, puts them back in the disco mode.
The band released two albums: Strange Spirits (Casablanca, 1979) and Rico And The Ravens (Mercury, 1981). The second album was only released in Australia, on the strength of the band's popularity there. In support of the first album, a Village People inspired video for Life At The Outpost was filmed, created by their record company (Polygram Records in Australia), using actors to appear in the video. The members of The Skatt Bros do not appear in the video.
Because of the Strange Spirits album the band was pegged into the disco category. However, this 1980 recording of their cover of the Elvis Presley song, Don't Be Cruel, clearly places them as a rock band. However, a "sledgehammer" version (link below) of the Presley song, (Casablanca NB-2258), backed with Dancin' For the Man, puts them back in the disco mode.
Elvis Presley recorded Don't Be Cruel on July 2, 1956 and, again, the rest is history. Many recording artists have covered the song: Connie Francis (1959), Annette Peacock, Barbara Lynn, the Bill Black Combo, Billy Swan, Devo, Cheap Trick, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Diamond, Jackie Wilson (links below) and even Daffy Duck, had a go at the song.
The interesting thing about this 7" 45 RPM record is the "A" side (Side 1) is a monaural recording . . .
. . . while the other "A" side (Side 2) is a Stereo recording.
Tracklist:
A Don't Be Cruel (Mono) 3:54
B Don't Be Cruel (Stereo) 3:54
Credits:
Producer – Lee DeCarlo
Producer, Arranged By – Skatt Bros.
Written-By – Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell
Notes:
Logo on label: "Casablanca Records and Filmworks"
Skatt Bros. – Don't Be Cruel
Label: Casablanca – NB 2258 DJ
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Mono, Stereo, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Funk / Soul
Style: Disco
Label: Casablanca – NB 2258 DJ
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Mono, Stereo, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Funk / Soul
Style: Disco
Sean Delaney died on April 13, 2003, in Utah and is buried
in the city of Orem. A diabetic, he had suffered a
series of strokes before his death.
Viewfinder links:
Elvis Presley ~ Don't Be Cruel
Skatt Brothers ~ Don't Be Cruel
January 6, 2020
Sean Delaney articles/mentions
Connie Francis article/mentions
~Elvis Presley ~
All Shook Up & Otis Blackwell
Don't Be Cruel
Skatt Brothers ~ Don't Be Cruel
Connie Francis - 1960
photographer unknown
June 16, 2019
Jerry Lee Lewis articles/mentions
~ Van Cliburn & Sputnik ~ 1958
Engelbert Humperdinck
Elvis Presley ~ Don't Be Cruel
The Residents ~ Satisfaction
Jerry Lee Lewis
date & photographer unknown
June 6, 2019
Devo articles/mentions
~
mentions:
Debbie Harry - KooKoo
PIL (Public Image Ltd.) ~ Metal Box
Elvis Presley ~ Don't Be Cruel
The Residents ~ (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
SF MOMA: Nam June Paik
Skatt Brothers ~ Don't Be Cruel (Disco Daze 4)
date & photographer unknown
July 13, 2018
45 RPMs 24: Elvis Presley ~ Don't Be Cruel
~
Two versions of the picture sleeve were
manufactured, one listing Hound Dog first. This sleeve, listing Don't Be Cruel first is rarer.
Elvis Presley, Hound Dog
45 RPM record sleeve
sleeve photographer unknown
photo of sleeve by Styrous®
On July 13, 1956, the Elvis Presley single, Hound Dog, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, was released. Presley recorded the song on July 2, 1956 during a session
at RCA studios in New York City; Any Way You Want Me and Don't Be Cruel were cut at the same time. I was familiar with Bill Haley but had not heard of Presley before.
Hound Dog was the "A" side of the 45 but as I was into Rhythm & Blues before I ever heard of Rock and Roll, I was familiar wth the original recording of the song by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton with Johnny Otis and wasn't crazy about the Presley version which was faster and not as sensual. Although it wasn't R&B but rockabilly, it was the same with Blue Suede Shoes by Carl Perkins. This happened to me several times with R&R covers of songs in the 50's that I later came to like.
Thornton recorded Hound Dog on August 13, 1952, in Los Angeles and it was released by Peacock Records in late February 1953; it was Thornton's only hit record, selling over 500,000 copies, spending 14 weeks in the R&B charts, including seven weeks at number one. Thornton's recording of Hound Dog is listed as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in February 2013.
Hound Dog was the "A" side of the 45 but as I was into Rhythm & Blues before I ever heard of Rock and Roll, I was familiar wth the original recording of the song by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton with Johnny Otis and wasn't crazy about the Presley version which was faster and not as sensual. Although it wasn't R&B but rockabilly, it was the same with Blue Suede Shoes by Carl Perkins. This happened to me several times with R&R covers of songs in the 50's that I later came to like.
45 RPM record label, side 1
photo by Styrous®
And then I heard the "B" side, Don't Be Cruel, written by Otis Blackwell; the expression had not been coined then but I was totally blown away!
WOW!
45 RPM record label, side 2
photo by Styrous®
Other artists covered Don't Be Cruel including Connie Francis (1959, Rock 'n' Roll Million Sellers), Annette Peacock, Barbara Lynn (1963, Jamie #1244 45 RPM, #93 on the Hot 100), the Bill Black Combo, Billy Swan, Devo, Cheap Trick, Daffy Duck, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Diamond, and Jackie Wilson
have recorded the song. Debbie Harry recorded the song for the Otis Blackwell tribute album Brace Yourself! A Tribute to Otis Blackwell. A cover by American country music duo The Judds peaked at number 10 on the BillboardHot Country Singles chart in 1987. The Cheap Trick version of this song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988.
45 RPM record sleeve back
back sleeve photo photographer unknown
photo of cover by Styrous®
back sleeve photo photographer unknown
photo of cover by Styrous®
Don't Be Cruel was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is currently ranked as the 173rd greatest song of all time, as well as the sixth best song of 1956, by Acclaimed Music.
Until 1992, its 11-week domination of the Number One spot was the longest in history. It is the only single in history to have both sides reach #1 in the US.
Until 1992, its 11-week domination of the Number One spot was the longest in history. It is the only single in history to have both sides reach #1 in the US.
Side 1:
A Hound Dog, written by Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller* - 2:15
Side 2:
B Don't Be Cruel, written by Otis Blackwell - 2:03
Notes:
Version with horizontal line on label.
Elvis Presley – Hound Dog / Don't Be Cruel
Label: RCA Victor – 47-6604
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Rock
Style: Rock & Roll
Label: RCA Victor – 47-6604
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Rock
Style: Rock & Roll
Viewfinder links:
Elvis Presley articles/mentions
Don't Be Cruel lyrics
Connie Francis
Net links:
Songfacts ~ Don't Be Cruel
RollingStone ~ 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
SecondHandSongs ~ Don't Be Cruel covers
YouTube links:
Elvis Presley - Don't Be Cruel
- Hound Dog
"Big Mama" Thornton ~ Hound Dog
Styrous® ~ Friday, July 13, 2018
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~
February 14, 2018
KISS articles/mentions
August 13, 2017
Elvis Presley articles/mentions
~ 
Don't Be Cruel
Don't Be Cruel lyrics
Heartbreak Hotel: his first big hit
Don't Be Cruel lyrics
Heartbreak Hotel: his first big hit
Buchanan & Goodman ~ The Flying Saucer
Otis Blackwell ~ These Are My Songs
Johnny Cash & June Carter
Chrisma ~ Chinese Restaurant
Van Cliburn & Sputnik ~ 1958
Joe Cocker ~ A Little Help From My Friends
Johnny Cash & June Carter
Chrisma ~ Chinese Restaurant
Van Cliburn & Sputnik ~ 1958
Joe Cocker ~ A Little Help From My Friends
Perry Como ~ Catch A Falling Star
Stan Kenton ~ City of Glass
Del Shannon ~ Runaway & Max Crook's Musitron
Skatt Brothers ~ Don't Be Cruel (Disco Daze 4 - 1980)
The Wild One ~ 1953
Skatt Brothers ~ Don't Be Cruel (Disco Daze 4 - 1980)
The Wild One ~ 1953
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