Don't Be Cruel (song)
"Don't Be Cruel" is a song written by Otis Blackwell, recorded by Elvis Presley and released as a single in July 1956. Thirty-three years later, The Residents recorded it for the 1989 album The King & Eye, and performed it on the "Baby KIng" portion of their Cube-E stage show, a total of 75 times between September 21st 1989 and November 23rd 1990. The song was released as a single by Torso in 1990 on CD and 7" editions.
A music video for the song was created entirely with computer-animated graphics, but was rejected by music video networks, being first shown in the 1991 documentary The Eyes Scream. It is one of the few Residents videos made in the 20th Century not to appear on the Icky Flix DVD.
Background
"Don't Be Cruel" was the first song that Elvis Presley's song publishers, Hill & Range, brought to him to record. Otis Blackwell was more than happy to give up 50% of the royalties and a co-writing credit to Presley to ensure that the "hottest new singer around covered it". The single was released on July 13, 1956, backed with "Hound Dog", and both songs peaked at #1 on the Pop charts. The song went on to become Presley's biggest selling single of 1956, with sales over six million by 1961. It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" during performances in the 1970s.
The Residents' version
"Don't Be Cruel" is the first Elvis tune performed on the second act of The Residents' Cube-E stage show, "The Baby King". It was later revisited by European artist Paralyzer for the 2004 remix album The King & Eye: RMX.
One of the most interesting pieces of history relating to this song is its feature in the New Orleans Airlift installation project Calanthean Canyon on May 17th 2014, as part of Shreveport Arts Council's UNSCENE! programme. Vocal samples from The Residents' version of "Don't Be Cruel" were triggered in a log cabin designed by Homer Flynn and Frank Pahl. The entire performance can be seen on YouTube.
Lyrics
You know I can be found, Sitting home all alone, If you can't come around, At least please telephone. Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
Baby, if I made you mad For something I might have said, Please, let's forget my past, The future looks bright ahead, Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. I don't want no other love, Baby it's just you I'm thinking of.
Don't stop thinking of me, Don't make me feel this way, Come on over here and love me, You know what I want you to say. Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. Why should we be apart? I really love you baby, cross my heart.
Let's walk up to the preacher And let us say I do, Then you'll know you'll have me, And I'll know that I'll have you, Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. I don't want no other love, Baby it's just you I'm thinking of.
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. Don't be cruel to a heart that's true. I don't want no other love, Baby it's just you I'm thinking of.
Releases
- The King & Eye (1989) [Version 1]
- Cube-E - Live in Holland (1990) [Version 2]
- The Eyes Scream VHS (1991) [Version 3]
- Twenty Twisted Questions Laserdisc (1992) [Version 3]
- Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses (1997) [Version 1]
- The King & Eye: RMX (2004) [Version 4]
- Cube-E box set (2006) [Version 5]
- CUBE E Dynasone 3EZ (2011) [Version 6]
- 80 Aching Orphans (2017) [Version 1]
- Cube-E Box (2020) [Version 1] [Version 5] [Version 7] [Version 8] [Version 9]
Versions
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The King & Eye album version (2:58)
- ↑ Cube-E performance in Valencia, Spain - March 1990 (2:25)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Music video, 1990
- ↑ RMX version by Paralyzer
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cube-E performance; Amsterdam, March 1990 (3:26)
- ↑ Dynasone master of album version, c. 2000
- ↑ Video edit of album version (2:23)
- ↑ Cube-E performance, San Francisco, September 1989
- ↑ Demo version (3:10)