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Blue Suede Shoes

Rating:
4.5 / 5

Words & Music: Carl Perkins

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.
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.

You can burn my house,
Steal my car,
Drink my liquor
From an old fruitjar.

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.

Recordingdate: 1956/01/30, first released on: Elvis Presley (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Blue Suede Shoes:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)

Availability

Find available albums with Blue Suede Shoes.

Lex wrote on January 19, 2009
Somehow Elvis managed to make this song his own, while Carl Perkins' original was already from exceptional class.
dgirl wrote on April 14, 2009
Should be a national anthem. Amazing how one song was amazingly done by 2 artists and each has a distinctive performance. I think it is more identified with Elvis only because he was Elvis. I did not like the rushed live versions in the later years after 1969, especially the one from Aloha. At that point , Carl was performing it better than Elvis. He at least always sang a 'full' version with all the lyrics.
JLpResLey wrote on September 13, 2009
amazing performace by Elvis. The studio version is obviously the best one. The live versions is rushed and not that good. However, I like the way he sang it during the comeback special.
My boy, my boy wrote on September 13, 2009
The 1960 version on the "GI Blues" LP is by far the best version.
Ton Bruins wrote on September 13, 2009
Will all you fans kill when I say that I don't like this song at all ?.....maybe except for the version in the '68 comeback show..(standing up show)..No, not my song..
JerryNodak wrote on September 13, 2009
The only Elvis version I like is the one on his debut album. There are tons of Elvis songs I listen to more.
bajo wrote on September 13, 2009
If ever there is a definite version of Blues Suede Shoes it's Elvis' '56 version. Pure rock'n roll the way only Elvis could do it in those days. Then there's the '68 versions! The '69 and other live versions somehow becomes lightweight fillers only. Regarding the G I Blues version, I like that one also. It's almost a different song! Still, there's something about the beat on that one.
Deano1 wrote on March 09, 2010
Ask 100 people who sang this song and 98 would tell you Elvis. The funny thing is that Carl Perkins reached #2 with his '56 version and Elvis only reached #20, but that only tells you part of the story. The extended play that included the Elvis version out sold most other artists' singles, his version also led off his first album and it stayed at #1 for 10 weeks. In 1960, Elvis recorded another version for his movie "G.I. Blues" that while a bit more subdued was still outstanding. The album hit #1 and stayed there for 10 weeks. In 1973, a live version appeared on yet another #1 LP "Aloha From Hawaii". It is the only Elvis song to appear on three #1 Pop LP's. Elvis' original version was much better than Carl Perkins' version as Elvis' was straight out rock and roll and Carl's was more country than rock and just lacks something.
OtisBlue22 wrote on December 13, 2010
I like the added texture provided by an acoustic guitar on the 1960 recording. Does anyone happen to know if it was Scotty or Hank who took solo duties on the re-recording?
GEORGE (GK) wrote on April 01, 2012
Love the original 56 Version. But I am one of the few, who enjoys the version on the "G.I. Blues soundtrack" a bit more. A rock-n-roll classic.
Natha wrote on April 01, 2012
Rock 'n' roll pur sang. Carl Perkins' original is not so much RnR, Elvis' version is! Of course the '56 version is the best for me, followed by the TV Special version. The '70s versions are all live versions and should be regarded like that. Mostly it was the personal experience of Elvis on stage doing these great classics. I don't feel the need to criticize those as one should see those versions in the whole context of the show and relate that to the audience. The Aloha version I watched on TV back then and was more thrilled with this one than with the GIBlues version. With the GIBlues version they tried to update the song. Yet it lost its original spunk.
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on April 01, 2012
I love the version on the GI Blues LP but I also like the 50s version......but which is better......FIGHT lol Those of you around the world wouldn't appreciate what I have just said, it applies to a TV programme "Harry Hill" in which Harry compares two item's but cannot make his mind up which is best...hence...a fight with the two item's. Btw...I prefer the 60s version.
Great Dane wrote on April 01, 2012
I said it a few days ago about the song "Money Honey" but the versions on the silver box, from his performance at the New Frontier are my favourite of those. Pure rock. Also like the '68 versions, but i must say i rarely play the original. 4 stars though.
Steve V wrote on April 01, 2012
The 1956 version is one of the great rock and roll records of all time. often imitated, never dupilicated. Amazing sound from the 4 boys. As for the GI Blues version, the softness had already crept in and Elvis is hardly singing it at one point. Lousy version by Elvis' standards when compared to the original. Actually, there is no comaprison.
sitdown revamped wrote on April 01, 2012
The '56 version incredible. It represents kind of the "heartbeat" of his music. There is not much in his collection which is par to it. Once heard it played at a music store in London Heathrow and yess Sir, it made my day. Always did ;-) I also like the raw guitar versions from '68. Vegas 69 is a treat as well. Concerning G.I. Blues: What I can't stand in the movie is the protesting guy who claims: I want to hear the original and gets the jukebox playing the '56 version by Presley. This is a bit too much, as the original version will be linked to Carl Perkins. And that's for good.
ElvisDJ wrote on April 01, 2012
One of a number of Elvis songs (including Shake, Rattle and Roll, Rip It Up and Long Tall Sally) where I much prefer the original. I liked this song when I was 10 or 12, but I always enjoyed Carl Perkins' relaxed version over Elvis' rapid pace. I also enjoy Perkins' instrumentation much better, which is the same issue I have with Shake, Rattle and Roll and Long Tall Sally. I do really enjoy the G.I. Blues version, though. The live Vegas '56 version (to me) sounds rather hokey, and I don't find it at all hard to believe that Elvis bombed in Vegas in '56. In fact, I'm not thrilled by any of the live '56 versions. It's one of those stereotypical songs that non-fans say is so fantastic. My personal belief is that it's popularity was a product of the Elvis frenzy of '56 moreso than a reflection of the quality of the song.
freedom101 wrote on April 02, 2012
A instant classic! I loved when he changed the lyrics in one of the live versions to say "Burn my wife" instead of "Burn my house".
Cruiser621 wrote on July 12, 2012
As they say, opinions are like butt cheeks to be polite and unlike other comments I find the original 1956 version by Elvis to be rock 'n roll in the strictest sense. The G.I. Blues stinks, period. Way too sedate and no effort is put into it at all. There are versions from his live shows which I personally feel are even better than the original. As I said, each to his own as to opinions.
Gorse wrote on December 26, 2012
A phenomenal piece of Rock and Elvis history from 1956. I would play this song to teenagers now who were interested to demonstrate why I loved rock'n' roll, and why it captured a generation. I have also grown to really appreciate the G.I. Blues version which in some ways is a more raw and gritty experience.
sugartummy wrote on February 27, 2013
The studio version of '56 is the best with a superb Scotty Moore. Live it contains a rare drumsolo from DJ Fontana. The GI Blues version is lacklustre. To my knowledge, Scotty never played a guitar solo in the 60's, apart from the very first recording session of march 20.
shawnrw wrote on January 09, 2014
Sorry I know purists always say that Carl Perkins wrote it and performed it first but I like Elvis's version better. Elvis's is real rock and the live versions are electric. Carl's is border line hillbilly. I have great respect for Carl Perkins, his talents and contributions, but the guy was so raw boned to me, if "Hee Haw" had been a rock show, Perkins would have been perfect. I own and cherish a lot of Perkin's music, he was a great guitarists and a good song writer, but as a live performer and vocalists he just wasn't in Elvis's league, and this rollicking, hard driving classic proves it. This song may have really belonged to Perkins but I doubt it would be remembered much at all without Elvis's version. Instead it is one of the anthems of early rock.
ElvisSacramento wrote on January 22, 2014
This is such a magnificent, catchy, dynamic, fun, groovy, unique, electrifying and energetic song and Elvis' studio recording of it is brilliant. It's one of my Top 5 favorite Rock 'N' Roll songs of all time. 5 Stars for the song and 5 Stars for Elvis' studio version.
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