BLUE SUEDE SHOES
“Blue Suede Shoes” is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and is considered one of the first rockabilly (rock and roll) records and incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time. Recording cover versions of songs was standard practice during the 1940s and 1950s, and “Blue Suede Shoes” was one of the first tunes RCA wanted their new performer, Elvis Presley, to record. “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Shoes” rose on the charts at roughly the same time. Elvis Presley performed his version of the song three different times on national television. (More from Wikipedia)
Carl Perkins was beginning to slip into obscurity and was in danger of being known only as the songwriter and original performer of one of Elvis’s signature songs, “Blue Suede Shoes” (though I prefer Carl’s version of “Blue Suede Shoes” myself). However, the Beatles gave Perkins’ career new life when they covered several of his songs early on, notably “Honey, Don’t”.
(May 2011)
