Baby Lets Play House---An odd choice for TV.

The date is feb. 4th, 1956.

It would be Elvis' second national TV appearance.

He chooses to sing, "Baby Let's play house" and "Tutti Frutti".

It's the only time he sang a Sun title on tv until 1977.
("That's all right mama" and "Tryin' to get to you", would be cut out of the final edit of the 68 special.)

In all other 1950's tv appearances he sings songs that were either hit singles, or future hit singles, or current album tracks. In essence he was promoting something.

But on this day, he chooses to sing, "Baby let's play house", not on a current album, and
had been released by Sun months earlier, and only re-released by RCA 2 months prior.

It is indeed an odd choice, considering he still hadn't promoted his current and truely first RCA victor single,
"Heartbreak hotel". That would come on his next Dorsey show appearance.

I wonder what the reasoning was for including this old Sun title for this early tv appearance.
It was neither a current single nor was it on his album.

It's possible that Elvis did it knowing that it was one of his mother's favorites and she would be watching.

She mentions the song as being one of her favorites on A Golden Celebration box set (Tupelo interview).

Last edited by Blue River on Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

It's possible that Elvis did it knowing that it was one of his mother's favorites.

She mentions the song as being one of her favorites on A Golden Celebration box set (Tupelo interview).

Sure it's possible.

It's possible that Elvis did it knowing that it was one of his mother's favorites and she would be watching.

She mentions the song as being one of her favorites on A Golden Celebration box set (Tupelo interview).

She mentions "Don't Be Cruel" as her favorite or did I miss something?

It's possible that Elvis did it knowing that it was one of his mother's favorites and she would be watching.

She mentions the song as being one of her favorites on A Golden Celebration box set (Tupelo interview).

She mentions "Don't Be Cruel" as her favorite or did I miss something?

She said "Baby Play House" and "Don't Be Cruel." He might have indeed chosen the latter, but it had not yet been recorded.

And that is what she called the song, leaving out the "let's."

Strange yet cool choice(s) for a mother! Especially the tune in question.

rjm

Brilliant choice of song to showcase his talents to a tv audience

It's possible that Elvis did it knowing that it was one of his mother's favorites and she would be watching.

She mentions the song as being one of her favorites on A Golden Celebration box set (Tupelo interview).

She mentions "Don't Be Cruel" as her favorite or did I miss something?

She said "Baby Play House" and "Don't Be Cruel." He might have indeed chosen the latter, but it had not yet been recorded.

And that is what she called the song, leaving out the "let's."

Strange yet cool choice(s) for a mother! Especially the tune in question.

rjm

Yes, I wouldn't have had Gladys down for a boppin' rockabilly cat!

The song selections are not odd at all.

It's clear they are statements -- and Elvis chooses them, not RCA. Now, perhaps this is a gambit on management's part to show they control the music ("Go ahead, son, you pick the songs"), not the record company, but the choices are personal, not commercial.

In his network TV debut Elvis runs down two of the R&B covers that had been knocking them dead in his concerts throughout the previous year. Neither is available for sale on the Sun or RCA labels.

A week later, he gives a nod to Sam Phillips and everyone at Sun by singing the rockin' B-side of Sun 217 and then rips into his favorite new artist, Little Richard, and a cover of Specialty 561, which itself is barely two months old. The Richard cover is not currently available for sale on the Sun or RCA labels -- that's three of four songs exclusive to the TV appearances, and nothing from RCA. Imagine how RCA executive Steve Sholes, the man who got Presley signed to the label, feels.

Finally, in his third "Stage Show" appearance Presley (maybe) pleases RCA with his Carl Perkins cover (note: a second title from Sun Records on national TV), which RCA will put on an EP in a month's time (along with "Tutti-Frutti"), and finally offers the first airing of his recently released RCA debut single.

After that, it was all calculated to maximize his new RCA recordings.


Elvis Presley, with Scotty, Bill and D.J.
"Stage Show" Appearances, CBS-TV
January 28, 1956
Shake, Rattle and Roll / Flip, Flop and Fly
I Got A Woman

February 4, 1956
Baby Let's Play House
Tutti-Frutti

February 11, 1956
Blue Suede Shoes
Heartbreak Hotel

February 18, 1956
Tutti-Frutti
I Was The One

March 17, 1956
Blue Suede Shoes
Heartbreak Hotel

March 24, 1956
Money Honey
Heartbreak Hotel

---

Maybe sometime in the next 50 years fans will finally get a high-quality, official DVD release of these stellar, game-changing appearances.

560300_Stage Show.JPG

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A week later, he gives a nod to Sam Phillips and everyone at Sun by singing the rockin' B-side of Sun 217

"Baby Let's Play House" was/is actually considered the A-side >> http://www.elvisrecords.us/baby-lets-pl ... es-gone-2/

RCA Gold Standard Series release >> http://www.elvisrecords.us/baby-lets-pl ... es-gone-5/

A week later, he gives a nod to Sam Phillips and everyone at Sun by singing the rockin' B-side of Sun 217

"Baby Let's Play House" was/is actually considered the A-side ...

Incorrect.

If you look closely at those Sun labels you will see Sam Phillips chose master number U-142 for "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" and U-143 for "Baby Let's Play House." However, the flip-side garnered more attention at radio, which may be where your confusion starts.

I do hope you enjoyed the entire content of my fact-filled post, not just a miniscule portion of it.

If you look closely at those Sun labels you will see Sam Phillips chose master number U-142 for "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" and U-143 for "Baby Let's Play House."

Good enough, drjohn. At first glance I didn't notice the U-142 .
"Baby Let's Play House" U-143... B-side it was.

Thanks.

Brilliant choice of song to showcase his talents to a tv audience

i think so too

Totally amazing it wasn't "Heartbreak Hotel" the then current single. He could be oddball in his choices.

"Baby Let's Playhouse" is the coolest performance of all his "Dorsey Shows"...it's a low-down dirty version of the song . I like the slight change in the lyrics, rather than singing, "rather see you dead little girl than to be with another man" he instead sings, "rather see you dead little girl than to wear another man".

His performance of Baby Lets Play House on the Dorsey show is magnificent!!

"Baby Let's Playhouse" is the coolest performance of all his "Dorsey Shows"...it's a low-down dirty version of the song . I like the slight change in the lyrics, rather than singing, "rather see you dead little girl than to be with another man" he instead sings, "rather see you dead little girl than to wear another man".

"wed another man".

"Baby Let's Playhouse" is the coolest performance of all his "Dorsey Shows"...it's a low-down dirty version of the song . I like the slight change in the lyrics, rather than singing, "rather see you dead little girl than to be with another man" he instead sings, "rather see you dead little girl than to wear another man".

"wed another man".

Yes, "wed another man" is right.

How the heck does a woman "wear" another man? Don't answer that!

"Baby Let's Playhouse" is the coolest performance of all his "Dorsey Shows"...it's a low-down dirty version of the song . I like the slight change in the lyrics, rather than singing, "rather see you dead little girl than to be with another man" he instead sings, "rather see you dead little girl than to wear another man".

"wed another man".

Yes, "wed another man" is right.

How the heck does a woman "wear" another man? Don't answer that!

"Wear" as in "tired" is what i thought he sings. But you could be right with "wed".

I am glad he did it. Brilliant! If he did more songs on TV from the Sun era like "Blue Moon of Kentucky", "That's all Right", "Good Rockin' Tonight" and "Mystery Train" (in his last TV appearance in January 1957 Ed Sullivan show for example when he was at his peek) It could have been a masterpiece.

It's the only time he sang a Sun title on tv until 1977.

What about "Mystery Train" from "That's The Way It Is" he was well aware it was being filmed.
Although it was a theatrical release it was shown on TV in 1975 on NBC (Original Airing)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065687/combined

I have always thought "I Got A Woman" was kickass

How the heck does a woman "wear" another man? Don't answer that!

As in torn and tattered? Oh, they have a way of doing that to a feller.

However, it certainly is "wed."

How the heck does a woman "wear" another man? Don't answer that!

As in torn and tattered? Oh, they have a way of doing that to a feller.

However, it certainly is "wed."

How would you know? You weren't "there."

It's the only time he sang a Sun title on tv until 1977.

What about "Mystery Train" from "That's The Way It Is" he was well aware it was being filmed.
Although it was a theatrical release it was shown on TV in 1975 on NBC (Original Airing)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065687/combined

I knew that, but at the time he was performing it, he had no idea it would make it to TV or even in the movie.
I meant TV appearances only.

It's the only time he sang a Sun title on tv until 1977.

What about "Mystery Train" from "That's The Way It Is" he was well aware it was being filmed.
Although it was a theatrical release it was shown on TV in 1975 on NBC (Original Airing)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065687/combined

Nice observation but, as already noted above, Elvis did two Sun titles on network TV in 1956:

Elvis Presley, with Scotty, Bill and D.J.
"Stage Show" Appearances, CBS-TV
January 28, 1956
Shake, Rattle and Roll / Flip, Flop and Fly
I Got A Woman

February 4, 1956
Baby Let's Play House
Tutti-Frutti

February 11, 1956
Blue Suede Shoes
Heartbreak Hotel

February 18, 1956
Tutti-Frutti
I Was The One

March 17, 1956
Blue Suede Shoes
Heartbreak Hotel

March 24, 1956
Money Honey
Heartbreak Hotel

Elvis' RCA recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" was issued on EPA 747 and LPM 1254 around March 23, 1956, and on single RCA 6636 in August 1956.

Thus, the February and March performances were covers of Sun 234 by the great Carl Perkins.