Wooden Heart
Encyclopedia
"Wooden Heart" is a song best known for its use in the 1960 Elvis Presley
film G.I. Blues
. The song was a hit for Presley in the United Kingdom, making number one for six weeks, but wasn't released as a single in the United States until November 1964 as the B-side to "Blue Christmas
". Presley performed the song live during his Dinner Show concert at the Hilton Hotel
in Las Vegas in 1975. The recording is available on the Elvis Presley live album, Dinner At Eight.
A cover version
by Joe Dowell
did make it to number one in the US at the end of August 1961, knocking Bobby Lewis' "Tossin' and Turnin'
" off the number-one spot of the Billboard Hot 100
after seven weeks. Dowell's version also spent three weeks at number one on the Easy Listening chart.
"Wooden Heart", created by Fred Wise, Ben Weisman
, Kay Twomey
and German bandleader Bert Kaempfert
, was based on a German folk song by Friedrich Silcher
, "Muss i' denn zum Städtele hinaus", originating from the Rems Valley
in Württemberg
, Southwest Germany. "Wooden Heart" features several lines from the original folk song, written in the German Swabian
dialect, spoken in Württemberg. The Elvis Presley version was published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. Bobby Vinton
recorded his version in 1975 with those lines translated into Polish.
The Elvis Presley version featured two parts in German, the first one is the first four lines of "Muss i' denn zum Städtele hinaus", whereas the second part appears towards the end and is based on a translation of the English version (therefore not appearing in the original German folk lyrics). This part being "Sei mir gut, Sei mir gut, Sei mir wie du wirklich sollst, Wie du wirklich sollst..." This literally means "Be good to me, Be good to me, Be to me how you really should, How you really should..."
"Wooden Heart" was covered by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
in 1993. It was released in their 1995 Playback box set on disc six, "Nobody's Children".
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
film G.I. Blues
G.I. Blues
G.I. Blues is a 1960 Elvis Presley musical motion picture played as a romantic comedy. It was filmed at Paramount's Hollywood studios, with some pre-production scenery shot on location in Germany before Presley's release from the army. The movie reached #2 on the Variety weekly national box office...
. The song was a hit for Presley in the United Kingdom, making number one for six weeks, but wasn't released as a single in the United States until November 1964 as the B-side to "Blue Christmas
Blue Christmas
"Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays had long been considered a Christmas staple of country music, having been recorded first by Doye O'Dell in 1948 and popularised by Ernest Tubb the next year...
". Presley performed the song live during his Dinner Show concert at the Hilton Hotel
Las Vegas Hilton
The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...
in Las Vegas in 1975. The recording is available on the Elvis Presley live album, Dinner At Eight.
A cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Joe Dowell
Joe Dowell
Joe Dowell is an American pop singer.-Career:He was born in Bloomington, Indiana, but moved to Bloomington, Illinois, as a child. He first performed at a ninth-grade talent show, and later attended the University of Illinois...
did make it to number one in the US at the end of August 1961, knocking Bobby Lewis' "Tossin' and Turnin'
Tossin' and Turnin'
"Tossin' and Turnin" is a song written by Ritchie Adams and Malou Rene, and originally recorded by Bobby Lewis. The record reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 on July 10, 1961, and R&B chart,, and has since become a standard on oldies compilations. It was named Billboard's number-one...
" off the number-one spot of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
after seven weeks. Dowell's version also spent three weeks at number one on the Easy Listening chart.
"Wooden Heart", created by Fred Wise, Ben Weisman
Ben Weisman
Ben Weisman was an eccentric American composer significant for having written more songs recorded by Elvis Presley than any other songwriter in history. The "Mad Professor" as Weisman was nicknamed by Elvis, worked with the King from 1956 to 1971...
, Kay Twomey
Kay Twomey
Kathleen G. "Kay" Twomey is an American songwriter and music arranger. Twomey co-wrote Serenade of the Bells, which reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on November 7, 1947 and lasted 16 weeks on the chart, peaking at #3, and in a separate recording reached the Billboard's Best Seller...
and German bandleader Bert Kaempfert
Bert Kaempfert
Bert Kaempfert was a German orchestra leader and songwriter. He made easy listening and jazz-oriented records, and wrote the music for a number of well-known songs, such as "Strangers in the Night" and "Spanish Eyes".-Biography:He was born in Hamburg, Germany - where he received his lifelong...
, was based on a German folk song by Friedrich Silcher
Friedrich Silcher
Phillipp Friedrich Silcher , was a German composer, mainly known for his lieder , and an important folksong collector.-Life:...
, "Muss i' denn zum Städtele hinaus", originating from the Rems Valley
Rems
The Rems is a right tributary of the Neckar in eastern Baden-Württemberg. It is 78 km long. Its source is in Essingen, near Aalen. It flows generally west through the towns Böbingen an der Rems, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Plüderhausen, Schorndorf, Remshalden and Waiblingen. At Remseck the Rems flows...
in Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, Southwest Germany. "Wooden Heart" features several lines from the original folk song, written in the German Swabian
Swabian German
Swabian is one of the Alemannic dialects of High German. It is spoken in Swabia, a region which covers much of Germany's southwestern state Baden-Württemberg, including its capital Stuttgart, the rural area known as the Swabian Alb, and Bavaria...
dialect, spoken in Württemberg. The Elvis Presley version was published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
recorded his version in 1975 with those lines translated into Polish.
The Elvis Presley version featured two parts in German, the first one is the first four lines of "Muss i' denn zum Städtele hinaus", whereas the second part appears towards the end and is based on a translation of the English version (therefore not appearing in the original German folk lyrics). This part being "Sei mir gut, Sei mir gut, Sei mir wie du wirklich sollst, Wie du wirklich sollst..." This literally means "Be good to me, Be good to me, Be to me how you really should, How you really should..."
"Wooden Heart" was covered by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
in 1993. It was released in their 1995 Playback box set on disc six, "Nobody's Children".
Another Elvis song from the same session, this one a track from G.I. Blues, "The first album I ever owned," Petty says. In 1995 Petty arranged for his family to take a private tour of Graceland, and for the Heartbreakers to record at Sun Studios. "I am the true Elvis fan. The music meant so much to me. I really have to give him credit for saving my life on so many levels.
– Tom PettyTom PettyThomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
, Playback box set liner notes