Elvis 100% - Teddy Bear

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Teddy Bear

(Mann / Lowe)

Information:

Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe composed Teddy Bear for Elvis because of his fondness for teddy bears. The song was recorded on January 24, 1957, at Radio Recorders. Elvis sang Teddy Bear in his second film, Loving You, and during the 1977 CBS-TV special, Elvis in Concert. The song's full title is (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear. Elvis's single release succeeded Pat Boone's Love Letters in the Sand at number one on Billboard's Top 100 chart in July 1957. After a seven-week stay at the top spot, it was replaced by Tammy by Debbie Reynolds. Total stay on the chart was 24 weeks. Teddy Bear was also number one (for one week) on the Country Best-Seller chart and number one (for one week) on the rhythm & blues chart. It was one of only three Elvis songs to top all three Billboard charts (the other two were Don't Be Cruel and Jailhouse Rock). Sales easily exceeded one million copies. In 1978, Teddy Bear was reissued but did not chart, although it was listed as "Bubbling Under" at #105 for two weeks. Teddy Bear / Loving You was the first single to be released on the RCA label (RCA 1013) in Great Britain (July 1957).

Lyrics:

Baby, let me be your lovin' teddy bear
Put a chain around my neck and lead me anywhere
Oh, let me be your teddy bear

1. I don't wanna be a tiger 'cause tigers play too rough
I don't wanna be a lion 'cause lions ain't the kind you love enough
I just wanna be your teddy bear
Put a chain around my neck and lead me anywhere
Oh, let me be your teddy bear

Baby, let me be around you every night
Run your fingers through my hair and cuddle me real tight

Oh, let me be your teddy bear

1. (repeat)

Oh, let me be your teddy bear

I just wanna be your teddy bear

Where it was released:

Released for the fist time on single »

Singles:

- Teddy Bear / Loving You (RCA 20-7000) June 1957. Standard 78 RPM release »

- Teddy Bear / Loving You (RCA 47-7000) June 1957. Standard 45 RPM release »

- Teddy Bear / Loving You (RCA 447-0620) 1961. Gold standard series reissue.

- Teddy Bear / Loving You (RCA PB-11109) October 1977. One of 15 singles in the boxed set 15 Golden Records – 30 Golden Hits (RCA PP-11301), and the 20 Golden Hits in Full Color Sleeves (RCA PP-11340) boxed set released two months later.

- Teddy Bear / Puppet on a String (RCA PB-11320) August 1978. New single release, pressed on green vinyl »

- Teddy Bear / Loving You (RCA JH-11320) August 1978. Disc jockey promotional release »

- The Elvis Medley / Always on My Mind (RCA PG-13351) November 1982. The Elvis Medley featured excerpts from Jailhouse Rock, Teddy Bear, Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel, Burning Love and Suspicious Minds.

- The Elvis Medley / The Elvis Medley (short version) (RCA JB-13351) November 1982. Disc jockey promotional release.

- All Shook Up / Teddy Bear (RCA PB-13888) October 1984. One of six singles in the boxed set Elvis' Greatest Hits - Golden Singles, Volume 1 (RCA PP-13897). The record was pressed on gold vinyl with a special gold "50th" anniversary label.

EPs:

- Dealer’s Prevue (1956)

- Loving You, Volume 1 (1957) »

LPs/CDs:

- Loving You (1957) »

- Elvis' Golden Records (1958) »

- Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits, Volume 1 (1970) »

- Elvis As Recorded at Madison Square Garden (1972) »

- Elvis (1973) »

- Elvis - A Collectors Edition (1976) »

- Elvis in Concert (1977) »
– Elvis' Golden Records (1977) »

- The Elvis Presley Story (1977) »

- Elvis Sings for Children and Grownups Too! (1978) »

– Elvis - A Canadian Tribute (1978) »

- Elvis: Memories (1978) »

- Elvis Commemorative Album (1978) »

- Elvis! His Greatest Hits (1979) »

- Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden (1979) »
– Elvis Aron Presley (1980) »

– This Is Elvis (1981) »

– Rock'n'Roll Forever (1981) - Candlelite »

– It's Now Or Never (1981) - Camden »

- The Elvis Medley (1982)

- Essential Elvis (1986)

- The Collection, Volume 2 (1986)

- The Number One Hits (1987)

- The Top Ten Hits (1987)

- The Great Performances (1990)

- The King of Rock'n'Roll - The Complete 50's Masters (1992)

- Gold - The Very Best of the King (1995)

- All Time Greatest Hits (1997)

- Platinum - A Life in Music (1997)

- An Afternoon in the Garden (1997)

- Always Elvis - The Dutch Album (1997)

- Elvis' Greatest Jukebox Hits (1997)

- A Touch of Platinum, Volume 1 (1998)

- Elvis Aron Presley (1998)

- A Canadian Tribute (1999)

- Artist of the Century (1999)

- Elvis, The Concert (1999)

- Can't Help Falling in Love (1999)
- All the Best (1999)

- Tucson '76 (2000) - FTD »

- Elvis 2000: Best of the King (2000)

- The Swedish Hit Collection (2000)

- The 50 Greatest Hits (2000)

- Hayride and Gambling Halls (2001) - Sonotec

- Elvis 6363 Sunset (2001) - FTD »

- Elvis Hits (2001)

- The Very Best of Love (2001) - Madacy

- 50 Years 50 Hits (2001)

- Dixieland Rocks (2001) - FTD »

- Dinner at Eight (2002) - FTD »

- Spring Tours '77 (2002) - FTD »

- Elvis Sings for Kids (2002)

- Elvis 30 #1 Hits (2002)

- It's Midnight (2002) - FTD »

- Can't Help Falling in Love: The Hollywood Hits (2003)

- Close Up (2003)

- Dragonheart (2003) - FTD »

- Elvis 30 #1 Hits Deluxe Edition (2003)

- Elvis Forever (2004)

- Elvis as Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis (2004) - FTD »

- Rockin' Across Texas (2005) - FTD »

- Hitstory (2005)

- Loving You (2005)

- Summer Festival (2005) - FTD »

- Loving You (2006) - FTD »

- Writing For the King (2006) - FTD »

- An American Trilogy (2007) – FTD »

- Unchained Melody (2007) - FTD »

- Elvis - The Dutch Collection (2007)

- Live in L.A. (2007) – FTD »

- Elvis - The King (2007)

- Early Elvis (2007)

- Teddy Bear (2007)

- Readymade Digs Elvis (2007)

- America (2008) - FTD »

- Spankox Re: Versions (2008) - Everest

- Nevada Nights (2008) - FTD »

- Standing Room Only (2009) - FTD »

- Dixieland Delight (2009) - FTD »

- New Haven '76 (2009) - FTD »

- Rockin' Across Texas (2009) - FTD »

- A Minnesota Moment (2010) - FTD »

- Chicago Stadium (2010) - FTD »

- Live in L.A. (2011) - FTD »

– Amarillo '77 (2011) - FTD »

– 48 Hours to Memphis (2011) - FTD »

- Another Saturday Night (2012) - FTD »

– 3000 South Paradise Road (2012) - FTD »

– The On Stage Season (2013) - FTD »

- Something for the Girls (2014) - FTD »

– Destination U.S.A. (2014) - FTD »

– The Best of British - The RCA Years 1957-1958 (2014) - FTD »

– In Florida (2014) - FTD »

- This is Elvis (2015) - FTD »

- Elvis' Golden Records (2015) - FTD »

- Elvis in West Texas (2015) - FTD »

– Elvis in Alabama (2015) - FTD »

– Las Vegas 1975 (2016) - FTD »

- Home Town Shows (2016) - FTD »
– Spirit of Jackson, MS (2016) - FTD »

– Las Vegas '74 (2017) - FTD »

– Elvis in Atlanta (2017) - FTD »

– Elvis at Madison Square Garden (2017) - FTD »

– The Bicentennial Show (2017) - FTD »

– Murfreesboro '74 (2018) - FTD »

– What Now My Love (2018) - FTD »

– Holiday Season in Vegas (2018) - FTD »

– St. Paul to Wichita, October '74 (2019) - FTD »

– From Georgia to Florida (2019) - FTD »

– Elvis in California (2020) - FTD »

– St. Louis / Spokane (2020) - FTD »

Bootleg Releases:

- Please Release Me (1970) - 1st Records

- Sold Out (1974) - E.Pl Records

- From Las Vegas... to Niagara Falls (1974) - Live Productions

- Loving You (1975) - Gold Suit Productions

- The Vegas Years, 1972-1975 (1976) - TAKRL

- Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do! (1976) - Pirate Records

- The Last Farewell (1977) - E.P. Records

- America's Own (1979) - Geneva

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