Song · Elvis Presley
“Don't Be Cruel” by Elvis Presley
Released 1987
“Don't Be Cruel” by Elvis Presley appears on 2 radio countdowns from 2 stations between 2001 and 2004. It was first released in 1987. Its best result is #426 on the WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time. In the combined RockLists rankings it is #2,323 indie & aaa song of all time.
Otis Blackwell wrote "Don't Be Cruel" in 1956, and Elvis Presley recorded it for RCA that same year; it was the first song his publishers, Hill & Range, brought him to cut. Blackwell was glad to give away half his royalties and a co-writing credit if it meant the hottest new singer going would take it on, which is how Presley's name ended up next to his. Freddy Bienstock, Presley's music publisher, argued those credits were more than a cut-in: early on, Elvis would balk at lines he didn't like and change them.
Steve Sholes gets the producer credit, and the record is rock and roll with a grin on its face. It entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, and Rolling Stone ranked it No. 197 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 426 | WFPK | WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time | 2000 |
| 2004 | 543 | WXPN | WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004) | 885 |
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