A Big Hunk o' Love
Encyclopedia
"A Big Hunk o' Love" is a song co-written by Aaron Schroeder
and originally recorded by American
rock and roll
icon Elvis Presley
. The song was released as a single
on June 23, 1959 by RCA Victor
and later topped the Billboard Hot 100
for two weeks.
The song was revived by Presley in 1972 during his engagements at the Las Vegas Hilton in February 1972 and was used in his live shows until mid-1973. It was performed live for the last time on January 26, 1974. The song is included in the 1972 documentary Elvis On Tour and his 1973 show broadcast via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. During this time period, it was played by the Elvis' TCB Band, and featured Glen D. Hardin and James Burton.
. It was the fist session that did not include guitarist
Scotty Moore
and bassist
Bill Black
, who had both worked with Elvis since his first recordings for Sam Phillips
at the Memphis Recording Service, which later became known as Sun Studios. The recording featured Elvis' regular backing vocalist
s the Jordanaires
, who would continue to work with Elvis until Elvis' appearance at the Hilton in Los Vegas. The rest of the musicians were session men
, the most notable being guitarist Hank Garland
. The song was recorded in four takes, the released version is actually spliced from takes three and four.
single with "My Wish Came True" as the b-side in both the United States and England. When the single was released on June 23, it was the second release to come from Elvis' army session after "I Need Your Love Tonight
" b/w "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I
" on March 10, 1959.
As stated above, the a-side spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the b-side peaked at #12. The single was less successful on the Cashbox Top 100 with the a-side peaking at #2 and the b-side at #23. On the UK Singles Chart
the a-side peaked at #4, while the b-side did not appear on the chart. The a-side also peaked at #10 on Billboard
magazine's R&B Singles
chart.
Due to the songs success, Elvis' next single was another Aaron Schroeder co-composition, "Stuck on You". "A big Huck o' Love" was the first of four of Schroeder's songs that became #1 hits for Elvis.
Aaron Schroeder
Aaron Schroeder was an American songwriter and music publisher.-Biography:Born Aaron Harold Schroder , he graduated from the school now known as the Fiorello H...
and originally recorded by American
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
icon Elvis Presley
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"....
. The song was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on June 23, 1959 by RCA Victor
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
and later topped 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...
for two weeks.
The song was revived by Presley in 1972 during his engagements at the Las Vegas Hilton in February 1972 and was used in his live shows until mid-1973. It was performed live for the last time on January 26, 1974. The song is included in the 1972 documentary Elvis On Tour and his 1973 show broadcast via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. During this time period, it was played by the Elvis' TCB Band, and featured Glen D. Hardin and James Burton.
Recording
"A Big Hunk o' Love", a hard, driving rocker, was recorded at Elvis' first and only session during his two years of army service. The session took place on June 10, 1958 in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. It was the fist session that did not include guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Scotty Moore
Scotty Moore
Winfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III is an American guitarist. He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, between 1954 and the beginning of Elvis' Hollywood years...
and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Bill Black
Bill Black
William Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician who is noted as one of the pioneers of rockabilly music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio and the leader of Bill Black's Combo....
, who had both worked with Elvis since his first recordings for Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips
Samuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s...
at the Memphis Recording Service, which later became known as Sun Studios. The recording featured Elvis' regular backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
s the Jordanaires
The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
, who would continue to work with Elvis until Elvis' appearance at the Hilton in Los Vegas. The rest of the musicians were session men
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, the most notable being guitarist Hank Garland
Hank Garland
Walter Louis Garland , better known as Hank Garland, was a Nashville studio musician who performed with Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and many others.-Biography:...
. The song was recorded in four takes, the released version is actually spliced from takes three and four.
Release and chart performance
RCA Victor had paired "A Big Hunk o' Love" for release as an a-sideA-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
single with "My Wish Came True" as the b-side in both the United States and England. When the single was released on June 23, it was the second release to come from Elvis' army session after "I Need Your Love Tonight
I Need Your Love Tonight
"I Need Your Love Tonight" is a song written by Sid Wayne and Bix Reichner and recorded by Elvis Presley on June 10, 1958, in RCA Studio B, in Nashville, Tennessee.The song reached number four on the Billboard pop singles chart in 1959....
" b/w "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I
(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I
" A Fool Such as I" is a popular song written by Bill Trader and was published in 1952. Performed by Hank Snow it peaked at number four on the country charts early in 1953....
" on March 10, 1959.
As stated above, the a-side spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the b-side peaked at #12. The single was less successful on the Cashbox Top 100 with the a-side peaking at #2 and the b-side at #23. On the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
the a-side peaked at #4, while the b-side did not appear on the chart. The a-side also peaked at #10 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine's R&B Singles
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart.
Due to the songs success, Elvis' next single was another Aaron Schroeder co-composition, "Stuck on You". "A big Huck o' Love" was the first of four of Schroeder's songs that became #1 hits for Elvis.