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To promote the forthcoming motion picture "Loving You" as well as the accordant extended players and the album, RCA released the single "Teddy Bear" / "Loving You". The record was shipped on June 11, 1957 and entered Billboard's "Top 100" on the 24th of the month. "Teddy Bear" had a run of 25 weeks and peaked at number one. "Loving You" stayed on the hitparade for 22 weeks and reached number 22. The a-side also peaked at the number ones of the "Hot Country Singles Chart" and the "Best Selling R&B Singles Chart". In 1992 the RIAA honored the domestic sales with a Platinum Award, seven years later the status was updated to Double Platinum. Worldwide RCA Victor retailed five million copies, which equals 750 million paid streams. On Spotify "Teddy Bear" was streamed approximately 45 million times while "Loving You" clocks in at 12 million streams.

The cover presents Elvis dressed up like a country singer (at the time they wore costumes like that), posing smilingly with a teddy bear and a guitar. Especially "Teddy Bear" was taylor made for the pop radio and the singer was supposed to be sold to the whole family, not just to a few rock'n'roll freaks.

The single cannot be found on the streaming platforms, because both songs are included on the album "Loving You" (1957).

 

Teddy Bear

The singer begs his loved one to be her Teddy Bear. Tigers are too rough and lions are not kind enough. For a performer, who was sold as a rebel and even the king of the wicked rock'n'roll music, lyrics like that were embarrassing. But the girls loved it and "Teddy Bear" became an evergreen. In the 1970s Elvis mostly performed it in a medley with "Don't Be Cruel". Live recordings can be found on "Elvis As Recorded At Madison Square Garden" (1972) and "Elvis In Concert" (1977). RCA Victor also released the studio recording on the album "Loving You" (1957), the extended player "Loving You - Volume 1" (1957) and on the boxed set "Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits - Volume 1" (1970).

Loving You

The track had also been released on the extended player "Loving You - Volume 1", in 1970 it would be re-issued on the boxed set "Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits - Volume 1" and in 1975 on the album "Pure Gold". Elvis recorded the song on January 17, 1957 within three takes. Even though the last one was selected for release, the king re-recorded the ballad on February 24th and ordered RCA to release the 4th attempt. "Loving You" was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Elvis had previously recorded Leiber/Stoller songs, but this was the first one, the duo wrote exclusively for him.

  

Verdict

The third single of 1957 continued the trend to sell Elvis as a popstar for the whole family. The days of The Hillbilly Cat were definitely over. However, "Teddy Bear" was straight commercial popmusic and "Loving You" can be called a solid ballad. But I have to admit, that neither one is a favorite of mine.

 (C) RCA Victor