Elvis’ ‘One Night’ Was Inspired by a Teacher’s Racy Comment
Elvis Presley‘s “One Night” played into the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s image as a sex symbol. Ironically, it was a rewrite of a song about sexual shame. Here’s a look at what a songwriter thought when Elvis changed his track.
The 1st version of Elvis Presley’s ‘One Night’ was inspired by a schoolteacher’s desires
Numerous Elvis hits were originally by other artists. The first singer to record “One Night” was rhythm and blues singer Smiley Lewis. The tune was penned by Dave Bartholomew, who also wrote Chuck Berry’s “My Ding-a-Ling.”
During a 1985 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Bartholomew discussed the inspiration behind “One Night.” “There was a very nice young lady who lived in Mobile, Alabama, a schoolteacher,” he recalled. “I used to go with her sister.
“At dinner one night, she mentioned — out of a clear blue sky — she had only been with one man her whole life (her husband) and she wondered what it would be like to have ‘one night of sin,'” he added. “That’s all she said, but it stuck with me and I started writing the song, just using my imagination.”
Elvis Presley’s song isn’t guilt-ridden like Smiley Lewis’
Elvis’ “One Night” has different lyrics from the original. Lewis’ song is a lament over the consequences of the narrator’s “one night of sin.” In contrast, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s track is a love song about its narrator’s desire to be with someone for one night. It makes sense that Elvis’ cover lacks the guilt of Lewis’ track. Elvis, like Marilyn Monroe and Little Richard, was one of the 1950s celebrities who helped lay the groundwork for the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Fittingly, the Elvis of “One Night” has no shame for his feelings.
Bartholomew was asked what he thought about Elvis’ “One Night.” “It didn’t bother me at all because I thought he did a good job vocally,” he replied. “But I don’t think he had to change it. He was so hot, he could have gotten away with anything.”
Bartholomew revealed what he thought of the “Jailhouse Rock” singer as an artist. “You could see right away that Elvis had something when he first started singing, though his voice was cracking,” he explained. “Someone taught him how to sing real fast — and he got real good once he started doing ballads.” Bartholomew might have referenced the fact that Elvis started out as a rock ‘n’ roller but his output only got more ballad-heavy in the early 1960s, when he released “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Blue Hawaii,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”
How ‘One Night’ performed on the pop charts in the United States
Elvis’ “One Night” reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 17 weeks. Though “One Night” is not one of Elvis’ more celebrated tracks today, it lasted longer on the Billboard Hot 100 than most of his other tunes. “One Night” appeared on the compilation album Elvis: 30 #1 Hits. That record topped the Billboard 200 for three weeks, lasting on the Billboard 200 for 180 weeks in total.
Elvis put his own spin on “One Night” — and Bartholomew was fine with that.
