Elvis Played the Riff For This Song From ‘Jailhouse Rock’ Himself
Elvis Presley‘s Jailhouse Rock includes a rare song with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll on guitar. He was even more talented than you thought! The Beatles later covered the song in question.
Elvis Presley was high on music during the ‘Jailhouse Rock’ sessions
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote several songs for Jailhouse Rock, including the title song. In the 2009 book Hound Dog: The Leiber & Stoller Autobiography, Stoller discussed a session with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “At the end of the day, Elvis was as high on the music as Jerry and I,” he said. “That was a Wednesday. Elvis didn’t show up at the studio on Thursday, but he was back on Friday to do the fourth song, ‘(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care.'”
Stoller said Elvis went the extra mile with “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care.” “The fourth song was the most fun because by then Elvis was deep into our producing style,” Stoller recalled. “Our style wasn’t anything more than being loose and having fun. Elvis’ initial shyness had totally melted away and he was completely in the spirit of the music. He actually picked up an electric bass and kicked off the intro to ‘Baby I Don’t Care.'”
Mike Stoller revealed how dedicated the singer was to ‘Jailhouse Rock’
Stoller remembered the “All Shook Up” singer‘s incredible work ethic. “It also pleased me no end that even when I thought we had a perfect vocal take, Elvis would want to do another — and then another,” Stoller wrote. “Each one would be better. He was digging deep and coming up with great new ammunition.”
During a 2020 interview with Elvis Australia, Stoller said “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care” was simply a fun ditty. However, he felt it worked for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Stoller believed Elvis enjoyed the track as well.
The Beatles recorded Elvis Presley’s song during the ‘White Album’ sessions
“(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care” became a standard. First, Buddy Holly covered it. Like Elvis, Holly was one of the first wave of rock ‘n’ rollers to penetrate the mainstream. While the two artists were part of the same era, Elvis had a much more rebellious image than Holly and his band, The Crickets.
The Beatles performed an abbreviated cover of the song as a studio jam. The Fab Four’s cover was included on an anniversary edition of The White Album. The Beatles’ “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care” oddly fits with the rest of The White Album, which includes several throwbacks to early rock ‘n’ roll, such as “Birthday,” “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?,” and “Back in the U.S.S.R.” Notably, The Beatles covered the track the same year Elvis returned to the spotlight with the ’68 Comeback Special. Other acts to record “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care” include Queen, Joni Mitchell, and Led Zeppelin.
“(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care” is a gem that shows off another side of Elvis.
