The Writer of ‘A Little Less Conversation’ Felt Elvis Presley Sang It Wrong
Elvis Presley‘s “A Little Less Conversation” remains one of his most beloved songs. The country star who wrote it wasn’t a big fan of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s take on it. Two different recordings of the song went on to become hits.
The writer of ‘A Little Less Conversation’ felt Elvis Presley ‘sluffed off’
Mac Davis was a country and rock singer who was popular in the mid-1970s. Before he became famous in his own right, he wrote several songs for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. These tunes included “Don’t Cry Daddy,” “Charro,” “Clean Up Your Own Backyard,” and “A Little Less Conversation.” During an interview posted to the Elvis Information Network, Davis revealed how his views on the latter song evolved.
“33, 34 years later, ‘A Little Less Conversation’ has been rediscovered by a new generation,” Davis said. “I’m shocked, to be honest with you, by its newfound success. I think the song got as high as 68 or 69 in the charts when it was released the first time in the late 60’s. In all honesty, ‘A Little Less Conversation’ was not my favorite recording of Elvis’. I kind of thought it was sluffed off because it was done for a movie. I didn’t think Elvis really got into it the way he could have. But I was wrong.”
How Mac Davis felt when he met Elvis Presley, his idol
The tune appeared in one of Elvis’ musicals: Live a Little, Love a Little. Davis recalled meeting the “All Shook Up” singer during the production of that movie. “The first time that I met Elvis was when I went over to the Live A Little, Love A Little filming where Elvis sang the song to the girl around the swimming pool,” he said.
“I felt humbled in the presence of the great one,” he added. “I was a teenager and he was my idol as a kid. I was a ’50s child. He and James Dean were my heroes.” During the 1950s, Elvis and Dean both represented youthful danger and rebellion.
How 2 versions of ‘A Little Less Conversation’ performed
“A Little Less Conversation” reached No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for four weeks. The tune appeared on the album Almost in Love. That record reached No. 65 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 18 weeks.
Junie XL’s remix of “A Little Less Conversation” fared better. That version hit No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for nine weeks. Junkie XL’s remix was an interesting fluke, as DJs and long-deceased celebrities rarely have hit songs. It might be the most famous version of the song today.
Junkie XL’s “A Little Less Conversation” appeared on the compilation record Elvis: 30 #1 Hits. It probably did more to make that record relevant than any of the antique hits on it. Elvis: 30 #1 Hits topped the Billboard 200 for three weeks and lasted on the chart for 185 weeks. It remains the most popular album by the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the United States.
“A Little Less Conversation” is a classic song even if Davis took some time to warm up to it.
