(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear

This article is about 1957 Elvis Presley hit single. For 1976 Red Sovine hit single, see Teddy Bear (Red Sovine song).

"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"
Single by Elvis Presley
from the album Loving You
B-side	"Loving You"
Released	June 11, 1957 (1957-06-11)
Format	45 rpm, 78 rpm
Recorded	January 22, 1957, Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California
Genre	Rock and roll, rhythm and blues
Length	1:46
Label	RCA
Writer(s)	Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe
Producer(s)	Walter Scharf
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"All Shook Up" / "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" (1957) "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" / "Loving You" (1957) "Jailhouse Rock" / "Treat Me Nice (1957)
Loving You track listing 12 tracks Side one "Mean Woman Blues" "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" "Loving You" "Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do" "Lonesome Cowboy" "Hot Dog" "Party" Side two "Blueberry Hill" "True Love" "Don't Leave Me Now" "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" "I Need You So"

"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" is a popular song first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957 for the soundtrack of his second motion picture, Loving You, during which Presley performs the song on screen. It was written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe and published in 1957 by Gladys Music. Clear melodic roots of this tune can be heard in the many early recordings of Boll Weevil, a traditional blues song.

Presley single

The song was a US number-one hit for Elvis Presley during the summer of 1957, staying at number-one for seven weeks, and his third of the four that he would have that year. "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" would also hit number one on the R&B Best Sellers List, becoming his fourth number one on that chart. In addition the song would hit number one on the country charts for a single week.

Personnel

• Elvis Presley – lead vocal, acoustic guitar
• Dudley Brooks – piano
• Bill Black – double bass
• D.J. Fontana – drums
• The Jordanaires – backing vocals
• Walter Scharf – producer
• Thorne Nogar – engineer

Cover versions

• Pat Boone on his LP Pat Boone Sings Guess Who? (1963)
• Laurel Aitken on his LP Scandal in a Brixton Market (1969)
• Angelyne on her album Angelyne (1982)
• Mud on their album Les Grays Mud (1982)
• Cliff Richard on his limited release album Rock 'n' Roll Silver (1983).
• Tanya Tucker on the compilation It's Now or Never: The Tribute to Elvis (1994)
• ZZ Top on their album XXX (1999)
• Donna Loren on her EP Donna Does Elvis in Hawaii (2010)
• The Residents on their album The King & Eye (1989)
• João Penca e Seus Miquinhos Amestrados performs a Portuguese adaptation of the song, entitled "O Ursinho", in their album Os Maiores Sucessos de João Penca e Seus Miquinhos Amestrados (1983)

Pop culture

A modified version of the song has often been used for Teddy Grahams commercials. Also, during early episodes of Full House, the three main adult characters would often sing the song as a lullaby for Michelle Tanner (one of those three characters, Michelle's uncle Jesse Katsopolis, was a die-hard Elvis fan).

Disney featured a music video in the special DTV Romancin' (1986), set entirely to clips featuring the bear characters from the company's animated films, including an introduction by the Gummi Bears.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Preceded by "Love Letters in the Sand" by Pat Boone	Billboard Top 100 number one single (Elvis Presley version) July 15, 1957 (7 weeks)	Succeeded by "Tammy" by Debbie Reynolds
Preceded by "Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brothers	C&W Best Sellers in Stores number one single by Elvis Presley August 5, 1957	Succeeded by "Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brothers
Preceded by "Love Letters in the Sand" by Pat Boone	Cash Box magazine best selling record chart #1 record July 20, 1957	Succeeded by Bye Bye Love
Preceded by Bye Bye Love	Cash Box magazine best selling record chart #1 record August 3, 1957–August 10, 1957	Succeeded by "Tammy" by Debbie Reynolds
Preceded by "Searchin'" by The Coasters	Billboard R&B Best Sellers in Stores number-one single September 2, 1957	Succeeded by "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On" by Jerry Lee Lewis