DON’T BE CRUEL

This tune marked the crucial beginning of a fruitful relationship between Elvis and songwriter Otis Blackwell, who went on to pen “All Shook Up” and co-write “Return to Sender.” (If that’s not enough, he also co-wrote “Great Balls of Fire” for Jerry Lee Lewis and “Fever” for Peggy Lee.) Originally, “Cruel” was slated to be the B-side of Elvis’ “Hound Dog.” But because both recordings had such zest, RCA released them as a double-A-sided single, a savvy decision that made both sides No. 1 smash hits.