‘Return to Sender’ is an Elvis Presley track from the 2002 compilation 30 No. 1 Hits. At least that’s where it lives in my music collection. It was originally released as a single in 1962 and performed in the film Girls! Girls! Girls!, a clip from which is embedded below.
The song made it to only #2 on the U.S. charts but spent three weeks at #1 in the U.K. Indeed, 11 of the #1 hits on the compilation reached that pinnacle only in the U.K.
Also in 1962, soul singer Gerri Granger recorded a rebuttal to this song titled ‘Don’t Want Your Letters.’ It borrows the melody from ‘Return to Sender’ but tells the story from the woman’s point of view.
Return to sender!
Return to sender!
[Verse 1]
I gave a letter to the postman
He put it his sack
Bright in early next morning
He brought my letter back
[Chorus]
(She wrote upon it)
Return to sender
Address unknown
No such number
No such zone
We had a quarrel
A lover’s spat
I write I’m sorry, but my letter keeps coming back
[Verse 2]
So then I dropped it in the mailbox
And sent it special D
Bright in early next morning
It came right back to me
[Chorus]
(She wrote upon it)
Return to sender
Address unknown
No such person
No such zone
[Bridge]
This time I’m gonna take it myself
And put it right in her hand
And if it comes back the very next day
Then I’ll understand
[Chorus]
(The writing on it)
Return to sender
Address unknown
No such number
No such zone
Return to sender
Return to sender
Return to sender
Return to sender
Watching this clip, it’s hard to think of anyone cooler than Elvis. I also love how supposedly live performances in tv and movies used to just fade out. Was anybody ever fooled by this?😁 Also, love the rebuttal song. I never knew about that.
Thanks for the early Easter present 😍 and no one is cooler then thr King