‘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.
Note: Because I posted my Random Weekend Tom Petty SOTD during the week, I’m using this slot for the weekday post that was bumped.
Mother’s Day was months ago, but here’s another chance to honor your mamas, as Day 20 of the 30 Day Music Challenge asks you to name ‘A Song That Reminds You of Your Mom.’
Many artists fit this bill for me, from Frank Sinatra (who, to be fair, reminds me even more of my father) to Traveling Wilburys, Carole King, Carly Simon, George Winston, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen.
This year’s family vacation brings us to the majestic Beehive State, Utah. My family is flying into Las Vegas, spending a couple of days there, then driving through Utah’s “Mighty Five” National Parks before ending up in Denver, Colorado.
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Elvis Presley might not have been the world’s best actor, and his films were never in danger of winning any awards, but you’d think the Academy would see past that to acknowledge the songs themselves.
Both ‘Love Me Tender’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’ were written for films of the same names, and neither got a sniff of Oscar love.
But for my money, even those two snubs are overshadowed by this one.
I’ve never been much of an Elvis Presley aficionado. I really enjoy his hits when I hear them, but I don’t play them on my own nor do I know the stories behind them.
The curiosity that has led me to explore the early work of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel and other acts who got their start before I was born has just never expanded to Elvis. That’s probably because those other artists are songwriters, while Presley made his name as “just” a performer.
