Crazy Little Thing Called Love

[SWScorch]

So I bought me a CD of Queen's Greatest Hits (although for some reason they excluded Bohemian Rhapsody!) and one of the songs on it is called "A Crazy LIttle Thing Called Love." As soon as it started, I knew it sounded familiar, but something was wrong. I did some research, and sure enough, Elvis Presley had a song by the name title, same lyrics, same everything. So naturally I just assumed that Queen covered that song. But, in the CD jacket, it says that Freddie Mercury wrote that song in 1979. How does that work?

 

[SWScorch]

... and a resounding silence ensues... I have stumped ATOT! Woohoo....

 

[rocadelpunk]

i dunno, but can i just say

"dun dun dun"

 

[Vadatajs]

You'll have to provide a link to the elvis lyrics. I can't find them. All of my searching confirms that it is a Queen song, if heavily influenced by elvis.

 

[Haircut]

Listen to "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and you would swear it's an Elvis Presley cover, though the song is a Queen original.

From here. Link


I can't find Crazy Little Thing Called Love on an Elvis discography anywhere, are you sure it was done by him?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Whoever told you that Elvis did that song was either mistaken or pulling your leg.

ZV

 

[bmacd]

i thought elvis sang the song as well

-=bmacd=-

 

[anxi80]

there is an original, but i dont believe elvis created it. if cdnow.com wasnt so 'amazon'ized, itd be simpler to solve this.

 

[compudog]

It seems that Freddie Mercury wrote the song as a tribute to Elvis
Here's a linky. Elvis died in August 1977 and the song by Freddie Mercury was released October of 1979

 

[anxi80]

holy crap!!! queen did originate it. heres the story...

Jimmy Ellis is the singer and the artist who sang this rockabilly version of the song. He had a voice just like Elvis and even wore a mask to look like him. He covered songs and even played with some other artists (johnny cash, carl perkins, jeery lee lewis) heres what i just summarized but more detailed from a review @ amazon.com of the 'orion' cd, which contains the track in question.

The Liner notes tell the rather strange, but sad story of Jimmy Ellis: the mask-wearing Elvis soundalike,impersonator whose career ended as tragically as Presley's. These are the original recordings that Ellis did for Sun Records from 1972-1980. There are "duets" with Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich and Johnny Cash: but they're ALL overdubbed with Ellis' voice. This was a ploy by Shelby Singleton who purchased Sun Records in 1969. It's not that Ellis didn't have talent. Listen to his cover of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". And in 1981, he finally took the mask off (he wore it because he didn't look like Elvis). Like Elvis, Jimmy Ellis died a tragic death. At age 53, he and his fiancee were shot and killed inside their convenience store by robbers. Calling VH1-this would be a great Behind The Music episode. This is a CD for Elvis fans, of course, but also for those who have an interest in the strange ways of the music business.

 

[Vic]

Link to song at allmusic.com

 

[BeauJangles]

Scorch - the greatest hits compliation of Queen I have has two CDs. One has a red cover, the other a blue. The blue one has Bohemian Rhapsody and a bunch of other great songs.

 

[SWScorch]

So maybe this Elvis version of the song was a cover by the impersonator? here is the link to the site with an mp3 of what is supposedly Elvis singing that song.