"Little Sister" is a rock and roll song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. It was originally released as a single in 1961 by American singer Elvis Presley, who enjoyed a No. 5 hit with it on the Billboard Hot 100. The single (as a double A-side with "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame") also reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. Lead guitar was played by Hank Garland and the rhythm guitar was played by Scotty Moore with backing vocals by the Jordanaires featuring the distinctive bass voice of Ray Walker.
Presley performs the song as part of a medley with "Get Back" in the 1970 rockumentary film Elvis: That's the Way It Is. "Little Sister" would later be covered by such artists as Dwight Yoakam, Robert Plant, The Nighthawks and Pearl Jam. A version by Ry Cooder, from his album Bop Till You Drop, was a number-one hit in New Zealand.
An answer song to "Little Sister" with the same melody but different lyrics was recorded and released under the title "Hey, Memphis" by LaVern Baker on Atlantic Records (Atlantic 2119-A) in September 1961.
Personnel
Credits from Ernst Jorgensen and Keith Flynn’s study of RCA and musicians’ union/AFM paperwork and session tapes.Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, The Complete Recording sessions, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1998 pp157-159
Elvis Presley – lead vocals Scotty Moore – acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar Hank Garland – electric lead guitar Harold Bradley – six-string “tic-tac” bass guitar Bob Moore – double bass D. J. Fontana – drums Buddy Harman – drums The Jordanaires (Gordon Stoker, Hoyt Hawkins, Neal Matthews Jr., Ray Walker) – backing vocals
Chart positions
Elvis Presley Chart (1961–1962)PeakpositionBelgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)1Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)11Netherlands (Single Top 100)5Norway (VG-lista)6West Germany (Media Control)25
Dwight Yoakam version
Chart (1987)PeakpositionCanadian RPM Country Tracks3RIANZ charts35
Music video The music video for Dwight Yoakam's 1987 version of "Little Sister" was directed by Sherman Halsey.
Other recorded versions Ry Cooder as the opening track on his 1979 album Bop Till You Drop. Rockpile with Robert Plant on the 1981 album Concerts for the People of Kampuchea.
References