Aired on Treasure Island Oldies – April 19, 2026

Elvis Presley scored his sixth #1 hit with a high-energy rocker that topped the Billboard pop charts in early 1957 and helped cement his dominance during the first wave of Rock & Roll.

The track was recorded at RCA Victor’s Nashville studio in September 1956. At that time Presley’s releases were evolving from raw rockabilly towards a more polished, radio-friendly sound.

However, the song was first recorded a couple of years earlier in 1955 on Republic Records by a blues artist whose version reflected a more traditional R&B style.

*****

The original version of the song is looser and rooted in the jump blues style of the early 50s, emphasizing groove over the punchy, compressed energy that would define Presley’s #1 remake.

Presley’s rendition significantly reworked the arrangement, tightening the rhythm and amplifying the backbeat to align with the emergence of Rock & Roll. Producer Steve Sholes and guitarist Scotty Moore played key roles in shaping the track’s sound, ensuring it retained enough edge. Some say that Moore’s guitar riff is the real hook on this recording.

The balance of swagger and accessibility made it a perfect crossover hit, appealing to both teenagers and mainstream pop audiences.

In retrospect, this song illustrates how mid-50s Rock & Roll often drew from earlier blues recordings, transforming them into something broader and more commercially viable. Presley’s version didn’t just popularize the song—it reframed it, helping bridge the gap between traditional R&B and the mainstream explosion of Rock & Roll that defined the era.

Too bad that the 1955 original by Bernard Hardison failed to chart. It was a quality song and definitely not “Too Much,” and it’s this week’s Tom Locke moment in time.

YouTube listing of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZemDs0sR9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPc8XNtlDk4  (Elvis’s version)

This “Moments In Time” story is yet another example of a “golden oldie” or forgotten favorite that earned its place in the evolution of Rock & Roll.