Elvis Presley – Good Luck Charm (1962)
About the song
If you are a fan of Elvis Presley, you probably know his hit song “Good Luck Charm” from 1962. But do you know the history behind this catchy tune? In this blog post, we will explore how this song was written, recorded, and released, and how it marked a turning point in Elvis’ career.
“Good Luck Charm” was composed by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold, who had previously written “It’s Now or Never” for Elvis. They were part of a group of songwriters who supplied Elvis with many of his hit songs in the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, after “Good Luck Charm”, they stopped writing for him due to a dispute over royalties.
Elvis recorded “Good Luck Charm” on October 15, 1961, at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville. He was joined by his regular musicians, except for guitarist Hank Garland, who had been injured in a car accident. Jerry Kennedy replaced him for this session. Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires sang a duet with Elvis on the chorus of the song.
The song was released as a single on February 27, 1962, with “Anything That’s Part of You” as the B-side. It quickly climbed the charts and reached number one on both Billboard and Cash Box in April. It stayed at the top for two weeks and sold over a million copies. It was also Elvis’ fifth number one single in the UK, where it remained for five weeks.
“Good Luck Charm” was a simple and catchy pop song that appealed to Elvis’ fans. However, it also signaled a decline in his recording career. It was his last number one single until “Suspicious Minds” in 1969, and his last original single release until 1964. He would focus more on his movie career and record mostly soundtrack songs for the next few years.
“Good Luck Charm” was a successful but controversial song in Elvis’ discography. It showed his popularity but also his stagnation. It pleased his listeners but also alienated his writers. It was a good luck charm but also a bad omen.
Watch the song video :
