Elvis Presley -My Happiness

About the song

If you are a fan of Elvis Presley, you probably know that his first record was “My Happiness”, a pop standard that he recorded in 1953 at the age of 18. But do you know the history behind this song and how it became a part of Elvis’ legacy? In this blog post, we will explore the origins and significance of “My Happiness” and how it influenced Elvis’ musical career.

The song “My Happiness” was written by Betty Peterson Blasco and Borney Bergantine in 1948, and was first recorded by the Marlin Sisters in December 1947. However, it was not until May 1948 that the song became a hit, thanks to the versions by Jon and Sondra Steele, the Pied Pipers, and Ella Fitzgerald. The song was a sentimental ballad that expressed the longing for a loved one’s presence.

Elvis Presley was one of the many young people who were captivated by this song. He had heard it on the radio and decided to record it as a gift for his mother Gladys, who loved sentimental songs. On July 18, 1953, he walked into Memphis Recording Service, the studio owned by Sam Phillips, who would later discover him. He paid $4 for a recording session and left with an acetate copy of the 78 RPM record, which he labeled as Sunset Records.

However, Elvis never gave the record to his mother. Instead, he stopped by a friend’s house to listen to it and left it there. The record remained in his friend’s possession for decades, until it was sold at an auction in 2015 for $300,000 to musician Jack White, who later reissued it as a vinyl record.

The recording of “My Happiness” was not only Elvis’ first record, but also his first step into the music industry. It was at Memphis Recording Service that he met Marion Keisker, Sam Phillips’ assistant, who was impressed by his voice and charisma. She asked him what kind of singer he was, and he famously replied: “I sing all kinds”. She then asked him who he sounded like, and he said: “I don’t sound like nobody”. She made a note of his name and phone number, and later recommended him to Phillips, who eventually signed him to Sun Records.

The rest is history. Elvis went on to become one of the most influential and successful musicians of all time, with a distinctive style and sound that revolutionized rock and roll. He recorded hundreds of songs, sold millions of records, starred in dozens of movies, and performed countless concerts. He is widely regarded as the King of Rock and Roll and an icon of popular culture.

But it all started with “My Happiness”, a simple song that captured his heart and inspired him to pursue his dream. It was his first record, but not his last.

Watch the song video :

Here are the lyrics of the song: “My Happiness“