Elvis Presley – (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear

The only Mann-Lowe composition that Elvis Presley recorded was “Teddy Bear.” It is believed that this song was specifically written for Elvis, acknowledging his alleged affection for stuffed animals. In a 1957 press conference in Vancouver, B.C., Elvis addressed the rumors about his teddy bear collection, clarifying that it originated from an article and that he kept them because they were gifts from fans. Despite not considering himself a collector of stuffed animals, he found himself surrounded by them in various places, including on walls, in the basement, and on chairs.

During his last appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on January 6, 1957, Elvis expressed gratitude for the abundance of teddy bears sent to his Memphis home during the Christmas holidays. He received a staggering 282 teddy bears, lining the walls of his residence.

In January of the same year, while recording music for his second film, “Loving You,” in Hollywood, Elvis likely didn’t have “Teddy Bear” on the original song list. However, producer Hal Wallis was so enamored with the song that it was added to the film’s soundtrack. Elvis recorded the song on the morning of January 16, 1957, at Paramount’s large Scoring Stage in Hollywood.

“Teddy Bear” made its debut on Billboard’s Top 100 chart at #47 on June 24, 1957, quickly climbing to #1. It held the top spot for seven weeks, making it one of Elvis’s most successful songs. During the summer of 1957, the song dominated the “Cashbox Best Selling Singles List,” remaining the top-selling record in the country for three weeks and in the top four for over two months. It maintained a presence on Billboard’s Top 100 pop chart for 25 weeks, securing the #1 position for all of July and August 1957 and staying in the top 5 for a total of 12 weeks.