Elvis Presley’s movies were sometimes laughable but always profitable. Hollywood cashed in on the massive success of the singer by casting him in a film and changing the title to coincide with his song, “Love Me Tender.” As his career continued, the films kept coming, accompanied by soundtrack albums that produced hit songs on the radio. It was a synergetic cycle that seemed to be an unstoppable machine until Presley was drafted and reported for duty to the U.S. Army. For two years, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was serving his country and unable to make any movies.
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When he returned to civilian life, Presley fell back into the routine and starred in 27 films during the ’60s. The scripts were far from Oscar-worthy, and the music was often lightweight filler, but the movies always turned a profit. Hal B. Wallis, who produced nine of them, said, “A Presley picture is the only sure thing in Hollywood.” In 1961, Blue Hawaii was a typical example of the formulaic vehicle Presley was cranking out. The movie features exotic locations, good-looking young people having fun, a love story, a batch of Elvis ballads, and one or two upbeat numbers so the older characters can take cheap shots at rock ‘n’ roll. Presley would use one of the songs to close his concerts. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley.
Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can’t help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can’t help falling in love with you?
Pleasure of Love
Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George Weiss wrote the song based on the melody of the 1784 French love song “Plaisir d’Amour,” written by Jean-Paul-Egide Martini, who adapted a poem from a novel by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian. The song was originally written from the perspective of a female as “Can’t Help Falling in Love with Him.”
Like a river flows
Surely, to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Recording Session
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” was recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 1961. In the movie, Presley’s character, Chadwick Gates, gives his girlfriend’s grandmother a music box for her birthday. She opens the box, and Elvis sings the song. As the song progresses, the musical backing expands to include a full orchestra, including guitarists Scotty Moore and Hank Garland, pianist Floyd Cramer, bassist Bob Moore, drummers D.J. Fontana and Hal Blaine, saxophonist Boots Randolph, pedal steel guitarist Alvino Rey and features George Fields on harmonica, Freddie Tavares on ukulele, Dudley Brooks on celesta, and The Jordanaires on background vocals. Presley needed 29 takes before he got the vocals right. The version in the film is a bit shorter than the single release.
Take my hand
Take my whole life, too
For I can’t help falling in love with you
Cover Versions
Many people recorded the song. In 1970, Andy Williams took the song to No. 3 in the UK. In 1976, The Stylistics took a disco version to No. 4 in the UK. In 1993, U2 would end their concerts with Bono singing the song before leaving the stage to Elvis’ recording. The British band UB40 took the song to No. 1 in the U.S. that same year. In 2003, Erasure included the song on their album of covers, Other People’s Songs. In 2015, Beck recorded a version for The Man in the High Castle. “Plaisir d’Amour” was recorded by Placido Domingo and Joan Baez, who did it both in French and English.
Like a river flows
Surely, to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Blue Hawaii
While the movie seems to fall right in line with the typical Presley fare, it differed in that it included 14 songs, more than any other Elvis soundtrack. At this time, manager Colonel Tom Parker, booking agent Abe Lastfogel, and Presley felt the focus of his career should be movies.
Blue Hawaii was Elvis’ highest-grossing film at the box office, so it became the template for the type of musical comedy they would continue to crank out. Presley’s studio recordings took a backseat to soundtrack releases. From then on, the net was cast to capture a wider mainstream audience using a blend of pop and rock music. Blue Hawaii‘s soundtrack hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 20 weeks, a record that stood until 1977 when Rumors by Fleetwood Mac beat it. Blue Hawaii remained on the album chart for 79 weeks and sold more than 2 million copies.
Take my hand
Take my whole life, too
For I can’t help falling in love with you
For I can’t help falling in love with you
The 50th State
The United States officially added Hawaii on August, 21, 1959. Gidget Goes Hawaiian and Blue Hawaii were right in line with U.S. propaganda about a paradise with pineapple and hula dancers. Elvis and his entourage flew to Honolulu to film the movie on location. The locals were excited by the idea of getting a glimpse of the movie star and gathered on the beach outside his hotel, leaving messages in the sand visible from Presley’s room. Fans climbed the fire escape, leading to the appointment of a 24-hour guard.
The frolicking adventures of Chadwick Gates were nothing like the reality of Elvis Presley’s existence being confined to his hotel room when he wasn’t on camera. Presley would return to Hawaii to film Girls! Girls! Girls! and Paradise, Hawaiian Style. An exotic location was a prime ingredient in the Elvis movie formula. Fun in Acapulco, It Happened at the World’s Fair, Harum Scarum, Double Trouble, and Viva Las Vegas all used the same device. Florida provided the backdrop for Follow that Dream, Girl Happy, Easy Come, Easy Go, and Clambake.
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Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
