Rock-a-hula baby by Elvis Presley

This week for Song Lyric Sunday, Jim Adams has prompted us with songs with Baby in the title or in the song.

I once again turn to Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n’ Roll. You will probably be getting a lot of Elvis from me. I listen to SiriusXM Radio Channel 19 every day while in my car and sometimes on my I-Pad with my Bluetooth Bose speaker blaring at home or on my computer at work. I listen to other channels, but Elvis dominates the airwaves. Any of my co-workers that go to lunch with me can expect to hear Elvis’ silky voice coming through my speakers upon the moment I start the car. It’s a THING!

“Rock-a-hula baby” is a mix of Hawaiian folk and rock and roll genres that was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1961 and performed in the movie “Blue Hawaii” which starred Elvis, Joan Blackman, Angela Lansbury, Howard McNear, Roland Winters, among others. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1962 and spent four weeks there. It was re-release in March, 2005 and reach #23 in the US, #1 in Australia, #4 in Canada and #3 in the UK on the Billboard pop charts.

The song was written by Ben Weisman, Fred Wise and Dolores Fuller. It was recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California on March 23, 1961. RCA Victor released the 45 single on October 1, 1961 with The Jorndanaires providing backup vocals. The backside of the 45 was “Can’t Help Falling In Love”. First published by Fuller, who would eventually write a dozen songs for Elvis, it was then published by Gladys Music, Inc., Elvis’ publishing company named in honor of his mother.

Of all the Elvis Presley movies, “Blue Hawaii” is still #1 on my list of favs! I have it recorded on my DVR and when I’ve had a stressful day at work, I put it on & all my tension washes away. As a kid, I dreamed of going to Hawaii because of this movie. Anytime an Elvis movie was on, the tube was tuned in. Every year, “Blue Hawaii” was in the line-up for Elvis movie week and we set down as a family to watch it. Partly because my mom was a huge Elvis fan. I played her records from the 50’s & 60’s and not what was ideally popular in the 70’s. Back then, we only had 8 channels on TV, if we were lucky.

My first airplane flight was when I turned 18 in 1984, just after high school graduation and a month before I went to boot camp. The trip was to the Big Island of Hawaii. Flying into Oahu, then taking a propelled steel rattle trap to The Big Island. Great experience for my first time flying! The trip was magical! The music, the beaches, the culture…all of it. All because of a 1961 movie starring Elvis Presley.

Rock-a-hula, rock-rock-a-hula
Rock-a-hula, rock-rock-a-hula
Rock-a-hula, rock-rock-a-hula
Rock-a-hula, rock-rock-a-hula
Rock-a-hula, rock-rock-a-hula
Rock-a-hula, rock
Rock-a-hula, rock
A-hula, rock
A-hula, rock, a-hula, rock
The way she moves her hips to her fingertips
I feel I'm heaven bound
And when she starts to sway, I've gotta say
She really move the grass around
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock-a-hula baby
Got a hula lulu from Honolulu
That rock-a-hula baby of mine
Rock-a-hula, rock-rock-a-hula
Rock-a-hula, rock
Although I love to kiss my little hula miss
I never get the chance
I want to hold her tight all through the night
But all she wants to do is dance
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock-a-hula baby
Got a hula lulu from Honolulu
That rock-a-hula baby of mine
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock, rock, rock, rock
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock, rock, rock, rock
Rock-a-hula baby
Rock-a-hula baby
Got a hula lulu from Honolulu
That rock-a-hula baby of mine
Oh well, that rock-a-hula baby of mine
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Benjamin Weisman / Dolores Fuller / Fred Wise
Rock-A-Hula Baby lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Carlin America Inc