Puppet on a String (Elvis Presley song)
{{short description|Song by Elvis Presley}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Puppet on a String
| cover = Elvis_Puppet_On_A_String_PS.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Elvis Presley
| album = Girl Happy
| B-side = Wooden Heart
| released = October 20, 1965
| recorded = June 10, 1964
| studio = Radio Recorders, Hollywood
| genre = Rock and roll, pop
| length = 2:39
| label = RCA Victor
| writer = Roy C. Bennett, Sid Tepper{{cite magazine|author=Staff|title=Today's Tunes Filled With Goodies: Tepper–Bennett |magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WikEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA4|date=November 13, 1965 |page=4|issn=0006-2510}}
| producer =
| prev_title = I'm Yours
| prev_title2 = (It's a) Long Lonely Highway
| prev_year = 1965
| title =
| title2 = Wooden Heart
| next_title = Santa Claus Is Back in Town
| next_title2 =
| next_year = 1966
}}
"Puppet on a String" is a 1965 song originally recorded by Elvis Presley. It was written by Roy C. Bennett and Sid Tepper and recorded by Elvis Presley for the MGM film Girl Happy,{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=15283|title=Puppet On A String by Elvis Presley Songfacts|work=Songfacts.com|publisher=Songfacts, LLC|access-date=2016-12-14}} which was released on April 14, 1965.{{cite book|author=James L. Neibaur|title=The Elvis Movies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u95XAwAAQBAJ&q=Puppet+on+a+String+Elvis+Presley+Roy+Bennett+Sid+Tepper&pg=PA163|date=4 April 2014|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-4422-3074-3|pages=163–}}{{cite book|author=Thomas Lisanti|title=Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iCMkCQAAQBAJ&q=Puppet+on+a+String+Elvis+Presley+Roy+Bennett+Sid+Tepper&pg=PA193|date=24 August 2012|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-7297-0|pages=193–}}
Background
Elvis Presley recorded the vocals for "Puppet on a String" along with other tracks on June 16, 1964 (over a backing track that was recorded earlier) during a recording session at Radio Recorders in Culver City outside of Los Angeles. The song was published by Elvis Presley's publishing company Gladys Music, Inc.
Released in the United States in 1965 as a single with the 1960 recording from the film G.I. Blues, "Wooden Heart", on the B-side, "Puppet on a String" reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 25, 1965, where it would stay for two weeks.[http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1965-12-25 Billboard, December 25, 1965.]{{cite book|author=David F. Lonergan|title=Hit Records, 1950-1975|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NP6OdDrutyAC&q=Puppet+On+A+String&pg=PA178|year=2005|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-5129-0|pages=146–}} (The other single from the same movie, "Do the Clam", was released earlier in the same year and reached number 21.)
On December 4, 1965 the song entered to many lists of Billboard Top Sellers in Top Markets.[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1965/Billboard%201965-12-04.pdf Billboard - December 4, 1965 - Pages 14/15] Some days later, the song reached the position # 5 on the Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening staying in that list during 8 weeks. [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1966/BB-1966-01-01.pdf Billboard - December 1, 1966 - Pag. 10]
In Canada, the single reached number 3 in a 10-week chart run, entering the chart in November, 1965.[https://tsort.info/music/mfeu1b.htm Song artist 2 - Elvis Presley.tsort.] The single was certified Gold in the U.S. by the RIAA in March 1992.
Musical style and lyrics
"Puppet on a String" is an easy listening love song or a ballad.
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1965)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|14|artist=Elvis Presley|access-date=September 25, 201|rowheader=true}} |
| Cash Box Singles # 15 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Elvis Presley}}
{{Elvis Presley singles}}
Category:Songs written by Roy C. Bennett