That's All Right

{{For|the Jimmy Rogers song|That's All Right (Jimmy Rogers song)}}

{{Infobox song

| name = That's All Right

| cover = That's All Right single label.png

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = Elvis Presley

| album =

| B-side = Blue Moon of Kentucky

| released = {{Start date|1954|07|19}}

| recorded = July 5, 1954

| studio = Sun, Memphis

| genre = Rockabilly, rock and roll

| length = 1:57

| label =

Sun (original)
RCA Victor (reissue)

| writer = Arthur Crudup

| producer = Sam Phillips

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Good Rockin' Tonight

| next_year = 1954

| misc = {{Audio sample

| type = single

| file = Thatsallright.ogg

}}

"That's All Right" is a song written and originally performed by the American blues singer Arthur Crudup, and recorded in 1946. It was rereleased in early March 1949 by RCA Victor under the title "That's All Right, Mama", which was issued as RCA's first rhythm and blues record on its new 45 rpm single format.{{cite book|title=What Was The First Rock'n'Roll Record|year=1992|publisher=Faber and Faber|isbn=0-571-12939-0|page=201}}

"That's All Right" is best known as the debut single recorded and released by Elvis Presley. Presley's version was recorded on July 5, 1954,{{cite web|url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/elvis-presley-records-thats-all-right-mama|title=Elvis Presley records "That's All Right (Mama)"|website=HISTORY|publisher=A&E Television Networks|date=July 1, 2020|access-date=February 2, 2022}} and released on July 19, 1954, with "Blue Moon of Kentucky" as the B-side. It was ranked number 112 on the 2010 Rolling Stone magazine list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/201458/The-Rolling-Stone-500-Greatest-Songs-of-All-Time |title=The Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |publisher=Scribd.com |access-date=2015-09-07}} Several critics have cited Presley's version as a candidate for the first rock and roll record.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pLgqFaYmgw8C&pg=PA189|access-date=August 11, 2013|page=189|title=Icons of R & B and Soul|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2007|isbn=978-0-313-34044-4|last=Gulla|first=Bob|author-link=Bob Gulla}} In July 2004, exactly 50 years after it was first released, the song was re-released as a CD single in several countries, including the United Kingdom, where it reached number three.

In 1998, the 1954 recording by Elvis Presley was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#t|title=GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists | GRAMMY.com|website=grammy.com}}

History

The song was written by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, and originally recorded by him in Chicago on September 6, 1946, as "That's All Right".{{Cite web |author=Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup |title=That's All Right |publisher=Second Hand Songs |access-date=12 September 2024 |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/4361}} Some of the lyrics are traditional blues verses first recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1926.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3xQwHeUXqKYC&q=%22that%27s+all+right+mama%22+%22lemon+jefferson%22&pg=PT133 |title=The History of the Blues - Francis Davis |date= September 4, 2003|isbn=9780306812965 |access-date=2015-09-07|last1=Davis |first1=Francis |publisher=Hachette Books }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.scottymoore.net/thatsallright.html|title=Scotty Moore - Big Boy's "That's All Right"|website=www.scottymoore.net}} Crudup's recording was released as a single in April of 1947 on RCA Victor 20–2205, but was less successful than some of his previous recordings. One of the experts who consider the Crudup recording to be the "first rock and roll song" is Southeastern Louisiana University rock historian Joseph Burns, who adds that "this song could contain the first ever guitar solo break".{{Cite web|url=https://www.seeker.com/worlds-first-rock-and-roll-song-identified-1765139192.html|title=World's First Rock-and-Roll Song Identified|first=Jen|last=Viegas|website=Seeker|date=November 19, 2010}}

At the same session, Crudup recorded a virtually identical tune with different lyrics, "I Don't Know It", which was also released as a single (RCA Victor 20–2307). In early March 1949, the song was rereleased under the title "That's All Right, Mama" (RCA Victor 50–0000), which was issued as RCA's first rhythm and blues record on its new 45 rpm single format,{{cite book|title=Elvis: His Life from A to Z|year=1992|publisher=Outlet|isbn=978-0-517-06634-8|page=479}} on bright orange vinyl.Dawson, Jim, and Steve Propes, What Was The First Rock 'n' Roll Record ? (Faber and Faber, 1992), {{ISBN|0-571-12939-0}}.

Elvis Presley's version was recorded in July 1954.{{cite web|url=http://www.globaldogproductions.info/s/sun.html |title=Sun Records discography |publisher=Globaldogproductions.info |access-date=2015-09-07}} While recording an album as part of a trio called The Blue Moon Boys, the band played "That's All Right" in between takes, and the uptempo style characteristic of rockabilly caught the attention of studio executive Sam Phillips, who asked for a refinement of the interpretation that was later recorded.{{cite web |title=Sam Phillips' Sun Records|url=http://www.history-of-rock.com/sam_phillips_sun_records_two.htm |website=History of Rock |access-date=2010-10-04}} Its catalogue number was Sun 209.{{cite web|url=http://www.boija.com/skivor/sun_elvis.htm |title=SUN Records, Memphis Tennessee |publisher=Boija.com |access-date=2015-09-07}} The song was released under its original title, "That's All Right", and names the performers as Elvis Presley, Scotty, and Bill.{{cite web|first=Stefan |last=Wirz |url=http://www.wirz.de/music/crudufrm.htm |title='Big Boy' Crudup discography |publisher=Wirz.de |access-date=2015-09-08}} The Presley version was not identical to Crudup's since it was "at least twice as fast as the original". His version is considered by some music critics as one of the records that was the first in the rock n'roll genre.Gulla, Bob (2007). Icons of R & B and Soul. ABC-CLIO. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-313-34044-4. Retrieved August 11, 2013

Arthur Crudup was credited as the composer on the label of Presley's single, but despite legal battles into the 1970s, reportedly never received royalties. An out-of-court settlement was supposed to pay Crudup an estimated $60,000 in back royalties, but never materialized.{{Cite book|title=Rockin' in Time|last=Szatmary|first=David|publisher=Pearson|year=2014|location=Upper Saddle River, New Jersey}}Gray, Michael (2006), The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia, p. 165. Crudup had used lines in his song that had been present in earlier blues recordings, including Blind Lemon Jefferson's 1926 song "That Black Snake Moan". A 2004 article in The Guardian argues that rather than Presley's version being one of the first records of rock and roll, it was simply one of "the first white artists' interpretations of a sound already well-established by black musicians almost a decade before [...] a raucous, driving, unnamed variant of rhythm and blues".{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/apr/16/popandrock|title=When was rock'n'roll really born?|date=April 16, 2004|first=Alexis|last= Petridis|author-link=Alexis Petridis| newspaper =The Guardian}} A country music version by Marty Robbins peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1955.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p1794/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}}|title=Marty Robbins Billboard Singles|work=Allmusic|access-date=August 24, 2011}}

Elvis Presley's recording

= Production =

On the evening of July 5, 1954, during The Blue Moon Boys' recording session at Sun Studio, Elvis Presley was on acoustic rhythm guitar, Scotty Moore was on electric lead guitar, and Bill Black was on string bass. During a break between recordings, Presley began improvising an up-tempo version of Arthur Crudup's song "That's All Right, Mama". Black, on bass, joined, and the pair was soon joined by Moore's guitar. Producer Sam Phillips was impressed by the upbeat take on the song and asked the three to start again so he could record it.

Presley's first two visits to Sun Studio had been in the summer of 1953 and in January 1954, followed by two more visits in the summer of 1954.{{cite web|title=Elvis Presley Recordings|url=http://www.elvisrecordings.com/|access-date=December 6, 2010|website=Elvisrecordings.com}} This recording session was Presley's fifth visit. Produced in the style of a "live" performance—all parts performed at once and recorded onto one track—the recording contains no drums or additional instruments.{{cite web|title=Sam Phillips—Sun Studios Memphis—the father of rock n roll|url=http://www.elvispresleynews.com/SamPhillips.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325183507/http://www.elvispresleynews.com/SamPhillips.html|archive-date=March 25, 2010|access-date=July 22, 2010|website=Elvispresleynews.com|df=mdy-all}} Presley's version has lyrics different from Arthur Crudup's version. (In 1986, Sam Phillips recalled that when recording, Elvis changed some lyrics of songs.){{cite web|title=Sam Phillips: The Rolling Stone Interview|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-rolling-stone-interview-sam-phillips-19860213|website=Rollingstone.com|date=February 13, 1986 }} The next evening, the trio recorded, in a similar style, "Blue Moon of Kentucky", which became the "That's All Right" single's B side.

=Release=

Sam Phillips gave copies of the acetate to local disc jockeys Dewey Phillips{{Gilliland |https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19754/m1/ |Show 7 - The All American Boy: Enter Elvis and the rock-a-billies. [Part 1]}} (no relation) of WHBQ, Uncle Richard of WMPS, and Sleepy Eyed John Lepley of WHHM. On July 7, 1954, Dewey Phillips played "That's All Right" on his popular radio show "Red, Hot & Blue". On hearing the news that Dewey was going to play his song, Presley went to the local movie theater to calm his nerves.

Interest in the song was so intense that Dewey reportedly played the acetate 14 times and received over 40 telephone calls. Presley was persuaded to go to the station for an on-air interview that night. Unaware that the microphone was live at the time, Presley answered Dewey's questions, including one about which high school he attended: a roundabout way of informing the audience of Presley's race without actually asking the question. "That's All Right" was officially released on July 19, 1954, and sold around 20,000 copies. This number was not enough to chart nationally, but the single reached number four on the local Memphis charts.

=2004 reissue=

In July 2004, exactly 50 years after its first release, the song was produced and re-released by Will Schillinger as a CD single in several countries. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number three and became a modest hit outside the UK, peaking at number 31 in Australia, number 33 in Ireland, and number 47 in Sweden.

Weekly charts

scope="row"\|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite magazine \|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/elvis-presley/chart-history/cns/ \|title=Elvis Presley – Chart History (Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales) \|magazine=Billboard \|access-date=November 8, 2021}} \|5
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (2004) !scope="col"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Australia\|31\|artist=Elvis Presley\|song=That's All Right\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 2, 2019}}
scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2004/BB-2004-07-24.pdf\|title=Hits of the World – Eurocharts\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=116\|issue=30\|page=55\|date=July 24, 2004\|access-date=March 22, 2020}} \|11
{{single chart\|Ireland3\|33\|artist=Elvis Presley\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 28, 2020}}
{{single chart\|Scotland\|5\|date=20040717\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 2, 2019}}
{{single chart\|Sweden\|47\|artist=Elvis Presley\|song=That's All Right\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 2, 2019}}
{{single chart\|UK\|3\|date=20040717\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 2, 2019}}

Year-end charts

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"\|Chart (2004) !scope="col"\|Position
scope="row"\|UK Singles (OCC){{cite web\|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2004.pdf\|title=The Official UK Singles Chart 2004\|work=UKChartsPlus\|access-date=January 2, 2019}} \|194

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (2004)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2004.pdf|title=The Official UK Singles Chart 2004|work=UKChartsPlus|access-date=January 2, 2019}}

|194

Sales and certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Elvis Presley|title=That's All Right|award=Gold|relyear=1954|certyear=2004}}

Legacy

Rolling Stone magazine argued in a 2004 article that Presley's recording of "That's All Right" was the first rock-and-roll record.Cave, Damien, Matt Diehl, Gavin Edwards, Jenny Eliscu, David Fricke, Lauren Gitlin, Matt Hendrickson, Kirk Miller, Austin Scaggs, and Rob Sheffield. "Truck Driver Invents Rock". Rolling Stone, no. 951 (June 24, 2004): 84–85. "That's All Right" has been recorded by numerous artists in a variety of genres.

{{cite web

| url = https://www.allmusic.com/song/thats-all-right-mt0008881702/also-performed-by

| title =Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: That's All Right – Also Performed By

| website = AllMusic

| access-date = July 10, 2019

}}