About The Song
One of the songs composed by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for Elvis Presley was “Baby I Don’t Care,” created specifically for the film Jailhouse Rock. This song was part of a set of four tracks written during a memorable incident known as the Aberbach episode, as recounted in the book “Hound Dog: The Leiber & Stoller Autobiography” on page 107. During this incident, Leiber and Stoller were leisurely having breakfast in their motel room around 1 P.M. when Jean Aberbach, Elvis’ music publisher, appeared and inquired about the songs for Jailhouse Rock. Admitting they hadn’t completed them yet, Aberbach was determined not to leave without them. He even resorted to pushing the sofa against the hotel room door and taking a nap on it. Leiber and Stoller, under these unusual circumstances, composed the songs and woke him up. Only after handing him the songs would he release them.
By the time Elvis recorded “Baby I Don’t Care,” he and Leiber and Stoller had established a strong collaborative bond. Jerry Leiber fondly remembered, “The fourth song was the most enjoyable because, by then, Elvis had fully embraced our production style. Our approach was nothing more than being relaxed and having fun. Elvis had shed his initial shyness and was completely immersed in the spirit of the music.”
Regarding the scene in the video where Elvis performs the song at a pool party, it’s worth noting the unusual calm and well-behaved audience of ladies. This calmness was due to the fact that the filming involved Elvis lip-syncing to pre-recorded music. In terms of the band behind Elvis, some rumors suggest that the guitarist can be seen wearing glasses in the long shots but not in the medium and close-up shots. And yes, the person tickling the ivories in the Hawaiian shirt is none other than Mike Stoller himself.
Did You Know?
Did you know that “Baby I Don’t Care” was featured in Elvis Presley’s film “Loving You”? The song’s inclusion in the movie contributed significantly to its popularity and solidified its status as a rock ‘n’ roll classic. Elvis’s performance of the song in the film is still remembered as one of his most electrifying moments on screen.
Video
Lyrics
You don’t like crazy music.
You don’t like rockin’ bands.
You just wanna go to a movie show,
And sit there holdin’ hands.
You’re so square.
Baby, I don’t care.You don’t like hotrod racin’
Or drivin’ late at night.
You just wanna park where it’s nice and dark.
You just wanna hold me tight.
You’re so square.
Baby, I don’t care.You don’t know any dance steps that are new,
But no one else could love me like you do, do, do, do.I don’t know why my heart flips.
I only know it does.
I wonder why I love you, baby.
I guess it’s just because
You’re so square.
Baby, I don’t care.