Chattanooga Times Free Press

IT’S NOW OR NEVER • 1960

The King’s time in the U.S. Army in Germany led to the creation of one of his most dramatic recordings. While stationed overseas, he kept hearing the Italian ballad “’O Sole Mio,” written in 1898 and popularized by Mario Lanza in the 1950s. The operatic piece so enchanted him, he asked his team to devise an English version. Writers Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold tailored the song to the singer, resulting in a record that not only went No. 1, but also displayed a new level of maturity in Elvis’ delivery. “It was Elvis wanting to grow in every way,” Nash says. “He had practiced his range in Europe and he was very proud to show it off.” Years later, his widow, Priscilla Presley, noted that he loved that song more than any he ever recorded. Its cowriter, Schroeder, later penned a most unlikely follow-up: the theme to the ’70s cartoon show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

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2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://edition.timesfreepress.com/article/283966066261638

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