Elvis Presley Steve Allen Show Jul 1956: I Want & Hound Dog

[klutzyknockoutlady]

A partial list of Steve Allen compositions:

""The Theme From Picnic"

"The Start Of Something Big"

"The Gravy Waltz"

"Pretend You Don't See Her" (featured in the film "Goodfellas")

Now, let's see...Elvis wrote how many songs...?????

[xjohnnydsonx]

i think everyone reads this wrong, elvis is not being humiliated intentionally, it's showbiz' and everyone connected knows elvis is one talented guy and it's a showbiz tongue in cheeck way of sticking it to the critics and squares and keeping the exposure. they all knew once the mums heard elvis sing a few ballads they were hooked.

[12Mrpenguin]

I wonder if the dog is thinking what the crap is happening or oh my Jesus it's evis Presly

[38ddkelly]

All Elvis did here was prove that he was a thousand times the man Steve Allen was. He handled Allen's attempt to humiliate him with more class than anyone had a right to expect.

[bobinator3010]

I wish I could be the dog...

[MisterMasterShafter1]

This set-up with Allen was a result of Elvis' infamous performance on Milton Berle a few weeks earlier, where he went into the half-tempo bump and grind ending version of Hound Dog and was basically f---ing the air and his legs and hips going every which way. That's the one they showed in Forrest Gump. It set off a firestorm of protests, and this here was an attempt to tone Elvis down on TV to try and cool it all off. That's why Allen referred to it at the start as Elvis' "first comeback".

[MsFlashbash]

Elvis thought this was the most ridiculous performance of his career.

[suehowes55]

Steve Allen was a complete twat

[toolpool]

@suehowes55 Apparently so...

[ammisty]

i was watching ths when i was little thats how long i have a fan elivs was good then better then the best know

[birdzbrainz]

a clip of elvis i'd never seen before

fantastic!!

but who's the host? steve allen..he seems bitter.

[namtil]

I have mixed feelings about the whole Presley/Allen dynamic, but the live TV presentation is extremely refreshing, and very "real". Today's artists could learn a lot from this. Great guitar work, by the way.

[alabamabregan]

Steve Allen was great but his biggest mistake was his disrespect for Elvis. 

[Skinnyjoeymerlino]

The basset hound's name was "Sherlock".

[brettbrock681]

DAMN ! ELVIS SOUNDS AWESOME LIVE !

[morgansarebest]

All these negative comments are nuts. Steve Allen was a great entertainer and I miss him

[fromthesidelines]

Steve had just begun his Sunday night variety show (while continuing "THE TONIGHT SHOW") the week before, and was looking for an attraction that would draw more teens and kids to his program than his competition, Ed Sullivan {#1 at 8pm(et) on Sundays}. Since Elvis was "red hot" with several hit records at the time (and recording for RCA, which also happened to own NBC, Allen's network), he was the "drawing card" Steve was counting on. And he DREW- so much that Ed Sullivan got Presley after that.

[RoaringTiger281]

Nothing like a TV show trying to break a movement! No matter what they did the Memphis boy blew the audiance away! I think the hound dog wanted even to go home with Elvis! The dog is saying "fuck take me home Elvis"! These guys suck!

[lifescool445l]

yea he emmbarased him poor elvis

[lpgft]

this was a comedy show back then folks, why insult Steve ? Elvis did a fine job !

[authorlaurence]

@lpgft Steve deserved to be insulted for the way he treated Elvis in such a condescending manner, that he would not have showed to any other entertainer. This pompous prick was sure that Elvis was a passing fancy so why not try and make a fool out of him. Yes, his show was comedy but he also had entertainers as well. Elvis made ol Steve eat his words many times over. How small of him to act the way he did. Kudos to Milton Berle who never tried to restrain Elvis in his performancs.

[jaguarman7]

nice video . Thanks. Difficult to be judgmental about this era if you were not around. TV was in its infancy also and they were playing to large groups of people--primarily families.

[authorlaurence]

@jaguarman7 If Steve was concerned about a family show then he should not have booked Elvis, but he knew that Presley was gold for his ratings. If Mr. Establishment Ed Sullivan would book Elvis and not be worried about so-called family values then Steve should have shown he was just as progressive. No, Steve has no excuse whatsoever!

[danhabsfan9]

man what a brutal performance. and it ain't Elvis' fault, don't get me wrong. but he could do it so much better. but he wasn't allowed to move. when Elvis was asked about his danceing he said it just felt nature and he didn't really know what he was doing most the time. so herew, when he can't move it's tough for him to sing cuz he's trying to stop himself from doing anything that the producers might not approve of.

[dacheif10]

no its 5:38 and 5:39 it sounds like hes laughing

[Zeanu]

@dacheif10 No wait it's 9:22 and 23:12 no wait it's-- no wait-- no-- no wait--

Hey, we have ears...

[dacheif10]

my bad at 5:39 til 5:41 it sounds like hes laughing

[dacheif10]

at 5:39 and 5:40 it souunds like hes laughing

[lifescool445l]

@dacheif10 it sounded sexy i love elvis

[greenstboy]

Lighten up people. Steve Allen was the best TV man of his time. Always funny, extemely original every show. He was totally decent and had Elvis on his show when a lot of others avoided him because they thought his music too sexy. Elvis obviously is enjoying to be on this popular show (and the plug he gets for his next recording). How I remember that summer of '56! Nothing better than growing up with the first R & R songs!

[MrGrevy]

@greenstboy Yeah he was a riot. Bringing out a hound dog for the song hound dog. What a genius. God I hate Steve Allen.

[Zeanu]

@greenstboy Stop trolling.

[cinerama62]

@greenstboy ...''Elvis obviously is enjoying to be on this popular show" Wrong. After the show Elvis went up to the Colonel ( Parker) and rip him for making Elvis sing to a "Hound Dog" Years later the Jordanaires said that Elvis felt that Steve Allen humiliated him on purpose, which is probably true; Allen hated Rock and Roll.  The only good thing that came from this embarrasing, ridiculous performance, is that it convince Ed Sullivan to put Elvis on his show when he saw Steves ratings.

[authorlaurence]

@greenstboy Steve was an established comedy figure, though not in the same league as Milton Berle, Red Skelton, and Sid Ceaser. He should have just stayed neutral and not shown his contempt for a movement that was literally sweeping the nation, when us teenagers took america from the stodgy Eisenhower days.

[InfraRendell]

Awww! Elvis hugging the dog = soo cute!

[smithdsmit]

Could it be Steve wasnt trying to humiliate Elvis?. That this was done just to be funny.It was a comedy show.I dont know.I wasn't around then. I'm certainly more of an Elvis fan then a Steve Allen fan.It just seems like this was done all in good fun to me.I could and am most likely wrong I guess.I do know the media at first hated Elvis.But he was such a nice guy and so talented. He won them over.They couldn't help but like him after meeting him.

[itsjoan42]

@smithdsmit

You're correct in your comments.......the Colonel managed every second of Elvis' career and would never have put him into something demeaning. Yes the 50s were different......R & R wasn't widely accepted.......Sullivan shot Elvis from the waist up. Steve Allen was multitalented and has been maligned and misjudged in the other comments here. Too bad.

[authorlaurence]

@itsjoan42 Yeah, Steve was multi-talented but a master at nothing! The Colonel had no idea that Steve would try to demean Presley. R & R was on the cups of being a runaway train of sucess are you kidding, I was there! It is not known if Steve ever apologized for his actions after Elvis became bigger than God, and made him look like a petty jealous entertainer from old school. Being talented Steve, you didn't have to be petty!

[Larrye1957]

Steve Allen was an azz, What he did was sad, made him sing too a real dog Singing hound dog.What Elvis had to put up with the old showmenship (T.V) at that time.Took alot of guts too put up with that BS.Think if they would do this today.what a singer today would say to them..

[mizmarymack]

@Larrye1957 i thought it was funny lol... and i'm sure elvis did too cos he seemed to be enjoying himself- even if he was embarrassed he handled the situation with grace...

[ElvLeg]

@mizmarymack like Bruce Springsteen or Bono, don't know for sure, said one time: Elvis was laughing at himself and at the world at the same time

[mizmarymack]

@ElvLeg awww but he did look like he was eager to get off that stage quickly at the end... poor elvis </3

[flaxonx3]

Gotta give Elvis credit, for being the first rock artist to have to put up with these conservative pricks.

[03041941]

Steve Allen was forced to have Elvis on his show. Never shook hands with Elvis and later said that Elvis would never make it...Ha Ha! His show went on to be a Flop, good thing he was married to Jane Meadows. When Elvis sang Peace in the Valley on the ed Sullivan show and the camera panned the Audience and that was when the old folks excepted Elvis and his music went on.

[ElvLeg]

@03041941 and Elvis did sing Peace in The Valley in the ES show because his mother pleaded to. In the 50s that was a big risk, but Elvis in those times did what he wanted to, regardless what other folks might think....he was the true first rock rebeld

[THeMaskedBlogCritic]

Man, Elvis' voice can just carry the whole song. He doesn't even need a backing band. Just amazing. I heard his band was pissed about how they were treated on this show.

[dmichael1986]

"The NEW Elvis Presley." Up your ass Steve Allen...

[krisjet44]

Steve Allen's intent was to humilate Elvis, but it severely backfired. The audience responded to the performance with great enthusiasm and his career continued to skyrocket. Steve Allen's career fizzled just as it should have. Elvis was the consummate professional and made the best of a bad situation. He was spectacular.

[krisjet44]

Steve Allen's intent was to humilate Elvis, but it backfired. The audience responded with great enthusiasm for Elvis, and his career continued to skyrocket. Steve Allen's career fizzled just as it should have.

[MrPdaddy76]

It was part of Colonel Tom's strategy to sanitize Elvis enough to be aired on the Ed Sullivan show, which this incident contributed towards. We can't really say it's anybody's fault except for a capitalist system which sees musical talent as an opportunity for unprecedented surplus and growth. We wouldn't live in the world we live in if Elvis had stayed with Sun Records, which were his best years.

[elvis3813]

ELVIS is the KING!!!!

[musicbymicky]

i actually think it's quite funny. elvis really showed the guy, too. steve allen wrote later that elvis' "strange, gangly, country-boy charisma, his hard-to-define cuteness, and his charming eccentricity" were "intriguing"

also, i love how 1) the dog is wearing a hat, 2) elvis nearly cracks up at 5:42, and 3) the dog seems bored out if its little furry mind.

[mizmarymack]

@musicbymicky i completely agree--- but i rly dont understand everyone is so upset by this....

[LT1HILLINGHOE]

Steve Allen was fourth in line behind Uncle Milton, The Dorsey Brothers and Ed Sullivan as far as ratings go. Allen did not even like Elvis at all and just wanted to demean him. Allen was cancelled and Elvis went on to be the biggest entertainment star in the history of the world.

[Chexpeare]

Elvis is a true sport. You can see his surprise when he's presented with the dog, but he continues like a true professional. THAT'S why he's the King of R&R!

[melirose89]

dang this makes me feel so bad for Elvis, i knew it was a really big controversey but i didnt think it was that huge where ppl were protesting against him coming on tv.

[JackRabbitSlim]

Steve Allen was an uptight, outdated idiot, set in his ways, trying to inpose his negative views of rock n roll onto everyone else, like a lot of older people at the time so obsessed with the older song styles of the past, unwilling to embrace he future; absolutely riddiculous making Elvis dress and perform like this. The whole thing looked awkward and uncomfortable.

He was basically insulting Elvis by making him sing to that dog and you can tell Elvis didn't like doing it.

[zzzbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

@JackRabbitSlim -- "Unwilling to embrace the future"?? hardly! just check out his clips with Kerouac and Frank Zappa. This was unquestionably an uncomfortable moment for them both, no argument there...

[zyxwut321]

@JackRabbitSlim:

Steve Allen was uptight but he was no idiot. He boldly brought on artists like Frank Zappa, Nat King Cole and Lenny Bruce. He was also famous for his deep, abiding respect and advocacy for jazz and wasn't hesitant to bring on black artists at a time in the 1950s when doing so risked sponsors and protests. He was also an open secular humanist and a noted composer & literary scholar. In his own misguided way Allen was actually trying to reintroduce Presley after his scandal.

[imjustpassinthru]

Is he lip sincing this or is it a genuine live performance? It seems a little too good to be the real thing.

[natemini]

Simply impossible versions of both songs.....you showed em Elvis!!!!

[spot4life14]

poor elvis

[63marmat]

I am sure Parker (a circus clown not a colonel) was behind this image clear up that soon lead into Elvis' artistic death. Still Elvis is the greatest and will always be.

[jmacbops]

Steve Allen detested Rock 'n' Roll and never missed an opportunity to ridicule it. But 54 years later the only reason anyone still sees this clip is because of Elvis. Rock 'n' Roll will never die!

[zyxwut321]

@jmacbops:

Steve Allen detested rock and roll because he was older (in his 30s which would be like your 40s today) and didn't really understand it. He was a very bright man who hoped that jazz would play a bigger role in our popular culture and simply didn't appreciate the gut level response rock and roll got. This disconnect is embarrassing to watch now knowing what we know now but back then rock was this emerging monster no one knew what to make of. Allen was just trying to control the wave.

[elvis316]

What a great clip, thanks for uploading.

[radioscott1]

Hound Dog my favorite Elvis record

[EMCEMITCH]

steva allen wasnt arrogant---he just loved jazz and even up to this day rock is just more popular---theres room for both ---its just that simple

[195477]

I like Elvis's recall of this incident in Vegas 69.....

[vlaovik]

Steve Allen was a c*nt. He's alleged to have written anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 songs. Name One!! He was an arrogant, elitist blowhard and is hardly remembered these days despite the size of his ego. I'm not a huge Elvis fan, but who had a lasting cultural impact - Elvis or Steve. .... Yeah right.

[shigsho]

Hi, I casually new Steve and you are wrong. He became a fan of Elvis and eventually thought highly of him as an entertainer. Steve's big song was "This Could Be the Start of Something Big". Steve's ego was in check and the late night shows still use his routines. Please don't knock someone you don't know much about. I would hate to see Elvis treated as you have Steve. Thanks.

[CaveTeeth1983]

To the Day he left us, Elvis hated this performance, but he also understood the turbulent times he was performing, we will miss you "E"

[smbobert08]

People often forget that Elvis was a very controversial guest to bring on a television program. It wasn't the easiest thing to get a network to approve his performance. Allen was bold enough to allow Elvis on the program when other hosts and networks would not. It's a common misconception that Allen disapproved of Elvis. Anyone can see the silliness in singing "Hound Dog" to a Hound Dog. The setup was the best way to get Elvis on the show while avoiding controversy.

[pramusio]

Elvis himself believed at the time this was his worst performance of his career hehehe! poor elvis forced to act like this hehehe...

[fntime]

I loved Steve Allen circa 1963-64. Remember Gyspy Boots.

[diablecita]

The effing rude Steve Allen didn't let Elvis to talk and give thanks to everybody, look at 1:52

[smbobert08]

What are you talking about? That was the extent of Elvis's comment. He said he wanted to thank the fans, and by saying that he did so. So Allen moved on with the program.

[diablecita]

and so they did, but Elvis angry face says it all

[lizzyvance]

Elvis is still the best. Very talented.

[Plutten1994]

love hid voice!

[epmelodygirl]

Maybe Steve Allen's audience liked Elvis fine, but Elvis's fans, the young people, protested saying they wanted the "gyrating Elvis" back. This toned down Elvis came about because of Elvis's performance of Hound Dog on the Milton Berle show which caused a stir with his slowed down humping the mike and the slight crotch gesture. Ultimately the Ed Sullivan show photographed Elvis from the waist up. Elvis got locked into contracts on the later movies, had to do them, but he never liked them.

[glen1ster]

Actually, Steve was a bright, nice guy who was pretty modern in who he might

book. I don't see him trying to humiliate Elvis--the hound dog section just

seems a little silly, which Steve might be at times. Besides, if Elvis was so

allergic to silliness, what did he do some of those '60's movies for? The hound

dog bit didn't work that great and Elvis came off as a little nervous, but the

audience liked him fine.

[rbound827]

Steve Allen was a songwriter. He did not think much of Elvis, nor Rock and Roll. Dressing ELvis in a tux singing to a slobbering dog was a little dig at Elvis. So was his little joke when a dog barked, he said "someones barking back there" Another infamous skit he did on his show was reading Gene Vincent's lyrics of Be Bop A LuLa very slowly, as if it was great written work of literature. .

[195477]

rbound827 I have often thought Be Bop a Lula was a copy of Heartbreak Hotel both came out the same year but Elvis's at the start.

[rbound827]

They sound similar, only in that Gene Vincent of course was influenced by Elvis. Vincent was a radio dj who entered a contest run by Capital Records. They were trying to find the next Elvis Presley. Vincent won, and recorded Be-Bop-A-Lula- the rest is rockabilly history. Its said that Elvis' mom heard Be-Bop-A-Lula on the radio and thought it was Elvis' new song!

[elvispresley11]

me too! exactly what I thought!

[epmelodygirl]

Trustingthewind I don't know if they tried to dehumanize Elvisso much as they tried to mainstream him and neutralize him. Even Parker never understood what Elvis had. Elvis had to fight the entire society who tried to push him down because nobody had seen or heard anything like Elvis before. Even the RCA execs thought what the heck is this the first time they heard "Heartbreak Hotel," but it made John Lennon's hair stand on end because he said he knew it would change everything!!

[wesleygendron]

the only reason elvis made it the way he did was because he was white. Think about Chuck Berry and the music coming from the African Americans. Elvis was nothing new, he was only new to the mass audience

[epmelodygirl]

Yes, and even Elvis admitted that in an early radio interview, but when he started even black artists who sang on TV, just stood there. Elvis had grown up around black music from the time his mother pulled him on a cotton sack as she picked cotton, and he was surrounded by the sounds & rhythms of the blues, African, & gospel which he combined with country to form what really was an entirely new sound. Elvis was more influenced by the early blues singer, Chuck Berry came up at the same time.

[wesleygendron]

Most black artists werent on the Tv. Big Mama Thorton, who wrote the song, had a much dirtier sass to her lyrics. Elvis toned down the lyrics for an American audience, to better fit that American nuclear family bullshit.

[epmelodygirl]

That's true, but the lyrics were written by two white guys Leiber & Stoller. Sometimes when Elvis performed in person concerts he would use the dirtier rockabilly lyrics--like "I feel like a one eyed man in a sea food store," etc. (different song) Here Elvis is sanitized completely, was embarrassed, and the fans protested. The TV performance that shocked back then was the Milton Berle Hound Dog where he slows it up, humps the mike, and does the famous hand gesture.

[getdjman]

America nuclear family bullshit, is that saying that kids that are taught moral and value are being fed bullshit? If you haven't noticed the 50's and the 60's were the most prosperous times The USA has ever seen. I'd like to believe it was because of a strong, conservative spirit amongst the Americans.

[brcr29]

Was it a strong, conservative spirit that tried to deny black people their civil rights?And tried to keep rock and roll from being popular?

[getdjman]

No, I am talking about the conservative spirit that encouraged the wearing of tuxedos and the admittance to the tradition of America. I am talking about the conservative spirit of patriotism and capitalism. The one that rewards those who work for themselves and has no sympathy for those who don't. And you obviously do not realize that blacks were in sports, and the entertainment industry. They were making good money, despite the fact that they had little power.Should a minority control majority?

[EbonyBunny1]

@wesleygendron You have no clue what you are talking about. Big Mama Thornton DID NOT write Hound Dog. It was written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller 2 white Jewish guys. The version Elvis sang, was a cover of Freddie Bell's version, which is very different from the way the song was written. Elvis heard in Vegas in 1956, when he first performed in Vegas. Elvis is the 5th person to sing this song, but he had the biggest hit with the song.

[getdjman]

Elvis's music is much more advanced. Don't play that whole race thing, it is becoming much too old.

[brcr29]

We never got to hear or see the black artists untill Elvis came along.

[SmackThatSlapThat]

Aww. Elvis was such an angel!

[urbanocity]

Elvis never left the building !

[Archangel101576]

This was such an insult. Elvis did this pompous prick a favor by even appearing on his show. If Steve Allen thought Elvis was such a reprehensible character, then why did he go through all the effort to book Elvis to appear in the first place? The answer: Elvis was ratings gold.

[MHFAN4EVER]

@Archangel101576 elvis would be great louis walsh material if he were around today!

[RoaringTiger281]

@Archangel101576 Well said to most of you! He was the Rocky of the 50's!

[B6109]

Steve Allen was a pretentious creep.. His condescending chatter in this clip is proof. Elvis was just a kid, but proved himself with TALENT, despite the blatant intent of the Allen and the show to embarrass him.

[MrGrevy]

@B6109 Allen was a prime example of everything that was wrong with the 50's. Thank god his kind died out. Nothing funny or talented about him. You just don't treat guests that way. His over confidence was absurd.

[MsKoali]

@B6109 Allen sensed his own days were over. Elvis is young enough to not knowingly blow someone off.

[celionunes]

ELVIS é o cara!!!!

[musicbymax]

also watch the video in which frank zappa appears on this show and plays a bike ^^

[americalisa]

great video,i love and support the presley family for eternity

[divolt]

Exactly my sentiments. When you look at all the great, you'll find that they are completely original. They may have "lend" things from others, but they shook em up and created something completely new and authentic.

Listen to the rhythm and the progression in his performance, live in 1956. Elvis, you are and will always be my hero! Love yah!

[trustingthewind]

Elvis took it with stride... and the joke was on his critics.

Its funny how Steve Allen and Ed Sulivan tried to dehumanize Presley, when they were so dependent on him for ratings.

[kellso70]

And don't you forget, afterward, Allen was promptly chastised for trying to "homogenize" the King. And Elvis' ability to be subdued and versatile was honored.

[lrd9999]

I've always heard about this appearance but never had a chance to see it. Much was made of how "humiliating" this was. Though I've heard he wasn't happy about it, I don't think he looks humiliated. He looks like someone who can take a joke, and turned in a fine performance in spite of the circumstances. As for Allen, most of his generation hated Rock&Roll; can't see bashing him for speaking his mind. Anyway, he was expected to show a little contempt; his non-rock-fan audience expected it.

[adhe0505adhe0505]

Great performance! Long live the king!

[kaniritan]

Great singer, great song! Thanks for posting! Now I know why he was the King! He was not only a great showman, he was also original!

[dante6000ss]

The King!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[spunktacular]

Aaaah the little smile and look he give the audience at 5:23 :P:P

[thu443]

this video is great. elvis is so lovely when he kissed the dog ! i can't imagine there is a very handsome man in the world until i knew there ara elvis presley !!! king

[TRUTHhitman]

No one could sing like Elvis Presley. Listen!

[glen1ster]

No big deal.People have different likes in music with the subjective freedom Steve was entitled to like anyone. Steve had his partialities but was bright and friendly.Specifically, he kidded some of the

sillier pop lyrics, but so did John Lennon

(actually, more than kid it).Steve wrote

respectfully about Elvis in one of his books.Elvis himself later sang "Do the Clam" and did movies with silly sitcom humor, too, and wouldn't confront Parker (who turned

down West Side Story) about it.

[jaquessss]

poor elvis... america and its fuckin' conservatism...

[ToddCMorgan]

Elvis was a conservative in real life!

[Zecalran]

he was moderate inside actually!

[Moose9105]

After seeing this performance on the Steve Allen Show, Bill Haley refused to do the Steve Allen Show. He thought he was a jerk.

[trailsy88]

Yeah he was a jerk, the way that Steve Allen humiliated Elvis was the whole reason that Ed Sullivan put Elvis on his show.

[colujomes]

Maybe he was a jerk, but before the show Allen admitted he was under pressure to cancel Elvis's performance completely due to the media controversy after his appearance on Milton Berle a few weeks before. Perhaps Allen actually thought this was a decent compromise.

[trailsy88]

I realize that Allen was under pressure to cancel Elvis from the show, but a decent compromise for who? "Elvis, you can still be on the show, but we're going to humiliate you. You don't mind right, just so long as you are on TV." Allen could have served his purpose another way, just by asking Elvis not to dance or to sing songs that were less controversial.

[Zecalran]

why the fuck where they on his back,stereotypal and condescending..the bigotry of the 50s. Anyways we all know Elvis being himself put them all to shame n they still haven't gotten over him 30s yrs later. :)

[wilmaohman]

at that time a 10 in screen was a wide screen

[ToolsnFire]

Dog's a good sport

[cuckoonest11]

hah how is this degrading? i think it's pretty funny.

[grandpalarsen]

To amplify on what several folks here have said, Steve Allen was a total hater of rock and roll. He said in an interview in the San Jose Mercury News in the 1980s that the only good Beatles songs were "Yesterday" and "Michelle." He was a clueless twerp who basically assumed America started going down the tubes right around 1956.

[ToolsnFire]

Steve wrote 10,000 songs. Whoop de doo, right?

[bakanagaizin]

America did start going down the tubes in 1956. And in addition, despite there being some good bands and performers along the way, rock and roll has basically destroyed music.

[nicholasbhicks]

whats so rong with singing to such a cute ole hound dog,it was funny and i thought elvis had a srnce of humor,that wasnt the most degrading thing he ever done,going on stage high as a kite and dieing on the toilet was

[justicejayant]

toilet? oh you love eating it.. than don't worry Elvis was sitting on his chair and reading a book about Turin shroud before he died.

[moonlightschild]

didn't steven allen all but disappeared off the radar a few years later? what a knob...people back then did not have a clue as to what they were witnessing first hand...

[lilylilac596]

Allen hated Elvis. I am not that Big a Fan, but this even pisses me off. Check Wikpedia for details. The worse performance of his career

[AnInfant]

If you're suggesting this to be Elvis' worst performance, then you don't know or understand music!  To me, both of the songs that he sang here were the BEST versions!

[lilylilac596]

I was suggesting that it was Steve Allen's worse performance. He was degrading Elvis, mocking him. I was discusted and was a fan of Allen's wit...till this. Elvis did a GREAT Job, particularly considering the situation.

[justicejayant]

Elvis presley rocks, I was searching for a long for this video, Now i have find it, Thanks for sharing. RIP Elvis and his animals.

[lalelulilo]

I wonder if Elvis thought the dog was sexy

[samythekay]

this dog is a real stage performer better than elvis, he is the real star! hahahahahaha

[KingBigDee]

i Luv u BigTime Elvis , Kuwait Luvs u So Much i`m aLive Proof , i know that My grandma and granpa luved u so ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh why ur dead ;'$

[hotverde15]

The dog is awsome, but it's sad they made him do this. Stupid old people, I can't believe I'll be one someday.

[B1a2k3e4r]

i know it is really sad he hated it didnt he, that what i read somewhere aniway it was the same with frank sinatra he didnt like elvis n said some pretty mean things about him n them had a welcome home elvis show

[exile182]

He later said in a statement that this was the most degrading he ever done, saying if he was asked to do it it was fine, but he was made do it show older ppl he was sorry for dancing

[rumianin]

DOG IS THE BEST !!!!

[knot814]

elvis will always be the king of rock'n roll

[Elvismylover]

Aww he was so cute!!

[contingencies]

I have been looking for this clip for such a long time!　The dog is soooo cute and How Elvis pat the dog is cool too