Download Instrumental    Yes, at one point early in his career, Elvis tried to play the accordion… but just couldn’t master the thing.  He finally just gave it up.  The man really wasn’t all that enthused about having any kind of keyboard instrument in his backup band anyway.  He was more interested in accompanying himself with a keyboard, which he eventually did fairly well on piano.  The accordion?  Not so much.  Just as well.

However, when Mr. Presley recorded Heartbreak Hotel in January of 1956, one of the studio musicians was none other than Floyd Cramer, one of the best piano players on the planet.  I thought the piano should have been a little more out front (Cramer’s was way too subtle as to be almost non-existent), so I redid the keyboard track in this arrangement to make it a bit more interesting.  Some “purists” might find it presumptuous to change anything “The King” did, but I think more piano helps to fill in a lot of holes in the original arrangement.  I also added some “claps” to help emphasize the rhythm.  Elvis would probably hate it, but this adaptation might play better for today’s audience.  People tend to get bored when only bass and drums are playing.

The inspiration for this song came from a newspaper article about a guy who committed suicide and left a haunting note that read “I walk a lonely street”.  I wonder how a man in the 1950’s could find a reason to commit suicide.  Probably trying to learn to play the accordion.