Calling Elvis

"Calling Elvis"
Single by Dire Straits
from the album On Every Street
B-side
Released 16 August 1991
Format CD
Genre Roots rock
Length
  • 4:24
  • 6:26 (Album version)
Label
Writer(s) Mark Knopfler
Producer(s) Mark Knopfler
Dire Straits singles chronology
"Your Latest Trick"
(1986)		 "Calling Elvis"
(1991)		 "Heavy Fuel"
(1991)

"Calling Elvis" is a song written by Mark Knopfler and performed by Dire Straits. It first appeared on the final studio album by the band, On Every Street (1991). It was released as the first single from that album, peaking at number 21 in the United Kingdom, and was included on the 2005 compilation The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations. A live version of the song also appears on the 1993 live album On the Night.

Content

The song is about an Elvis fan who believes Elvis Presley still to be alive, making references to many of his songs, including "Heartbreak Hotel", "Love Me Tender", "Don't Be Cruel" and "Return to Sender", as well as the expression "Elvis has left the building". Mark Knopfler has been quoted as saying the idea came to him one day when he left his phone off the hook and his brother-in-law tried repeatedly to get hold of him. Upon finally doing so, the brother-in-law remarked Mark was harder to get hold of than Elvis.

Music videos

The music video was directed by Gerry Anderson of Thunderbirds fame and includes several members of the band represented in marionette form, as well as various Thunderbirds characters and a woman.

The music video for the 25th anniversary of the song's release will be directed by David Scott and Theo Baynton of Thunderbirds Are Go and will include several members of the band represented in CGI form, as well as various Thunderbirds Are Go characters.

Track listing

  1. "Calling Elvis"
  2. "Iron Hand"
  3. "Millionaire Blues"

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[1] 8
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[2] 8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[3] 2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[4] 30
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] 4
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[6] 2
France (SNEP)[7] 7
Germany (Official German Charts)[8] 8
Ireland (IRMA)[9] 2
Italy (FIMI)[10] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 9
Norway (VG-lista)[14] 2
Spain (AFYVE)[6] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 2
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[17] 21
US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[18] 3
US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[18] 25

Year-end charts

Chart (1991) Rank
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] 35
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[20] 38
Italy (FIMI)[10] 17
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 41
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 39

References

  1. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  2. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1637." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1666." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 103 no. 41. 12 October 1991. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  8. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  9. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Calling Elvis". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  10. 1 2 "I singoli più venduti del 1991" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Dire Straits - Calling Elvis search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  13. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  14. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". VG-lista. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  15. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  16. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  17. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1991-08-31" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  18. 1 2 "On Every Street – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  19. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1991" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  20. ↑ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Vol. 55 no. 3. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  21. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  22. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

External links

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