King of the Whole Wide World

1962 single by Elvis Presley

"King of the Whole Wide World"

Single by Elvis Presley

from the EP Kid Galahad

A-side

"King of the Whole Wide World"
"Home Is Where the Heart Is"

Released

1962

Recorded

1961

Studio

Radio Recorders, Hollywood

Genre

Rock and roll

Length

2:07

Songwriter(s)

Bob Roberts
Ruth Batchelor

Elvis Presley singles chronology

"She's Not You" / "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello"
(1962)

"King of the Whole Wide World" / "Home Is Where the Heart Is"
(1962)

"Return to Sender" / "Where Do You Come From"
(1962)

"King of the Whole Wide World" is a song written by Bob Roberts and Ruth Batchelor and originally recorded by Elvis Presley for the 1962 United Artists motion picture Kid Galahad.^[6] The track opened the 6-track soundtrack EP^[2] released in August 1962 to coincide with the film's premiere.

The song reached number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[7] According to Elvis Presley's official website, "'King of the Whole Wide World' might have gotten more chart activity, but it was competing with 'She's Not You,' which had just broken into the Top 100 when the [soundtrack] EP was shipped."^[2]

Composition

The song was written by Bob Roberts and Ruth Batchelor.^[1]

Recording

Presley recorded the song for the film Kid Galahad on October 27, 1961, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. The recording sessions featured Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell and Neal Matthews on guitar, Bob Moore on bass, D.J. Fontana and Buddy Harman on drums, Dudley Brooks on piano, Boots Randolph on saxophone. Backing vocals were provided by The Jordanaires.^[2]

Track listing

(RCA Victor SP-45-118, 1962, United States)^[8]
7" single (RCA 47-9417, 1962, Germany)^[9]No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength1."King of the Whole Wide World"Bob Roberts, Ruth BatchelorElvis Presley with the Jordanaires2:072."Home Is Where the Heart Is"Hal David, Sherman EdwardsElvis Presley with the Jordanaires1:50

Charts

Chart (1962)	Peak position
West Germany (Official German Charts)^[10]	26
US Billboard Hot 100^[11]	30

References

^ ^a ^b "Cover versions of King of the Whole Wide World by Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Kid Galahad". Elvis Presley official website "Elvis the Music". Retrieved 2020-02-15.
^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (1 September 1962). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 8–. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (29 September 1962). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 1–. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^ James L. Neibaur (4 April 2014). The Elvis Movies. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 100–. ISBN 978-1-4422-3074-3.
^ ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]
^ "Elvis Presley". Billboard.
^ "Elvis Presley - King Of The Whole Wide World". Discogs. 1962. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
^ "Elvis Presley – King Of The Whole Wide World (1962, Vinyl)". Discogs. 1962.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elvis Presley – King of the Whole Wide World" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
^ "Elvis Presley Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-16.

External links

"King of the Whole Wide World / Home Is Where the Heart Is" at Discogs (list of releases)
One Broken Heart for Sale / They Remind Me Too Much of You on the official Elvis Presley website

Elvis Presley singles

1954	"That's All Right" / "Blue Moon of Kentucky" "Good Rockin' Tonight" / "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine" "Milkcow Blues Boogie" / "You're a Heartbreaker"
1955	"I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" / "Baby Let's Play House" "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" / "Mystery Train"
1956	"Heartbreak Hotel" / "I Was the One" "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" / "My Baby Left Me" "Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog" "Blue Suede Shoes" / "Tutti Frutti" "Money Honey" "I Got a Woman" "Tryin' to Get to You" "Blue Moon" "I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')" / "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (over You)" "Shake, Rattle and Roll" / "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" "Love Me Tender" / "Any Way You Want Me"
1957	"Too Much" / "Playing for Keeps" "All Shook Up" / "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" "Peace in the Valley" "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" / "Loving You" "Paralyzed" (UK) "Jailhouse Rock" / "Treat Me Nice" "Party" / "Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do!" (UK)
1958	"Don't" / "I Beg of You" "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" / "Doncha' Think It's Time" "Hard Headed Woman" / "Don't Ask Me Why" "King Creole" (UK) "One Night" / "I Got Stung"
1959	"I Need Your Love Tonight" / "A Fool Such as I" "A Big Hunk o' Love" / "My Wish Came True"

1960	"Stuck on You" / "Fame and Fortune" "It's Now or Never" / "A Mess of Blues" "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" / "I Gotta Know"
1961	"Surrender" / "Lonely Man" "I Feel So Bad" / "Wild in the Country" "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" / "Little Sister" "Can't Help Falling in Love" / "Rock-A-Hula Baby"
1962	"Good Luck Charm" / "Anything That's Part of You" "She's Not You" / "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" "King of the Whole Wide World" "Return to Sender" / "Where Do You Come From"
1963	"One Broken Heart for Sale" / "They Remind Me Too Much of You" "(You're the) Devil in Disguise" "Bossa Nova Baby" / "Witchcraft"
1964	"Kissin' Cousins" / "It Hurts Me" "Kiss Me Quick" / "Suspicion" "Viva Las Vegas" / "What'd I Say" "Such a Night" / "Never Ending" "Ask Me" / "Ain't That Loving You Baby" "Blue Christmas"
1965	"Do the Clam" / "You'll Be Gone" "Crying in the Chapel "(Such an) Easy Question" / "It Feels So Right" "I'm Yours" / "(It's a) Long Lonely Highway" "Puppet on a String" / "Wooden Heart"
1966	"Tell Me Why" / "Blue River" "Frankie and Johnny" / "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" "Love Letters" "Spinout" / "All That I Am" "If Every Day Was Like Christmas"
1967	"Indescribably Blue" / "Fools Fall in Love" "You Gotta Stop" / "The Love Machine" (UK) "Long Legged Girl (with the Short Dress On)" / "That's Someone You Never Forget" "There's Always Me" / "Judy" "Big Boss Man" / "You Don't Know Me"
1968	"Guitar Man" "U.S. Male" / "Stay Away" "We Call on Him" / "You'll Never Walk Alone" "Your Time Hasn't Come Yet, Baby" / "Let Yourself Go" "Almost in Love" / "A Little Less Conversation" "If I Can Dream" / "Edge of Reality"
1969	"Memories" / "Charro" "How Great Thou Art" "In the Ghetto" / "Any Day Now" "Clean Up Your Own Backyard" "Suspicious Minds" / "You'll Think of Me" "Don't Cry Daddy" "Rubberneckin'"

1970	"Kentucky Rain" "The Wonder of You" / "Mama Liked the Roses" "I've Lost You" / "The Next Step Is Love" "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" / "Patch It Up" "I Really Don't Want to Know" / "There Goes My Everything"
1971	"Rags to Riches" "Life" / "Only Believe" "I'm Leavin'" "It's Only Love" / "The Sound of Your Cry" "Merry Christmas Baby" / "O Come All Ye Faithful"
1972	"Until It's Time for You to Go" / "We Can Make the Morning" "He Touched Me" / "Bosom of Abraham" "An American Trilogy" / "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" "Burning Love" / "It's a Matter of Time" "Separate Ways" / "Always on My Mind"
1973	"Steamroller Blues" / "Fool" "Raised on Rock" / "For Ol' Times Sake"
1974	"Take Good Care of Her" / "I've Got a Thing About You, Baby" "If You Talk in Your Sleep" / "Help Me" "Promised Land" / "It's Midnight"
1975	"My Boy" / "Thinking About You" "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" "Bringing It Back" / "Pieces of My Life"
1976	"For the Heart" / "Hurt" "Moody Blue" / "She Thinks I Still Care"
1977	"Way Down" / "Pledging My Love" "My Way" / "America the Beautiful"
1978	"Unchained Melody" / "Softly as I Leave You"

Posthumous singles	"Puppet on a String" / "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" (1978) "Are You Sincere" / "Solitaire" "There's a Honky Tonk Angel (Who'll Take Me Back In)" / "I Got a Feelin' in My Body" "Guitar Man" "Loving Arms" / You Asked Me To" "You'll Never Walk Alone / "There Goes My Everything" (1982) "The Elvis Medley" "I Was the One" / "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" (1983) "Heartbreak Hotel" (1996) "Blue Christmas" (1998) "A Little Less Conversation" (JXL remix) "Rubberneckin'" (Paul Oakenfold Remix) "In the Ghetto" (with Lisa Marie Presley) "Baby Let's Play House" (Spankox Re:Version) "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (with Carrie Underwood) (2008) "Blue Christmas" (with Martina McBride) (2008) "Pocketful of Rainbows" (Spankox Remix) "I Love You Because" (with Lisa Marie Presley) "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (with Susan Boyle) "I Got a Feelin' in My Body" (Tommie Sunshine & Wuki Remix)

Posthumous
singles