Calling Elvis

"Calling Elvis" is a song written by Mark Knopfler and performed by British rock band Dire Straits. It first appeared on the final studio album by the band, On Every Street (1991). It was released in August 1991 by Vertigo and Warner Bros. as the first single from that album, peaking at number 21 in the United Kingdom, and reaching the top 10 in numerous other countries. It 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.

"Calling Elvis"
Single by Dire Straits
from the album On Every Street
B-side	"Iron Hand" "Millionaire Blues"
Released	19 August 1991 (1991-08-19)[1]
Length	6:25 (album version) 4:37 (single version)
Label	Vertigo Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Mark Knopfler
Producer(s)	Mark Knopfler
Dire Straits singles chronology
"Your Latest Trick" (1986) "Calling Elvis" (1991) "Heavy Fuel" (1991)

Content

The song is about an Elvis fan who believes Elvis Presley is still alive, making references to many of his songs, including "Heartbreak Hotel", "Love Me Tender", "Love Me (Treat Me Like a Fool)", "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 video

The music video for "Calling Elvis" was jointly directed by Gerry Anderson of Thunderbirds fame and Steve Barron. It includes several members of the band represented in marionette form, as well as various Thunderbirds characters and a woman.

Track listings

• 7-inch and cassette single^[2][3]

A. "Calling Elvis"

B. "Iron Hand"

• 12-inch and CD single^[4][5]

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

• US 7-inch single and Japanese mini-CD single^[6][7]

A. "Calling Elvis" – 6:25

B. "Millionaire Blues" – 4:23

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[8] 8 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 4 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[12] 30 Denmark (IFPI)[13] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 2 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[15] 4 France (SNEP)[16] 7 Germany (GfK)[17] 8 Ireland (IRMA)[18] 2 Italy (Musica e dischi)[19] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 9 Norway (VG-lista)[23] 2 Portugal (AFP)[24] 2 Spain (AFYVE)[14] 3 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 6 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[27] 21 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[28] 25 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[29] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1991) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[30] 35 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] 38 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[32] 28 Europe (European Hit Radio)[33] 16 Germany (Official German Charts)[34] 78 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[35] 41 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36] 39

See also

• List of European number-one airplay songs of the 1990s

References

1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 17 August 1991. p. 19.
2. Calling Elvis (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Dire Straits. Vertigo Records. 1991. DSTR 16, 868 756-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Calling Elvis (UK cassette single sleeve). Dire Straits. Vertigo Records. 1991. DSMC 16, 868 756-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. Calling Elvis (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Dire Straits. Vertigo Records. 1991. DSTR16 12, 868 757-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. Calling Elvis (UK CD single liner notes). Dire Straits. Vertigo Records. 1991. DS CD 16, 868 757-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. Calling Elvis (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Dire Straits. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. 7-19199.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. Calling Elvis (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Dire Straits. Vertigo Records. 1991. PHDR-33.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
9. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
10. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1666." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1637." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
13. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 37. 14 September 1991. p. 34. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
14. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 41. 12 October 1991. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510.
15. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
16. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
17. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Calling Elvis". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
19. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 45. 9 November 1991. p. 36. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
20. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
21. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
22. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
23. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". VG-lista. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
24. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 40. 5 October 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
25. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
26. "Dire Straits – Calling Elvis". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
28. "Dire Straits Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
29. "Dire Straits Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
30. "Jaaroverzichten 1991" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
31. "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Vol. 55, no. 3. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
32. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles: 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
33. "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
34. "Jahrescharts – 1991". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
35. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
36. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2014.