"Little Sister" is a rock and roll song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. It was originally released as a single in 1961 by American singer Elvis Presley, who enjoyed a No. 5 hit with it on the Billboard Hot 100. The single (as a double A-side with "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame") also reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. Lead guitar was played by Hank Garland and the rhythm guitar was played by Scotty Moore with backing vocals by the Jordanaires featuring the distinctive bass voice of Ray Walker. Presley performs it as part of a medley with "Get Back" in the 1970 rockumentary film Elvis: That's the Way It Is. "Little Sister" would later be covered by such artists as Dwight Yoakam, Robert Plant, The Nighthawks, and Pearl Jam. A version by Ry Cooder, from his album Bop Till You Drop, was a number-one hit in New Zealand. An answer song to "Little Sister", with the same melody but different lyrics, was recorded and released under the title "Hey, Memphis" by LaVern Baker on Atlantic Records (Atlantic 2119-A) in September 1961.

Personnel

Original 1961 studio recording

Recorded in RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennessee, June 25, 1961.

1970 live performance from That’s The Way It Is

Chart positions

Elvis Presley

Dwight Yoakam version

Music video

The music video for Dwight Yoakam's 1987 version of "Little Sister" was directed by Sherman Halsey.

Other recorded versions