Go to main content

Five Sleepy Heads

Rating:
3.5 / 5

Words & Music: Sid Tepper Roy C. Bennett

There were five sleepyheads
All tucked into their beds
While I sang a lullaby
One got dream dust in her eye

There were four sleepyheads
Playing possum with me
Mr. Sandman came by
And then there were three

Moonbeams play peek-a-boo
Three away became two
And my song was almost done
When the land of Nod took one

Kissed the last one goodnight
Then I heard not a peep
There were five sleepyheads
Now they're all fast asleep

Recordingdate: 1967/06/20, first released on: Speedway (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Five Sleepy Heads:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(steel guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(sax)
(trumpet)

Availability

Find available albums with Five Sleepy Heads.

Steve V wrote on April 07, 2009
Strictly for kids. You can see in Speedway where this would have fit the scene. Was it filmed, then cut? Anyway, just a lullaby, nothing more to it than that.
Colonel wrote on May 23, 2009
A very nice lullaby, originally written by Franz Liszt. Elvis sung this very beautiful. Much better than "Big boots" for example.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on May 23, 2009
I read that the song was filmed and then cut from the film. Once again Elvis in perfect voice, making the song very enjoyable.
japio wrote on May 23, 2009
This one was original a christmas song. Then it was also welkonown with differnt lyrycs. But this version i like the most. Elvis voice is still in great shape. And it is recorded and in a german version of Speedway you can this. All the kids sleeping in the car, while Elvis sings the songs and ofcoure you'll see the kids under the curtains and then you'll see they disapears after the curtain. This is realy true. I seen it and maybe i have this one on video recorded when they aired the movie somewhere the 80's
dgirl wrote on May 23, 2009
They cut this from the film and left in the ridiculous He's Your Uncle Not Your Dad scene. Wonderful. You knew darn well when this was a bonus song on the Speedway LP it was from the film. Elvis wouldnt record a song like this for no other purpose but for a film. Im glad Speedway was the last musical. Thanks goodness change was in the wind.
JerryNodak wrote on May 24, 2009
He's Your Uncle Not Your Dad fits its scene just as Five Sleepy Heads was written to fit its scene. Yes, I agree it was rather dumb to use the scene and cut the song. It's only about 1 and a half minutes in length. For what it's worth I've read that this song as well as Suppose did make some prints in some foreign countries. Actually He's Your Uncle Not Your Dad does reminds me of some of the musical numbers in the old MGM musicals. It's much more of a "musical" number than Five Sleepy Heads.
derekd wrote on September 25, 2009
Nice recording, for my grand childern, okay, i like it too.
Deano1 wrote on February 21, 2010
A lullabye recorded for the movie and soundtrack LP, "Speedway", but not included in the film. I too have to wonder why it was cut from the film. It is well performed and the scene would have been a very nice one with the five little girls in the movie. I have to believe the movie was shown on U.S. TV with this scene included as I have had people tell me they remeber seeing it. When I bought an eight track tape of "Speedway" years ago (early 80's) they remembered the song even thought they had not heard the LP. If there are prints of the movie including this song, then why doesn't someone release a DVD of moments cut from his movies. I know there was a print of "Flaming Star" containing "Britches" and "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears" as the print was shown to an advance audience and they laughed when Elvis sang "Summer..." at the Indian camp (thus they deleted it). You can also tell in "Blue Hawaii" where "Steppin' Out Of Line" was cut from the movie and I have heard of foreign prints of "Harem Holiday" that contain "Animal Instincts" and "Wisdom Of The Ages". I would be very interested in seeing these as opposed to hearing upteen takes of "Girl Of Mine" or "Do Not Disturb" on another FTD "classic" LP.
sugartummy wrote on March 05, 2013
A nice lullaby, but don't play this one when you're driving your car. You might meet Elvis sooner then you wished for.
Gorse wrote on June 13, 2013
Big Boots part 2 in many ways but just has the edge on the former. Superbly sung by the man who could sing the telephone book and make it acceptable - 3 stars from me.
McHobbit wrote on February 12, 2014
I have not seen this in the German version of Speedway, but as soon as I heard it, I knew that it was originally supposed to be something he sang to the five little girls. I do think it's cute. One of the best "Elvis with kids" songs so I'm actually kinda bummed that it was cut out but "He's your uncle, not your dad" was not. It was definitely the better of the two. I don't care if "He's your uncle" is more of a musical number. It feels like a parody of propaganda.
TheMemphisFan wrote on November 11, 2015
With a little imagination by Sony Legacy, this cute song could easily find its way onto an Elvis Christmas compilation... with a possible track order such as "If Every Day Was Like Christmas" followed by "Five Sleepy Heads" followed by "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" . . . The music worked (as Brahms' Lullaby) on Kenny G's "Miracles - The Holiday Album".
DerekH wrote on March 04, 2019
Got the tune to this on my doorbell. Doorbell 3 stars, Elvis 4 stars
TheMemphisFan wrote on September 07, 2020
Go to YouTube and type in the following... Five Sleepyheads - Elvis Presley (Sottotitolato) ~ Starting at the 1:23 mark you'll see the bedroom scene where the five little girls are pretending to be asleep.
Cruiser621 wrote on September 07, 2020
Can't really say that I actually heard this song. 1-star based on below remarks. Another dud I'm imagining.
Cruiser621 wrote on September 07, 2020
Well, just listened to this tune and I was right! 1-star, period! What originality in coming up with this song; but then again, a Tepper/Bennett work of "art". Wow! What a surprise.
Back to List