Go to main content

Western Union

Rating:
4.0 / 5

Words & Music: Sid Tepper Roy C. Bennett

Western Union
Oh, Western Union clickety clack
I had a fight with my baby
Ooh how sorry I am
She won't talk to me no how
I'm gonna send a telegram

Western Union oh yeah
Send my lovin' baby back to me

She won't open my letters
She won't answer the phone
When I'm a-ringin' her doorbell
She says there ain't nobody home

Western Union oh yeah
Send my lovin' baby back to me

Western Union oh yeah
Send my lovin' baby back to me

I love you is my message
Just three words and no more
If she won't let you deliver
Slip it underneath her door

Western Union oh yeah
Send my lovin' baby back to me

Western Union oh yeah
Send my lovin' baby back to me

Recordingdate: 1963/05/27, first released on: Speedway (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Western Union:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(shakers)
(vibes)
(sax)

Availability

Find available albums with Western Union.

Cher wrote on October 02, 2008
This is a really fun song that reminds me a bit of Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks or Manhattan Transfer. You can hear Elvis singing various parts during the song in addition to the lead and that's always a blast for me because I always get the sense he's just really enjoying himself.
Pedro Nuno wrote on December 05, 2008
It's a listenable Elvis 60's tune, but already with a "soundtrack" sound that will mark the end of Elvis's creativity in that period of time (63/67) with very few exceptions. The song writers team says it all.
Steve V wrote on December 05, 2008
This song & Blue River were in my opinion the 2 weakest songs from the otherwise stellar 1963 Nashville sessions. Maybe RCA & Elvis felt that way also since it took 5 years to release. Its fun but would have fared better on a 1963 LP instead of a 1968 soundtrack where it was horribly out of date. Its an OK early 60's song, sort of a poor man's Return To Sender. Certainly nothing special. I think Elvis sounds bored instead having a good time with it. He probably thought it was teeny bopper fluff.
My boy, my boy wrote on December 05, 2008
Nothing special yes, but enjoyable though !
JerryNodak wrote on December 05, 2008
A very listenable song. I enjoy it. A soundtrack sound? Yes, but I don't have a problem with that because overall I ENJOY the soundtracks (some more than others). Long live the '60s "Elvis movie" and their soundtracks.
Ruthie wrote on December 05, 2008
Always remember that at times Elvis sang (recorded) a song just because he liked it, regardless of whether it was going to be a hit or not. This was true of "fluff" stuff as well as serious pieces. After all, he was paying the bill. He could do what he wanted. None of us actually know what went through his mind when he recorded most of this music.
theoldscudder wrote on December 05, 2008
Oh well they can't all be classics. This is a decent movie song.
Marty_TCE wrote on January 16, 2009
Not a bad song by any means, I just love the guitar solo!
JLpResLey wrote on January 16, 2009
I almost never listen to this one. Compared to other great songs at the time this really is nothing special. But it´s allright
dgirl wrote on January 16, 2009
Just OK - would have made a good B side in the early 60's. Dated by the time it came out.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on January 16, 2009
I guess, I'm one of the few that likes this song. Its "Return to Sender-Revisited" and its fun ! The Harmonies, the music, its all good. If it had been released earlier than it had been it would have been a "good single" choice.
Natha wrote on January 16, 2009
Like many of the movie songs they served a purpose within that framework. As I like to watch his movies from time to time so goes for the sound tracks (which I listen often). Easy listening. Most of the songs I like and this is one of them.
commoneverybody wrote on March 19, 2009
I like this one! In fact, i like it a lot :-)
old shep wrote on March 19, 2009
Very similar to Return to Sender I should think that's why it was shelved for so long. Nothing special but harmless enough
TBG wrote on March 19, 2009
People, Western Union is NOT a movie song!! It was added to Speedway as a bonus song in order to fill it up. However, it's not that bad. Not good, but not bad, easy listening :-) :-) But then again, better than most of the songs from Speedway - phew!!!!
NONE000000 wrote on March 19, 2009
I decent track. Might have been a hit if "Return to Sender" did not already exist; as many people have mentioned, this song is basically the same song. Still, fun light rock. Nothing serious, but good fun
dukebrando76 wrote on March 20, 2009
To me this is a quinticental Elvis gem that was overlooked when it should have been a hit. There are many that were missed. Simply put if it was buried in an otherwise forgettable set of situation songs from the movies it is skipped over. Elvis could make the song his and nobody will replace him
Deano1 wrote on March 18, 2010
After great success with "Return To Sender" in 1962, there seemed to be a race by Elvis' songwriters to give re-create it's sound. The first of these attempts was "One Broken Heart For Sale". It was recorded right around the time RTS hit the charts and it is written by the same writers (Blackwell / Scott). Then In May of '63 Elvis recorded three more tunes that are very similar to RST. "Please Don't Drag That String Around" (Blackwell/Scott wrote this one too), "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers" (written by Dory and Ollie Jones) and finally "Western Union" by the infamous Tepper/Bennett. This one is about the same as the other four RTS knock-offs, good, fun, but not overly memorable. RCA did not release this one for five years when it was released as a bonus song on the LP "Speedway". 3 stars
GEORGE (GK) wrote on June 30, 2011
Could have been a hit single, if it had been released earlier than 1968.
Cruiser621 wrote on March 04, 2012
Return To Sender - Part 2. If one listens to Elvis singles, especially in the 1960's, there is a repetitive rhythm or sound to most of his songs... aka Stuck On You compared with All Shook Up, etc. Western Union could have been a decent single in it's day to be honest.
cookingfat wrote on April 08, 2013
Not bad, perhaps too much like Return to Sender to have done anything as a single but a good some.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on April 08, 2013
I always loved this one ! The "Outakes" are even better ! This song would have been a great followup to "Return to Sender". Since its very similiar in getting a message, to a loved one. RCA, once again, waitied too long, to get the record out, and it appeared quietly as a bonus track, on the "Speedway" soundtrack, 5 years after it was recorded.
In-A-Flash wrote on April 08, 2013
Nice smooth song but not at par with Return to Sender or Devil in Disguise. Should have been used to lift Roustabout to twelve songs. It was outdated in 1968.
ElvisSacramento wrote on April 09, 2013
This is such a marvelous, fun and underrated song and I've never skipped it. This is one of so many very little known about gems that Elvis recorded.
sugartummy wrote on May 30, 2013
A good song, but as said, done already and better with Return to sender.
Gorse wrote on June 18, 2013
Not as good as Return to Sender, but then again not many tracks were around this period. It is a medium paced song with a controlled punch, drive and a certain charm. nicely sung by Elvis. - 3 1/2 stars
trudygillenwater wrote on April 14, 2015
A cool pop song by The King. Dated? Depends on who you ask. A great song is a great song no matter what year it's released.
TheMemphisFan wrote on April 15, 2015
Dated? Yes.
Jim Davidson wrote on January 30, 2016
I never made the connection to Return to Sender until reading other posts: "She won't open my letters", "She wrote upon it, return to sender". To me, it's a fun song that captures the early 60s (post Elvis is Back LP) Elvis. When one looks at Elvis' concert set list in the 70s, it's as though 1962 to 1967 did not exist.
Cruiser621 wrote on January 30, 2016
Way too similar to "Return To Sender"; way too similar and that's an understatement. It's not objectionable but like a lot of his other songs, there's a certain musical format or rhythm he tended to fall into; you can hear it in a great many of his tunes.
JerryNodak wrote on January 30, 2016
Nothing special about this song. Album filler. But I still like the song. I don't hit the skip button.
Back to List