- Home
- Encyclopedia
- SongBase
We're Gonna Move


Words & Music: Vera Matson/ Elvis Presley
Well there's a leak in this old building
Yes, there's a leak in this old building
Well there's a leak in this old building
We're gonna move to a better home
We got no pane in this old window'
We got no pane in this old window'
We got no pane in this old window'
We're gonna move to a better home
Well there's a hole in the roof where the rain pours in
A hole in the floor where it drops right out again
Well there's a leak in this old building
Well there's a leak in this old building
Well there's a leak in this old building
We're gonna move to a better home
Well there's a crack across the ceiling
Yes there's a crack across the ceiling
Well there's a crack across the ceiling
We're gonna find us a better home
We've gotta stove without a chimney
We've gotta stove without a chimney
What good's a stove without a chimney
We're gonna move to a better home
Pulling down window shades is no use at all
The kids and the neighbor can peep right through the wall
Well there's a leak in this old building
Well there's a leak in this old building
Well there's a leak in this old building
We're gonna move to a better, move to a better
Move to a better home
Recorded: 1956/08/24, first released on EP
Reactions
It's not super special or anything, but I like it. I don't hit the skip button. I save that for "Poor Boy." Infectious vocal. 3 stars.
This is one of 4 songs from the "Love Me Tender" 45RPM record which defies convention back in the day; his first soundtrack if you will. Infectious for starters and to the point one can't get it out of ones mind. When compared to what he was recording for RCA back in 1956, "Heartbreak Hotel", "Hound Dog", "Don't Be Cruel" to name a few, one would think this is a come-down. It's not and is Elvis Presley in the early stages of his career; giving it his best shot no matter what and he certainly comes through here.
Elvis turned this very little known about movie song into a masterpiece. Elvis made this song so much fun to listen to. I don't know if any other singer could have possibly done that. That's one of the many gifts that Elvis had as a singer. My favorite era of Elvis' career will definitely always be the 1950's because that was the best decade of Elvis' career by far. I love all of the songs that Elvis recorded during the 1950's immensely and Elvis had so much fun singing every song that he sang during the 1950's too.
I like it. I do NOT like Let Me or Poor Boy, but for some reason I like this song.
The Bells of Joy version of this song, called "Leak in this old building" is pretty much the same as "We're gonna move". Elvis version is a splice og take 4 and 9 with backing vocals, handclaps and finger-snapping overdubbed separately. A nice country tune.
The early Elvis voice and exhuberance exhibited turned fairly mundane songs into masterpieces. This is one of those songs with its bouncy 'country and western' feel, combined with his youthful energy, make this a very enjoyable experience.
This is one of those songs that, to me, shows that timing is everything. If Elvis had recorded this song in 1966 instead of 1956 it would be reviled and treated as awful sooundtrack fodder. Instead, it's somehow golden because it's from the 50's. I disagree with this. Give me Double Trouble or Spinout over this song any day.
For all those that say people who like Elvis' 60's movie material need to open their eyes and not be so blinded by their love of Elvis, I'd say the same to those who think that every sinlge song Elvis recorded in the 50's was the pinnacle of artistic achievement. Not all 50's Elvis songs are untoouchable, just as not all 60's movie songs are terrible. Objectively speaking, We're Gonna Move is a movie song shoehorned into a movie that didn't need it just to move some records, and simply being from the 50's fdoesn't change that.
Elvis in 56 could not go wrong. I like all the songs from Love Me Tender, mainly because of the energy in Elvis' voice. I like Poor Boy and Let Me more than We're Gonna Move, but Elvis' energy makes it fun to listen to - a fun song.
Now this is a song that invites the movie goers to join in having fun. It is that youth Elvis winking to the audience. It fits his age and spunky nature. It is somewhat different from the raw Elvis in the fifties, true. However it sort of sticks to the mind which makes me like the song even more.
This song is infectiously sung by Elvis and it is fun to listen to sometimes, but it is nowhere near the equal of his classic 50's recordings. No better or worse than a hundred movie soundtrack songs to follow. Yes there was more spark in Elvis' voice in '56 than the mid '60's soundtracks, but he was much more polished as a vocalist in the '60's so the silly movie songs became harder to sing and make convincing as he matured.
such a sweet happy song. catchy tune!
it's very rare for me to say. but i prefare the re-mix ...
I rather like this song. Infectious, fun piece of movie fluff.
Actually this is my favorite song from Love Me Tender including the title song! The young infectious Elvis could no wrong and his exhuberance breathes life into this fun number.
Well, I kinda like this song a lot. It is based on a gospel song called "There's a leak". I think Elvis' version is very charming and I love the background voices on this one. I think "Let me" and "Poor boy" are worse than "We're gonna move"
I think the lack of comments for this song says it all. Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to condemn. It's just boring I'm afraid.
Hearing this song made me thankful of the songs Elvis recorded in his next movie after Love Me Tender!
Available Alternate Versions