Now we have Elvis’ twelfth number one of his career. “A Big Hunk of Love” was written by Aaron Schroeder and Sid Wyche who also went by the name of Sid Jaxon.

It was recorded by Elvis during the one and only recording session he had while he served in the United States Army. He was home on leave, when he went into a Nashville studio on June 10, 1958 and recorded several songs, most of which would be heard over the following months. This way, the public didn’t have to think about the fact that he was gone. His music lived on without him. Just to be clear, he was not “gone” gone, he was just in the Army and not available for recording new songs.

On September 19, 1959, Elvis sailed away for Germany to serve out his time in the Army. The other songs recorded during that recording session were “(Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such As I” (#2,) “Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby” (not released until 1964 when it reached number 16,)“ I Got Stung” (#8,) and “I Need Your Love Tonight (#4.)”

Schroeder and Wyche wrote other songs for Elvis, the two most famous were probably “It’s Now or Never” (number one in 1960) and “Good Luck Charm” (number one in 1962)

Elvis didn’t sing “A Big Hunk of Love” that often. He revived it in 1972 for his shows at the Las Vegas Hilton in February. He sang it regularly in his live shows until 1974. The last time it was heard live, by Elvis, was January 28, 1974. Elvis, of course, died on August 18, 1877.

“A Big Hunk of Love” entered the charts on July 13, 1959 and stayed at number one for two weeks. Elvis’ next number one would come along in early 1960, “Stuck on You.”

Here is a live version of “A Big Hunk of Love.” Enjoy.