About the Song
“Wooden Heart,” a melodious strain enshrined in the vocal annals of Elvis Presley, transcends its pop essence. Birthed from the artistic loins of songsmiths Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey, and maestro Bert Kaempfert, this opus finds its melodic roots in the Germanic ballad, “Muss i denn” (translated as “Must I then”), originating from the Rems Valley in Württemberg, south-west Germany. This symphonic tapestry graced the auditory senses within the cinematic opulence of Elvis Presley’s 1960 celluloid masterpiece, G.I. Blues.
Published under the aegis of Elvis Presley’s musical domain, Gladys Music, Inc., this harmonious creation attained the pinnacle of chart ascendancy, scaling the heights of the UK Singles Chart for six consecutive weeks during the vernal epoch of March and April in 1961. In the United States, it found its aural manifestation as the B-side counterpart to the seasonal classic “Blue Christmas,” heralding its release in November 1964.
The orchestration of “Wooden Heart” emanates from the deft arrangement by Friedrich Silcher, enriching its auditory tapestry with lines borrowed from the original Germanic folk ballad. Noteworthy is Marlene Dietrich’s pre-Presley rendition in the German tongue, adorning the B-side of her 1959 single “Lili Marlene.” This prelude to Elvis’s version, a sonic relic predating 1958, echoes in the musical corridors of history.
Bobby Vinton, in a resonant testament to cross-cultural musicality, rendered his 1975 interpretation, transmuting the lyrical essence into the Polish vernacular. The prescient translation, a lyrical metamorphosis, further testifies to the enduring legacy of “Wooden Heart” as it traverses linguistic boundaries.
A live rendition by Presley during his 1975 Dinner Show at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas endures in the immortal echoes of the Elvis Presley live album, “Dinner At Eight.” “Wooden Heart” in its diverse manifestations, be it Joe Dowell’s chart-topping version or Bobby Vinton’s linguistic translation, resonates as a harmonious testament to the indelible imprint of cultural and linguistic convergence.
Video
Lyrics
Can’t you see I love you?
Please, don’t break my heart in two
That’s not hard to do
‘Cause I don’t have a wooden heart
And if you say goodbye
Then I know that I would cry
Maybe I would die
‘Cause I don’t have a wooden heart
There’s no strings upon this love of mine
It was always you from the start
Treat me nice, treat me good
Treat me like you really should
‘Cause I’m not made of wood
And I don’t have a wooden heart
Muss i denn, muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus?
Städtele hinaus
Und du, mein Schatz, bleibst hier
Muss i denn, muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus?
Städtele hinaus
Und du, mein Schatz, bleibst hier
There’s no strings upon this love of mine
It was always you from the start
Sei mir gut, sei mir gut
Sei mir wie du wirklich sollst
Wie du wirklich sollst
‘Cause I don’t have a wooden heart