Why ‘I Got Stung’ By Elvis Presley Failed To Live Up To Its Potential

Elvis Presley was undoubtedly one of the most iconic and successful musicians of the 20th century. With numerous hits under his belt, it’s surprising that his song ‘I Got Stung’ never achieved the same level of fame as some of his other works. But why exactly wasn’t ‘I Got Stung’ the big hit it should have been?

The Song’s Background and Release

‘I Got Stung’ was released as part of the double A-SIDE single ‘One Night’/’I Got Stung’ in the UK in January 1959. Despite facing competition from other Elvis Presley songs like ‘One Night’ and ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight,’ the single managed to peak at number one in the UK for three weeks in January 2005, proving that it had a strong impact. In the US, it was released as a single in November 1958 and reached number eight, which was not an insignificant feat.

Factors Limiting Its Success

Several factors contributed to the song’s limited success compared to other hits by Elvis. One major factor was the overwhelming presence of his other singles on the airwaves. US radio stations often played only one song by an artist due to rotation constraints. This meant that even if ‘I Got Stung’ was a hit, it had to compete with other songs by Elvis to gain enough airplay to become a bigger hit.

Radio Airplay Competition: In the US, radio stations were governed by a mix of sales and airplay, whereas the UK charts were purely based on sales. Given that Elvis already had hits like ‘One Night’ and ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight,’ the airplay was often focused on these songs, leaving ‘I Got Stung’ to share the spotlight.

Chart Performances and Global Impact

While ‘I Got Stung’ was successful in the UK and reached number eight in the US, its global impact was limited. Reaching number six on the Global Charts by Mediatraffic, it stayed on the top ten for only three weeks. The timing of its release in different countries (January 10 in the US and weeks later in Europe) further contributed to its limited success.

Elvis Presley had numerous hits throughout his career, such as ‘It’s Now or Never.’ This further complicated the promotion of his other songs. Notably, in 1958, Elvis had four of the top 20 most successful singles, but ‘I Got Stung’ was not among them. Similarly, in 1959, he had three more songs in the top 20, and again, ‘I Got Stung’ was excluded.

Global Chart Success and Legacy

Notwithstanding its limited success, ‘I Got Stung’ still managed to secure a spot in the top ten worldwide. Elvis Presley’s legacy is marked by his immense success, with 10 songs among the 400 most successful of all time, a record shared only by Madonna. Moreover, no other artist has more songs on the top 10 than Sir Mix-A-Lot, and only Elvis and The Beatles spent more weeks at one on the charts than him.

Elvis Presley remains one of the most successful hitmakers globally. While some of his other hits could overshadow lesser-known gems, songs like ‘I Got Stung’ still stand as testament to his immense talent and influence.