Elvis Songs: Do the Clam

Written by: Sid Wayne / Ben Weisman / Dolores Fuller

Recorded: June 12 and 15, 1964, Radio Recorders, Hollywood
Released master is take 5.

Single:w/ "You'll Be Gone", 47-8500, February 1965
Also re-released as Gold Standard Series, 447-0648, November 1965

Highest U.S. Charts Positions:
#21 on Billboard's Hot 100

1st LP release: Girl Happy - April 1965

"Do The Clam", in which Elvis' management and record company want Elvis to make an attempt at creating a mid-60s dance craze, and it pretty much doesn't work. However, Elvis, ever the trooper, does his best, and it almost cracks the top 20.

I'll finish my little spiel here someday. Meanwhile, check out those clam-links and other clam-stuff!

"Do The Clam" begins with soft drums and guitar, and is a specialty dance number, effective in the film, but not on disc, in spite of the use of stereo distance.

Robert Matthew-Walker, Elvis Presley - A Study In Music, 1979

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Hey everybody gather round
Listen to that bongo sound
Grab the first one in your reach
Now we're going to shake the beach

Chorus:
Do the Clam, do the Clam
Grab your barefoot baby by the hand
Turn and tease, hug and squeeze
Dig right in and do the Clam

You can get your heart to spin
On the outside looking in
Moon ain't gonna last all night
Well let's work up an appetite

Repeat Chorus

Everybody's got that beat
Well listen to those happy feet
Ain't you glad that you found out
What the Clam is all about

Repeat Chorus
Repeat Chorus