I wrote this guest post in 2010 for Elvis Today.

In honor of Thomas and his wife having their first child, I’ve compiled a ranking of baby Elvis songs. Admittedly, not all of these songs refer to an infant baby. Many of them refer to a baby of the grown woman variety.

#1: Reconsider Baby
#2: Baby, Let’s Play House
#3: Baby, What You Want Me To Do
#4: Baby, I Don’t Care
#5: Like A Baby
#6: I’ve Got A Thing About You, Baby
#7: My Baby Left Me
#8: Merry Christmas Baby
#9: Bossa Nova Baby
#10: Rock-A-Hula Baby
#11: Santa Bring My Baby Back
#12: It’s Your Baby, You Rock It
#13: Ain’t That Loving You, Baby
#14: Baby, If You’ll Give Me All Of Your Love
#15: I’ve Got To Find My Baby
#16: Your Time Hasn’t Come Yet, Baby

Of course, if we expand this list to songs that include “baby” in the lyrics rather than the title, we’d have a lot more from which to choose. One fantastic song that comes to mind is “Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming” from the Promised Land album.

Songwriter Rory Bourke talks about this one in Ken Sharp’s Writing For The King (FTD):

“That song was written about my daughter, Allyson. I wrote it days after she was born. I think Elvis thought he was singing about a big grown up girl but in reality he was singing a song about my baby. His version was absolutely awesome. He caught the complete emotion of what I was trying to say about myself in relationship with this small bundle of love.”

Elvis cut this song in 1973. By then, he had been a father for over five years. I personally think he knew exactly what kind of baby he was singing about, as he undoubtedly had similar thoughts while holding his own “bundle of love” for the first time. I imagine Thomas can suddenly relate to this song in a whole new way.

Congratulations, buddy! All the best!

/Tygrrius, The Mystery Train Blog