Paul McCartney recorded a version of Elvis Presley’s 1958 hit single ‘I Got Stung’ for his 1999 album Run Devil Run.

Written by Aaron Schroeder and David Hill, Presley’s recording was released as double a-side single with ‘One Night’, which topped the UK chart.

It was not my favourite Elvis song, but I kept hearing ‘Holy smoke landsakes alive, I never though this would happen to me.’ That intro kept grabbing me. I though I’ll do it a bit more raucous than Elvis.
Paul McCartney
Run Devil Run liner notes

The Beatles played ‘I Got Stung’ during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions on 31 January 1969.

After Elvis got out of the army ‘I Got Stung’ was one of the ones he did then. And I remember us not being too keen on it. But recently I just sort of remembered the opening: ‘Holy smoke, land sakes alive! I never thought this could happen to me…’ I just loved that intro. So I thought, got to do it, you know. Just ’cause of that intro.

So I take it down, got the words. I couldn’t get most of them off the record. I finally actually got a lyric sheet on that one. So I did it. And we just did more of a shouty version than Elvis’s version.

Paul McCartney
Run Devil Run Best Buy bonus interview disc

‘I Got Stung’ was recorded at Abbey Road Studios during the first Run Devil Run session, 1 March 1999, along with ‘Coquette’ and the ‘No Other Baby’ b-side ‘Fabulous’.


Previous song: ‘Coquette’
Next song: ‘Honey Hush’
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