From G.I Blues: Elvis Sings “Wooden Heart” (1960)

“Wooden Heart” is a song that Elvis Presley sang in the 1960 musical film “G.I. Blues”. The song is a German folk song titled “Muss i denn” (Must I then) which was written in 1827 by Friedrich Silcher, with lyrics by Wilhelm Gerhardt. The song became popular in Germany and was later adapted into English with lyrics by Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey, and Bert Kaempfert.

In the movie, Elvis plays the role of Tulsa McLean, a soldier stationed in West Germany who falls in love with a local girl named Lili.

“Wooden Heart” is performed during a scene where Tulsa plays a song for Lili on his guitar, and the locals join in by playing various instruments such as an accordion, a tuba, and a washboard.

The song became a hit for Elvis in several countries, including the UK where it spent six weeks at number one on the singles chart. It has since become a popular and enduring song in Elvis’ discography, often included in his greatest hits compilations.