While the Charlie Blackwell version is cited as the first version of The Girl of My Best Friend
Colonel Snow tells us " Another version was recorded in Nov. 1959 by Marty Vine (Epic 9382).". But Colonel, other sources are saying the Marty Vine version came out April 1960 - same time as the Elvis version. However the Marty Vine version stands out because it's a lot more upbeat than either the Blackwell or Presley version - take a listen here - nice graphics too. This is one of the sources of dating the Vine song http://www.secondhandsongs.com/performance/194697
Check out further information of David Neale's site Elvis Presley - The Originals under the listing for this song regarding the songwriters and a link to more on Charles Blackwell https://davidneale.eu/elvis/originals/index.html
According to this site "Listening to the “Elvis Is Back” FTD we can hear how this song evolved and in the end how Elvis is more comfortable with the slower tempo after trying various rhythms even snapping his fingers as he tries to ride with the faster tempo." http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60770
Here's Elvis with take 2, 4, 5, 6, - where take 4 and 5 starts with a faster tempo but breaks down.
Colonel Snow http://www.theelvisforum.com/the-girl-of-my-best-friend-original-version-t3702.html
From whom the promotion copy graphic below was sourced.
Charles Blackwell version 1959
Charles Blackwell version 1959
Marty Vine Version
........
And the Elvis version...
And a later well known version 1961 by Ral Donner & The Starfires
Charlie Blackwell
Marty Vine
The Songwriters -
Sam Bobrick (born July 24, 1932) is an American author, playwright, television writer, and lyricist."After a three year, nine months and twenty seven day stint in the U.S. Air Force, Bobrick attended the University of Illinois where he graduated with a degree in Journalism. He began his career writing for the popular children's show Captain Kangaroo. He also wrote for such shows as The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, The Flintstones, Get Smart, The Kraft Music Hall, and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He created the short-lived syndicated TV series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was resurrected by NBC as the long-running hit show Saved By The Bell. He has won three Writers Guild of America Awards for his television work and was nominated for an Emmy. He has also written several movies and later quit writing for film and television in 1990." Read more about his plays here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Bobrick
"Bobrick co-wrote the song The Girl of My Best Friend with Beverly Ross which was recorded by Elvis Presley and many other recording artists throughout the years, including Bryan Ferry. Another song, It Will Never Be Over For Me was recorded by the iconic Los Lobos. He also wrote two satirical albums for MAD magazine, Mad Twists Rock n Roll and Fink Along With Mad. His most recent music endeavor is a CD entitled "Totally Twisted Country" that he co-wrote with his son Joey Bobrick for the band The Cow Pies." His website is http://www.sambobrick.com/
Beverly Ross "(born 1939) is an American songwriter and musician who co-wrote several successful pop songs in the 1950s and 1960s, including "Dim, Dim The Lights", "Lollipop" — which she also recorded, as one half of Ronald & Ruby — "The Girl of My Best Friend", "Remember Then", and "Judy's Turn to Cry".
She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and as a child moved with her family to Lakewood, New Jersey where she learned the piano. While at school, she began writing poetry and song lyrics.
While living in The Bronx as a teenager, she began canvassing writers at the Brill Building with some of her songs. The first to be recorded was "Dim, Dim The Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere)", co-written with black songwriter Julius Dixson (or Dixon), which was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954 and became a crossover hit in both the pop chart and R&B chart the following year. The song was the first rock and roll song recorded by a white singer to reach the R&B chart, and was hailed by Alan Freed as "the grand daddy song of rock n’ roll".
In 1958 she and Dixson wrote one of her most lasting songs, "Lollipop". When Dixson explained that he was late for a songwriting session because his daughter had gotten a lollipop stuck in her hair, Ross began writing the song, and later recorded a demo version with Dixson's neighbor, teenager Ronald Gumm (or Gumps). Dixson, who owned the master and had produced the demo, then agreed to let RCA Records release it as by "Ronald and Ruby". The pair's version rose up the chart reaching no.20, but when it was learned that Ronald and Ruby were an inter-racial duo, television appearances that had been previously booked got cancelled. Cover versions by The Chordettes (no.2 in the US) and The Mudlarks (no.2 in the UK) rose higher up the charts, and the song became an international hit.
Beverly Ross "(born 1939) is an American songwriter and musician who co-wrote several successful pop songs in the 1950s and 1960s, including "Dim, Dim The Lights", "Lollipop" — which she also recorded, as one half of Ronald & Ruby — "The Girl of My Best Friend", "Remember Then", and "Judy's Turn to Cry".She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and as a child moved with her family to Lakewood, New Jersey where she learned the piano. While at school, she began writing poetry and song lyrics.
While living in The Bronx as a teenager, she began canvassing writers at the Brill Building with some of her songs. The first to be recorded was "Dim, Dim The Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere)", co-written with black songwriter Julius Dixson (or Dixon), which was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954 and became a crossover hit in both the pop chart and R&B chart the following year. The song was the first rock and roll song recorded by a white singer to reach the R&B chart, and was hailed by Alan Freed as "the grand daddy song of rock n’ roll".
In 1958 she and Dixson wrote one of her most lasting songs, "Lollipop". When Dixson explained that he was late for a songwriting session because his daughter had gotten a lollipop stuck in her hair, Ross began writing the song, and later recorded a demo version with Dixson's neighbor, teenager Ronald Gumm (or Gumps). Dixson, who owned the master and had produced the demo, then agreed to let RCA Records release it as by "Ronald and Ruby". The pair's version rose up the chart reaching no.20, but when it was learned that Ronald and Ruby were an inter-racial duo, television appearances that had been previously booked got cancelled. Cover versions by The Chordettes (no.2 in the US) and The Mudlarks (no.2 in the UK) rose higher up the charts, and the song became an international hit.
For more Beverley Ross and her association with Carole king etc - read more her on Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Ross
Beverley Ross's illustrated website is http://www.beverlyross.info/beverlyross.info/Home.html
Lollipop - Ronald and Ruby
