Elvis Presley recorded the vocals for "Puppet on a String" along with other tracks on June 16, 1964 (over a backing track that was recorded earlier) during a recording session at Radio Recorders in Culver City outside of Los Angeles.[1] The song was published by Elvis Presley's publishing company Gladys Music, Inc.
Released in the United States in 1965 as a single with the 1960 recording from the film G.I. Blues, "Wooden Heart", on the B-side, "Puppet on a String" reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 25, 1965, where it would stay for two weeks.[6][2][4] (The other single from the same movie, "Do the Clam", was released earlier in the same year and reached number 21.)[4]
On December 4, 1965 the song entered to many lists of Billboard Top Sellers in Top Markets.[7] Some days later, the song reached the position # 5 on the Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening staying in that list during 8 weeks. [8]
In Canada, the single reached number 3 in a 10-week chart run, entering the chart in November, 1965.[9] The single was certified Gold in the U.S. by the RIAA in March 1992.
