Introduction:
“Big Love, Big Heartache” is a song by the legendary American singer and cultural icon Elvis Presley. Released in 1964, the song was part of the soundtrack for the film Roustabout, in which Presley also starred. The film, directed by John Rich, was a significant release for Presley during the mid-1960s, a period marked by his continued success in both music and movies.
The song “Big Love, Big Heartache” is a ballad that fits within the pop genre, but with strong elements of rock and roll and country, reflecting the versatile style that Presley was known for. The song is characterized by its heartfelt lyrics and Presley’s emotive vocal performance, which conveys the themes of love, loss, and longing—a recurring motif in much of his work.
Roustabout, the album on which “Big Love, Big Heartache” appears, was released by RCA Victor and served as the soundtrack to the movie. The album was a commercial success, reaching the number one spot on the Billboard 200 chart, making it one of Presley’s many successful albums during his career. This album, along with the movie, was part of Presley’s prolific output during the 1960s, a decade in which he maintained his status as one of the world’s top entertainers despite the evolving musical landscape.
“Big Love, Big Heartache” itself, while not as widely known as some of Presley’s other hits, remains a noteworthy track in his extensive catalog. It exemplifies the blend of pop, rock, and country that characterized much of his music during this period. The song’s inclusion in Roustabout helped it gain attention from both Presley’s dedicated fanbase and the broader public, contributing to the film’s and album’s overall success.
In terms of achievements, while “Big Love, Big Heartache” did not reach the top of the charts as a standalone single, it is remembered as part of the larger body of work that reinforced Presley’s position as a leading figure in popular music during the 1960s. The album’s success and its place within the context of Presley’s career make the song an important piece in understanding his musical legacy during this era.