▁Be ▁Cru el " ▁on ▁the ▁record ▁sle e ve . ▁Both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁record ▁to pped ▁Billboard ' s ▁Best ▁S ellers ▁in ▁St ores ▁and ▁Most ▁Play ed ▁in ▁Ju ke box es ▁charts ▁alongside ▁" Don ' t ▁Be ▁Cru el ", ▁while ▁" H ound ▁Dog " ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁mer it ▁to pped ▁the ▁country ▁& ▁western ▁and ▁rh ythm ▁& ▁bl ues ▁charts ▁and ▁pe aked ▁at ▁number ▁two ▁on ▁Billboard ' s ▁main ▁pop ▁chart , ▁the ▁Top ▁ 1 0 0 . ▁Later ▁re issues ▁of ▁the ▁single ▁by ▁R CA ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁designated ▁the ▁pair ▁as ▁double - A - s ided . ▁ ▁While ▁Pres ley ▁was ▁performing ▁" H ound ▁Dog " ▁on ▁television ▁and ▁his ▁record ▁was ▁scaling ▁the ▁charts , ▁St ol ler , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁on ▁vac ation ▁in ▁Europe , ▁was ▁returning ▁on ▁the ▁ill - f ated ▁final ▁voyage ▁of ▁the ▁Andrea ▁D oria . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Le iber ▁met ▁the ▁just - res cu ed ▁St ol ler ▁on ▁the ▁do cks ▁and ▁told ▁him , ▁" We ▁got ▁a ▁sm ash ▁hit ▁on ▁H ound ▁Dog ," ▁St ol ler ▁said , ▁" Big ▁M ama ' s ▁record ?" ▁And ▁Le iber ▁replied : ▁'" No . ▁Some ▁white ▁gu y ▁named ▁El vis ▁Pres ley ." ▁St ol ler ▁added : ▁" And ▁I ▁heard