"Blue Suede Shoes" is a song written and recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955, and is considered one of the first rock and roll songs ever recorded. It incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time.

Johnny Cash suggested the idea to Perkins based on a line that he heard someone use in an army mess hall. The first few lines of the song are based on a classic children's rhyme: "One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready". Producer Sam Phillips suggested that Perkin's line "go boy go" be changed to "go cat go". Elvis Presley recorded his version of this song in 1956.

It was the first song to top the US country, rhythm and blues and pop music charts.

Marc Cohn makes a reference to the "Blue Suede Shoes" in his song "Walking in Memphis".

This song has been covered by many artists including:

• The Beatles
• Johnny Cash
• Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys in the rock and roll medley Good Old Rock & Roll
• Count von Count on Sesame Street
• Buddy Holly
• Jimi Hendrix
• Johnny Rivers
• Bill Haley and the Comets

The title Blue Suede Shoes was also applied to a 1981 documentary film that profiled the British rockabilly scene.

Trivia

• "Blue Suede Shoes" was not the first rock and roll song to open with a version of the catch phrase "One for the money/Two for the show/Three to get ready/Here I go". In 1953, Bill Haley wrote and recorded a song called "Watcha Gonna Do" that begins with this same phrase and also is very similar in melody and arrangement to the later "Blue Suede Shoes."