Tomorrow Night was written by Sam Coslow and Will Crosz in 1939. One of the first recordings that year was by Horace Heidt and His Orchestra (Columbia 35203), with vocal by the Heidt-Lights. Lonnie Johnson (who played guitar on some of Bessie Smith's recordings) had a million-seller with the song in 1948 (King 4201). Another popular version of Tomorrow Night was recorded by LaVern Baker in late 1954. It was the flip side of her hit, Tweedle Dee (Atlantic 1047).

Elvis recorded Tomorrow Night at Sun Records on September 10, 1954, with his only accompaniment being Scotty Moore's guitar playing. Since LaVern Baker's recording hadn't been yet released, it was Lonnie Johnson's version that influenced his styling. On March 18, 1965, a new backing track was recorded by RCA with the Anita Kerr Singers, Chet Atkins (guitar), Grady Martin (guitar), Henry Strzelecki (bass), Buddy Harman (drums), and Charlie McCoy (harmonica). The overdubbed version of Tomorrow Night was released on the Elvis for Everyone LP, nine years after Elvis recorded it. For several years it was feared the original master of Tomorrow Night was either lost or destroyed. That fear proved to be unfounded, as RCA released the original version in 1985 on the Reconsider Baby album.

While visiting the Waco, Texas, home of disc jockey Eddie Fadal in the summer of 1958, Elvis briefly sang the bass line while listening to LaVern Baker's recording of Tomorrow Night.