This iconic song served as the theme for Elvis Presley’s debut film, which was originally named “The Reno Brothers” but underwent a title change to leverage the popularity of the song.
About The Song
- Originally, Elvis initially had a minor role in the film, but as production progressed, it became evident that he had become a significant sensation. Consequently, his character’s part was expanded to fully leverage his burgeoning stardom. Although his character met a demise at the end of the movie, Elvis made a reappearance to perform the iconic song.
- “Love Me Tender,” the movie, is set against the backdrop of the Civil War. Therefore, the musical director, Ken Darby, embarked on a quest to source songs from that era for adaptation in the film. He stumbled upon “Aura Lee,” a classical piece from 1861. Collaborating with Elvis, they developed the song on the movie set. On August 24, 1956, Elvis recorded the song on the soundstage with session musicians.
- On September 9, 1956, Elvis made his inaugural appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, where he performed this song. At that time, the song had not yet been officially released. However, following his performance, a deluge of orders poured in. RCA, Elvis’ record label, seized this opportunity to generate buzz around the upcoming release. They claimed to have received a million pre-orders and boasted that it was the first single to achieve Gold status before even being shipped (it’s worth noting that the RIAA didn’t start certifying Gold records until 1958, so this claim couldn’t be validated). When the song was eventually released in early October, it swiftly became a sensation. It ascended to the number one spot on November 3, two weeks before the movie’s premiere, and remained there for five weeks, solidifying its status as one of Elvis’ most iconic and recognizable songs.
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Lyrics
Love me tender
Love me sweet
Never let me go
You have made my life complete
And I love you so
Love me tender, love me true
All my dreams fulfilled
For my darlin’, I love you
And I always will
Love me tender, love me long
Take me to your heart
For its there that I belong
I will never part
Love me tender, love me true
All my dreams fulfilled
For my darlin’, I love you
And I always will
Love me tender, love me dear
Tell me you are mine
I’ll be yours through all the years
Till the end of time
Love me tender, love me true
All my dreams fulfilled
For my darlin’, I love you
And I always will
For my darlin’, I love you
And I always will