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Is It So Strange

Rating:
4.7 / 5

Words & Music: Faron Young

Oh, if you tell a lie
You know that I'll forgive you
Though you say our love is just a game
And when you hear my name
You'll say I'm from a strange world
But is it so strange to be in love with you

Is it so strange
That I love you more than all the world
Is it so strange
I have no eyes for any other girl

Oh won't you take me back
And say that you still love me
To waste a love like ours would be a sin
Let us kiss again
Let me hold you near
And take me from this strange world
That I'm living in

Recordingdate: 1957/01/19, first released on: Peace In The Valley (EP)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Is It So Strange:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Availability

Find available albums with Is It So Strange.

Steve V wrote on February 20, 2009
Fabulous record in that great beat/ballad 50's style. When he goes up, there is no other voice in the world that sounds like that. Great song.
sugartummy wrote on March 26, 2013
Faron Young didn't want to give up the rights to this song. Elvis recorded it nevertheless. Thank God he did.
Gorse wrote on June 14, 2013
I have mixed emotions about this one. I don't currently have it on any of playlists but enjoy it when I give it an occasional spin. His ballad vocal range at this time leaves a bit to be desired, but like his many ballad efforts in the 1950's succeeded because he manages to impart an indefinable simple charm.
Pedro Nuno wrote on November 05, 2013
Great song, great ballad, fantastic rendition. A true 50's gem. It was a late discovery for me, arround late 80's when i had " A date with Elvis". How great Elvis voice was bach then!
kink56 wrote on November 05, 2013
I have always loved this song. I prefer the cleaner mastering on the Just For You EP, over the more echo laden A Date With Elvis mono version. (don't EVEN want to talk about the ERS version!) It has always been on of my favorites.
Deano1 wrote on November 05, 2013
Among Elvis' best ballads of the 1950's. Some of the best IMO are "I Was The One", "Anyway You Want Me", "Playing For Keeps", "Don't" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" and this one despite never being a hit deserves a place among them. He didn't have that crystal clear, pitch perfect voice that he would develop in the early 60's or the bombastic (and I mean that in a good way that he had in the 70's, but there is something beautiful, yet haunting in it. As mentioned in a previous review for this song, no ones voice was like his. Elvis could wring every last bit of emotion out of a song and this is a perfect example of him doing just that.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on November 06, 2013
No doubt, one of his best recordings from the 50s. As mentioned previously, some of the other real good ones, that must be mentioned: "Anyway you want me" & "Playing for Keeps" & "Tell Me Why" & "Blue Moon", among many more.
ElvisSacramento wrote on November 08, 2013
This is such a terrific and underrated ballad and Elvis' recording of it was brilliant. Elvis sang it so tenderly and so sincerely. I've never skipped it. I love all of Elvis' recordings from the 1950's immensely. My favorite era of Elvis' career will definitely always be the 1950's.
little jimmy tompkin wrote on August 02, 2015
this is my favorite Elvis song - if you listen to the out-takes you'll hear genuine laughter from Elvis not like the false laugh on Are you lonesome tonite !
bajo wrote on November 25, 2015
This is truly a great 50's ballad. I've always loved this since I first heard it. I agree with those who puts this along with more well known ballads from the 50's!
yankee1104 wrote on November 25, 2015
A tremendous haunting ballad by Elvis. I have always loved this song, and thought it was one of his better ballads from the 50's. It's funny I do love every Elvis song in its own unique way, but I always thought his best stuff was from the catalog that the mainstream wasn't aware of. Is It So Strange is one of those songs.
TheMemphisFan wrote on November 25, 2015
Look for all the binaural outtakes (and binaural master) of this gem to ultimately be released someday on an FTD issue of "A Date With Elvis".
Cruiser621 wrote on April 30, 2017
I've always wondered why this song wasn't included on side 2 of the album released in 1957, "Loving You". All songs on side 1 were from the actual movie supposedly and side 2 included 5 ballad type tunes; this song would have fit rather nicely bringing the total to 6. I guess because side 1 had 7 was how the Colonel looked at it I'm guessing. Not one more tune beyond the allotted 12 total per album back in the day.
JerryNodak wrote on April 21, 2018
Great song. One of the '50's songs I haven't grown tired of.
atomic powered poste wrote on April 21, 2018
Generally a lot of the early ballads trom elvis aren't exactly great. He wasn't ready for them, technically and emotion. But this is one of his best ballads from the 50's. He delivered the song perfectly. 5 stars.
TheMemphisFan wrote on September 26, 2020
~ Generally most of Elvis' 1950s ballads WERE fabulous and great. He was ready for them technically and emotionally. He delivered this 5-star ballad perfectly the same way he did many others... Harbor Lights; Blue Moon; I Was the One; I Want You, I Need You, I Love You; Love Me Tender; Playing For Keeps; Love Me; How's The World Treating You; Old Shep; Tell Me Why; (There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me); That's When Your Heartaches Begin (1957); Loving You; Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?; Don't Leave Me Now; True Love; I Need You So; Young And Beautiful; My Wish Came True; Don't . . .
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