Words & Music:
Don McLean
And I love you so,
The people ask me how,
How I've lived till now
I tell them I don't know
I guess they understand
How lonely life has been
But life began again
The day you took my hand
And yes I know how lonely life can be
Shadows follow me
The night won't set me free
But I don't let the evening get me down
Now that you're around me
And you love me too
Your thoughts are just for me
You set my spirit free
I'm happy that you do
The book of life is brief
Once the page is read
All but love is dead
This is my belief
Recordingdate: 1975/03/10, first released on: Today (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of And I Love You So:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(clavinet)
Others*
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(bass)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(percussion)
(baritone saxophone)
(sax)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
*Orchestra, overdubs
Availability
Find available albums with And I Love You So.
Why am I the first one to react on this song? I really like this one. Perry's version is a nice one too.
Stunning Version Of The Song. Great Song from an Underated Album. Love Elvis Today.
I'd give about anything to hear Elvis do this song with the original, simple arrangement that was on Don McLean's original! That said, I love Elvis' voice on this, every version I've heard.
Love every version of this one. Great album also.
Great voice, so-so arrangement, Yes Don's original had the right arrangement.
I like this song a lot more than most of the ballads he was doing at the time for several reasons. 1) its just a great piece of music written by McLean, I deem it a standard. 2) It does not have an over the top operatic boom vocal 3) It does not contain I miss you Priscilla type lyrics. I too though, wish the arrangement contained less lush and more simple.
Elvis sings this one fantastically well and it is one of McLean's better compositions (I was never impressed with a lot of his work and vocally he is not even in the same universe with Elvis). 4 stars for the track, but I will say that much like "Honky Tonk Angel" that followed "Promised Land" on that LP, this song following "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" on Today is a bit of a let down. I love Elvis singing ballads, but I can only imagine buying either one of these LP's in the mid-70's and hearing the lead off song and thinking, Wow! Rock n' roll Elvis is back!, but from there both LP's slide into a very adult contemporary / country feel. That isn't a bad thing, but a solid rock and roll LP in the 70's would have been very welcomed.
Classic. a masterpiece from McClean. Yes, I also fantasize about Elvis sluffing off the "adult contemorary" influence of the 70's and wonder what it would have been like if he had taken on the more "singer songwriter" sound influence once in a while--blue Jeans a stool and an acoustic guitar. I know he was into Peter Paul and Mary and other folk singers for a while, Early Moring Rain and so on. It would have been nice if he had deviated from the Las Vegas and Felton Jarvis thing a few times.
This is such a spectacular song and all of Elvis' performances and renditions of it are magnificent. It's my second most favorite track from Elvis' 1975 album "Today". My favorite track from that album is "Pieces Of My Life".
This song certainly floats my boat and shows Elvis's ballad prowess to the maximum. I liked Perry Como's version so guess I am a sucker for mushy ballads.
One of my all time favorite Elvis covers. He nails this one, both in the studio and on stage. I had the pleasure of hearing Elvis sing this one live in concert on 2 occassions. Remarkable!
Too bad Elvis didn't do more McClean songs, especially songs from the American pie album.
This is definitely a 5-star song as far as I'm concerned and yes, I have all versions on my purchased FTD album "Elvis Today". This was one of the songs which drew me back to actually listening to Elvis again as I stopped buying or listening to his music after the hit single "Burning Love".
Perfection!! ELVIS 5 STARS.
The first version I heard of this song was by Perry Como (remember him)? It's the reason I knew this song when it was covered on the "Today" LP. Perry and Elvis 5 stars.
Elvis' versions are fantastic. I specially love the 2nd studiotake and the 1977 in Concert version
love it. thanks ELVIS.5 STARS.