Words & Music:
Roy Turk
Lou Handman
Are you lonesome tonight,
do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?
Does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?
Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?
Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?
I wonder if you're lonesome tonight
You know someone said that the world's a stage
And each must play a part.
Fate had me playing in love you as my sweet heart.
Act one was when we met, I loved you at first glance
You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue
Then came act two, you seemed to change and you acted strange
And why I'll never know.
Honey, you lied when you said you loved me
And I had no cause to doubt you.
But I'd rather go on hearing your lies
Than go on living without you.
Now the stage is bare and I'm standing there
With emptiness all around
And if you won't come back to me
Then make them bring the curtain down.
Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?
Recordingdate: 1960/04/03, first released on: single (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Are You Lonesome Tonight?:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(sax)
Availability
Find available albums with Are You Lonesome Tonight?.
Even today this song gives me chills. GREAT song!
Beyond any doubt a 5 star song. From the very release till the very end it was a fabulous song. It was obvious that the song invited Elvis to fool around with the lyrics later on venting his joy or sadness. One way or another there was this transmission of personal feeling to the fans present. Hence to me it never lost any of its glorious feeling.
absolutely a Masterpiece. the timing of this song is so extreme good, specially the spoken part. Everything about this song is right, so indeed a Masterpiece.
I love every version Elvis did during his lifetime every one of them is special to me. My favorite one is the laughing version cause Elvis was having fun and when he is in that mood it make's me happy. He was more than just an entertainer he was the best in the world as a performer and a human being the absolute best!
How do you follow up a release like 'Its now or Never' Simple, record a song like 'Are You Lonesome Tonght'. A gem from the early 60's gems. Pure Elvis magic. A double 5* in my book.
This is my all-time favorite Elvis song. I have so many favorites- but Elvis really pours his heart into this one. It gets to me everytime I hear it. . .
This is one of the all-time classics. The mood he created in the studio was sublime and although some live versions are very good, they dont capture that mood? I'm sick of the laughing version. Once or twice is fine for fun listening, but no more.
I prefere this one 1000times then love me tender. I can't stand it he's live version... !!
Anyone wanting proof that he had the best voice ever, just listen, great mood, perfect performance, classic classic classic!
One of the Best Songs os the Rock Era.
A song originally released in 1926 became a multi million seller for Elvis in 1960. In later years Elvis stated that good material for recording was difficult to find.Perhaps if he took the time to listen to some of the forgotten gems like Lonesome Tonight, songs of this caliber could have been re-discoverd for a new generation of Elvis fans.
It´s a great song but I never really felt completely satisfied with the studio version, though it´s a very good one. I agree concerning the laughing version, I don´t like listen to it. Two versions I absolutely adore are the one on the comeback special, and the version from Hampton Roads 1972. These are the versions I prefer when I want to listen to this amazing song
If ever the word "classic recording" means anything, then this is one occasion to use it! This is among those Elvis recordings I never get tired of hearing!
From beginning to an end, this is a classic. This is one of the very few songs that Colonel Parker (it was one of his wife's favorite songs) asked Elvis to record and it was originally going to be just an album track on "Elvis Is Back". Elvis gave such a beautiful rendition of this song that the decision was made to hold it for single release. Many of us on this website knock RCA, Elvis and Colonel Parker for single selections throughout his career ("Do The Clam" over "Girl Happy", burying "It Hurts Me" on the flipside of "Kissin' Cousins", etc), but in this case they made a great choice.
One of Elvis' finest recording,enough said. 10 stars One of my late mother's fav's so it makes me sad when I hear it,but in a nice way though.
A five star top 5. Along with the 50's singles H/hotel. Don't be cruel. Hound dog. Jailhouse rock & All shook up. Early 60's Now or never. Surrender. Good luck charm. Crying in the Chapel & of course Lonesome to night. Late 60's & 70's. S/minds. Burnin love. Wonder of you. If I can Dream & In the ghetto.
Absolutely one of the finest recordings ever. One of the most spine tingling moments I've ever had was when visiting RCA Studio B in Nashville and they dimmed the lights and played "Are You Lonesome Tonight" over the sound system. It was just as if the King was there in the room. When you hear this song in that context and with that unique sound, it really hits home just how great a song it is and, more importantly, just how without equal Elvis was.
I absolutely Adore this song Elvis sings it so amazingly it give me chill. I love it when he sings it live in fact i like all versions of this song even when Elvis changed the lyrics and have fun with it. The laughing version is a thrill.
This is such a brilliant song and Elvis' has the best renditions of it by far. I love all of Elvis' renditions of it.
Incredibly simple and simply incredible. What a voice, what delivery - it is hard to believe that this is a 25 year old lad.
The feeling and emotion shown in this song demonstrates why he was one of the greatest singer entertainers of all time.
I rate this song as one of the best recordings by anybody anywhere.
I'm a sucker for this one; always was, always will be. If Elvis took his version from Al Jolson, he changed the reciting lyrics a bit.
It's always been my Favorite Elvis song.