Words & Music:
Bobby Russell
Do you know who I am
Have you have any idea who I am
Yes it's been quite a while
And it's so good to see you again
It's so dark in this place
That I can't see your face
May we leave? Oh I see
Does he know who I am
And what once was between you and me
Do you know how I tried
Have you any idea how I tried
Not to keep you in sight
Do you know darling how much I cried
I remember you said
That you had to forget about me, and be free
Do you know who I am or have you forgot about me
Do you think there's a chance
You and I could start over again
Is there a prayer you still care?
Or has it just been too long and we're through
Well, what about you and him
Oh he's only a friend
Well I see there's still a chance for me
Well maybe some other time, in some other place
With our love in your heart and a smile on your face
You will know who I am
When that time comes you'll know who I am
You will know who I am
When that time comes you'll know who I am
You will know who I am
When that time comes you'll know who I am
Recordingdate: 1969/02/18, first released on: Back in Memphis (From Memphis to Vegas) (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Do You Know Who I Am:
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
Others*
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
*Orchestra, overdubs
Availability
Find available albums with Do You Know Who I Am.
A great song from the Memphis sessions, Elvis was in great voice for this one.
Great little know song. Yea, his voice is great on this one.
one of my favourites from 1969.
One of the best ballads of his career! Perfect performance!
Superb melody, beautiful lyrics + Elvis's voice at its prime, what more could anyone ask for !?
Isn't that a beautiful song ! Especially the "outtakes"...Great lyrics, great for the voice of our man indeed ! Very underrated song. I place it together with In The Ghetto..
Great song and well recorded. Such a change from 2 year previous. It was great to be an Elvis fan with our man topping the charts and releasing great albums once again.
Yes Elvis - now we finally know who you are when singing material like this with a great producer.
"Verse" 2 should read, "May we leave ? - Oh I see".
Later on, should read, "Is there a prayer you still care?".
The master is over-produced and thus the lyrics are not clear. The simplicity of the outtake brings more meaning to (and more clarity of) the lyrics.
One of the really good tracks from The Memphis Sessions in 1969, not that there were many sub par ones. Elvis sings this ballad as if he is living each word and is vocals are perfect. I wouldn't give it five stars, but it would be close (4 1/2 stars).
Certainly in my top twenty, exceptional song and performance.
The ballads from 1969 were strong, all of them and sung with so much soul, much like the 50's ballads This is one of the best. Hos voice reminds me of Don't on this one. A few years later, they started to sound the same. The soul was replaced by overdone operatic tones.
Absolutely awesome 5 stars *****
Haunting. The story of a lost but never forgotten love, great!
Underrated is definitely the right word for this great, beautiful song. This one is especially interesting to me because Elvis voice had changed/matured/grown so much at the end of the 1960s, that the Elvis on the 1968 comeback special barely sounded like the Elvis from the movies. I like to listen to this back to back with "Who Am I?" from Speedway. I like both songs, but Elvis sounds so much more "real" and honest on this song, and it's hard to put a finger on exactly what the new quality in his voice was, but it was certainly there. I love this song.
Don't like this at all,low point in his career.
The 1969 Memphis sessions, is Elvis at his most "soulful vocal best". Even better than the master recording, of this song, are the alternate versions, which are more pure and simple and beautiful on the ears.
Just have to comment again on this great recording. The first verse is unreal, remembering that it was recorded just after the '68 comeback.
Great song. one of the many highlights of his career
Up there with the gems of his career. The best ballad recorded at the 1969 sessions and a par with the 50's type ballads when simple backing and a soulful voice dominated. I think it would even be better sans the strings.
A low point in his career? I don't think so.Fantastic record and seesion
I agree with old shep not even close to a low point in his career and far from a boring song,this song proves why i love Elvis 5 STARS all the way, i don't understand fans who don't like this song,that's something i will never understand
A beautiful and sad ballad. The last verse is kind of heartbreaking. I remember playing this song over and over when one of my first loves didn't work out. Naturally, this is a tragedy in a young man's life! Four stars from me.
I love take 1, it's much better than the master!
one of the best songs he ever recorded period.equally as good in it's own way as suspicious minds,in the ghetto from the memphis sessions,i agree that the alternates are so superior to the master,his rendition of this song has never been bettered. five star recording from me.
When you have songs of this quality in your repertoire, why would you not sing this live on stage in the 70's, as opposed to some of the crap ballards he chose? It wasn't even a difficult song to 're-learn', the lyrics are simple enough. Baffling, a complete mystery. Great song and sung as well as you could want it sung, depth and feeling, sheer magic.
Elvis at his best. Those Memphis sessions, are my favorite recordings. Some of undubbed "alternate versions" are better than the master copy.
Love it. And for me the strings works better than without. 4 stars.
With material like this in his catalog, why oh why did he sing ONJ songs, Marty Robbins songs, My Way, etc. Awful decision not to bring gems like this into his show. Its also a great way for fans to know he had some damn fine songs hidden on some albums. So he didnt want to sing all his hits. Ok I get that. But here is one darn fine LP cut. Elvis, I will never understand.
Elvis should simply have stuck with the format and producers of these sessions. Simply as that. Also best backing singers he ever used also ! Elvis missed this opportunity for future recordings. "Do you know who i am" is one of Elvis" best ever recordings. Pure quality.
Elvis suffered from a bad cold, that's why his voice sounds so rough. Elvis changed his voice (deliberately ?) very often, sometimes in the context of one song, but always to great effect. The Sun Elvis has a different sound from the 50's RCA Elvis. Elvis in the beginning of the 60's sounds much different than in '68 (Comeback Special). In '69 he sounds different again. And during the rest of his live he changed it again. I love all the Elvis'. What a voice(s)!
One of the lesser lights from the brilliant Memphis Sessions. The songs from this session are nearly all giving the thumbs up while their equals from less favourite sessions are given the thumbs down. Don't get me wrong, this is yet another nice offering from '69 but as a soul ballad is not spectacular and is at best 3 1/2 stars.
Beautiful, love it.Sad poignant and heartfelt
I've always liked this ballad immensely and Elvis' rendition of it was phenomenal. I've never skipped it. It's unfortunate that Elvis never sang it at any of his concerts though.
Great song from the comeback sessions of 1969; especially the delivery by Elvis. 5-stars.