Love Me, Love the Life I Lead

A bit over the top and Elvis seems to strain in parts of the song (he was fighting a cold during part of this recording session), but like Sylvia and Padre it still comes together decently It isn't great and it is a song that sounds very dated today. This song is what it is, a leftover that along with several other leftovers found their way onto a mediocre album. It is better than "Where Do I Go From Here" and on par with the before mentioned "Padre". Not as good as "Fool" or "For Lovin' Me" or even "Don't Think Twice" which deserved to be on real albums (the last two should have been on Elvis Now). What a shame this was RCA's follow-up to "Aloha From Hawaii"...Instead of celebrating Elvis, they gave us this??? A perfect follow-up to "Aloha"? How about "Gold Records, Vol 5". Then they could have taken the best tracks from the July and December Stax sessions and released two great albums in 1974. One country LP and one uptempo rock LP. "Elvis (Fool)" and "Raised On Rock" really hurt his future album sales and it is a shame as the next three LP's (Good Times, Promised Land and Today) were much better LP's.

great song. it deserves more attention.

The songs isnt so bad, the arrangement & vocal is. Should have been done more simply and in a lower key.

It's a very scratchy vocal for sure but a song I've always quite liked. For me it's filed under guilty pleasures somewhere between I'll take love and Beach Shack. Oops! I've said too much...

I actually liked it when I first heard it. Now I find it dated and a bit too much over the top! I think Elvis sang it quite well, he had such a strong voice but sometimes it was just too big. While songs like this one, Hurt, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Rags to Riches were great, I also feel that they got too "big" at times. I wish that Elvis would hold back his voice sometimes. Of course, he had a stunning voice, a voice that could do anything, but let´s compare this song with his powerful recording of It´s Now Or Never. That recording has so much power, but is still not too strong, it is balanced very well.

It was recorded on the last day of a seven day recording session. Elvis didn't like the demo, his voice wasn't as strong as on the previous days and after twelve takes Felton Jarvis suggested Elvis recut his vocal later, but he never did. Still the song was released. Despite all this, still a decent song.

I am a great fan of the 70's OTT productions but agree that this just misses the target. It should have definitely been recorded in a lower key, but I think he was on a mission to prove he had the range to tackle anything presented to him.

Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. The vocal strain somehow takes the mood away from the song. Elvis tries too hard imo. Overall, during this period Elvis seemed out of direction and intention. The RCA releases at the time were hard to understand.

I'd always thought Elvis sang this in a similar voice as "I'm Leavin" -- slightly higher and more vulnerable-sounding, on purpose. I assumed this is how he "felt" the song. The "vocal strain" being one element in Elvis' vocal arsenal to make him sound a little desperate when he thought the song and lyrics called for it. All of that said, it is certainly a lessor song. A lot like "Where Do I Go From Here?" the song could use less repetition of the chorus and more actual verses. To me, it is the song itself and the arrangement that are not so great. I'm on board with Elvis' delivery though. But overall, not a great one.

I've always admired this song immensely and it certainly deserves much more attention than it has actually received. Elvis' rendition of it was splendid, passionate and sincere. I've never skipped it. 5 Stars.

I wouldn't call this song a favorite, but I will usually listen to it when I play the Elvis (Fool) CD. Which I rediscovered when I purchased the 60 CD LP Collection box set. It's been much improved with the inclusion of bonus tracks.

Not a favorite of mine, but it does stick in my mind.

I really like this song, one of my favorites on vinyl