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Only Believe

Rating:
4.2 / 5

Words & Music: Paul Rader

Lordy only believe, only believe
All things are possible
If you'll only believe
My Lordy, only believe, yes only believe
All things are possible
If you'll only believe

I met God one morning my soul feeling bad
Heart heavy laden I felt fire doubt ahead
Well He lifted all my burdens, yeh! right now I'm feeling glad
All things are possible
If you'll only believe

I believe, yeh! I believe,
All things are possible
If you'll only believe

Recordingdate: 1970/06/08, first released on: Love Letters from Elvis (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Only Believe:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(organ)
(harmonica)

Others*

(percussion)
(french horn)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with Only Believe.

old shep wrote on May 09, 2008
This is awful, self indulgent nonsence.
My boy, my boy wrote on January 03, 2009
Elvis is in voice...the Imperials sound good...I never skipped that one !
commoneverybody wrote on January 03, 2009
One of he weakest 1970s singles and one of the weakest gospel songs. Unbelievable to release this as a single. Much better material was available at the time.
FLASHBOY wrote on January 03, 2009
This is a superb Gospel song Ilove this song Amazing performance by the King!
sitdown68 wrote on January 03, 2009
Well, the lyrics of this great song are far from being self indulgent nonsence. This beautiful and encouraging song is a 100 pro biblebased. It is an interpretation of what we read in Matthew 19,26 related to a conversation of Jesus Christ with a rich young man. There the scripture says: Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. I guess this song is a reminder of Presleys childhood. He delivers a flawless and intense performance. He was awarded three times with a Grammy in his lifetime. And they all went for gospel music...Have a blessed new year.
Natha wrote on January 03, 2009
I have nothing with gospels. I can bear up with it when Elvis sings it because of the sheer beauty of his voice, but this one I always skip.
Rob Wanders wrote on January 03, 2009
I like this song; gives me strength in darker days.
JLpResLey wrote on January 03, 2009
It´s really a great gospel song. this one is sung very seriously. I liked the song immediately
Steve V wrote on January 03, 2009
Good song, good performance , but not single material. Great on an LP however.
Steve Morse wrote on January 03, 2009
Regarding the lyrics, "I felt fire doubt ahead" . . . What on earth is that supposed to mean? After more than 35 years, I am still trying to figure out what the real lyrics are or should be !
theoldscudder wrote on January 03, 2009
Good song. I felt fire (pause) doubt ahead. Makes sense.
Pietro S wrote on November 16, 2010
Correct lyrics are: "...I felt tired down in" (according to my sheetmusic).
Steve Morse wrote on November 16, 2010
"I felt tired down in" - so what the heck does that mean ? The lyrics continue to baffle us, after all these years. That apart, I quite like the song and the performance.
Pietro S wrote on November 16, 2010
Heart heavy laden, I felt tired down in (the heart).
bluesboy wrote on November 16, 2010
I love the bluesy way in which this is sung. My favorite from the Love Letters album.
Deano1 wrote on November 16, 2010
Well sung; but a lesser Elvis gospel tune. Horribly out of place on the album "Love Letters From Elvis" and an odd choice for an Easter single in '71. I give it four stars based mainly on the vocals; but the lyrics are too repetitive.
JerryNodak wrote on November 16, 2010
I like this song a lot. As I've grown older I find myself playing Elvis' gospel/inspirational/religious songs much more, and everything else much less.
ElvisSacramento wrote on December 08, 2012
This is such a beautiful song and all of Elvis' renditions of it are brilliant. Elvis' only concert performance of this song occurred at the Las Vegas, Nevada Midnight Show from January 27, 1971.
Gorse wrote on December 08, 2012
Not the best gospel song by a long way that ever emanated from our boy,and definitely not a single at any time in his career. I rated the other side Life vastly superior and can only give this side 3 stars at the very most.
kink56 wrote on December 08, 2012
One of the better songs on a relatively weak album, and the better side of the horrible Life single.
Miknik7077 wrote on September 28, 2020
Not one of his better gospel tunes. The lyrics are just too repetitive. But this is where Elvis becomes a genius in that he takes a mediocre song and makes it good or great just because of his voice.
marty wrote on November 07, 2020
Probably his weakest single of the 70's. He had a string of 9 singles (including gospel, Christmas singles) that failed to reach the top 20 after "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" reached no 11 and until "Burning Love" became a smash hit. I never really liked it, the flip side is bit better. Following the success of "Crying In The Chapel" they kept releasing these "Easter" gospel singles until 1972 (He Touched Me), without much success. A strange choice for a single even if it was aimed for the Easter market.
bajo wrote on November 07, 2020
No single material at all imo! I bit over the top vocally. I don't skip it, but it is far from beeing a fav track!
Pinkie wrote on November 07, 2020
The correct lyric is '...I felt nothing but doubt ahead'. I really used to dislike this song but although not exactly top drawer stuff, I like it. It should definitely have ben kept for He Touched Me.
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