Words & Music:
Mark James
We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much baby
Why can't you see
What you're doing to me
When you don't believe a word I say?
We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds
So, if an old friend I know
Drops by to say hello
Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?
Here we go again
Asking where I've been
You can't see these tears are real
I'm crying
We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds
Oh let our love survive
Or dry the tears from your eyes
Let's don't let a good thing die
When honey, you know
I've never lied to you
Mmm yeah, yeah
Recordingdate: 1969/01/23, first released on: single (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Suspicious Minds:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(sitar)
(bass)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
Others*
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(bass trombone)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(cello)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
*Orchestra, overdubs
Availability
Find available albums with Suspicious Minds.
Although a cover it has that big "Elvis mark" on it, unbeatable!
Easily one of the finest recordings ever made. Perfect in every way, from delivery to production: a masterpiece.
Quite a different kind of song than "A dog's life" isn't it ?....no, all joking aside, I even know people who don't neccessarily like Elvis who nonetheless think this song is a true classic !
A classic all the way. Everyone - fan and no fan - knows and appreciates this as unmistakenly the top of modern music. Both the recording and the live versions are full of dynamite, interactive fun and artistic prowess. Here we witness the greatness of Elvis in the seventies.
Probably one of the best pop songs ever, and one that Elvis really wanted to record.As others have said, " The song was even bought by non fans too" I remember the fade out giving DJ's a bit of a problem on their first hearing of the song, thinking the song had ended. But familiarity does breed contempt it seems as Elvis later stated that "I hate this song"
what can you say about this song. Probably Elvis' best song ever, according to the public opinion. And in my top 10 for sure.
I like it, but the studio version sounds unfinished and lacks some power. The live versions are great though. 4 stars for the studio recording which could've been done better...
Simply superb. The record that really brought Elvis back to the top.
The ultime Elvis song, and a song that , even today, can match with ANY song played on the radio stations.....
It was to keep with that Memphis Crew...Chips Moham was the right man for Elvis. Wish he'd have stayed with American Studios. Would have had kind of the same effect on him as American Recordings had on Johnny Cashs last years only with the difference, that this southern singer was at the prime of his vocal abilities those days. I strongly believe it would have yielded other albums than Love Letter or For Ol' Times Sake. Moham would have looked for more significant material than those weird an grey haired men in Col Parkers realms...I remember an interview given by Tony Joe White, when Elvis recorded one of his songs in the early 70's...
Definitely one for eternity. But let us not forget it wasn't only Elvis' performance that made such an unforgetable big hit out of this, the girls who did the fantastic irressistable backing vocals are an important part of the success too.
There's no beating, as far as live versions go, the August 1970 one. The blue lighting, the gospel backing, the athleticism, the tight rhythm section -- this one has it all. I have never seen a man dance so fast and in such a precise way, never missing a beat.
As much as I love it, I actually prefer the undubbed version even more.... I find it much more engaging and you really hear his words without the duet effect and back up singers... the way elvis hangs on the last part of "When you don't believe a word I say?" turning "say" into a six syllable word is superb yet lost in the polished final product. The live versions are magnificent and even better to watch... overall in my top 3 for sure.
The live versions gave this song life. I know this might sound strange for a number one, but the live versions from 69 and 70 was superb. The studio recording was not as good. Actually, Elvis was n´t satisfied, cause someone (Colonel Parker?) had changed it, from the way that Elvis had wanted it.
There was another thing in the studio recording. I think it was Lamar Fike that said that the fade- out/fade-in ending almost killed the song. I agree. Maybe that´s the thing that Elvis was mad about
This is one of those Elvis songs that, for me is much more than a simple song. Those 4,30m of the studio version are a sort of fresh air, happiness and pleasure that just enter my life and give me a reason to live. It’s odd to talk like this about a simple music, but without this Elvis song, and others of him to, I would be a very different person, because it just hit my soul.
This is my number one song. I don`t know how people here can critize Elvis Songs so many times. It`s one of the songs I don`t understand why Elvis did not recieve an Grammy for song of the year, best recording and best live performance. 555 Stars for this song.
One of my all time favorites. . . Elvis at his best!!
In my opinion, this is the "Best Elvis pop record" Ever !! It still sounds Great, after all these years !!!! People of all ages, still Love this song and request it !!! If RCA were to have a little "fun" and remix this for a single release in 2008.. (adding a heavier bass beat.. and drums and such., but staying true to the original) this is would be number one, all over again !!! My only complaint, on this record... is the fade down and fade up.. towards the end of the record. The DJs use to cut the song, on the fade... and we lost, that great ending .. when it played, on the Radio. I say leave that "long ending".. but lose the fade !!! Its a Five star perfect- record !! without the fade its a "10" If possible !! (LOL)
Yes, this is a classic. Yes, it is a great song. Yes, he does a marvelous job. Yes, public opinion rates this as #1. And, yes, I do like it, but I am getting sick of it. This song is all you ever hear. On our local station, it's the only Elvis song that's played. And when people call in requests & request an Elvis song I hold my breath that we might hear something different once in a while. No, Suspicious Minds. He did many other songs, had many hits just as good. I listen to Elvis every day that I can but I skip this song. I know someone else is playing it!
I prefer the live versions (in particular 1974 ones). I don't like the studio version at all. In particular, his voice is too much too high. Not an Elvis song. It won't surprise me that Elvis didn't like the way it was recorded (assuming that this is true).
I have over well 500 Elvis songs. This is definitely NOT his best ever song and not by a long shot. I can't help but think that those who think it is have not really listened to a lot of Elvis. It was however, to the best of my knowledge, the first time Parker agreed to not to insist on the publishing credits because Elvis really wanted to do the tune.
My favorite Elvis single. Sensational!
Pure Class! One of the Best...
One of the best pop songs around!!
THE BEST SONG OF ALL TIME!
What can you say about this song? It's flawless. And it really heralded a new, grown-up Elvis, done with movies and ready to take on the world--successfully, I might add. The song is so omnipresent it is easy to tune it out when it pops up on the radio, but if you can sit and listen to this with fresh ears, it is truly an astonishing piece. Longer than any of Elvis' singles up to that point, more adult, more soulful, yet hard-rocking. It's a signature song for Elvis at a time when many had already written him off. It's a huge highpoint, and the early live versions are really fantastic.
As Simon Cowell of Idol fame wrote in his book, Elvis Presley-"Suspicious Minds". Perfection.
Yes it is overplayed and always shows up on Elvis lists, but hey it is his best recording after 1961. It should have been nominated for a grammy. It blows my mind to even see one negative comment about it. Prefer live 1974 ? Geez, really? Elvis stopped caring about this song around Aloha time.
Possibly my favorite song of all time.
A song I never get tired of, as long as it's the single version.
Incredible that this song was recorded by the same man who recorded last day's song of the day, Golden coins! Suspicious Minds was the rocket to re-launch Elvis' career on the hit lists, whilst songs like Golden Coins did everything possible to sink the Presley ship!
Suspicious Minds is one of those classics that goes way beyond anything he ever recorded before.
He had so many classics already lined up by then. Still this songs somehow rises above all. It's rated also way beyond the fan base as one of Elvis Presley's all time greatest recordings. It's simply timeless and one of those songs I never get tired of hearing!
If i like 'song of the Day' i usually score a high of 4 stars, except for a few which to me are the gems of Elvis's recordings. Susicious Minds is one of these gems.
You may like other songs better, you may even like a concert version of this song better, but the word classic fits the original recording of this song perfectly. Totally different than anything that had come before it in the Elvis catalog. After setting the trends from 56-63, he lost his influence in the music field from 64-66. Tried to find his niche in '67 and '68 with tunes like "Guitar Man", "Big Boss Man" and "U.S. Male" and the TV Special with varying degrees of success and finally carved out that niche with this song. Take away the soundtracks for the most part as they were based on the "Blue Hawaii" model of situational songs and look at his studio work and the metamorphosis from "That's All Right" to "Hound Dog" to "Don't" to "It's Now Or Never" to "There's Always Me" to "It Hurts Me" to "How Great Thou Art" to "Guitar Man" to "If I Can Dream" to "Suspicious Minds". It is simply amazing.
ELVIS at his absolute best ! The Memphis sessions, without a doubt, produced some of Elvis Presley's best recordings ever !! He oozed "Soul", "Country", & "Rock-N-Roll" in these recording sessions. The studio version of "Suspicious Minds" is pure perfection ! And, the song still holds up strong, in 2010. I never get tired of it.
The best song Elvis ever recorded. Period. Also his best live performance in my opinion.
I know i'm in the minority here but i agree with Ruthie... i for one am sick of this song! It's so overplayed it's ridiculous. yes it is a classic and Elvis does a great job with it but he recorded a number of other songs that some would agree were much better aesthetically, artistically and musically("If i Can Dream" "Moody Blue" "Kiss Me Quick" etc...) But this song is on so many lists and is played so often that some of us R sick of it.
I wish he sung it at every concert why did he stop singing it
Nothing to add other than totally brilliant - was it the most complete recording of his whole career - maybe maybe !!
Even Chuck D loves this song. Perfect production.
Never liked the song (master take); in fact, it was kinda boring to my ears. But when I heard live version, and later - outtakes - I lovet it and started to appreciate it. Every version of this song is pure gem with exception for the master (with it's ridiculous false fade out at the end).
Without a doubt in the Top 3 of most Elvis fans favorite Elvis Presley recordings. I Love the studio version lots !
I much prefer the live "In Person" recording over the studio single.
Bombastic at times, in particular with the overblown ending; especially with the 45 RPM single and the faded out and faded in ending... Great song.
50 years ago and this single was riding high in the Uk charts. 5 star all the way.
A true timeless classic and a perfect follow up to "In The Ghetto" when released as a single. These two singles put Elvis back up where he belonged, not only in the charts worldwide but also with critics, the general public...and his fans of course. I never tire of listening to it and I get a kick out of imitating Gene Chrisman's wonderful drumming, using my hands and fingers :) As for the live versions I liked the ones during the 1969 and 1970 shows but am not too fond of what followed from there on when the fire in his voice was diminishing.
great song, i prefer the live version TWII and aloha