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Sylvia

Rating:
3.8 / 5

Words & Music: Les Reed Geoff Stephens

These long lonely evenings
Here I am on the phone
Wondering if she will call
She said she would write me
'Cause she knows I’m alone
But I hear nothing at all

I'm waiting for a word of love from Sylvia.
You think she'd never heard of love my Sylvia,
But when I’m with her Lord, I forgive her
'Cause she's more than the whole world to me
There's nothing like a word of love from Sylvia
The only one I’m thinking of is Sylvia
Feeling so sad now, I'll be so glad now
If I just had my Sylvia with me

That old weepin' willow
Seems to whisper her name
Why did she go away
The tears on my pillow
They're not hard to explain
There's nothing else I can say

I'm waiting for a word of love from Sylvia.
You think she'd never heard of love my Sylvia,
But when I’m with her Lord, I forgive her
'Cause she's more than the whole world to me
There's nothing in the world like Sylvia
The only one I’m thinking of is Sylvia
Feeling so sad now, I'll be so glad now
If I just had my Sylvia with me

Recordingdate: 1970/06/08, first released on: Elvis Now (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Sylvia:

(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 Sylvia.

Lex wrote on June 03, 2009
She never called me again :-). Without kidding... he sounds so desperate... only Elvis could put so much feeling in a pretty weak song.
pasa-ryu wrote on July 29, 2009
for an average written song,Elvis gives a very good heart felt performance and his voice sounds awsome-especially on the ftd album love letters-the unreleased studio outtake..a very enjoyable version from elvis.
JLpResLey wrote on July 29, 2009
I like it. It´s not the song itself that does it for me, it´s more Elvis´ vocals. Because the song itself has to be one of the weakest during those great recording sessions
bajo wrote on July 29, 2009
Does it always have to be a reason for liking something? I like it! Period!
Pedro Nuno wrote on July 29, 2009
Doesn't say nothing to me. But i never liked songs with women's names in its title!
Steve V wrote on July 29, 2009
Good vocal, awful song. The choice of material was certainly going downhill after the fabulous 1969 Memphis sessions.
potluck62 wrote on July 29, 2009
I always liked this song.It was a hit single in Brazil. one of my favorite early seventies songs as well as Heart of Rome.
Jim Hoff wrote on July 29, 2009
Indeed not my kind of cup of Elvis tea.
elvis197475 wrote on July 29, 2009
always liked this song.just something about it mabye elvis vocal
Ruthie wrote on July 30, 2009
Definitely one of my favorite songs. It may be considered an average song but I never tire of it. And what he does with this song makes it so meaningful. And so unusual. I have never heard any of the so-called "authentic" ETAs sing this song well at all. Most of them won't even try! It takes ELvis to pull this off!
Deano1 wrote on March 05, 2010
Elvis pours all of his heart and soul into ok, but far from great song. The first verse makes no sense. He is waiting by the phone, because she said she will write him??? In the 2nd verse the song writer has the guts to rhyme willow with pillow. Yes they rhyme, but it takes guts to go from talking about a tree whispering her name (did these guys write "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro?) to tears on a pillow in the next line. Elvis make it a 3 1/2 star track with five star vocals, but this is one of the worst songs from the great June '70 sessions. To use this song as an example of material going down hill after the '69 sessions is absurd. It is better than the fruity sounding "And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind" or "From A Jack To A King" from the '69 sessions.
Andy_2 wrote on July 20, 2011
Just terrible, always skip this one.
Ton Bruins wrote on July 20, 2011
Always liked the song..
JerryNodak wrote on July 20, 2011
I've always liked this song. No overwhelming reason why. I just like it. 4 stars.
TCB1974 wrote on July 20, 2011
Elvis seems to enjoy singing this song and pours his heart out. The text is kind of weak though and it is definitely not one of his stronger early 70s recordings. Enjoyable to listen but not touching. Three stars from me.
Marty_TCE wrote on August 26, 2012
A real oddity this one...but a good oddity! Elvis pours his heart into this and delivers some very strong vocals, he clearly loved the song and sounds absolutely wonderful.
Ciscoking wrote on August 26, 2012
I always had a faible for this song..especially the undubbed version.
derekd wrote on August 26, 2012
There are a few tracks I usually skip. This is one.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on August 27, 2012
Elvis makes magic with this song. Love it !!
Gorse wrote on February 04, 2013
As a great fan of the 70's output I am afraid this one does nothing for me. Sang well enough and apparently a number 1 in Brazil, it is rather bland and I am rarely enticed to give this a spin.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on February 04, 2013
"he (Elvis) sounds so desperate".. was written on a post, earlier. Well, of course he sounds desperate, thats what the song calls for. Elvis, sings the lyrics perfectly ! Its a great performance. Obviously, others agree, the song went to Number 1 overseas. It wasn't released as a single, here in the states, but should have !
ElvisSacramento wrote on February 05, 2013
"Sylvia" is such a sensational, overlooked and underrated song and I've never skipped it. Elvis' rendition of it was brilliant too.
tcbboy wrote on March 09, 2013
Stunning song and yes, very very underrated indeed, Elvis gives it everything, emotion, feeling, and a whole lot more.
sugartummy wrote on May 16, 2013
Nice if you're a lady named Sylvia, but for me this is a weak song, sung very well indeed.
Natha wrote on July 30, 2013
Whether you like the song or not, this is a song where the sentiment is so strongly and convincingly conveyed that it is at least compelling at that level. And that's the reason why I like this song. it's not a well known song, but if you come across it, you should definitely listen to it and enjoy it in the light of the above stated observation.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on July 30, 2013
LOVE this Song ! Always did, Always will !
JerryNodak wrote on August 29, 2019
I liked it from the moment I heard it on the Elvis-Now LP. Song 4 stars.
Jeoliverm wrote on August 29, 2019
As many of you I think that is a bad song (one of the worst he ever recorded) but strongly and perfectly sung. So much effort in this kind of material it's wasting his talent.
Rob Wanders wrote on August 29, 2019
beaufiful song; heartbreaking If I change the name and the gender; he's singing about me and a love of my youth :-)
Cruiser621 wrote on August 29, 2019
Overblown, bombastic singing and production. Don't particularly care for this song nor the crappy album, "Elvis Now" it was on; which was a hodge podge of thrown together rejects for the most part.
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