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Tryin' to Get to You

Rating:
4.6 / 5

Words & Music: Charles Singleton Rose Marie McCoy

I've been traveling over mountainsEven through the valleys, tooI've been traveling night and dayI've been running all the wayBaby, trying to get to you.Ever since I read your letterWhere you said you loved me trueI've been traveling night and dayI've been running all the waybaby, trying to get to youWhen I read your loving letterThen my heart began to singThere were many miles between us,But they didn't mean a thing.I just had to reach you, baby,In spite of all that I've been through.I kept traveling night and day,I kept running all the way,Baby, trying to get to you.Well if I had to do it overThat's exactly what I'd do,I would travel night and day,And I'd still run all the way,Baby, trying to get to you.Well, there's nothing that could hold meOr that could keep me away from youWhen your loving letter told meThat you really loved me trueLord above me knows I love youIt was He who brought me through,When my way was dark as night,He would shine His brightest light,When I was trying to get to you.

Recordingdate: 1954/09, first released on: Elvis Presley (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Tryin' to Get to You:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)

Availability

Find available albums with Tryin' to Get to You.

Lex wrote on January 19, 2009
One of the best Sun tracks, some of the later live versions are marvelous too.
My boy, my boy wrote on February 11, 2009
Elvis really got hooked on this one. He never stopped playing it over the years for his own pleasure...and for the enjoyable benefit of our ears too !...In the sit-down segment of the 68 special, he sounded as passionate singing that one as in singing If I can dream...
Natha wrote on February 11, 2009
Here one witnesses at full strength the power of the early years. A fabulous recording, which seems to have had Elvis' attention as this one is on the list of songs he performed in the later years too. In the fifties it had that 'Sun' flavor, while in the seventies the ripened versions appeared. Even when he was fooling around with the lyrics it had that spunk we wanted to hear. An absolute favorite of mine.
bajo wrote on February 11, 2009
One of those early classics Elvis treated with respect until the end! Surely the original is a favourite but most live renditions are great listening too. Especially the NBC version!
JLpResLey wrote on February 11, 2009
Always loved it. The original is outstanding, but I must say I enjoy the versions on NBC TV Special and Elvis In Concert just as much.
JJ.aron wrote on February 11, 2009
this is one of mine all time favorites ! It don't mind when the man sings it ,at sun or at the end , he still pulls it off every time!! A masterpiece . thanks elvis !!
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on February 11, 2009
I missed this first time around, but it is one of my all time fav's, never tire of hearing it !
Ton Bruins wrote on February 11, 2009
Never get tired of this song. Love all the Elvis versions, even the Live versions in 1976 or 1977. Elvis liked this song himself I guess. The one of Rapid City, June 21 1977 is a fantastic one !
sitdown68 wrote on February 11, 2009
with all my respect to the sun version: the 68 version from Burbank should be awarded with a grammy in at least two categories: best rendition of song formerly recorded by the same artist and for pioneering MTV and whatever was to come. in 68 they had a guitar, a guitar, and another guitar. and that's it. and an informal percoussion section as well. So, greatest performance of the decade would be another attribute to the grammy.
Pedro Nuno wrote on February 11, 2009
Another Sun Masterpiece. And a song Elvis showed always great respect. The live version from the '68 Comeback is nothing short than one of the most outstanding live rock performances ever, by anyone. And the 70's live versions are fantastic too, my favourite being the one we find in the import "Just Pretend" where the horns are great and you can feel the joy of Elvis singing it 20 years later than the original.
JerryNodak wrote on February 11, 2009
I have two favorite SUN tracks. "Trying To Get To You" and "Mystery Train."
ta2k wrote on February 11, 2009
Royal. Simply Royal. TCB
bluesboy wrote on February 11, 2009
A great song. The version on the NBC TV Special is simply out of this world. No words can capture the majesty of this performance. For me it's the best thing Elvis ever did and I don't think any other singer will ever be able to better this.
derekd wrote on February 11, 2009
This was Elvis recording what HE wanted and doing it the way he wanted.
old shep wrote on February 11, 2009
To my knowledge Rose Marie Mccoy one of the co writers of this song wrote two songs that were recorded by Elvis. What a pity that Elvis missed out on the other 800 songs that this great songwriter composed. This without doubt must be in the top 10 Rock n Roll or Country Rock recordings ever.
Steve V wrote on February 12, 2009
Nothing short of a masterpiece. The 68 sitdown version is as well. The live 70's versions were good & treated with respect but the rawness was gone replaced by the operatic baritone.
NONE000000 wrote on December 31, 2009
If Elvis Presley would have only recorded one song and then died, if it it were this song, he would still be a legend. This is seriously one of the truly quintessential Elvis songs. I heard the 68 version before hearing the original, and in many ways I still prefer that version, but it scarcely matters. We are talking about a true masterpiece here. I am glad this was one he kept on doing until the very end, and even those final versions are good. This is at the very core of Elvis--it's country, it's hillbilly and bluegrass, it's blues, it's soul and it is rock and roll. It's the whole world of music as channeled by the finest vocalist that ever lived. Listen especially to the 1968 version of this, and just try to escape the power of it. There is not a singer on earth, from Ray Charles to Bruce Springsteen, who can touch the soul, power and majesty of what Elvis did with this track.
Deano1 wrote on December 31, 2009
Five stars all the way regardless of whether it the Sun Recording, The 1968 TV Special or anyone of the live performances captured right up to his last tour in June of 1977. Elvis always put everything he had into this song and it was one of the best from his first LP in 1956 "Elvis Presley" and it was the best track on his first posthumous LP "Elvis In Concert". His "voice was a lot higher back then" (1954), but he always managed to have his belt in the right place.
Gorse wrote on October 30, 2012
Coupled with the fantastic Lawdy Miss Clawdy on the HMV label in the UK in 1957, as a parting release as RCA took over future record distribution.. This song was in Elvis concerts right up to the end and tested his vocal prowess to the limit.- 5 stars all the way.
sugartummy wrote on May 26, 2013
Vernon Presley loved the original off this song by The Eagles so much, that he asked Elvis to record it. That's why Elvis kept doing the song live in his later years. Wanda Jackson did her version on "I remember Elvis". Even Lemmy of Motörhead did a version, but no one could beat the King at this.
ElvisSacramento wrote on December 23, 2013
This song is a true masterpiece for sure and my favorite rendition of it is Elvis' 1950's studio recording of it. Elvis always delivered great performances of this song whenever he sang it.
shoesuedeblues wrote on January 24, 2015
One of the greatest rock n roll songs ever, sublime excellent a true classic
Cruiser621 wrote on January 24, 2015
Nobody, but nobody has ever matched Elvis and this song in particular. One of the all-time best tunes he ever did and one of the first I remember hearing on a 78RPM record (1 of 4) I received as a Christmas present from my parents as a very 11-year old.
trudygillenwater wrote on January 24, 2015
Every time I hear this I get chills up and down my spine! One of the greatest songs in history!
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