Words & Music:
Buffy Sainte-Marie
You're not a dream
You're not an angel
You're a woman
I'm not a king,
I'm a man,
Take my hand
We'll make a space
In the lives that we planned
And here we'll stay
Until it's time for you to go
Yes, we're diff'rent worlds apart
We're not the same
We laughed and played
At the start like in a game
You could have stayed
Outside my heart
But in you came
And here you'll stay
Until it's time for you to go
Don't ask why,
Don't ask how
Don't ask forever,
Love me now
This love of mine
Had no beginning
It has no end
I was an oak,
Now I'm a willow
Now I can bend
And tho' I'll never
In my life see you again
I still stay
Until it's time for you to go
Recordingdate: 1971/05/17, first released on: single (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Until It's Time for You to Go:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(percussion)
Availability
Find available albums with Until It's Time for You to Go.
Last year, shortly before my dear mother's death, I happened to play this song for her as part of a mix of music she liked or might like. She was a "'50s generation" Elvis fan, who also loved "Aloha" before her sons surpassed her in Elvis fandom.
So "Until It's Time for You to Go" came on and, being a widow, she seemed very taken by the lyrics. Never having heard it, he asked me to play it again and remarked upon how beautiful the song was. It turned out to be the last night (or day) I ever saw her as she died not much later at age 71. This song will always have this extra poignant meaning for me.
A lovely Buffy Sainte-Marie song and every bit as good as this songwriters poignant version.
A song I grew over. Elvis Now was one of my first albums and when I just had it I actually liked this song. Now I heard so many good ballads by Elvis that do not sound as boring, this one makes me yawn.
Elvis' rendition of this touching song with his vocal tenderness makes it easily stick to one's mind. Hence the sweetness of this song has popped up in my mind in a number of life's occasions.
indeed a special song with nice lyrics and a sweet melody. The studio versions are by far the best. The life versions were (except for the firts ones) unfortunately, throw-aways.
A nice song & well sung but too many strings & just too lush for hit single material in 1972. It didnt do much on the charts. Good album cut I guess.
I like it a lot, both the studio version and the live ones. I don´t agree that the live ones were throwaways. I don´t understand why only a short part of the song appeared in Elvis on Tour. I would have loved to see Elvis perform the whole song
The song did well in the UK charts reaching the number 5 position, seldom heard now on the radio which is unfortunate as its a splendid recording.
This song is just beautiful. 5 stars
It's a very nice song, with a contemporary sound back in the 70's. Even nowadays is an excellent way to show the King 70's period no non Elvis fans.
Sorry to say, but when I first heard it I didn't like Elvis' vocal. I know later that this one was tried out again. It is something "not right" with Elvis' delivery. It's a beautiful song, but there's something in his voice, at that time, that didn't really fit the song. I can't really put my finger on it. But, over the years I've come to like it a bit more! It's one of those: Now I like it, now I don't!
This song always bored me, mostly because of the arrangement. I like the Buffy Saint Marie version better. But I guess what annoyed me most was, again here was Elvis covering another ballad already a hit for someone else and breaking no new ground. All too common in the 70's.
not Elvis's best single release around that time, but a big improvement on 5 years previous, remember Frankie & Johnny or Spinout or Do not disturb?
Like it very much..touch me in the heart this song...!
The arrangement is a little heavy handed but it is very tenderly sung by Elvis. Despite this, still a 5 star mark from me.
I like it, excellent song and recording.
The best song on the album "Elvis Now". A beautiful ballad that was released as a single and had some success (#40 pop, #9 easy listening), but like "I'm Leavin" it just didn't have the hook that you need for top 40 radio airplay. Both songs grow on you and you come to appreciate them more with each listen. 5 star song, 3 star LP (why was "I'm Leavin" on this LP?)
Ballads/Love Songs. My favorite kind of Elvis. Great song/vocal. Tugs at my heart strings.
Always been a favorite of mine since I first heard it on my old see-thru yellow vinyl album "Elvis: A Canadian Tribute". I always loved it, and the line "I'm not a king, just a man" takes on more sincerity coming from a man everyone called the King. It's a shame he always sounded very bored with it when he did it live. I can't recall a live version where he didn't joke around--which is fine--but it would be nice to have one nice clean live version. Either way, I love the song, love the studio version, love Elvis' voice.
The best song on the album "Elvis Now". A beautiful ballad that was released as a single and had some success (#40 pop, #9 easy listening), but like "I'm Leavin" it just didn't have the hook that you need for top 40 radio airplay. Both songs grow on you and you come to appreciate them more with each listen. 5 star song, 3 star LP (why was "I'm Leavin" NOT on this LP?)
Hit the top ten in the UK, and is a nicely performed folk ballad sung with more than a hint of soul and feeling. I don't think this is a particularly brilliant song but Elvis makes the most of it.
Beautiful ballad, but Elvis' voice is weak here. 3 stars for me.
I love it except for the "Don't ask why" part. It's very different from the Buffy version, which is just vocals and guitar. The version of Nancy Sinatra is quite good too.
This is such a fabulous ballad and I love all of Elvis' studio recordings of it. But, I don't like any of Elvis' concert versions of it.
Sad ballad given a floating almost aching delivery. Very memorable and a minor classic, but largely unknown except among hardcore Elvis fans and that is a real tragedy.