Words & Music:
Robin Gibb
Barry Gibb
Maurice Gibb
Smile an everlasting smile
A smile can bring you near to me
Don't ever let me find you gone
'Cause that could bring a tear to me
This words have lost their glory,
Let's start a brand new story, now my love
Right now there'll be no other time
And I can show you all my love
Talk in everlasting words
And dedicate them all to me
I will give you all my life
It's here if you should call to me
You think that I don't even mean
A single word I say
It's only words and words are all I have
To take your heart away
Recordingdate: 1969/08/25, first released on: In Person (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Words:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
Others*
(baton)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(organ)
(vocals)
(bells)
(tambourine)
(vibes)
(clarinet)
(clarinet)
(clarinet)
(clarinet)
(flute)
(flute)
(flute)
(french horn)
(horns)
(horns)
(horns)
(oboe)
(sax)
(sax)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(whistle)
(cello)
(cello)
(cello)
(cello)
(fiddle)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
*Orchestra, overdubs
Availability
Find available albums with Words.
I think Elvis does this well but again, a little too overdone for me with all the background voices. I like the simple version by the Bee Gees a lot better. If you never seen them do it on the Ed Sullivan show, its a real treat.
I know the Bee Gees own this great song but Elvis puts in a tremendous performance and doesn't fall far short of their version. I really rate this cover with the fantastic backing from all concerned combined with the Elvis magic that shines through on this live recording - 5 Stars from me.
The Bee Gees could write good songs back then and this is one of them. Elvis does a decent job on it. The Bee Gees arrangment is better, but I can't stand their voices (in this case Barry Gibb).
Elvis lifts this song from an mediocre sixties song up to a top level. It is his voice as one can do nothing to the lyrics and the basic musical theme. When I heard this the first time I was highly thrilled by it and though at this point in time it thrills me less, it is still a top song which did well during those live shows!
This is such a marvelous and fun song and all of Elvis' renditions of it were brilliant. I'm so glad that Elvis performed this classic Bee Gees song live on stage in 1969 and 1970. Five stars from me.
Another great song given the royal treatment by The King. A true classic!
I always thought Elvis Presley's live versions of "Words" and "Let it be me" would have been great singles as a follow up to "The Wonder of You".
Personally i can't stand the voices of the bee gees, so i never listen to the original version. Elvis version is enjoyable but not important or very original, he didn't do much with the song. So, even if i never listen to the original, words never became an elvis song for me.
The song itself is nice, but doesn't mean something to me personally. I listen to it in the context of the in person lp or in the context of a complete show, but i never listen to it as a standalone. 3 stars.
I enjoy Elvis' version, but the Bee Gees own the song. Bee Gees, 5 stars. Elvis, 3 stars.
Elvis' 1969 version is very nice.
Elvis did many splendid covers in Las Vegas over the years. Many so good he made them his own. Words isn’t among them imo. I don’t know what it is? The key, arrangement or the voice it was sung in. Sorry to admit!