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You Don't Have to Say You Love Me

Rating:
4.5 / 5

Words & Music: Pino Donaggio Vito Pallavicini Vicki Wickham Simon Napier-Bell

When I said, I needed you
You said you would always stay
It wasn't me who changed, but you
And know you've gone away

Don't you know that now you're gone
And I'm left her on my own
Then I have to follow you
And beg you to come home

You don't have to say you love me
Just be close at hand
You don't have to stay forever
I will understand
Believe me, believe me
I can't help I love you
But believe me, I'll never tie you down

Left alone with just a memory
Life seems dead and so unreal
All that's left is loneliness
There's nothing left to feel

Recordingdate: 1970/06/06, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of You Don't Have to Say You Love Me:

(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 You Don't Have to Say You Love Me.

ElvisDayByDay wrote on April 21, 2008
A great song well sung by Elvis who knows how to build up the performance this kind of melody needs.
old shep wrote on April 28, 2008
This was a good choice for RCA to put out as a single, even though the Dusty Springfield original would take some beating for quality.Elvis' version was more gutsy than Dusty's and it came out at a time when Elvis could do no wrong in the charts.
Ton Bruins wrote on June 16, 2008
Naturally a song that I like very much in the versions of Elvis..We have some fantastic live versions from Las Vegas. Typical song for Elvis' voice.
Natha wrote on June 16, 2008
Combine the voice and power of Elvis with lyrics like this and the result is almost divine. I vividly recall the days this one was released and it made a very deep impact on me back then and it still does.
My boy, my boy wrote on June 16, 2008
The studio version is awesome...Elvis at his best !
Jerome wrote on June 16, 2008
basically this song is about a one night stand..
JerryNodak wrote on June 16, 2008
I like the original by Dusty and Elvis' "cover" version equally well. Two singers, two interpetations. I definitely prefer Elvis' studio version over the live versions.
Steve V wrote on June 16, 2008
Dusty is my fave female singer, & of course Elvis my fave male. Depends on the mood Im in but I enjoy both equally as much. The studio version is superior to the live versions which as always when it comes to concert songs, seems rushed. I saw Elvis sing this at MSG and was a bit disappointed at the arrangement.
JLpResLey wrote on August 29, 2009
Elvis sung it well, no question about it. Great song. If I have to choose, I must say I prefer the Dusty Springfield original. That one is slower and with that beautiful intro as well. Elvis, as he did a lot, rushed it. However, a great recording of a great song
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on August 29, 2009
Although Dusty's version is the ultimate one,I do enjoy Elvis' version,Slighty rushed as Elvis did with most of his cover's,but still good for all that.
Ruthie wrote on August 30, 2009
Again, no disrespect to Dusty because she did a nice job, but I never paid much attention to the song until Elvis took it over - rush job or not - and put some guts into it. I guess I need a song to keep me awake.
Swen wrote on September 16, 2009
Like it was written especially for him. Song and singer a perfect match this time. Great performance!
Rob Wanders wrote on September 16, 2009
as with many other songs, the studioversion is, in my opinion, by far superior than the live-versions, who were rushing and only drifting on the fine melody, while in the studioversion Elvis gave also the words attention. Because of the attention for the words, the lyrics got a natural flow (with the accents on the place where it would be if you would just speak the lyrics). That was one of the strongest points of Elvis; if he really wanted it, he could bring a song to a very high level.
dgirl wrote on September 16, 2009
I think this was too soon for a single release being only 4 years after Dusty's classic which was identified with her. Patch It Up was a missed oppurtunity for a great A side rocker which was also one of the filmed highlights in TTWII. As for the song itself, it is very good, but I prefer Dutsy's version.
bajo wrote on April 27, 2011
Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. I really don't know what to think of this. I'm surprised it did so well as a single. I think it's a bit too fast and overproduced. Still, the version that came along on E2 Second to none, somehow made me pay more attention to it. Possibly one of the greatest that I play least.
Deano1 wrote on April 27, 2011
A bit over the top and a little too much going on (production wise) , but somehow Elvis and his incredible voice make this a track to remember. It has always been one of my favorites. I find the comparisons to Dusty Springfield's version a little silly. Elvis is my favorite singer so of course I like his version the best. Is Dusty's version the "ultimate" version? I don't know, I will let so-called music critics decide. PS. The song is NOT about a one night stand.
Lpool kid wrote on August 01, 2011
a song that fits elvis perfectly,probably just a shade behind the incredible Dusty Springfield.the best elvis version imho was from ETTWII.five stars from me.
Gorse wrote on December 22, 2012
Dusty had a truly magnificent recording, but Elvis produces a great version of his own. Always seemed to sing it well in concert but just lacked the extra Dusty soul feeling. 4 stars from me though as I always enjoy the performance.
sugartummy wrote on June 08, 2013
A song I sing very often in every arrangment I can think off. Presley's version is superior to Dusty's. Just to omit the corny opening was a good desicion. And Elvis' voice is so much better then the shrill sound of Dusty.
ElvisSacramento wrote on June 11, 2013
This is such a spectacular and iconic song and my favorite rendition of it is Elvis' studio version from the classic "That's The Way It Is" album. Elvis' studio version of it should definitely be far better known than it actually is.
cookingfat wrote on June 11, 2013
Been a Dusty fan for years and this was one of her best I think.Elvis' version is different but equally as good as the original .
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on June 11, 2013
Although Elvis' version is very good,Dusty has just got the edge. I think maybe if this song came out in the 50s Elvis' voice back then would have handled it better, he sang some great ballads back then, his voice got very deep in the 70s.
Great Dane wrote on June 11, 2013
Although TTWII is one of my all time favorite album, this song is my least favorite on it. I like the so called rushed versions much better. And i think if he would have sung this in the 50's i wouldn't like it at all, because he is in a much better voice in the 70's than he was in the 50's. 3 stars studio and 4 for the live version on MSG.
Pachakuti! wrote on November 26, 2021
To be frank I prefer the MSG version. Maybe it's because his voice progressed to a more ballad kind of quality and the studio version seems slightly exaggerated to me. It is somewhat fast but also very intense. I disagree Elvis' voice got "very deep" in the 70's. For a male singer his range was somewhere in the middle. His development towards a lower range wasn't extreme and may have started on the threshold of bass and baritone which is a good accomplishment if you also manage the high baritone part. In general he developed a nice timbre and a "full" sound.
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