“Love Me”: A Poignant Country-Style Song with a Touch of Humor, Transformed into a Heartfelt Ballad by Elvis.0h
About The Song
– “Love Me” is a sentimental song composed by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and recorded and popularized by Elvis Presley in 1956. It’s written in an over-the-top country style, and although it was a bit of a parody, it came off as quite sincere when Elvis sang it. The song was first recorded in 1954, first by Willy and Ruth and later by Georgia Gibbs.
– Elvis Presley recorded the song on September 1, 1956, for his second album, Elvis (RCA Victor, LPM-1382), issued on October 19. It was also released on the EP, Elvis Vol. 1 (RCA Victor, EPA-992). It climbed to the #2 position on the Billboard Top 100 in the United States, a first for a title not coming from single. “Love Me” also peaked at number seven on the R&B chart. “Love Me” was not released as a single to avoid confusion with Presley’s “Love Me Tender”.
– Robert Plant said in Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time issue: “When I met Elvis with Zeppelin, after one of his concerts in the early ’70s, I sized him up. He wasn’t quite as tall as me, but he had a singer’s build, and he was driven. At that meeting, Jimmy Page joked with Elvis that we never soundchecked – but if we did, all I wanted to do was sing Elvis songs. Elvis thought that was funny and asked me, ‘Which songs do you sing?’ I told him I liked the ones with all the moods, like that great country song ‘Love Me’. ‘Treat me like a fool/Treat me mean and cruel/But love me.’ So when we were leaving, after a most illuminating and funny 90 minutes with the guy, I was walking down the corridor. He swung ’round the door frame, looking quite pleased with himself, and started singing that song: ‘Treat me like a fool.’ I turned around and did Elvis right back at him. We stood there, singing to each other. What he did was he made it possible for me, as a singer, to become otherworldly.”
Video
Lyric
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤
Treat me like a fool,
Treat me mean and cruel,
But love me.Wring my faithful heart,
Tear it all apart,
But love me.If you ever go,
Darling, I’ll be oh so lonely
I’ll be sad and blue,
Crying over you, dear only.I would beg and steal
Just to feel your heart
Beatin’ close to mineWell, if you ever go,
Darling, I’ll be oh so lonely
I’ll be sad and blue,
Crying over you, dear only.I would beg and steal
Just to feel your heart
Beatin’ close to mineWell, if you ever go,
Darling, I’ll be oh so lonely
Beggin’ on my knees,
All I ask is please, please love me
Oh yeah