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Just Pretend
Words & Music:
D. Flett/ G. FletcherJust pretend, I'm holding you
And whispering things soft and low
And think of me, how it's gonna be,
Just pretend I didn't go
When I walked away, I heard you say
If you need me, you know what to do
I knew it then, I'd be back again
Just pretend I'm right there with you
And I'll come flying to you, oh yes
All the crying is true
Oh, I will hold you and love you again
But until then, well just pretend
Oh, it's funny but I can't recall the things
We said or why you're crying
But now I know it was wrong to go
I belong here by your side Recorded:
1970/06/06, first released on
That's the Way It IsReactions
A good song sung perfect. I like the studio version as much as the live ones.
Lisa Marie's favorite Elvis song.
It doesn't get much better than this.Absolute perfection. 5 stars for the album and song.
Greats song, from a great album and his last great recording session. It was downhill from this point on. (with exceptions, of course)
Some seem to perpetually like simple understated productions and others the big overblown ballads. Me, I like them all as it is the voice that I find eternally beguiling. This is is one of those ballads that goes in crescendos throughout, using the full vocal talents of Elvis. Utter perfection to my ears.
This is such a spectacular song and all of Elvis' renditions of it are brilliant. This song should've been a major hit for Elvis here in the United States, but it never was.
My mom always loved this song and will play it over and over. I always thought it was "ok"...that is until I saw Elvis The Concert for the first time in '97. After that it's been one of my faves. I have the audio of the Amsterdam show from 2003, and I agree, hearing all the people sing along is fantastic. He really puts it all into this one...........emotion, voice, you name it.
Great track from a great album!!!!! Shouldnhave been pulled off for a single release, would have been a hit in the UK I'm sure!
The entire "TTWIT" album, dvd. is absolute perfection. "Just Pretend" is perhaps the best track and his performance on dvd unbelievable.
I love this song, Elvis at his very best. The studio version is the best one. The live versions are nice too, but I don´t enjoy them as much as the studio version. This song is all about that powerful arrangement and Elvis´ powerful vocal performance. I feel that the arrangement was much stronger in the studio version. Of course, you can´t create the same kind of perfection on stage. I had very high expectations when Elvis sang it on TTWII, but while Elvis kept the studio version alive all the way, that live version is almost a bit boring. I rather listen to live versions from the later years
My strongest memory with this song comes from Elvis The Concert in Amsterdam, at the Heineken Music Hall, June 8 2003, with thousands of voices singing this marvelous song. Every time I ear this tune in the import audio cd from that unique night, that magic moment comes to life again!
Stunning song, just stunning. Yes it's overblown and if you don't like that type of thing you're gonna struggle with this side of Elvis. But for those of us thatreally go for big and bombastic this is as good as it gets. Everything about Just Pretend from the mature lyrics to the TTWII performance and on to the incredible 1975 versions is for me where Elvis is at his best in the seventies. Power and feeling and plenty of bombast. Best version is from August 1970 - he never looked or sounded better and this song got everything he had and more. Awesome.
My favorite Elvis song of all time. Recorded in June 1970 and released on the "That The Way It Is" LP in December of that year (my favorite LP). Everything on this track is absolutely perfect and of course Elvis' vocals on this one are amazing. Some people like the 50's ballads and they are great, some like the simpler ballads from Memphis sessions of '69 and they are terrific, but I will take the Elvis from TTWII, Elvis Country and Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas over any of them.
Sung with incrdible feeling - so strong. Great vocals from Elvis in his absolute prime.
I always liked this song. A strong 70's efffort.
indeed one of his best ballads. It is a dramatic one but he sings it superb. As well as in the studio as on stage.
A very good song but a bit on the dramatic side. When you compare it to the ballads he did in Memphis a year earlier like Long Black Limo, Do You Know Who I Am, Inherit The Wind, you can see that simpler is better. They were also more soulful. Nothing from 1970 tops the Memphis sessions.
It's a shame this fantastic song didn't end up on all the (many, many, many, many, many......can I stop now?) Love/Ballad/Romantic compilations RCA/BMG have put out. Ended up on a budget Love comp in 1999. What a joke! Should have been on The 50 Greatest Love Songs 2CD Set back in 2001. Didn't feature also on Love Elvis or on any of the Time Life releases. Why? What's wrong? This song if further proof of the brilliance of Elvis in 1970.
Nothing beats this song. I could list others Elvis did which I like just as much,but I like none better.
This is the King being the King. TCB
Good recording from a batch of equally good songs. I always enjoy listening to the TTWII 'Cd' Great time in Elvis's career.
What more can you wish for? Great song sung by Maestro himself. It is among my absolute favourites which for some peculiar reason also include "Just a Little Bit of Green".
One of those classic Elvis performances. Suberb studio and also very good live! Thinking of the single releases around that time, I wonder why it was never considered even as a B-side! In my dreamworld I thought of Stranger In The Crowd/Just Pretend as a potential single!
One of the best song's of the 70s, like "How The Web Was Woven" from the same session,sings these really well,and the band are spot on too !
i never seen or heard of anybody trying to sing this particular track,this is because nobody can sing it as good as Elvis.
Elvis sound really fantastic when he sing Just Pretend one of my favorite. Something is wrong with you if you don't like that one.
This song is one of my very favorites. I forget what I am doing when I hear it. He does a fantastic job with this song. Seeing him sing it live as I did in Vegas was one of the most awesome experiences of my life. Even better than what you see on That's The Way It Is.
I think this song is a bit overrated. It's nice but a bit overblown for me. Reminds me more of something Conway Twitty would record. Im more of a 'Don't' type ballad guy.
great song, both studio as live versions.
A song I don't listen to very often,a fairly run of the mill ballad really
Great song. I prefer the studio version. Just as I prefer the studio versions of Patch It Up; I've Lost You and You Don't Have To Say You Love Me.
One of those gems in Elvis' repertoir. The studio version is wonderful. But as the content of the lyrics already suggests, it requires the special Elvis touch to come to full bloom. Hence the live versions are super!
I prefer the live editions especially the ones from 1975... They are so emotional and beautiful.
Alone by the story from Lex and Loesje this is a very special song...lol...Again with many other songs I prefer the Live version(s). Great song !
What can I say ?... that "Just Pretend" happens to be my ultimate favorite song of all time ?...Well, I just did !...Both live and studio versions are my definitive Elvis reference !
A very expensive song, it took me more than $100 to "show" it to someone special on the phone.
This song has something very special for me. When I was down and out, totally alone, I got a call from Denmark, where Jenson Bloomer was performing with the TCB Band and I just listened through the phone to this song. Of course, Elvis version is my favourite, but at that time, these lyrics, that phonecall, 'saved' me.
PS: I married the guy who rang me... :-)
Available Alternate Versions