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Love Letters

Rating:

Words & Music: E Heymann/ V. Young

Love letters straight from your heart
Keep us so near while apart
I'm not alone in the night
When I can have all the love you write

I memorize ev'ry line
I kiss the name that you sign
And darlin, then I read again right from the start
Love letters straight from your heart

Recorded: 1966/05/26, first released on single

Give Your Opinion

Reactions

tornado (profile/ contact) wrote on Apr 23, 2011report abuse

Nothing beats the 1966 version, as I'm concerned. It's not made for a Vegas or Tour performances. It has to be sung in an intimate atmosphere. Beside too many people on tour were shouting all the time. How can they hear a soft ballad in such noise? Or any soft ballad by the way. Even, Are You Lonesome Tonight was ruined in settings like arenas and stages with thousands attendees. It doesn't make sense. But on cd, with a good sound system: just a beauty...

GEORGE (GK) (profile/ contact) wrote on Mar 3, 2011report abuse

For me hands down, the 70's studio version that appeared on the album "Love Letters from Elvis", is the better version. Its vocal rich and much more soulful. Love how he drags out the words, Sign-ign-ign-ign, etc. I wish the live performances of this song, were as good.

dgirl (profile/ contact) wrote on Mar 3, 2011report abuse

Remember the the original 1966 US picture sleeve? An Summer Vacation Special from Elvis. Too bad the song wasnt so special. Nice ,but a ballad more suited for 1962 than 1966 when the record market had changed drastically. Now the Dylan song, that would have been special! Darin had a huge folk hit in 1966 with Carpentar. Always felt that Elvis would have also if the Dylan song would have been released as a single.

Dazman (profile/ contact) wrote on Mar 3, 2011report abuse

Naturally, it's a lovely ballad. The first time I ever heard Elvis sing this was on the 'Rockin'..New Years Eve' boot. Pardon my indulgence, but it was like falling in love. With the depth and range of Elvis' tender vocal and the sweet and note perfect melodies of David Briggs' on keyboard I was just in awe. Hardly a reaction you'd expect from an audience recording! It's a pity that in general the tempo of earlier '76 versions were too slow, Elvis' voice was too nasal or Briggs backing was too weak. Sorry but I just can't enjoy the studio versions the same. Elvis' voice didn't produce the same range as he could on stage

Deano1 (profile/ contact) wrote on Dec 17, 2009report abuse

A very slow, gentle, yet unexciting ballad originally recorded in 1966 and then again in 1970. The original single was a top 20 hit for Elvis in the U.S and the second recording was the title song of his 1971 LP "Love Letters From Elvis". I prefer the original slightly over the 1970 version, but neither version would be considered a great track in my opinion. In the 2nd version, Elvis tries to put a little more into the song, however the song still comes across as little more than elevator music. I will give it 3 stars, but I can honestly say I enjoy the other 1966 ballads that were singles ("Please Don't Stop Loving Me" and "All That I Am") to this one.

eadyjf (profile/ contact) wrote on May 6, 2009report abuse

Elvis did a lovely job on this song in 1966. Apparently he was talked into re-recording the song in 1970 by David Briggs. Briggs played piano/keys on the original version in 66 when Floyd Crammer (the scheduled pianist) was late to the session. Elvis liked Briggs style so much that he continued to work with him from then on. Rumor has it Briggs was never happy with the work he did on the original 66 version and so continued to talk Elvis into re-recording it. Shame Elvis gave in and re-recorded it in 1970 because he didn't match the magic of the 66 version and sounds hoarse and perhaps even a little bored.

derekd (profile/ contact) wrote on May 5, 2009report abuse

A really good release in 1966 for Elvis getting to #6 in the Uk charts. This was Elvis' highest since Chapel roared to #1 a year earlier and it would be his highest Uk hit until Ghetto reached #1 in 1969. It proved that when Rca got their act together and allowed Elvis good material that he was always able to hit high up the charts.

Ruthie (profile/ contact) wrote on May 5, 2009report abuse

It's just a nice, easy listening song, nothing more or less. However, Elvis' voice is just beautiful & handles the song in his own unique way. I actually never paid that much attention to it until I heard Elvis & his touch.

Steve V (profile/ contact) wrote on May 5, 2009report abuse

Of all the songs Elvis could choose to re-record in the 70's if he wanted to update the sound, I always was amazed he chose this one. Certainly a nice song, but not a classic and not a major chart success. Plus it was only 5 years between recordings. Puzzling to say the least.

JerryNodak (profile/ contact) wrote on May 5, 2009report abuse

I like both versions of "Love Letters" equally.

sitdown68 (profile/ contact) wrote on May 5, 2009report abuse

well, I always liked to see the song on his 70's setlists. hope there one day will be a soundboard release of the Pittsburgh version from New Year's Eve...or is that unlikely. The pureness of the 66 version is unarguable.

bajo (profile/ contact) wrote on May 5, 2009report abuse

To me the 66 version is a classic! I always wondered why he let the 70's version through on record. I don't really like it as much. Elvis sure knew how to give songs his own touch! Beautiful!

Natha (profile/ contact) wrote on Oct 1, 2008report abuse

A fantastic song. His warm and tender voice combined with the feeling the lyrics want to convey is unique. The later live version is less impressive, though more than worthwhile. However it shows the difference between Elvis' voice and i.e. Sheril Nielson. The latters voice has a wide range but is always flat, one direction: just producing tones in a wide variety (like so many others performers). Elvis' voice however has that special dimension.

old shep (profile/ contact) wrote on Apr 20, 2008report abuse

I prefered the 1966 single version of this, to the re-recorded version done in the 70s on the patchy Love Letters From Elvis album.Elvis handled this standard well and his voice and the production were outstanding