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Padre

Rating:
3.3 / 5

Words & Music: Jacques LaRue Alain Romans Paul Francis Webster

The day that we wed
You blessed us and said
May heaven bestow you grace
There in that holy place
We shared our first embrace

Our cottage was small but richer than all
The palaces of the king
All day the birds would sing
Our hearts were filled with spring

Padre, padre
What happened to our love's so cruel
Padre, oh padre
In my grief I turn to you

Then he came along
And sang her his song
And won her with honey lies
He of the fiery eyes
Now it's not her that cries

So I will pray
The hours away
And weary my heart has grown
Wondering where love has flown
Counting my beads alone

Padre, oh padre
Please tell me how such things can be
Padre, oh padre
Pray for my love and me

Recordingdate: 1971/05/15, first released on: Elvis (Fool) (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Padre:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(marimba)

Availability

Find available albums with Padre.

bastiaanvinke wrote on June 04, 2009
This song doesn't do it for me.
JLpResLey wrote on October 07, 2009
I heard and discovered for the first time, while listening to the LP He Walks Beside Me. That album contains all those great inspirational songs, like How great thou art and If I can dream. Then I heard this song, and it blew my away. I thought it was great, especially the powerful ending. Very good vocals by Elvis, and should be more known
ger wrote on October 07, 2009
Elvis at his best
derekd wrote on October 07, 2009
Sorry, but this one i skip, one of the very few.
dgirl wrote on October 07, 2009
Padre & Mama have been retired from my CD player.
Jerome-the-third wrote on October 07, 2009
the dramatic operatic vocals show the skill Elvis had to sing various styles..
pasa-ryu wrote on October 07, 2009
awsome gospel song from elvis and really emotinal version too..an Elvis classic and well sung by elvis.(how some so-called "Elvis Fans" can slag this great song off i do not fathom?-maybe they hate God or relgion or something??)whatever elvis fans reasons for hating this song it doesn't rettract from the fact it is a classic performance and a very meaningfull and heartfelt performance from Elvis.(i rest my case!!.)
JerryNodak wrote on October 07, 2009
It's an OK song. Nothing more. I can listen to it if I'm in the mood.
My boy, my boy wrote on October 07, 2009
Wonderful song !
Ton Bruins wrote on October 07, 2009
I know that many Elvis fans don't like this song, but I like it a lot !
Reconsider Baby wrote on October 07, 2009
I really do think it is one of the worst songs Elvis ever recorded. I think it is as much unlistenable as any other bad soundtrack songs. Dominic is even less painful than Padre to my ears.
Steve V wrote on October 08, 2009
I think I heard it once and that was enough for me.
shoesuedeblues wrote on January 14, 2010
Terrible!
Deano1 wrote on May 27, 2010
Far from "one of the worst songs Elvis ever recorded" or "terrible", but a bombastic, over the top rendering of a romantic / religious song (think "Where Did They Go, Lord"). Elvis really seemed to like this type of song in the early 70's as he gave us the before mentioned "Where Did They Go, Lord", "Heart Of Rome" and "Rags To Riches". None of the these are classics, none are bad. A leftover song that found it's way on to Elvis' worst non-soundtrack LP "Elvis (Fool)".
Monster wrote on November 12, 2010
I like the song ok but Elvis's voice is definitely straining in this and I think that's what tests most listeners' loyalty. Sure he hits all the right notes and the ending is very poweful but it sounds like a rough vocal rather than the finished polished effort he would normally deliver. It has a similar vocal sound to Love Me Love the Life I lead, another song I like but the vocal sails a bit close to the wind at times. He was meant to redo it in a later session but never did. Padre may have been the same.
Biffx wrote on August 31, 2011
Over the years i have heard many a fan voice there dislike for this song. At one time i was very much part of this group. All that changed when one day FTDs I Sing All Kinds dropped through my letterbox. Into my CD player the disk went and as the track approached i was already to hit the skip button. I am now so pleased that i let the song progress as i almost missed the chance to hear what i now believe is a gem of a track. Love the vocal on this one and what a superb ending as Elvis voice rises. Now one i play often.
Cruiser621 wrote on September 12, 2012
Would have been a half baked song to begin with, but it was so poorly recorded aka distortion on his recorded voice that I have to rate it a #1; at least from a quality standpoint.
alanfalk wrote on March 25, 2013
I like this a lot, my wife doesn't, maybe that is the case with this song, it divide the listeners in two.
Gorse wrote on March 25, 2013
Not on my playlists so I have just given it a spin before giving my opinion and while not a classic is a lot better than Sylvia, which has its followers. I like the instrumental backing but Elvis seems vocally stretched at times and seemingly in a hurry to get the song over and done with as soon as possible.. - 3 stars (just) from me.
Cruiser621 wrote on March 25, 2013
If it weren't for the distortion aka over recorded (too much volume gain) in the studio as to Elvis' voice track, this song might be something. I have the FTD releases "I Sing All Kinds" and "Elvis aka the Fool" double CD release with added (and corrected versions) of this song and if one looks at the liner notes on the "Elvis/Fool" FTD issue you'll see notes about said distortion which also includes "Love The Life I Lead". It's a shame, as this song makes me cringe every time I listen to it and it's not because of Elvis and his singing, it's due to the absolute sloppy recording process which was done. An absolute shame.
ElvisSacramento wrote on March 26, 2013
This is such a marvelous song and Elvis' rendition of it was terrific. But, Toni Arden's rendition of this song is the best.
sugartummy wrote on September 01, 2013
Elvis sang this one at home for many years. It's not a favourite of mine, but Elvis must've really liked it.
Jim Davidson wrote on May 28, 2016
The Elvis (Fool) LP would have excelled with the inclusion Burning Love, Always on My Mind and Separate Ways and the omission of Padre. I found the 1999 Burning Love CD too much of a revision.
woody1 wrote on May 28, 2016
It ain't that bad really.
atomic powered poste wrote on February 25, 2018
This hyper-melodramatic ballad is performed like a rock'n'roll song by the band. Elvis himself sounds so whiny, he tries so hard to sound emotional, his vocals sounds like a parody. And then the ending. ... god, this fuxxing ending where he, with all the engagement he has to offer, sings the wrong note ... it's hurts in the ears and it is funny as hell at the same time. A strange recording. A guilty pleasure of mine.
Miknik7077 wrote on September 24, 2020
A song that has its flaws but really could have been a classic had it not been badly recorded. Elvis you can hear almost strain his voice as well. Wasted opportunity.
Stevekimb1 wrote on September 27, 2020
The vocal performance is outstanding, certainly one of the big bombastic ballads of the seventies. Elvis was in such good voice in ‘71 he could sing anything and make it sound great as demonstrated on this song.
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