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Written by Ken Darby (credited to Darby's wife, Vera Matson, and Elvis). Melody based on Aura Lee, a ballad written in 1861 by W.W. Fosdick and Geo R. Poulton (unless it's actually an older folk song).
In D, on the single released 28 Sept 1956, six weeks in advance of the movie, which was renamed to match it.
-- intro chords: D D/a
D D/a E E7/b
1. Love me tender, love me sweet
A A7 D D/a
Never let me go
D D/a E E7/b
You have made my life complete
A7 A7/e' D D/a
And I love you so.
D D/c# D/b D7/a
refrain: Love me tender, love me true
G Gm D D/a
All my dreams fulfill
D B7 E E7/b
For, my darling, I love you
A7 A7/e' D
And I always will.
D D/a E E7/b
2. Love me tender, love me long
A7 A7 D D/a
Take me to your heart
D D/a E E7/b
For it's there that I belong
A7 A7/e' D D/a
And we'll never part.
-- refrain --
D D/a E E7/b
3. Love me tender, love me dear
A7 A7 D D/a
Tell me you are mine
D D/a E E7/b
I'll be yours through all the years
A7 A7/e' D D/a
'Til the end of time.
-- refrain, followed by this quiet closing phrase:
--|-------5--5-|--2--- string 1
--|------------|------
--|-2----------|------
a a' a' f#
Editor's notes:
This transcription was created by Keith Comer. Lyrics and chords verified against recording, by both KeithC, and WA. Confidence: high (100% for the lyrics). The last refrain has an additional D9 chord, not especially easy to grab:
D D9 B7 E E7/b
For, my darling, I love you...
According to transcriber Keith, it's a true D9: x54555. In that case, the following B7 might be best played as x24242, but it sounds like Elvis drops all the way back to x21202. Keith recommends just skipping it.
The descending bass line though the first line of the refrain (D D/c# D/b D7/a) is Keith's best attempt to reflect / suggest the background vocal harmonies. He points out that it's hard to hear exactly what Elvis is playing through this section, over the background "ooohs".
Keith's use of the 'prime' symbol (apostrophe) as in A7/e' means to play the higher-than-usual alternative bass note (here the e on the 2nd fret of the 4th string, rather than the usual e bass note on the open 6th string).
Notes on the movie, and the title song:
· First showing of the movie: November 16, 1956
· The original title of the movie was The Reno Brothers. KeithC notes that the movie was renamed to match the song, which had hit it big some six weeks earlier.
· Songs recorded at Radio Recorders, MGM Sound Stage, Twentieth-Century Fox, August-October 1956. Producer: Steve Sholes , Engineer: Murrey Spivak.
. Advanced orders for the single "Love Me Tender" were for an unprecedented 856,327 copies. It was released on September 28 and reached no. 1 on the Billboard chart in October 1956. The single has subsequently been certified double platinum.
· To coincide with the premiere of Elvis' first movie, RCA released the "Love Me Tender" extended play in October 1956, which featured the soundtrack's four songs -- another platinum seller.
· Singer and composer Ken Darby wrote the four songs. Due to copyright problems, supposedly, Elvis and Darby's wife, Vera Matson, were credited.
· The title song was based on Aura Lee, a ballad written in 1861 by W.W. Fosdick and Geo R. Poulton. It was popular with the Union Army during the Civil War, the time frame for the movie.
- from http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/8250/hollywood/movie01.html
WA's treble chords for 2nd guitar -- for the refrain -- either strummed, plucked, or picked as arpeggios:
D D/c# D/b D7/a G Gm D D/a --|-5-----|-5-----|-5-----|-2-----|-3-----|-3-----|-2-----|-2---- string 1 --|-7-----|-7-----|-7-----|-1-----|-3-----|-3-----|-3-----|-3---- --|-7-----|-6-----|-4-----|-2-----|-4-----|-3-----|-2-----|-2---- --|-0-----|-0-----|-0-----|-0-----|-0-----|-0-----|-0-----|------ --|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------ --|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------ Love me tender, love me true... All my dreams fulfill... D B E E7 A7 A7 D D/a --|-3-----|-2------|-4----|-4----|-3----|-3----|-5----|-5----|------- --|-2-----|-4------|-5----|-3----|-5----|-5----|-7----|-7----|------- --|-3-----|-4------|-4----|-4----|-6----|-6----|-7----|-7----|------- --|-0-----|--------|------|------|------|------|-0----|------|------- --|-------|--------|------|------|-0----|------|------|-0----|------- --|-------|--------|-0----|-0----|------|-0----|------|------|------- For, my darling, I love you... And I always will.
D B7 E E7 A A7 D --|-5-----|-5------|-7----|-7----|-9----|-9----|-5----|-------|------- --|-7-----|-7------|-9----|-9----|-10---|-8----|-7----|-------|------- --|-7-----|-8------|-9----|-7----|-9----|-9----|-7----|-------|------- --|-0-----|--------|------|------|------|------|-0----|-------|------- --|-------|--------|------|------|-0----|-0----|------|-------|------- --|-------|--------|-0----|-0----|------|------|------|-------|------- For, my darling, I love you... And I always will
D B7 E E7 A7 A7 A6 A7 D --|-5-----|-5------|-7----|-7----|-9----|-12---|-14---|-12----|-10---- --|-7-----|-7------|-9----|-9----|-8----|-14---|-14---|-14----|-10--- --|-7-----|-8------|-9----|-7----|-9----|-12---|-14---|-12----|-11---- --|-0-----|--------|------|------|------|------|------|-------|--0---- --|-------|--------|------|------|-0----|--0---|--0---|--0----|------- --|-------|--------|-0----|-0----|------|------|------|-------|------- For, my darling, I love you... And... I... al... ways... will
--|-------5--5-|--2--- --|------------|------ --|------------|------ --|------10-10-|------ --|-2----------|------ --|------------|--11-- a a' a' f# --|------------|------ --|-12---------|------ --|------------|------ a a' a' f#
First posted 23 Nov 2001. Last edited 18 Aug 2003. - WA
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