Introduction
“Love Me Tender” is a 1956 ballad performed by Elvis Presley, adapted from the Civil War-era song “Aura Lee” (1861), composed by George R. Poulton with lyrics by W. W. Fosdick. For the film Love Me Tender, musical director Ken Darby reworked the melody and wrote new lyrics. However, due to contractual arrangements, songwriting credits were given to Elvis Presley and Darby’s wife, Vera Matson, though neither contributed to the writing.
Elvis recorded “Love Me Tender” on August 24, 1956, at Fox Stage 1 in Hollywood. The recording session featured musicians Vito Mumolo (guitar), Mike “Myer” Rugin (bass), Richard Cornell (drums), Luther Rountree (banjo), and Dom Frontieri (accordion), with backing vocals by Rad Robinson, Jon Dodson, and Charles Prescott. Notably, Elvis’s regular band did not participate in this session.
The song was released as a single on September 28, 1956, and achieved significant commercial success. It reached number one on Billboard’s pop singles chart, maintaining the top position for five weeks and remaining on the chart for a total of 23 weeks. Additionally, it peaked at number three on both the Billboard R&B and country singles charts.
“Love Me Tender” was prominently featured in Elvis Presley’s film debut, originally titled The Reno Brothers. Due to the song’s popularity, the film was retitled Love Me Tender prior to its release on November 15, 1956.
The song has since become one of Elvis Presley’s signature tunes, covered by numerous artists over the years. Its enduring appeal lies in its simple, heartfelt melody and lyrics, capturing the essence of romantic devotion.