Love Me

Album

Breath of Fresh Air

Label

RCA Victor

Genre

Rock

Composer(s)

Jerry Leiber;Vera Matson;Elvis Presley;Mike Stoller

Entered Chart

Nov 17, 1956

Peak Date

Jan 5, 1957

Released

Unknown

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

RCA Victor EPA-992

B-Side

EP = Rip It Up/Love Me/When My Blue Turns To Gold Again/Paralyzed

This was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who also wrote Elvis' breakout hit "Hound Dog." It's written in an over-the-top country style, and although it was a bit of a parody, it came off as quite sincere when Elvis sang it. The song was first recorded in 1954, first by Willy and Ruth and later by Georgia Gibbs. Elvis performed this on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 28, 1956. Robert Plant said in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time issue: "When I met Elvis with Zeppelin, after one of his concerts in the early '70s, I sized him up. He wasn't quite as tall as me, but he had a singer's build, and he was driven. At that meeting, Jimmy Page joked with Elvis that we never soundchecked - but if we did, all I wanted to do was sing Elvis songs. Elvis thought that was funny and asked me, 'Which songs do you sing?' I told him I liked the ones with all the moods, like that great country song 'Love Me' - 'Treat me like a fool/Treat me mean and cruel/But love me.' So when we were leaving, after a most illuminating and funny 90 minutes with the guy, I was walking down the corridor. He swung 'round the door frame, looking quite pleased with himself, and started singing that song: 'Treat me like a fool.' I turned around and did Elvis right back at him. We stood there, singing to each other. What he did was he made it possible for me, as a singer, to become otherworldly." >>

Treat me like a fool,
Treat me mean and cruel,
But love me.

Wring my faithful heart,
Tear it all apart,
But love me.

If you ever go,
Darling, I'll be oh so lonely
I'll be sad and blue,
Crying over you, dear only.

I would beg and steal
(she would beg and steal)
Just to feel
(just just to feel)
Your heart
(I want your heart)
Beatin' so close to mine

If you ever go,
Darling, I'll be oh so lonely
I'll be sad and blue,
Crying over you, dear only.

I would beg and steal
(she would beg and steal)
Just to feel
(just just to feel)
Your heart
(I want your heart)
Beatin' so close to mine

If you ever go,
Darling, I'll be oh so lonely
Beggin' on knees,
All I ask is please, please love me
Oh yeah