Download

 … that is the underlying question if you perform this song on stage.  “Are You Lonesome Tonight” is a perfectly lovely ballad just as it is… without any talking, please.  Elvis chose to “speak” and I wish he hadn’t.   His soliloquy in the middle of this song was borderline corny and completely unnecessary.  But, once again… that’s just me.  I haven’t had any number one hits lately.  Elvis would give me one of those “what the hell do you know” kind of looks if he were around today.

But it’s not entirely his fault.  He was convinced to record “Lonesome” by Colonel Tom Parker (manager) in 1960 as a way to showcase the expansion of his vocal range while he was in the Army.  It was also Parker’s wife’s favorite song.  The ballad was written in 1926 by a couple of vaudeville performers who thought the schmaltzy spoken bridge would be funny.  Al Jolson recorded it the following year and “hamboned” the spoken part, while other singers over the years recorded it with and without the “all the world’s a stage” speech.

Elvis recorded it in a completely dark studio in order to create the right mood.  He was certain he couldn’t do the song justice, but he nailed it on the second take – in the dark – at 4 AM – and with the spoken bridge.  The “Jordanaires”, his backup vocal group, are just plain beautiful behind the “speech” and that’s all I ever really listened to while Elvis rambled on.  Also at that recording session were Floyd Cramer and Chet Atkins  – that didn’t hurt either.

Now, if you’re a performer who uses backup tracks (the whole reason for this site), you might not have the Jordanaires behind you – so just  sing the song straight through so you don’t look silly talking to yourself onstage.  This arrangement is perfect for a slow dance that everyone loves and you don’t have to call a whole lot of attention to yourself.  However, if you insist on talking, there’s room for that too.  I used violins for a solo in the middle and you can just let ’em dance their little hearts out – and not utter a word (I really hope you don’t).  Just sing it pretty…

(Pop/Rock List)