Elvis Presley – Trying To Get To You

About The Song

“Tryin’ to Get to You” is a song written by R&B singer songwriters Rose Marie McCoy and Charles Singleton. It was originally recorded by the Washington DC vocal group The Eagles in 1954 and released in mid-1954 on Mercury Records 70391. The format of the title on The Eagles’ record was “Tryin’ to Get to You”, with an apostrophe.

The song was also recorded by Elvis Presley in 1955 on his then unissued Sun recordings.

Presley recorded five versions of the song. The first on March 23, 1955, and the second on July 11, 1955, with the second session being released during his lifetime. He also recorded live versions of the song on Elvis (NBC TV Special), Elvis: As Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis, and Elvis in Concert. On the earlier version that appeared on the 1999 album, Sunrise, Presley recorded this song while simultaneously playing the piano (and not aided by his rhythm guitar, as previously believed). Because his piano playing was not up to the expected standards, producer Sam Phillips erased the sound of the piano on the master take so, in addition to Elvis’ vocals, all one hears is the lead guitar, bass, and drums. Elvis’ piano is heard on the July session version and appeared on his self-titled 1956 LP.

Presley’s vocal delivery appears to be influenced by that of The Eagles’ lead singer, although taking the two warbles at 0.56 and 2.12 one step forward by extending his vocals so that they meet, then join (and without any stops nor breathing space in between), the first and second verses. In addition, Scotty Moore’s guitar solo on the Presley recording replaces a saxophone solo heard on the original.

The track was released on Presley’s March 1956 RCA debut album Elvis Presley. It also featured on the famous 1976 The Sun Sessions release and on numerous other Elvis efforts and collections as well.

Video

Lyric

 I’ve been traveling over mountains
Even through the valleys, too
I’ve been traveling night and day
I’ve been running all the way
Baby, trying to get to you.

Ever since I read your letter
Where you said you loved me true
I’ve been traveling night and day
I’ve been running all the way
baby, trying to get to you

When I read your loving letter
Then my heart began to sing
There were many miles between us,
But they didn’t mean a thing.

I just had to reach you, baby,
In spite of all that I’ve been through.
I kept traveling night and day,
I kept running all the way,
Baby, trying to get to you.

Well if I had to do it over
That’s exactly what I’d do,
I would travel night and day,
And I’d still run all the way,
Baby, trying to get to you.

Well, there’s nothing that could hold me
Or that could keep me away from you
When your loving letter told me
That you really loved me true

Lord above me knows I love you
It was He who brought me through,
When my way was dark as night,
He would shine His brightest light,
When I was trying to get to you.