About The Song
β βLove Meβ is a sentimental song composed by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and recorded and popularized by Elvis Presley in 1956. Itβs 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.
β Elvis Presley recorded the song on September 1, 1956, for his second album, Elvis (RCA Victor, LPM-1382), issued on October 19. It was also released on the EP, Elvis Vol. 1 (RCA Victor, EPA-992). It climbed to the #2 position on the Billboard Top 100 in the United States, a first for a title not coming from single. βLove Meβ also peaked at number seven on the R&B chart. βLove Meβ was not released as a single to avoid confusion with Presleyβs βLove Me Tenderβ.
β Robert Plant said in Rolling Stoneβs 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time issue: βWhen I met Elvis with Zeppelin, after one of his concerts in the early β70s, I sized him up. He wasnβt quite as tall as me, but he had a singerβs build, and he was driven. At that meeting, Jimmy Page joked with Elvis that we never soundchecked β but if we did, all I wanted to do was sing Elvis songs. Elvis thought that was funny and asked me, βWhich songs do you sing?β I told him I liked the ones with all the moods, like that great country song βLove Meβ. βTreat me like a fool/Treat me mean and cruel/But love me.β So when we were leaving, after a most illuminating and funny 90 minutes with the guy, I was walking down the corridor. He swung βround the door frame, looking quite pleased with himself, and started singing that song: βTreat me like a fool.β 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.β
Video
Lyric
π΅ Letβs sing along with the lyrics! π€
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, Iβll be oh so lonely
Iβll be sad and blue,
Crying over you, dear only.I would beg and steal
Just to feel your heart
Beatinβ close to mineWell, if you ever go,
Darling, Iβll be oh so lonely
Iβll be sad and blue,
Crying over you, dear only.I would beg and steal
Just to feel your heart
Beatinβ close to mineWell, if you ever go,
Darling, Iβll be oh so lonely
Begginβ on my knees,
All I ask is please, please love me
Oh yeah