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I Love You Because

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(Payne)

Information:
I Love You Because was written and recorded by blind performer Leon Payne (Capitol 40238) in late 1949. His version reached # 4 on Billboard’s country chart. In early 1950 Ernest Tubb covered Payne’s record, also peaking at # 4. Other recordings of I Love You Because through the years include those by Jan Garber (Capitol 983) in 1950, Gene Autry (Columbia 20709) in 1950, Eddie Fisher (RCA 20-4619) in 1950, Patti Page (Mercury 5592) in 1951 (the flip side of Mockingbird Hill), Johnny Cash (Sun 334) in 1960, and Carl Smith (Columbia 44939) in 1969. The two biggest versions were by Al Martino (Capitol 4930), which hit # 3 on the Hot 100 chart and number one on the Easy-Listening chart in 1963, and by Jim Reeves, whose 1964 recording (RCA 1385) became the only million-selling single release of I Love You Because. In England alone, his recording sold more almost 900,000 copies. It didn’t chart in America until 1976, when it was reissued (RCA PB-10557).

Elvis recorded I Love You Because during his first commercial recording session at Sun Records on July 5, 1954. His only instrumental backing was Scotty Moore’s guitar, Bill Black’s bass, and his own guitar. Apparently, five takes were taped by Sam Phillips, but none deemed worthy of commercial release. However, after Elvis had skyrocketed to fame in 1956, RCA released a single of I Love You Because in September 1956, using a splice of takes # 3 and # 5. That same master had previously appeared on the Elvis Presley LP. Take # 2 surfaced in 1974, on the LP Elvis – A Legendary Performer, Volume 1, and all five takes appeared on the 1987 LP The Complete Sun Sessions. Before the release of The Complete Sun Sessions, it had been understood that the master had a splice of takes # 2 and # 4 and that take # 1 appeared on Elvis – A Legendary Performer, Volume 1. Elvis is known to have sung I Love You Because on the Louisiana Hayride in 1954 and 1955.

A historical note: After the five takes of I Love You Because, Elvis, Scotty and Bill started cutting up with That’s All Right (Mama) during a break, and the rest, as they day, is history.

Lyrics:

I love you because you understand, dear
Every single thing I try to do
You're always there to lend a helping hand, dear
I love you most of all because you're you

No matter what the world may say about me
I know your love will always see me through
I love you for the way you never doubt me
But most of all I love you 'cause you're you

I love you because, because my heart is lighter
Honey, every time, every time I'm walking by your side
And I love you, yes, I love you because the future is a little bit brighter
And the door, the door to my happiness, you open wide

No matter what may be the style or season
I know your heart will always be true
I love you for a hundred thousand reasons
But most of all I love you 'cause you're you

Where it was released:

Released for the fist time on Elvis Presley »  

Singles:

- Tryin’ to Get to You / I Love You Because (RCA 20-6639) September 1956. Standard 78 RPM release »

- Tryin’ to Get to You / I Love You Because (RCA 47-6639) September 1956. Standard 45 RPM release »

- Tryin’ to Get to You / I Love You Because (RCA 447-0612) March 1959. Gold standard series reissue »

- Tryin’ to Get to You / I Love You Because (Collectables DPE1-1005 4505) December 1986.

EPs:

- Elvis Presley (RCA EPA-830) (1956) »

- Elvis Presley – The Most Talked About New Personality in the Past Ten Years of Recorded Music (RCA EPB-1254) (1956) »

LPs/CDs:

- Elvis Presley (1956) »

- A Legendary Performer, Volume 1 (1974) »

- The Sun Sessions (1975) »

– From Elvis With Love (1978) »

- The Legendary Recordings of Elvis (1979) »
- Country Classics (1980) »

- The King of Rock’n’Roll – The Complete 50’s Masters (1992) - box set

- Sun Sessions (1999)

- Sunrise (1999)

- Elvis; Elvis is Back; Elvis Presley (2001)

- The Country Side of Elvis (2001)

- Elvis Presley at the Louisiana Hayride / The Original Roots of Elvis Presley (2002) – Charly/Snapper

- Elvis at Sun (2004)

- Elvis Presley (2005)

- Elvis Presley (2006) – FTD »

– A Boy From Tupelo (2012) - FTD »

– The Best of British - The RCA Years 1957-1958 (2014) - FTD »

Bootleg Releases:

- The Sun Years (1977) – Sun International Corp.

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