Co-written by Billy Joe Shaver and Waylon Jennings, the song “You Asked Me To” was recorded by The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in 1973 at Stax Records in Memphis, which then surfaced six years later in Elvis Presley’s posthumous album “Guitar Man” in 1981, which charted the Top US in the United States.
Because Elvis’s cover of the Jennings and Shaver song was not a single, it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the parent album, “Promised Land,” hit number 47 on the Billboard 200. The album even reached number 22 in the U.K. charts.
When Elvis Presley’s rendition of “You Asked Me To” came out on his 40th birthday through his 1975 album “Promised Land,” Elvis and songwriter Billy Joe Shaver unknowingly shared a musical bond even if they never met.
This version of the song was produced more than the version of the song by co-writer Waylon Jennings when he recorded it in the same year for his “Honky Tonk Heroes” album. Although both interpretations are moving, Presley was more meticulous, recording several takes of the song – something that Shaver sees as a sign of a “truly committed artist.” This version became one of Elvis Presley’s greatest hits.
When Elvis performed “You Asked Me To,” he did it in Jennings’ style, which reflects their connection. The first time they met, Elvis called Jennings “Hillbilly,” which was also mentioned in Jennings’ autobiography.
For You
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Shaver recounts that he admired Elvis even if other people didn’t like him. He thought Elvis was great, especially when he found out that The King would do songs repeatedly. To Shaver, anyone who “cares that much about it has got to be a good person.”
Listen to Elvis Presley’s rendition of chart-topper “You Asked Me To” in the video below.
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