About the song
Elvis Presley’s vocal performance on “Trying To Get To You” is nothing short of breathtaking. This is Elvis Presley at his most uninhibited and potent during his formative years. He infuses every word with a raw, almost breathless urgency, shifting from a growling lower register to soaring falsetto cries with astonishing agility and emotional power. His vocalizations are wild, spontaneous, and dripping with passion, capturing the very essence of rock and roll’s nascent energy. He pours every fiber of his being into the delivery, showcasing his mastery of dynamics and his uncanny ability to blend gospel fervor with rhythm and blues swagger. It’s a performance that truly crackles with the electricity of a young artist on the cusp of changing the world.
The musical arrangement accompanying “Trying To Get To You” is a textbook example of the sparse yet incredibly powerful sound that Elvis forged with his core trio: Scotty Moore on electric guitar, Bill Black on upright bass, and later, D.J. Fontana on drums. Moore’s nimble, blues-infused guitar licks provide crucial counterpoints to Elvis’s vocals, while Black’s slapping bass provides a driving, rhythmic backbone. The simplicity of the instrumentation allows Elvis’s dynamic vocal performance to take center stage, emphasizing the raw, unadorned power that captivated audiences. It’s a perfect illustration of how much sound and feeling three musicians and a singular voice could generate.
“Trying To Get To You” resonated deeply with audiences then, and continues to do so now, because it encapsulates the raw, groundbreaking fusion of styles that defined Elvis Presley’s early genius. It stands as a timeless testament to his vocal prowess and his unparalleled ability to imbue any song with an electrifying blend of passion and vulnerability. For many, it remains one of the purest expressions of the rock and roll revolution and Elvis Presley’s iconic artistry.
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Lyrics
I’ve been traveling over miles
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 Id do
I would travel night and day
And Id 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 darkest night
He would shine His brightest light
When I was trying to get to you
