I Honestly love you

[Brian]

An interesting story about this song

In 1972 Marty Lacker picked up the song ''I honestly love you'' shorty after Peter Allen wrote it to give to Elvis to record, Elvis was suppose to record this song at the March 72 Hollywood sessions but Colonel Parker was upset at people including Marty Lacker for bringing in songs that they didn't have or couldn't get the publishing on so the Colonel told Joe Esposito and Felton Jarvis not to tell him when the next recording sessions were so Elvis didn't cut the song.

Olivia Newton John went on to record the song and it was a big hit for her hitting #1 on the pop and the adult contemporary charts as well as #6 on the country charts and being a #1 hit in Australia.


I was wondering if anyone here can hear Elvis singing it

in my opinion the song is better suited to a female singer but if Elvis did record it instead of Olivia Newton John I wonder if he would've done the whisper like vocal that she ended up doing


I see it as being a top 40 pop and big easy listening hit for him but don't think it would get all the way to number one as RCA didn't do a good job of promoting him in the 70's.


Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[Merry]

I've always loved the song.

Elvis would have made the song his own, if he thought it appropriate, and I would have loved to have heard him sing it.

*
YouTube - Olivia Newton-John & Jim Brickman - I honestly love you

[cbg84]

It's a good song and a very good friend of mine and I used to sing it all the time. When we were just goofing around. Anyway that's besides the point. I don't know if I could really see Elvis doing it. I'm sure that if he had it would still been a wonderful song. But I agree I think it's better with a female. But it would have been interesting had he sung it.

[memphis69]

OLIVIA DID A WONDERFUL VERSION OF THIS SONG. BUT I'M SURE THAT IF ELVIS BELIEVED IN THE LYRICS HE WOULD HAVE DONE A GREAT RECORDING ALSO.

[Getlo]

What/who is the source for this?

This was certainly written by Peter Allen, but there was never any intention of giving it to Elvis.

It was never part of the March '72 lineup.

[Brian]

What/who is the source for this?

This was certainly written by Peter Allen, but there was never any intention of giving it to Elvis.

It was never part of the March '72 lineup.


Marty Lacker

read my original post again and you'll understand why Elvis didn't record it as intended

[Merry]

Marty Lacker

read my original post again and you'll understand why Elvis didn't record it as intended


I read this from Marty Lacker, too, at some stage, from AEK.

[KPM]

Elvis seemed to like Olivia Newton Johns choice of material.
I think "I Honestly Love You" would have been one of those songs which would have had a personal draw for Elvis. If that would have been true I think he would have done a very credible job with the song.

[elvispresleytheking]

I personally wish he would've followed through with the January 1977 recording session, because we could get more great songs out of it.

[Brian]

I personally wish he would've followed through with the January 1977 recording session, because we could get more great songs out of it.


I do as well but that doesn't have anything to do with ''I honestly love you''

[memphis69]

ANOTHER SONG THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING TO HEAR ELVIS SING WAS DOLLY PARTON'S HIT "I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU".

[Getlo]

Lacker?

Pfffffffftttt!

The song was written by Allen, and it was never intended for Elvis.

[Merry]

Quote from Marty Lacker:




Mike,


Here's an interesting tidbit about I Honestly Love You.

Shortly after Peter Allen wrote the song I was in L.A. on business visiting a
good friend, Alan Rider, V.P. of Irving/Almo Music, Peter Allen's publishers.

I asked Alan if he had anything new and good that would be good for Elvis, he
played me the brand new demo Peter Allen had done on the song, this was months
before Olivia Newton John did it.

I scooped it up and told Alan I'd play it for Elvis at his next session.
Unfortunately for Elvis neither Felton or Joe told me when the next session was
to take place and it was done in L.A., without me knowing it.
So Elvis never got to hear the song before Olivia cut it, when she did, it was
the hit that made her career and it was too late for Elvis to cut it.

I later found out that Colonel Parker was tired of me giving Elvis songs they
didn't or couldn't get the publishing on, so he told Felton and Joe not to tell
me when a session was going to happen. Marty.

[Brian]

Lacker?

Pfffffffftttt!

The song was written by Allen, and it was never intended for Elvis.

who are you to say the stories not true

it's kinda arrogant to say something like that

[epmoodyblue]

:hmm:a nice song...its a song that ws tailor made for olivia....olivias version of this song is the best..nobody sings it better than her..glad she recorded it..and im glad elvis didint touch that songhttp://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e160/selenauno/smiley-gen101.gif

[Getlo]

who are you to say the stories not true

Forty years as a fan gives me the ability to see through the BS, and I am right 99.99999% of the time, especially when info comes from people like Lacker.

Oh, and the fact that Peter Allen never once referred to Elvis about this song, and always made reference to the fact that he wrote it for eventual use by Olivia.

[Brian]

Forty years as a fan gives me the ability to see through the BS, and I am right 99.99999% of the time, especially when info comes from people like Lacker.

Oh, and the fact that Peter Allen never once referred to Elvis about this song, and always made reference to the fact that he wrote it for eventual use by Olivia.

no one rights all the time

Lacker didn't say he got it from Allen but from one of his publishers

I'll believe what I want and you do the same

[Getlo]

Lacker didn't say he got it from Allen but from one of his publishers


after Peter Allen wrote it to give to Elvis to record

Uh-huh.


I'll believe what I want and you do the same

You do that.

[Brian]

Uh-huh.

I made a mistake in grammar

Lacker says he got the song from one of Peter Allen's publishers
Allen Ryder shortly after Allen wrote the song

Lacker has nothing to gain by making this up and I think it's wrong for you to automatically assume he's lying

It's arrogant to do that

[KPM]

I made a mistake in grammar

Lacker says he got the song from one of Peter Allen's publishers
Allen Ryder shortly after Allen wrote the song

Lacker has nothing to gain by making this up and I think it's wrong for you to automatically assume he's lying
It's arrogant to do that
Brian IMO everyone has something to gain when it comes to Elvis. The more "inside" someone is suppose to be-the more they are suppose to have in depth inside information that no one else has- helps some to get publishers for new books, interest in new projects, higher speaking fees etc....
The fact that this is not well known-nor mentioned anywhere else leads to the natural doubt which many could have.
You said "Elvis was suppose to record this song at the March 72 Hollywood sessions" so right away my question is who says he was suppose to record it? Elvis could not have said he was going to record it-he never heard it.
Logically thinking, if he never even heard the song because it was never introduced to him at the session-he could not have been suppose to record it. It was never on a list of possible songs for that session-and the only way he would have possibly recorded it-would be if it was at the session as a demo, or a lead sheet. So that part of the story just does not sound correct. IMO

[Getlo]

One more rather salient point.

The song wasn't written until 1974, and released on Peter Allen's album Continental American (cover image below) in the same year, along with it being released later that year (simultaneously) on two ONJ albums, If You Love Me Let Me Know and (US/Canada) and Long Live Love (worldwide).

Allen was also working for Metromedia music at this time before leaving to form his proper solo career, so it is highly unlikely that he or anyone would have farmed out a song to another publisher, especially via a third party.

http://www.bluedesert.dk/peterallen.html
"In 1974, he and Jeff Barry wrote "I Honestly Love You," a sad ballad that was recorded by Olivia Newton-John and became a #1 hit in October."

The above information can also be confirmed elsewhere. One just needs to look, and sift through the BS.

If Lacker is saying this, perhaps he has the song confused with another similar title. Or, as I suspect, he could just be pulling this tall tale out of his clacker.

The song has never been listed anywhere else as a possible studio inclusion (ie from the usual sources, which list some rather obscure things, many of which were later proven to be true, eg Twelfth of Never et al).

Again, since the song wasn't penned until 1974, we can safely say this story is bogus. And it's no reflection on Brian for posting it either.

[Brian]

Brian IMO everyone has something to gain when it comes to Elvis. The more "inside" someone is suppose to be-the more they are suppose to have in depth inside information that no one else has- helps some to get publishers for new books, interest in new projects, higher speaking fees etc....
The fact that this is not well known-nor mentioned anywhere else leads to the natural doubt which many could have.
You said "Elvis was suppose to record this song at the March 72 Hollywood sessions" so right away my question is who says he was suppose to record it? Elvis could not have said he was going to record it-he never heard it.
Logically thinking, if he never even heard the song because it was never introduced to him at the session-he could not have been suppose to record it. It was never on a list of possible songs for that session-and the only way he would have possibly recorded it-would be if it was at the session as a demo, or a lead sheet. So that part of the story just does not sound correct. IMO


Lacker said he specifically got the song from Allen Ryder one of
Peter Allen's publishers
He said it was the song ''I honestly love you''

He said he never got the song for Elvis to hear it because of Parker
but he was going to give it to him in 72
It wasn't technically scheduled for Elvis to record it.


Lackers not going to gain anything just be mentioning this song
like money or anything important

I believe the story and I'd give Lacker the benefit of the doubt because I'd bet their was all kinds of songs and deals that are not well known and I wasn't there.

[LtCarman]

One more rather salient point.

The song wasn't written until 1974, and released on Peter Allen's album Continental American (cover image below) in the same year, along with it being released later that year (simultaneously) on two ONJ albums, If You Love Me Let Me Know and (US/Canada) and Long Live Love (worldwide).

Allen was also working for Metromedia music at this time before leaving to form his proper solo career, so it is highly unlikely that he or anyone would have farmed out a song to another publisher, especially via a third party.

http://www.bluedesert.dk/peterallen.html
"In 1974, he and Jeff Barry wrote "I Honestly Love You," a sad ballad that was recorded by Olivia Newton-John and became a #1 hit in October."

The above information can also be confirmed elsewhere. One just needs to look, and sift through the BS.

If Lacker is saying this, perhaps he has the song confused with another similar title. Or, as I suspect, he could just be pulling this tall tale out of his clacker.

The song has never been listed anywhere else as a possible studio inclusion (ie from the usual sources, which list some rather obscure things, many of which were later proven to be true, eg Twelfth of Never et al).

Again, since the song wasn't penned until 1974, we can safely say this story is bogus. And it's no reflection on Brian for posting it either.

Brian, you just got:

http://media.urbandictionary.com/image/large/owned-6903.jpg

[utmom2008]

Brian, you just got:

:lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao:

[utmom2008]

He said he never got the song for Elvis to hear it because of Parker
but he was going to give it to him in 72
It wasn't technically scheduled for Elvis to record it.




:doh: He was going to give it to him 2 years before it was written?:doh:

[Getlo]

,Elvis was suppose to record this song at the March 72 Hollywood sessions


It wasn't technically scheduled for Elvis to record it.


Okay then ...

[Brian]

Okay then ...


lots of songs were penned a year or a couple of years before they were hits it hard to remember specific dates

I read those things to and they can be off
I read online bio's and things and they can be off on specific

I get the feeling that if Marty Lacker says something fans just automatically
assume he's lying but if somebody else were to say it it's believeable

[Brian]

:doh: He was going to give it to him 2 years before it was written?:doh:


Lots of songs get written a year or a couple of years before they become hits
they lay dormant for a while and then someone records them

[KPM]

Lacker said he specifically got the song from Allen Ryder one of
Peter Allen's publishers
He said it was the song ''I honestly love you''

He said he never got the song for Elvis to hear it because of Parker
but he was going to give it to him in 72
It wasn't technically scheduled for Elvis to record it.

Lackers not going to gain anything just be mentioning this song
like money or anything important

I believe the story and I'd give Lacker the benefit of the doubt because I'd bet their was all kinds of songs and deals that are not well known and I wasn't there.
See that makes a huge difference in the story. You are correct there may be many songs and deals which are not known-and that makes them all the harder to confirm as 100% accurate. I try to keep an open mind on most things-but when small wholes are in stories it just leads to doubt.

[ehollier]

See that makes a huge difference in the story. You are correct there may be many songs and deals which are not known-and that makes them all the harder to confirm as 100% accurate. I try to keep an open mind on most things-but when small wholes are in stories it just leads to doubt.

I bet we could fill up an entire thread on songs that 'almost made it into Elvis' hands' had it not been for his manager, publishing firm or RCA. Its like opening up Pandora's Box, as is so many other things in Elvis' life.

I've always wondered why Elvis wasn't given first shot at recording "Never Been to Spain" since he does such a great job on it and was penned by the Axton family. The same family that wrote "Heartbreak Hotel". This remains a mystery to me more so than this Oliva Newton John song.

[Brian]

I bet we could fill up an entire thread on songs that 'almost made it into Elvis' hands' had it not been for his manager, publishing firm or RCA. Its like opening up Pandora's Box, as is so many other things in Elvis' life.

I've always wondered why Elvis wasn't given first shot at recording "Never Been to Spain" since he does such a great job on it and was penned by the Axton family. The same family that wrote "Heartbreak Hotel". This remains a mystery to me more so than this Oliva Newton John song.

Hoyt Axton was an opening act for Three Dog Night. One time they heard him performing the song Never Been to Spain and they liked the song so they cut it.

[KPM]

lots of songs were penned a year or a couple of years before they were hits it hard to remember specific dates

I read those things to and they can be off
I read online bio's and things and they can be off on specific

I get the feeling that if Marty Lacker says something fans just automatically
assume he's lying but if somebody else were to say it it's believeable
Well the song "I Honestly Love You" is copyrighted 1974-so if the publisher offered it to take to Elvis in 72 that also makes no sense. The publisher would not have a non-copyrighted song in his hands he (or Allen & Barry) would have first filed for copyright protection on the song before ever letting it into other peoples hands. Without it anyone could have put their name on it as writer filed and got copyright on it. People like Allen and Barry who knew their way around the music business- would not have waited until 1974 to get the most valuble protection any songwriter can have. Nor would a reputable publisher let an uncopyrighted song out of their hands-until that protection was secured.

[ehollier]

Hoyt Axton was an opening act for Three Dog Night. One time they heard him performing the song Never Been to Spain and they liked the song so they cut it.

I was simply citing an example of songs that, for one reason or another, never made it to Elvis to record. But thank you for the information.

[Brian]

Well the song "I Honestly Love You" is copyrighted 1974-so if the publisher offered it to take to Elvis in 72 that also makes no sense. The publisher would not have a non-copyrighted song in his hands he (or Allen & Barry) would have first filed for copyright protection on the song before ever letting it into other peoples hands. Without it anyone could have put their name on it as writer filed and got copyright on it. People like Allen and Barry who knew their way around the music business- would not have waited until 1974 to get the most valuble protection any songwriter can have. Nor would a reputable publisher let an uncopyrighted song out of their hands-until that protection was secured.



I'm going to ask Marty Lacker about this and grill him about the specific dates of the song

[KPM]

I'm going to ask Marty Lacker about this and grill him about the specific dates of the song
Perhaps it was 74 and Lacker is confused about the year-which would seem the only way this could be true.

[Brian]

Perhaps it was 74 and Lacker is confused about the year-which would seem the only way this could be true.


yes I thought of that

Lacker does get dates wrong sometimes

[ehollier]

It is a mere coincidence that this rumor has surfaced about Elvis possibly recording this song that Oliva Newton John recorded AND that Elvis actually did record another song, "Let Me Be There" around 1974, which ONJ actually did record, too.

[KPM]

It is a mere coincidence that this rumor has surfaced about Elvis possibly recording this song that Oliva Newton John recorded AND that Elvis actually did record another song, "Let Me Be There" around 1974, which ONJ actually did record, too.
Good question(y)

[ehollier]

Good question(y)

Actually Ken, this was my first thought when this thread was started "Boy this is quite a coincidence that these are 2 of ONJ's most well-known songs and what are the chances of Elvis' recording them both?"

[hounddog]

Let's not forget he recorded If You Love ME Let Me Know also first recorded by Olivia i think.

[hounddog]

ok to clarify that he sung If You Love Me Let Me Know live.

[Getlo]

I get the feeling that if Marty Lacker says something fans just automatically assume he's lying but if somebody else were to say it it's believeable

I can't speak for anybody else, but I assess each tidbit like this on its merits, no matter who says it.

Lacker, like everyone in the Elvis world, tells both truth and lies.

And in this case, it's a lie. Or at the very least a misunderstanding.

[utmom2008]

I'm going to ask Marty Lacker about this and grill him about the specific dates of the song

Let us know what Marty has to say...:hmm:

[ehollier]

Let us know what Marty has to say...:hmm:


:lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao:

We still won't know if its the truth!!! :lmfao:

[utmom2008]

:lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao:

We still won't know if its the truth!!! :lmfao:

(y)(y)(y)(y)(y)

[midnight]

:lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao: :lmfao:

We still won't know if its the truth!!! :lmfao:

Now that is the truth!!!!:lmfao::lmfao::lmfao: