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.