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Suspicious Minds

Words & Music by Mark James

Go Back

Suspicious Minds

Words & Music by Mark James

We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much baby

Why can't you see
What you're doing to me
When you don't believe a word I say?

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

So, if an old friend I know
Drops by to say hello
Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?

Here we go again
Asking where I've been
You can't see these tears are real
I'm crying

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And be can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

Oh let our love survive
Or dry the tears from your eyes
Let's don't let a good thing die

When honey, you know
I've never lied to you
Mmm yeah, yeah

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Suspicious Minds was written by Mark James and recorded by him at American Sound Studios in 1968. His recording (Scepter 12221) did not chart.

On January 23, 1969, Elvis recorded Suspicious Minds at American Sound Studios using the same musicians that Mark James had used. Both recordings were produced by Chips Moman. The release of Suspicious Minds was a splice of three takes. Horns were overdubbed on August 7, 1969, at United Recording Studios in Las Vegas. In November 1969, Suspicious Minds reached the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, replacing the Temptations I Can't Get Next to You. After only one week at number one, Suspicious Minds was replaced by the Fifth Dimension's Wedding Bell Blues. Elvis would never again have a number one record on the Hot 100 chart. At 4 minutes, 22 seconds, Suspicious Minds was Elvis's longest number one record. It spent a total of 15 weeks on the chart. Sales of the record easily exceeded a million copies. On May 21, 1971, Suspicious Minds was named the Outstanding Single Recorded in Memphis.

An August 1970 performance of Suspicious MInds at the International Hotel in Las Vegas was used in the documentary, Elvis - That's the Way It Is. Another performance from his April 1972 tour was used in Elvis on Tour, and a performance from the 1973 TV special, Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii, was used in the 1981 documentary, This is Elvis.

For the 1983 film Breathless, Orion Pictures wanted to use a portion of Suspicious Minds on the soundtrack. The Presley Estate and RCA Records wanted $ 40,000 for the rights. Orion Pictures brought back the original members of Elvis's band to record the song with an Elvis imitator at a cost of only $ 7,500.

In August 1987, USA Today had a telephone call-up-ballot on the callers' favourite Elvis song. Suspicious Minds won with a 30.5 percent of the vote. Love Me Tender came in second with 24 percent.

Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter recorded a cover of Suspicious Minds (RCA 47-9920) that made it to #25 on the country chart in 1970. The 1976 re-issue (RCA PB-10653) reached #2. A pop version by Dee Dee Warwick (Atco 6810) reached #80 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1971.

«


We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much baby

Why can't you see
What you're doing to me
When you don't believe a word I say?

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

So, if an old friend I know
Drops by to say hello
Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?

Here we go again
Asking where I've been
You can't see these tears are real
I'm crying

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And be can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

Oh let our love survive
Or dry the tears from your eyes
Let's don't let a good thing die

When honey, you know
I've never lied to you
Mmm yeah, yeah


Suspicious Minds was written by Mark James and recorded by him at American Sound Studios in 1968. His recording (Scepter 12221) did not chart.

On January 23, 1969, Elvis recorded Suspicious Minds at American Sound Studios using the same musicians that Mark James had used. Both recordings were produced by Chips Moman. The release of Suspicious Minds was a splice of three takes. Horns were overdubbed on August 7, 1969, at United Recording Studios in Las Vegas. In November 1969, Suspicious Minds reached the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, replacing the Temptations I Can't Get Next to You. After only one week at number one, Suspicious Minds was replaced by the Fifth Dimension's Wedding Bell Blues. Elvis would never again have a number one record on the Hot 100 chart. At 4 minutes, 22 seconds, Suspicious Minds was Elvis's longest number one record. It spent a total of 15 weeks on the chart. Sales of the record easily exceeded a million copies. On May 21, 1971, Suspicious Minds was named the Outstanding Single Recorded in Memphis.

An August 1970 performance of Suspicious MInds at the International Hotel in Las Vegas was used in the documentary, Elvis - That's the Way It Is. Another performance from his April 1972 tour was used in Elvis on Tour, and a performance from the 1973 TV special, Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii, was used in the 1981 documentary, This is Elvis.

For the 1983 film Breathless, Orion Pictures wanted to use a portion of Suspicious Minds on the soundtrack. The Presley Estate and RCA Records wanted $ 40,000 for the rights. Orion Pictures brought back the original members of Elvis's band to record the song with an Elvis imitator at a cost of only $ 7,500.

In August 1987, USA Today had a telephone call-up-ballot on the callers' favourite Elvis song. Suspicious Minds won with a 30.5 percent of the vote. Love Me Tender came in second with 24 percent.

Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter recorded a cover of Suspicious Minds (RCA 47-9920) that made it to #25 on the country chart in 1970. The 1976 re-issue (RCA PB-10653) reached #2. A pop version by Dee Dee Warwick (Atco 6810) reached #80 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1971.