Here is the video with three wonderful versions of this hit song by Elvis Presley. Each version adds improvisational techniques that we can employ to our own skill level. Briefly, the three versions can be described as follows:
- Left hand chords WITH right hand melody. The left hand chords are playing INVERSIONS, an important technique.
- Left hand chords using a more intricate rhythmic approach WITH right hand embellished melody. The chords continue with inversions in this version too.
- Left hand arpeggio chordal style - (here we need to talk about 'time signatures' and 'counting'...MOST "Western Music" is in time signatures that are either duple, {groups of 2's or 4's} OR triple, {groups of 3's or 6's} in our counting patterns) - we MUST notice the arpeggios are most easily counted in groups of 6 notes. The right hand melody here is also more embellished and improvised.
I explain the chord progression and the use of chordal inversions in detail in the Play Piano with Fake Book course. And I show you step by step how to play this beautiful love song.
The history of the song is interesting too...the melody comes from an old French love song from 1784! Featured in Presley's 1961 movie "Blue Hawaii", it peaked at #2 on the pop charts and #1 on the easy listening charts for 6 weeks! Many artists have recorded it over the years. Feel free to share your favorite love songs with others.