"Tryin' to Get to You" is a song written by R&B singer songwriters

Rose Marie McCoy Rose Marie McCoy (April 19, 1922 – January 20, 2015) was an American songwriter. She began her career as an aspiring singer before becoming a prolific songwriter during the 1950s and 1960s. Many artists have recorded some of the over 800 so ...

and Charles Singleton. It was originally recorded by the Washington DC vocal group

The Eagles The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s ...

in 1954 and released in mid-1954 on

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...

70391. The format of the title on The Eagles’ record was “Tryin’ to Get to You”, with an apostrophe. The song was also recorded by

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

in 1955 on his then unissued Sun recordings. Presley recorded five versions of the song. The first on March 23, 1955, and the second on July 11, 1955, with the second session being released during his lifetime. He also recorded live versions of the song on ''

Elvis (NBC TV Special) ''Elvis'' is the soundtrack album for American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley's 1968 Elvis (1968 TV program), television special of the same title, released by RCA Records. It was recorded live at NBC Studios (Burbank), NBC Studios in Burbank ...

'', '' Elvis: As Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis'', and ''

Elvis in Concert '' ''Elvis In Concert'' is a posthumous 1977 television special starring Elvis Presley. It was Elvis' third and final TV special, following ''Elvis'' (a.k.a. ''The '68 Comeback Special'') and ''Aloha From Hawaii''. It was filmed during Presley's ...

''. On the earlier version that appeared on the 1999 album, ''

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects. Terminology Al ...

'', Presley recorded this song while simultaneously playing the piano (and not aided by his rhythm guitar, as previously believed). Because his piano playing was not up to the expected standards, producer

Sam Phillips Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003) was an American record producer. He was the founder of Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he produced recordings by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, ...

erased the sound of the piano on the master take so, in addition to Elvis’ vocals, all one hears is the lead guitar, bass, and drums. Elvis’ piano is heard on the July session version and appeared on his self-titled 1956 LP. Presley's vocal delivery appears to be influenced by that of The Eagles’ lead singer,
although taking the two warbles at 0.56 and 2.12 one step forward by extending his vocals so that they meet, then join (and without any stops nor breathing space in between), the first and second verses. In addition,

Scotty Moore Winfield Scott Moore III (December 27, 1931 – June 28, 2016) was an American guitarist who formed The Blue Moon Boys in 1954, Elvis Presley's backing band. He was studio and touring guitarist for Presley between 1954 and 1968. Rock critic D ...

’s guitar solo on the Presley recording replaces a saxophone solo heard on the original. The track was released on Presley’s March 1956 RCA debut album ''

''. It also featured on the famous 1976 ''

The Sun Sessions ''The Sun Sessions'' is a compilation album by American singer Elvis Presley, containing songs he recorded at Sun Studios in 1954 and 1955. It was issued by RCA Records in 1976, and had been issued and charted as ''The Sun Collection'' in the UK ...

'' release and on numerous other Elvis efforts and collections as well. “Trying To Get To You” was next released by The Teen Kings with

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...

in March 1956 as Je-Wel JE-101 backed with “Ooby Dooby” on the B-side. A version by

Johnny Carroll Johnny Carroll (born John Lewis Carrell; October 23, 1937January 13, 1995) was an American rockabilly musician. Biography Born John Lewis Carrell in Cleburne, Texas, Carrell's last name was printed incorrectly as Carroll in his first recording ...

also then ensued, being made on

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

on May 19, 1956 (Decca 9–29940).

Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he bega ...

was the next to give treatment of the song in 1959. After

Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer. He was previously the lead vocalist of R&B and rock band the Animals and funk band War. He is regarded as one of the British Invasion's most distinctive singers with his deep, powe ...

performed it a few times on his own shows he reunited with

The Animals The Animals (also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and ...

in 1983 and recorded the song in the studio. It appeared on their album ''

Ark Ark or ARK may refer to: Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva'' * Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood * Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses Hebrew ''aron'' * ...

''. It was also included on their live shows before they disbanded again in early 1984. Later it was also covered by

Johnny Rivers Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella; November 7, 1942) is an American musician. His repertoire includes pop, folk, blues, and old-time rock 'n' roll. Rivers charted during the 1960s and 1970s but remains best known for a string of hit sing ...

Faith Hill Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Hill' ...

, Susie Arioli,

Gene Summers David Eugene Summers (January 3, 1939 – February 17, 2021) was an American rockabilly singer, songwriter and guitarist. His most famous recordings include the late 50s "School of Rock 'n Roll", "Straight Skirt", " Nervous", "Gotta Lotta That ...

Phil Seymour Philip Warren Seymour (May 15, 1952 - August 17, 1993) was an American drummer, singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known for the singles "I'm on Fire" (with The Dwight Twilley Band), his own solo hit "Precious to Me" and for providing backi ...

, and many others. The song was adapted by

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

to create "

In Spite of All the Danger "In Spite of All the Danger" is the first song recorded by the Quarrymen, then consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, pianist John Lowe, and drummer Colin Hanton. McCartney wrote the song and Harrison provided the guitar so ...

", the first ever original song recorded by

the Quarrymen The Quarrymen (also written as "the Quarry Men") are a British skiffle/rock and roll group, formed by John Lennon in Liverpool in 1956, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960. Originally consisting of Lennon and several schoolfriends, the Quar ...

, the precursor to the Beatles.''Way Beyond Compare: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy, 1957-1965'', Three Rivers Press, 2008, p.2.

References

Further reading