This song was released on Elvis’ 1971 Grammy winning album “He Touched Me” despite not being a gospel song in the strictest sense, the only such song on the entire album. It’s inclusion among several subsequent Elvis gospel compilation and box sets only adds to it’s perception as a bona fide gospel song. Instead, the message of the song is how love has manifested itself within mankind throughout the years.
It was written and originally recorded by Jerry Reed in 1968, around the same time that Reed was recording Guitar Man with Elvis. However, Elvis’ version of the song was recorded at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville on 19 May 1971. It was the third of six songs recorded that evening and the master was achieved in nine takes. It then underwent the usual orchestral overdubs on 21 June before it’s release on the album in April 1972.
As with all of these videos, to get the most out of the audio, I highly recommend you use ear /headphones and turn the volume up as much as you dare!