About the Song
Background
- Songwriters: Guy Fletcher and Doug Flett, a British songwriting duo.
- Recording: Elvis recorded “Just Pretend” on June 6, 1970, at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Release: The song appeared on his album That’s The Way It Is in November 1970. It served as one of the key tracks to the documentary of the same name, showcasing Elvis’s live performances in Las Vegas.
- Legacy: “Just Pretend” wasn’t a major chart success, but it has remained a beloved song among Elvis fans. In 2016 it gained new recognition when it was re-released with orchestral accompaniment by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on the album The Wonder of You: Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Themes
- Heartbreak and Denial: The song speaks to the pain of a lost relationship. The speaker wants to pretend that everything is still alright, even though the love is gone.
- Self-deception: There’s a sense of desperation in the lyrics, with the singer clinging to a fiction to avoid confronting their pain head-on.
- Loneliness: Underlying the act of pretending is a deep sense of loneliness and isolation.
Analysis
The song’s power lies in its simplicity and rawness. The straightforward lyrics capture the universal experience of trying to hold on to something that’s lost. Elvis’s emotional delivery brings the pain and yearning to life.
Let me know if you’d like me to analyze a specific section of the lyrics or delve deeper into any particular aspect of the song!
Video
Lyric
Just pretend, I’m holding youAnd whispering things soft and lowAnd think of me, how it’s gonna beJust pretend I didn’t goWhen I walked away, I heard you sayIf you need me, you know what to doI knew it then, I’d be back againJust pretend I’m right there with you
And I’ll come flying to you, oh yesAll the crying is trueOh, I will hold you and love you againBut until then, we’ll just pretend
It’s funny but I can’t recallThe things we said or why you’re cryingBut now I know it was wrong to goI belong here by your side
Yes, I’ll come flying to you, oh yesAll the crying is trueI will hold you and love you againBut until then, we’ll just pretend
Oh, I will hold you and love you againBut until then, until then, we’ll just pretendWe’ll just pretend