This Elvis Presley Song Had an Extra Writing Credit That Was Actually a Subtle Dig at the King

A collaboration with Elvis Presley at the height of his fame undoubtedly sounded like a dream come true to songwriters and fellow recording artists of the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, thanks to the strict copyright and writing credit expectations put into place by Presley’s infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and his publishing company, Hill & Range, this dream often turned out to be a nightmare.

These expectations are the reason why Dolly Parton never allowed Presley to record her hit song, “I Will Always Love You”. They’re also why one of Presley’s best-known hits, “Love Me Tender”, has a writing credit that doesn’t actually belong there. Though, ironically, one could argue that listing that credit was kind of sweet.

We suppose Colonel Tom Parker breathing down the neck of the actual songwriter, Ken Darby, took away all the romance.

The Woman Behind the Writing Credit on “Love Me Tender”

In the late 1950s, Ken Darby decided to take a public domain melody and add his own lyrics to create a new pop song for the film Love Me Tender, starring Elvis Presley. The reigning King of Rock ‘n’ Roll (and heartfelt ballads, clearly) performed the title track on The Ed Sullivan Show, prompting a record-breaking wave of pre-sales that earned the record a gold rating before it came out on vinyl. Listeners fell for the timeless quality of the song’s melody, which came from the 19th-century Civil War song, “Aura Lea”.

Per the copyright guidelines set by Presley’s publishing company, the singer would only cut the record if he could secure a large portion of the writing credit. This was true even if Presley played no significant role in writing the song. In fact, most of the time, he didn’t. While Darby wasn’t interested in having his name listed as a songwriter above Presley, he was very much interested in the potential royalties he could earn from the fast-selling song.

Thus, Darby decided to list his wife, Vera Matson, as the co-writer to Presley. This addition meant that “Love Me Tender” now had two writers who received credit for no work. When discussing the decision later, Darby said he listed his wife as a co-writer “because she didn’t write [the song] either,” per Stephen Miller’s The Million Dollar Quartet.

The Song Was a Smash Hit for Elvis Presley

In the end, most listeners don’t care about songwriting credits. They care about who’s performing. And, as always, Elvis Presley delivered a home run. His single version of “Love Me Tender” debuted at No. 2 on the best-selling pop chart, making it the highest-debuting single. One month after its late September release, “Love Me Tender” was No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

The song would remain a staple in Presley’s live performances in the decades that followed. Ken Darby’s wife, meanwhile, continued to collect royalties as a listed songwriter.

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