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Help Me (Kris Kristofferson song)

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"Help Me"
Single by Elvis Presley
from the album Promised Land
A-side
Released1974
RecordedDecember 1973
StudioStax, Memphis, Tennessee
GenreCountry, gospel, Christian country
Length2:28
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Felton Jarvis
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"Take Good Care of Her" / "I've Got a Thing About You, Baby"
(1974)
"If You Talk in Your Sleep" / "Help Me"
(1974)
"It's Midnight" / "Promised Land"
(1974)

"Help Me" is a song written by Larry Gatlin. A country gospel song, the lyrics tell the story of a world-weary and tired man pleading for guidance and reassurance from God. Gatlin performed the song at the funerals of both June Carter and Johnny Cash and dedicates the song to them during every performance.

The song became most famous in a version by Elvis Presley. In 1974, Presley released the song as part of a double A-sided single with "If You Talk in Your Sleep."[1] "Help Me" became the side promoted to country radio, and the song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on the week of August 10, 1974.[2] ("If You Talk in Your Sleep" reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, also during the summer of 1974.)

Previously, "Help Me" was recorded by:

Johnny Cash versions

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"Help Me"
Song by Johnny Cash
from the album American V: A Hundred Highways
Released2006
LabelAmerican
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Rick Rubin
Music video
"Help Me" on YouTube

Johnny Cash covered the song on his 1973 album The Gospel Road, which was the soundtrack to the film of the same title, and on the posthumous 2006 album American V: A Hundred Highways. The latter version had a music video shot for it. On The Gospel Road, the song's title is abbreviated to "Help" and is performed in several parts on the album and film.

Charts

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Elvis Presley version

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Chart (1974) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Country Singles[2][3] 6
* As "Help Me" / "If You Talk in Your Sleep"

References

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  1. ^ Jerry Osborne (1 July 2007). Presleyana VI - the Elvis Presley Record, CD, and Memorabilia Price Guide. Jerry Osborne Enterprises. pp. 51–. ISBN 978-0-932117-49-6.
  2. ^ a b Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (10 August 1974). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 58–. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ "Elvis Presley - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
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