“Can’t Help Falling In Love” is a song describing the deep romantic feelings a man has for the woman he loves. The lyrics focus on the beginning stages of a romance, but they also contain promises of long-term devotion. It’s an open, honest, and touching confession of passion.
The track was written for the Elvis movie “Blue Hawaii” and the accompanying album. Songwriters Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss originally intended the song to be sung from a feminine perspective. However, the track was given to The King, which ended up being a decision that made history.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these moving lyrics to discover a deep interpretation of their intended meaning. We’ll also try to shed some light on the songwriting story, as well as the reasons for the song’s timelessness and success. Without further ado, let’s begin!
“Can’t Help Falling In Love” Lyrics Meaning
Just like most sincere confessions, the lyrics start out by expressing a bit of hesitation. The singer is falling in love fast, and he knows it. Saying, “wise men say, ‘only fools rush in,’” is his way of admitting that his feelings are strong for the short time he’s had them.
Despite this, those feelings are real. He “can’t help falling in love” with her – it’s really not in his control. He believes his feelings can’t be wrong, so he asks if it would “be a sin” for him to have them. This is probably a rhetorical question because the singer only has pure intentions.
Anyone familiar with the life of Elvis knows that he had a tendency to love with abandon. If he liked you, he might buy you a Cadillac as a present. He designed a life where he was constantly surrounded by his people and had no interest in being shy about his feelings. He may have been the king of rock and roll, but he was also the king of grand gestures.
After two verses, a bridge begins. In it, the singer uses the imagery of a natural force to explain how powerless he feels. “Like a river flows,” a current is pulling him towards the one he loves, which he can’t resist. It’s simply “meant to be.”
In this metaphor, the river is basically equivalent to the attraction affecting the singer. He is flowing with the current. Under this interpretation, the sea is the full realization of his love. In other words, the connection is inevitable.
Next, the song transitions from expressing feelings to making promises. The singer says, “take my hand, take my whole life too,” in order to imply long-term commitment. This could be a reference to marriage specifically or simply a promise to love this woman forever. After some repetition, the song comes to a close.
It’s important to note that instead of a chorus, this song relies on a single repeated line. “I can’t help falling in love with you” is sung a total of five times during the track. The point is to emphasize the strength of emotion without being distracted for too long.
This song perfectly captures the feeling of losing yourself in someone else. In life, we often live within orderly routines and sensible activities. However, there are times when someone will come along and capture us so deeply that we can do nothing but trust our hearts and take a leap.
The heart wants what it wants, and this song taps into that fact. We all understand that, and we’ve proven it by sending this song to the top!
The Story Behind “Can’t Help Falling In Love”
Elvis was many things, and a movie star was one of them. Songwriters George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, and Luigi Creatore were tasked with creating the songs for one of The King’s acting ventures, Blue Hawaii. That is when “Can’t Help Falling In Love” was born.
According to some sources, the trio drew some inspiration from an old french melody, “Plaisir d’amour.” This song, too, was about the longing and joy of love. Obviously, the project became its own distinct creation by the time these three masters were done with it.
Despite this, most producers for the movie reportedly didn’t like the demo version. However, at the insistence of Elvis himself, the song was pushed through. Not only did we get a great piece of music as a result, but we got an iconic movie scene as well.
Apparently, Elvis had good instincts on this one. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” was an international presence on the charts for weeks after its release. To date, the track has sold millions of copies and is a first pick for weddings and other events.
Seeing as how this was the last song Elvis got to perform live, it seems right that he was the one who insisted on it. The next time you hear this wonderful track, let this interesting bit of history make it even more special.