Blues at Dawn

There are many versions of Cole Porter's 1935 song Begin the Beguine performed by many artists. The most unique of these, however, has to be the one composed by Elvis Presley with friends.

In 1962, Elvis Presley told a friend, "I like the song Begin the Beguine. I like the melody, but I'd like to put new lyrics on it." When Cole Porter denied permission to alter the lyrics, Elvis wrote an original song based on it, set to Latin dance music, titled You'll Be Gone.

When Elvis later played the song for his wife Priscilla she said she liked his rock 'n' roll recordings better. Elvis was so devastated he never tried to write a song again. Here is Elvis' You'll Be Gone, his own interpretation of Begin the Beguine.

Fascinated by this strange story, I requested a friend and internet artist, Frankie Paradiso, who loves Meher Baba and does versions of Elvis songs, to adapt Elvis' song in his own unique way, and to dedicate it to Meher Baba if he didn't mind.

Here then is the version Paradiso wrote and performed, a rewritten rendition, of Elvis Presley's rewritten rendition, of Cole Porter's original song Begin the Beguine.

It's called Blues at Dawn.

{lyrics}

BLUES AT DAWN

SWEET LORD, WHEN IT RAINS

WE BLESS YOUR TEARS FROM HEAVEN

NO MORE SHACKLES OR CHAINS

LET US EMBRACE FOREVER

OUR LOVE MAY NOT BE

A COLD, DYING EMBER

FOR WITH THE DAWN

YOU’LL BE GONE

YOUR PEARLS OF WISDOM

FEEL LIKE HEAVEN DESCENDING

YOUR BENIGN SMILE

SEEMS NEVER-ENDING

YET COME DAWN, YOU’LL BE GONE

BENEVOLENT BABA

MAY YOUR MERCY POUR DOWN

ON HAUGHTY LORDS AND HUMBLE LEPERS

ON HOLY FOOLS TO MAKE THEM BOW

FOR WITH THE DAWN

YOU’LL BE GONE

MERCIFUL LORD, EVEN YOUR DRIZZLE

WILL QUENCH OUR THIRST, DROP BY DROP

LET’S COUNT OUR BLESSINGS

AND SHARE OUR CROP

FOR BY DAWN, YOU’LL HAVE GONE

FOR BY DAWN, YOU’LL HAVE GONE

FOR BY DAWN, YOU’LL HAVE GONE

FOR BY DAWN, YOU’LL HAVE GONE!