Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Cramer grew up in the small town of Huttig, Arkansas, teaching himself to play the piano. After finishing high school, he returned to Shreveport, where he worked as a pianist for the Louisiana Hayride radio show.
In 1952, he made his way to Nashville at a time when the use of piano accompanists in country music was growing in popularity. Before long, Cramer would become one of the busiest studio musicians in the industry, playing piano for stars such as Elvis Presley, Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, The Browns, Jim Reeves, Roy Orbison, Don Gibson and the Everly Brothers, and many others. It is Cramer's piano that is heard, for example, on Presley's first national hit, "Heartbreak Hotel."
However, Cramer remained a virtual unknown to anyone but music industry insiders until he recorded a 45 rpm single in 1960 called "Last Date." An instrumental, the music exhibited a relatively new concept for piano playing known as the "slip note" style. The record went to Number two on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart. By the mid-1960s, Cramer had become a respected performer, making numerous record albums and touring with guitar maestro Chet Atkins and saxophonist Boots Randolph.
Floyd Cramer died of lung cancer in 1997 at the age of 64 and was interred in the Spring Hill Cemetery in the Nashville suburb of Madison, Tennessee.
In 2003, he was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee offers the "Floyd Cramer Competitive Scholarship."
Love Me Tender
Floyd Cramer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never let me go
You have made my life complete
And I love you so
Love me tender, love me true
All my dreams fulfill
For my darling I love you
Love me tender, love me long
Take me to your heart
For it's there that I belong
And will never part
Love me tender, love me true
All my dreams fulfill
For my darling I love you
And I always will
Love me tender, love me dear
Tell me you are mine
I'll be yours through all the years
'Til the end of time
Love me tender, love me true
All my dreams fulfill
For my darling I love you
And I always will
The lyrics of Floyd Cramer's song "Love Me Tender" expresses a deep and unwavering love that is sweet, true, and eternal. The singer, presumably a lover, desires to be loved tenderly, sweetly and never to be let go. It is a plea to be loved completely and with all the tenderness in the lover's heart. The lover admits that they have made their life complete and that they love their partner deeply.
The second verse emphasizes that the lover's dreams have been fulfilled by their partner's love. They acknowledge that their significant other is their "darling" and promises to love them forever. The third verse is a plea to their lover to take them to their heart and never let them go, showing that the singer's heart is exclusively theirs. The last verse is a request to ensure that their love is reciprocated, the lover wants the assurance that they are their partner's, and promises to be there for them until the end of time.
Overall, the song oozes with romanticism and the promise of eternal love. It captures the essence of love’s ability to complete us and fill our lives with joy and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Love me tender, love me sweet
Please show me tenderness and sweetness in your love towards me
Never let me go
Promise me to never leave me behind or let me go from your heart and life
You have made my life complete
You are the missing piece in my life that has made everything perfect and whole
And I love you so
I have a strong affection and love for you
Love me tender, love me true
Love me with sincerity and honesty
All my dreams fulfill
You are the one who can make all my dreams come true
For my darling I love you
I love you greatly, my dear
And I always will
I will love you for eternity
Love me tender, love me long
Please love me passionately and for a long time
Take me to your heart
Let me be close to your heart and be a part of it
For it's there that I belong
I feel like I belong in your loving heart
And will never part
We will always be together and never part
Love me dear, love me true
Please love me with kindness and sincerity
Tell me you are mine
Confirm to me that you belong to me
I'll be yours through all the years
I promise to be with you and love you for all the years to come
'Til the end of time
I will love you forever and always
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Elvis Presley, Vera Matson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind