It is telling that Somebody Like Me, one of the blandest middle-of-the-road pop records Eddy Arnold made in the '60s, was also one of his most commercially successful. Its strong sales performance explains why the so-called Tennessee Plowboy came to make such an abundance of easy listening records: a lot of people were buying them. There are several good songs, but the sweet, languid arrangements lack the moodiness and atmospherics of his best easy listening records. The limp interpretation of Bill Anderson's "The Tips of My Fingers" was a number three hit, and "Somebody Like Me" spent a month at number one. The appearance of "Lay Some Happiness on Me" a year before either Dean Martin or Bobby Wright had a hit with it is notable, but chart status notwithstanding, Somebody Like Me is not one of Arnold's strongest albums.
EDDY ARNOLD
SOMEBODY LIKE ME
RCA Victor LSP-3715November/1966
Produced by Chet Atkins
1.
SOMEBODY LIKE ME
(Wayne Carson Thompson) « © '66 Budde Song, BMI »Your baby loves you now so don't make her blue now
You'd better start bein' true now I'm telling you why
Because if you break her heart somebody's gonna come along
And he'll steal her away from you somebody like me
Let me tell you friend I'm not botherin'
But I think it's such a sin if you don't treat her right
Because if you break her heart...
She wants to be held tight now each and every night now
You'd better treat her right now I'm tellin' you why
Because if you break her heart...
I hope you listen to now each word that I've told you now
These things you'd better do now or you won't have her long
Because if you break her heart...
Will steal her away somebody like me
**********
2.
LAY SOME HAPPINESS ON ME
(Jean Chapel - Bob Jennings) « © '66 Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »Tell me I'm great and I'll be greater build me up and I'll fly
Love me now and be glad later and tell your troubles goodbye
Lay some happiness on me so the brighter side you'll see
No more lonelines to be lay some happiness on me
(Lay some happiness on me)
Turn me on the sweet line talkin' show me your love is true
And on a cloud you'll see me walkin' to give it right back to you
Lay some happiness on me...
Spill that cup of trouble and sorrow sooner the better for you
Fill it up with happy tomorrow we got some livin' to do
Lay some happiness on me...
Cuddle me up and I'll squeeze tighter honey let's kiss me do
A good good loving makes a bad bad fighter and I'm not pickin' on you
Lay some happiness on me...
Lay some happiness on me...
**********
3.
THERE'S ALWAYS ME
(Don Robertson) « © '61 Don Robertson Music, ASCAP »(Uh huh there's always me)
When the evening shadows fall
And you're wondering who to call
For a little company there's always me
Or if your great romance should end
And you're lonesome for a friend
Darling you need never be there's always me
I don't seem to mind somehow playing second fiddle now
Someday you'll want me dear and when that day is here
Within my arms you'll come to know
Other loves may come and go
But my love for you will be eternally
Look around and you will see there's always me
**********
4.
COME BY ME NICE AND SLOW
(Beasley Smith) « © '66 Hirt Music, ASCAP »Come by me nice and slow
Come by me nice and slow
Let me peace my eyes before you go
Come by me nice and slow
Smile one more smile at me
Smile one more smile at me
Make it sweet and tender like it used to be
Smile one more smile at me
Why should I kid myself when I know what's going on
How can I rid myself have your mem'ry when you're gone
Speak to me soft and low
Speak to me soft and low
Let me hear you say one last hello
Come by me nice and slow
Come by me oh honey come by me nice and slow
Come on by me honey
**********
5.
YOU'VE MADE UP FOR EVERYTHING
(Cindy Walker) « © '57 Oree Music, BMI »(You've made up for everything)
You are the trip to the land that was too far away
The violin I never could play
The song in my heart that I never could sing
You've made up for everything
You are the ship that never came in
The price that I could not win
The things that I might have been
And though I've been denied I'm satisfied
For you're the place in the sun that I could not attain
The golden dream I've reached for in vain
They're mine cause you're mine and what more could they bring
You've made up for everything
**********
6.
AT SUNSET
(Ray Griff) « © '66 Blue Echo Music, ASCAP / Next Decade Music, ASCAP »(At sunset)
It's that time of day again when dreams drift my way again
My thoughts start to stray again at sunset
Your mem'ry is crystal clear and visions of yesteryear
Are sprinkled with silver tears at sunset
This is the moment that I miss you most of all
At the end of the day just before the shadows fall
Blue skies unfold a purple horizon with colors of crimson and gold
Such beauty still takes my breath but I feel an emptiness
Cause I see your silhouette at sunset
It's that time of day again when dreams drift my way again
My thoughts start to stray again at sunset
**********
7.
TIP OF MY FINGERS
(Bill Anderson) « © '60 Tree Publishing, BMI »I reached out my arms and I touched you
With soft words I whispered your name
I held you right on the tip of my fingers
But that was as close as I came
My eyes had vision of sweet lips
Yeelding beneath my command
I had your love on the tips of my fingers
But I let it slip right through my hands
But I let it slip right through my hands
Somebody took you when I wasn't looking
And I should have known from the start
It's a long long way from the tip of my fingers
To the love hidden deep in your heart
To the love hidden deep in your heart
I had your love on the tips of my fingers
But I let it slip right through my hands
Yes I let it slip right through my hands
**********
8.
LOVE ON MY MIND
(Cindy Walker) « © '66 Unichappell Music, BMI »**********
9.
I LOVE YOU DROPS
(Bill Anderson) « © '66 Johnny Bienstock Music, BMI »I love you drops I miss you drops
Hurry home drops you've been gone so long drops
They're not teardrops they're sincere drops
That say I'm lonesome and I love you so
They were on my pillow when I woke up this morning
They were on the letter I tried so hard to write
And just a little while ago I saw them falling
On your picture as I kissed it goodnight
I love you drops I miss you drops...
**********
10.
DON'T LAUGH AT MY LOVE
(Kenneth Ray Rogers) « © '66 Haymarket Music, BMI »Don't laugh at my love it's all that I've got
You can put him above but don't laugh at my love
I don't have much to offer just my love everyday
And if that's not enough dear there's just one thing I pray
Just don't laugh at my love...
And when it's all over and you've made up your mind
You'll decide that you need him and you'll leave me behind
Just don't laugh at my love...
You can put him above but don't laugh at my love
**********
11.
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
(Robert Allen - Al Stillman) « © '66 Music Sales, ASCAP / Charlie Deitcher Productions, ASCAP »We'll walk the road of life together day by day
And I will love you every step of the way
The road may wind beneath the sky of blue or gray
But I will love you every step of the way
So only love me and love me only
And we will never walk with loneliness
For just as sure as every April turns to May
So will I love you every step of the way
I'll love you only every step of the way
**********
12.
IT'S ONLY LOVE
(Hank Cochran) « © '66 Tree Publishing, BMI »(It's only love it'll go away)
If I don't act myself when I'm around you
And I recall the things you used to say
Well I just haven't learned to forget like you do
But it's only love it'll go away
It's only love it'll go away
At least that's what you say
And if I call at night when you're sleeping
Just to talk about yesterday
Then before I hang up these mem'ries start creeping
Well it's only love it'll go away
But it's only love it'll go away
**********
