(U3A) A song: “Suspicious Minds”

Suspicious Minds

We’re caught in a trap
I can’t walk out
Because I love you too much, baby

Why can’t you see
What you’re doing to me
When you don’t believe a word I say?

We can’t go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can’t build our dreams
On suspicious minds

So, if an old friend I know
Stops by to say hello
Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?

Here we go again
Asking where I’ve been
You can’t see the tears are real
I’m crying

We can’t go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can’t build our dreams
On suspicious minds
Oh, let our love survive
Or dry the tears from your eyes
Let’s don’t let a good thing die

When, honey, you know
I’ve never lied to you
Mmm, yeah, yeah

We’re caught in a trap
I can’t walk out
Because I love you too much, baby

Why can’t you see
What you’re doing to me
When you don’t believe a word I say?

‘Suspicious Minds’ was Elvis Presley’ s greatest single of the 1960s and his last #1 hit during his lifetime. Actually, Presley’s ‘Suspicious Minds’ was a cover, because it had already been recorded by its author, Mark James in 1968.
Memphis singer Mark James (whose real name is Francis Zambon) wrote this song one night: while playing the guitar he created a melody that he thought was catchy
However, James’ s version of the song was not commercially successful also because his record company did not have the money to promote it.

The following year Elvis Presley was presented with the opportunity to record it. When he heard the song, he immediately loved it and decided he could review it and turn it into a success,
James was not present at the recording session, and he explained why: some days earlier he had walked into the recording studio control room during a session and sensed that Elvis was uncomfortable with his presence. Therefore he decided to stay away, but in the following years, whenever he saw Elvis, this would cross the room just to say hello to him – no matter who the “King” was with. He also said that after Presley’s death he was told he used to ask the guys in the studio, ‘Did Mark send me any more songs?’ and regretted not having known that.

When James wrote the song, he was married but still thought of his childhood girlfriend and his wife was really doubtful. It was a confusing situation and he felt they were all caught in a trap and they couldn’t walk out of it.

It is a story of suspicion, jealousy, and insecurity within a love affair, and portrays the frustration of a person trapped in a mistrusting relationship, with a partner who is unfoundedly suspicious. This situation might tear them apart, so he would like to overcome their issues, to convince her of his innocence, since two people can’t live together, attain their dreams or build on anything if they don’t trust each other.

Here’s the song translated into Italian:

Menti sospettose

Siamo bloccati in una trappola
Non riesco a uscire
Perché ti amo troppo baby

Perché non riesci a vedere
Che cosa mi stai facendo
Quando non credi a una parola di quello che dico?

Non possiamo andare avanti insieme
Con menti sospettose
E non possiamo costruire i nostri sogni
Su menti sospettose

Così se una vecchia amica che conosco
Passa qui a salutare
Vedrei ancora del sospetto nei tuoi occhi?

Ci risiamo
Mi stai chiedendo dove sono stato
Non vedi che queste lacrime sono vere
Sto piangendo (Sì, sto piangendo)

Non possiamo andare avanti insieme
Con menti sospettose
E non possiamo costruire i nostri sogni
Su menti sospettose

Oh lascia sopravvivere il nostro amore
O asciugati le lacrime dagli occhi
Non lasciamo che una bella cosa muoia

Quando tesoro, tu sai
Che non ti ho mai mentito
Mmm, sì, sì

Siamo bloccati in una trappola
Non riesco a uscire
Perché ti amo troppo baby

Perché non riesci a vedere
Che cosa mi stai facendo
Quando non credi alle parole che dico?