Velvet Elvis

Teresa and I loved the King 
and Love Me Tender was our song
whenever we heard it on the radio 
we both would sing along

Teresa left me for a guy with a Vette
and a condo and a plastic smile
and I was chain smokin’ cigarillos 
like they were goin’ outta style

I always knew Teresa could do better than me
but it stung a little just the same
it was 2 or 3 years before I ever could
stop cryin’ out her name

I saw her every now and then at Billy Jack’s
but she was always there with him
that one Friday night she saw me
she looked away guilty as sin

Time marches on and I was doin’ o.k.
I managed to be happy for her
Teresa had what she’d always wanted
and the days passed by like a blur

I was headin’ out to Otto’s for a pick-me-up
when somethin’ funny caught my eye
she was sellin’ velvet Elvises 
at the Texaco down on Vine

She couldn’t have needed extra money 
wasn’t she on top of the world?
maybe she just had to have a hobby
Teresa was a restless girl

So I swung back and pulled on in
pretendin’ like I needed gas
I wondered was she really happy
but was almost afraid to ask

Teresa started cryin’ when she saw me
I guess I knew the answer then
she said that bastard had cut her loose 
and why had she left me for him

I told her I forgave her and I really did
life’s too short for all that pain
I bought a velvet Elvis and it made her smile
and chased her silly blues away

The King is gonna live forever 
With velvet sideburns and cool shades
Elvis didn’t bring us back together
It was simply a twist of fate

Teresa and I loved the King 
and Love Me Tender was our song
but I haven’t heard it on the radio
since we used to sing along



Bryans Road, Maryland
3-11-2012