Ken Darby (May 13, 1909 – January 24, 1992) was an American composer, vocal arranger, lyricist, and conductor. His film scores were recognized with three Academy Awards and one Grammy Award. He provided vocals for the Munchkinland mayor in The Wizard of Oz (1939), who was portrayed in the film by Charlie Becker. Darby is also notable as the author of The Brownstone House of Nero Wolfe (1983), a biography of the home of Rex Stout’s fictional detective. (More from Wikipedia)
As an example, on Linda Ronstadt’s 1978 remake of one of the King’s signature songs, “Love Me Tender”, Elvis Presley is credited as the only songwriter on the lyric sheet. On the labels, however, and on his own 45, Elvis Presley and Vera Matson are given as the songwriters of “Love Me Tender”.
Actually, according to Wikipedia, Ken Darby was the principal songwriter of “Love Me Tender”; and Vera Matson is the maiden name of Darby’s wife. However, for a time songwriters had to concede 50% of the songwriting credit if they wanted Elvis Presley to record their song. Again, from Wikipedia: “When asked why he credited his wife as co-songwriter along with Presley, Darby responded, ‘Because she didn’t write it either.’”
This is not to say that Elvis Presley was only a songbird – far from it. In the article on “Love Me Tender”, Wikipedia goes on to say: “As with nearly all his early RCA recordings, Presley took control in the studio despite not being credited as producer. He would regularly change arrangements and lyrics to the point the original song was barely recognizable. This, arguably, justified the co-writing credit in this case.
“Ken Darby described Elvis Presley’s role in the creation of the song: ‘He adjusted the music and the lyrics to his own particular presentation. Elvis has the most terrific ear of anyone I have ever met. He does not read music, but he does not need to. All I had to do was play the song for him once, and he made it his own! He has perfect judgment of what is right for him. He exercised that judgment when he chose “Love Me Tender” as his theme song.’”
(April 2015/1)
