早在1926年，後來演出史上第一部有聲電影「爵士歌王」的Al Jolson就已經率先灌錄過這首歌曲，而且當年就已經造成過轟動，引起許多人爭相灌錄。1959年，爵士女歌手Jaye P. Morgan又再度把它唱紅。可是，當艾維斯的版本出現後，立刻壓倒了所有「前輩們」的成績。貓王所演唱的這首歌，除了歌聲盪氣迴腸外，最大的特色還是在中段部分的感性口白。雖然那段口白中只說起「曾經有人說過」，事實上，把世界比作一個大舞台的，是出自莎士比亞的名言。1960年的十一月十四日，貓王的這首歌打進排行，獲得第三十五名，兩個禮拜之後，就登上了冠軍寶座，並且前後蟬聯六週。過去排斥貓王的成年聽眾，就這樣完全的被他迷住了。由於貓王的「Are You Lonesome Tonight」實在是太受歡迎了，當時立刻就有不少女歌手推出「回答」的歌曲，用相同的曲調，回答貓王歌聲中的傾訴，其中最有名的，包括了「Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight」和「Oh, How I Miss You Tonight」。

Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Lyrics:Roy Turk/Lou Handman Music:Roy Turk/Lou Handman

Are you lonesome tonight,
do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?
Does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?
Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?
Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

I wonder if you're lonesome tonight
You know someone said that the world's a stage
And each must play a part.
Fate had me playing in love you as my sweet heart.
Act one was when we met, I loved you at first glance
You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue
Then came act two, you seemed to change and you acted strange
And why I'll never know.
Honey, you lied when you said you loved me
And I had no cause to doubt you.
But I'd rather go on hearing your lies
Than go on living without you.
Now the stage is bare and I'm standing there
With emptiness all around
And if you won't come back to me
Then make them bring the curtain down.

Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?