Can’t Help falling in Love

Elvis Presley’s performance of “Unchained Melody” — recorded just weeks before he passed — is one of the greatest moments in American Rock & Roll history. I eventually arranged that piece myself. Not quite as dramatic as Elvis, but his spirit is in there.

Another hopelessly romantic ballad I’ve always wanted to tackle is “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” My favorite composer, Gustavo Santaolalla, performed a beautiful abbreviated version for The Book of Life soundtrack, and it’s stayed with me ever since. My arrangement isn’t quite as abridged as Santaolalla’s, but it captures the essential arc of the song in a single guitar piece.

Transcribing it was surprisingly straightforward — Elvis’s vocals follow the…