It's probably time to share a little context.
"A Thing Called Love" is an explicit cover of the 1968 arrangement recorded and released by the Imperials on the LP below. In fact, nearly half of He Touched Me finds Elvis usurping the sound and style of the Imperials work.
On the same 1968 album is their version of "Reach Out To Jesus," while "He Touched Me" and "I've Got Confidence" appear on the 1969 LP below. Elvis taped all four of them, using the same arrangements and their vocal backing, at the 1971 sessions.
He loved the sound of the Imperials. Their 1969 arrangement of "Sweet, Sweet Spirit" from their Love Is The Thing! LP was mirrored by the Stamps Quartet in the 1972 documentary, "Elvis On Tour."
A close look at the Imperials albums on the Impact label in the late 1960s yield at least a half-dozen 1970s Elvis gospel numbers:
The Impossible Dream
Reach Out To Jesus
A Thing Called Love
Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone / Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus / Nearer My God To Thee
He Touched Me
I've Got Confidence
Sweet, Sweet Spirit
So the true artist and craftsman did a lot of listening to his Imperials albums.
There are a few exceptions on the 1972 release. Hearing the singer address "I, John" and "Bosom of Abraham" was a refreshing break.
Elvis' "jubilee" gospel recordings have always ranked with his finest religious work and on these two he was taking his cue from a 1961 LP by the Jubilee Four.
They were kind of a latter-day Golden Gate Quartet, and in fact member William Johnson had been in that legendary group. A couple of years later they appeared with Elvis in MGM's "Viva Las Vegas," and Presley even sang with them on the soundtrack.
Small world.