Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mark winstanley, May 26, 2019.

  1. DirkM

    DirkM Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, USA
    I love, love, LOVE the rock medley. It's a lot of fun, and the transitions between the songs work really well (especially the moment when the Jailhouse Rock bassline pops up).

    Why Me Lord is sort of a missed opportunity. It could have been one of his live masterpieces had he sung the whole thing. The versions that we have are good, don't get me wrong, but it's really the choruses that sell them.

    The studio version of How Great Thou Art doesn't do much for me, but I have yet to hear a live version that I didn't love. The dramatic arrangement is fantastic, and as Mark said, HGTA invariably brought out the best in Elvis. His vocals on this song are almost always the highlight of his shows.

    Help Me is a solid song, and again, Elvis always seemed to sing it well. I probably prefer the live versions to the studio version, though they're all wonderful.

    Any version of An American Trilogy is going to pale next to the Hampton Roads version for me, but this performance is solid enough. I actually prefer it to the MSG and Aloha versions.

    Let Me Be There is always a joy to hear. I know some people hate the idea of Elvis covering ONJ, but I honestly think that his discography would be poorer if we didn't have the live versions of LMBT and If You Love Me (Let Me Know). LMBT is particularly effective on this album, coming after a pair of serious songs. It helps to mix up the mood.
     
  2. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I agree with you on virtually every point of your splendid post, but especially on Why Me Lord. Now, I do not have a beef with Elvis trying to show off one of his back-up singers on a occasion for a small solo, but we miss a great opportunity to hear Elvis take on a contemporary gospel song by Kris Kristofferson that actually made it all the way to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in 1973. If you want to get an idea of how great a studio cut could have sounded with Elvis singing the verses as well as the chorus, take a listen to Charlie Rich's stirring version from his Grammy nominated gospel album in 1976, Silver Linings:


    https://www.youtube.com › watch
    ▶ 3:02


     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2019
  3. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Larry Gatlin was quickly becoming a very important singer-songwriter in Nashville during the early 1970's and the fact that Elvis would end up cutting two of his best songs was a sign that Elvis was still able to spot a great songwriter when he heard one. Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall was Gatlin's other splendid country ballad that Elvis cut for his penultimate studio album, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis Tennessee, in 1976. I too have always preferred Elvis's live version of Help Me over the studio cut, which rather ironically was the one my Los Angeles country radio station preferred to play on the air. Elvis's voice stands out a lot more without so much vocal harmony on the verses, and I also find Glen Hardin's fine piano playing to be a highlight as well.

    I actually really love the ONJ covers as well. The upbeat country/rock style of those two songs was right up Elvis's alley. I also suspect that Elvis might have had a small crush on Olivia as well as I know I sure did as a teenager. :shh:
     
  4. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Oh, I actually think you are in the majority on this viewpoint. I am not as hung up as some are about JD's back-up vocal work as Elvis always seemed to greatly admire bass voices to some degree, but the "dive bombs" did grow tiresome after the 50th time of hearing them.:agree:
     
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  5. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    That I strongly disagree with. The ONJ covers do nothing to enhance the recorded legacy of Elvis Presley, in my humble opinion. Elvis had dozens of songs from his own catalogue I would have loved to have heard in place of those pedestrian ONJ covers, especially on this album where his vocals were sober and strong.
     
  6. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    I don't think it's been mentioned but this is the first LP with the "Elvis" logo that seems to be coming at you although it's been on singles. I always wondered if they were actually starting to be interested in an Elvis brand. Maybe even some quality standards. It's missing from the Boulevard album and then back on Moody Blue. That kind of puts a hole in my branding theory.
     
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  7. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Elvis loved Gospel quartets. And he REALLY liked the bass singer. It is Elvis' fault.
     
  8. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
    Let Me Be There is a decent song but there was no reason why it was included again on the Moody Blue album. There were quite a few unreleased songs that Jarvis could have used instead.
     
  9. Monsieur Gadbois

    Monsieur Gadbois Senior Member

    Location:
    Hotel California
    This guy Dwight Icenhower is amazing.

     
  10. Ace24

    Ace24 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio


    I like the intro too. I like "You know what I can't do?" as a cue to Glen Hardin and the band to start ICSLY but then he starts singing BH instead, perhaps spontaneously. I don't, however, like him singing some of the lyrics as "baby talk."
     
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  11. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    The "baby talk" that you mention is actually Elvis trying to mimic his idol Fats Domino, who had the original huge hit on Blueberry Hill. Mr. Domino, who I had the good fortune of seeing in Las Vegas at the Hilton Hotel during the exact same time that Elvis was headlining the main showroom in 1975, had a very thick Louisiana accent on his records, and he actually sounded almost exactly like Elvis's imitation on some of his records. Elvis always tried to pay his respect to Fats Domino and during his inaugural Las Vegas press conference for his return to live performing in 1969, Elvis mentioned how many gold records Fats Domino had and invited him to the event as well. It was just Elvis's funny way of paying tribute to the man, although you might not realize it, if you did not know the whole story. I am glad that you gave me a chance to bring it up, because that opening on Blueberry Hill/I Can't Stop Loving You always makes me smile a little when I hear Elvis singing it that way.
     
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  12. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    My Baby Left Me
    Here they seem to be actually trying to recapture the sound and feel of the early years, and aside from the fact that the lead break is a bit funkier, they get pretty close.
    It is a pretty decent version, and ir's nice that they did something it seems they didn't do that often.
     
  13. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Lawdy Miss Clawdy
    This is a pretty good version also, it has a bit of a seventies swing to it, which is fine. The vocal starts out ensemble and the moves into a few call and response sections.
    Again it isn't the 68 special, but it is very good.
     
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  14. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Can't Help Falling In Love
    And of course we end with the obligatory "Can't Help" ... It is a good version, but it isn't a favourite Elvis song, and by this stage of the catalog, It is a little bit like ... "not again" lol
     
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  15. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I think Recorded Live In Memphis is definitely worth having, but I am not going to get involved with the different versions, because that feels like a fools errand. There are folks on here that have been studying these albums for years. I think the album collection version sounds fine, and I will listen to the FTD further on up the Road.
    It is nice to have Elvis in good voice, and interested. The band is focused and tight, and the album delivers what it promises to.
    Not much to complain about there.
     
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  16. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Promised Land **
    It's Midnight *
    (US) RCA PB 10074
    Released: October 1, 1974
    * Recorded: Stax Studios, Memphis, December 10, 1973
    ** Recorded: Stax Studios, Memphis, December 15, 1973
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    This is actually a really good single.
    It is interesting to me that they released two singles as promotion for the Promised Land Album.
    Again both these song are on the Promised Land Album so we will take a look at them there.
     
  17. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    HAVING FUN WITH ELVIS ON STAGE (LP)
    (US) RCA CPM1 0818
    Released: October 1974

    A TALKING ONLY ALBUM
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    I had never heard of this before the thread. In fact it is just playing now, for the first time.
    I guess it is a little big of fun, but it is a head scratcher to me, that Parker was selling copies of this out of the back of his car or whatever.
    I don't really know anything about this, and although I like hearing Elvis interact with the crowd, forty straight minutes of it may be a little much.

    So you guys that know all about this, please give us some kind of back story on this weird compilation of live talks, and audience interactions.

    Possibly not a week's worth of discussion here, but certainly there must be some. This is a weird release, and a weird compilation.



     
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  18. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
    RCA decided to release this because Elvis hadn't recorded enough material to fulfill the 3 albums per year contract. It's a strong contender for worst album ever released.

    It was originally released on Parker's Boxcar label and it was sold at Elvis' concerts. But since RCA controlled all the rights to Elvis' music, Parker couldn't release any songs so he decided to put together a talking album taken from various shows record to soundboard over the years.

    It contains snippets from shows recorded between 1969 - 1973.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2019
  19. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Here is a Vegas version of My Baby Left Me where Elvis goes all out trying to sound like his 21 year old self:

     
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  20. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Elvis NOT Having Fun On Stage:
     
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  21. minkahed

    minkahed Forum Resident

    Could you please point out or elaborate on weight of these lackluster performances lay ?

    I might mention that I've always heard and seen you comment on this concert in the past and you give it high accolades.
     
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  22. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
  23. minkahed

    minkahed Forum Resident

    where can I find this versions what CD ? Awesome !!!
     
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  24. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
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  25. garyt1957

    garyt1957 Forum Resident

    Location:
    mi

    There's some good ETA's out there in that they look like him. sound like him and move like him but there's just no real excitement there because they aren't him. It's just empty, much like the actors portraying him in movies. They can't portray the charisma that made him great.
     

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