Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

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

  1. garyt1957

    garyt1957 Forum Resident

    Location:
    mi
    [QUOTE="When In Rome, post: 22389640, member: 71231"
    I had to have it on vinyl.
    The two songs I most wanted to hear were 'The Last Farewell' as I knew Roger Whittakers version and 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again' I knew Tom Jones' version. I enjoyed the former but was disappointed and saddened by the latter. My hero just couldn't pull it off in 1976, seven years past he would've easily nailed that song but here, he seemed to struggle. The subtle nuance and affectation had been lost to breathlessness and seemingly forced vocalisation. I was crestfallen.
    .[/QUOTE]

    Elvis takes a lot of flack for "I'll never fall in love again" but I like it. Could he have done it better in 1970? Of course, but I kinda like later Elvis' rough edges on his voice in the last couple years. I mean he really fell off from the Today album in my opinion. But it's kind of like Johnny Cash's last recordings, he didn't have a lot of voice left, but the emotion... Of course Johnny was 80 something and Elvis was 42.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2019
  2. garyt1957

    garyt1957 Forum Resident

    Location:
    mi
    I'm assuming because they just thought he couldn't possibly top "My Boy" ?
     
  3. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Yeah I can see the headlines: After Years Of Struggle, Rocker Finally Hits Bronze. Elvis Presley, unknown to most in these parts, finally achieved the pinnacle of artistic expression and commercial success with his recent single My Boy. It is doubtful he will ever record such a masterpiece again, radio stations and record distributors have decided to cease ordering or playing any future recordings from this elusive artist. A local record shop owner is quoted "Once such a masterpiece is recorded, we feel we can 'retire the jersey" so to speak. Elvis (known to some by first name only) has really eluded greatness for nearly two decades. Now that this phenomenal recording has been released, almost on a whim, I imagine he will probably retire on a 'high note' and leave his few underground followers dismayed." He continued with this remark: "He came close once before with his great rendering of Do The Clam." Readers may remember when Elvis did the clam, even the most unhip clams were dancing on every beach on the East Coast of AU.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2019
  4. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Jason, if you ever get a chance, please check out the Bear Family box set Nashville Was The Roughest, which features his RCA material from 1964 to 1972. One of my very favorite albums included in this collection is the material from My Own Peculiar Way. This album features musicians like Buddy Harmon, David Briggs and Bob Moore and was arranged by Bergen White. The box set also includes some of his original, and to my ears, best versions of his own compositions like The Party's Over, but here is one of my very favorite songs from My Own Peculiar Way, That's All, a standard written by Merle Travis, who of course wrote Ernie Ford's signature hit, 16 Tons. Check out that awesome all brass chart by Mr. White.

    Willie Nelson - That's All - YouTube
    ▶ 2:26

    Dec 15, 2016 - Uploaded by Piza 73
    Willie Nelson - That's All (My Own Peculiar Way - 1969)
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2019
    D.B., Tord, artfromtex and 3 others like this.
  5. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    When reached for comment on this blacklisting by DJs, Elvis stated:
    "I have laughed, I have cried
    I have lost every game
    Taken all I can take
    But I'll stay just the same"
     
  6. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    I don’t disagree, but in 1976, he wasn’t going to step up to the plate. Under those circumstances, I still prefer a good piece of material where he could deliver a passable vocal, show glimpses of his recognizable tone and phrasing, rather than tackling something second-rate with the same vocal deficiencies.
     
    Dave112 and mark winstanley like this.
  7. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    I guess where we disagree is that I think his arrangement of Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain and his performance are exceptionally weak relative to the other songs on the record. I guess I'm in the minority about that here on this thread, but the slow pace he takes the song at and the sluggish, labored way he trudges through the lyrics really do not serve the song at all. It's such a listless performance.
     
    garyt1957 and mark winstanley like this.
  8. PepiJean

    PepiJean Forum Resident

    Nice list with a really interesting TOP 5.
    Here is mine:

    10) Suspicious Minds - 1969
    9) She's Not You - 1962
    8) If I Can Dream - 1968
    7) Heartbreak Hotel - 1956
    6) Trying To Get To You - 1955
    5) Long Black Limousine - 1969
    4) Blue Moon - 1954
    3) Such A Night - 1960
    2) Mystery Train - 1955
    1) Trouble - 1958
     
    RSteven, mark winstanley and Dave112 like this.
  9. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    I agree with those that say Willie Nelson has the definitive version of this but I like what Elvis did with it. Ironically, I would think Willie's version would be the one to have that magic mushroom guitar vibe. Lol
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  10. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    I like Elvis' version of this and it's one of my go to versions of this often performed song. This is just a side road story so please forgive my straying from the album again Mark. I also learned something new about my wife a few years ago when I was comparing versions of this song. When I ripped my music collection into my computer, I was thrilled that I could pull up a song title and see just how many versions of a song that I had. (Christmas songs are off the scale because pretty much everyone does the same songs.) Danny Boy had a long list of artists so I put them all in a playlist on my player. One day, I decided to delve into all of my Danny Boy versions from Irish traditional to Conway Twitty's rocking version to pop versions. While I was playing my playlist, my wife calls and needs me to pick her up as her mom had an urgent last minute errand to run and my wife's car is at her house. I rush right over and she gets in my car. I'm not even paying it much attention but after the third or fourth consecutive recording of Danny Boy starts to play, my wife angrily asks WT...?!! I realize what she's referring to and I laugh and say that I'm trying to find my favorite version of Danny Boy. She informs me that she hates that song and always has. It was a surprise to see that reaction because she loves music as much as me. Normally, she's cool with my extended comparisons, especially with Christmas songs but that song actually makes her cringe. Needless to say it was enlightening for me. I had found a new button to push. When she's mad at me but won't say why, I have my Danny Boy playlist at the ready to encourage dialogue when I get the "nothing's wrong" silent treatment. She will either crack up laughing or start fussing but either way, it's nice to have that little gem in my phone. Maybe someone should make an ice breaking therapy out of Danny Boy. Sorry about the side trip Mark!
     
    Lonesurf, Revelator, RSteven and 5 others like this.
  11. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    I will also check that out. I was a mild Willie Nelson fan until a my mom bought a giant load of records at a garage sale for me when I was a kid. In that record pile was many older Willie Nelson records. I really became a fan after I heard his older records and when I later heard his Stardust album!
     
    RSteven and mark winstanley like this.
  12. Mylene

    Mylene Senior Member



    My go-to Danny Boy is the undubbed version on Plstinum: A Life in Music.
     
    GillyT, Tord, RSteven and 3 others like this.
  13. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    The Last Farewell
    Written By :
    Roger Whittaker & Ron Webster

    Recorded :

    Jungle Room, Graceland, Memphis, February 2-9, 1976 : February 2, 1976. take 5, and end of take 3

    I actually like Roger Whittaker, and think he had a few great songs. This is probably my favourite.
    This is one song where I think that the backing vocals have a bit too much in the mix. Aside from that I think it is a good arrangement.
    Elvis vocal works here for me, but I think this is one where you will like the song or you won't. I really like this song, and if the backing vocals were a little less intrusive, or not there at all, I would like this more.

     
    RSteven, Shawn and Dave112 like this.
  14. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    For The Heart
    Written By :
    Dennis Linde

    Recorded :

    Jungle Room, Graceland, Memphis, February 2-9, 1976 : February 5, 1976

    I reckon this is very cool. I like the song, and I think the vocal and arrangement work really well. I think that d6 that often appeared on Elvis mid seventies albums always adds a little character.
    I can see this may not be one of Elvis best vocals, but I am not concerned about the vocal when I here the song ... I think the song gives the album a bright and breezy moment probably just when it needed it, and it works well as a side opener... I think it was also a good choice for the b-side of Hurt

     
  15. DirkM

    DirkM Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, USA
    I love The Last Farewell both as a song and as a performance. The sweeping arrangement is glorious, actually making you feel like you're out on the sea (this is another case where they nailed it with the master). It has a flow and naturalness to it that's completely lacking in the Whittaker version.

    More importantly, it features Elvis in relatively rare storytelling mode, and he sells it perfectly. His voice/phrasing on "And shall I return safe home again to England/I will watch the English mist roll through the dale" is particularly exquisite.

    I absolutely hated For The Heart when I first heard it on the 70s box, but it grew on me after I heard it in the context of FEPB. It's pretty much a throwaway, which makes it the perfect choice to open side 2: like Mark said, it gives the listener a bit of relief after the intensity of Danny Boy/The Last Farewell and before the gloominess that's about to follow.
     
  16. I really like the last four tracks (Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, Danny Boy, The Last Farewell, For The Heart) all for various reasons - that bass lick in Blue Eyes Cring In The Rain, the pureness of Danny Boy, the bombast of The Last Farewell and the country rock of For The Heart (I remember a version of this song by The Judds was fairly popular in 1983?).

    On a personal note, I'm going through a tough relationship issue at the moment and this album is just too darn hard to listen to in this frame of mine. On that level, it hits too close to home. I can imagine Elvis was going through at least some similar emotions when he recorded it.
     
  17. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
  18. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    The master for The Last Farewell is an example of how the excessive post-production could ruin a recording. I don’t think it is the strongest piece of material, but the undubbed master is significantly more compelling without all of the misguided Jarvis-directed syrupy post-production overdubs.
     
  19. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Oh Man, That is just gorgeous. I will have to start pulling that box set out more.
     
    mark winstanley and GillyT like this.
  20. Pelvis Ressley

    Pelvis Ressley Down in the Jungle Room

    Location:
    Capac, Michigan
    The Deary/Bogert remix for the unissued Our Memories of Elvis, Volume 3 is my go-to for "The Last Farewell". The master was ruined with Failtone's overdubs.
     
    mark winstanley and Dave112 like this.
  21. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    That is a really fantastic list and I would not have any real problem exchanging your top ten for mine on any given day. I really think Long Black Limousine, I'll Hold You In My Heart and Any Day Now could all make my top ten or top 20 vocal performaces on any given day as well. Blue Moon features a very spooky and underrated vocal in my opinion as well.
     
    mark winstanley and Dave112 like this.
  22. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    I really like this song because it's different from most other songs that Elvis had covered. Just as the song "Almost" makes me think that Elvis could have cut an amazing album of standards, this song makes me think he could have made a top notch musical play or movie (if he had gotten help and kicked the drugs). He tells the story so well here and I don't mind the overdubs as much as some people do.
     
    mark winstanley, GillyT and DirkM like this.
  23. Starting in 1969 I begin to feel Elvis would have been better servred artistically on occasion by double LPs for stuio sessions, the Graceland sessions being no exception. Of course, we'd need between 4 and 6 additional studio masters from these sessions to have made it work, but IMO - had there been those additional tracks - it could have been a pretty cool project assuming there was someone looking out for artistic interest at the helm.
     
  24. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Another song that I like. I agree that the vocals are not the strongest on some of these songs but on the album, they work pretty well. This is why I usually listen to this in its original album form.
     
    mark winstanley, DirkM and RSteven like this.
  25. Matthew

    Matthew Senior Member

    It is a highlight from the session and really, had some thought been put into it ought to have been the "vibe" for the whole session - stripped down, Elvis and a piano, an upright bass, it could've been his "late-night" concept album, instead of all the directionless bombast that resulted during that week.

    That said, my go to for this one is the 1959 home recording:

     
    Tord, Shawn, Dave112 and 2 others like this.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine