Love Coming Down is perhaps the worst recording on the album. An uneasy vocal that Elvis mails-in, reminiscent of his approach to Love Me, Love The Life I Lead from 1971. To be clear, Elvis' vocal work is wobbly all over most of the album, but I would argue it is less conspicuous on some of the stronger compositions, and Love Coming Down is not one of them. That said, while there are questions with vocal execution and the overall quality of material throughout the album, it does contain a couple of bonafide recordings that Elvis delivers with conviction and control, such as Danny Boy and Hurt. I have never been enamored with the bluster of Hurt, but the commanding vocal cannot be denied.
Enjoying the Stax box this morning...some of the material wasn’t really up to par but there is a lot of great stuff on here. It’s so much more interesting to listen to the songs this way rather than split up on cut and paste albums.
I am not very familiar with Morrissey's recording catalogue, so thanks for posting this song. As a big time lover and collector of Christmas albums (especially vintage ones from the Golden Age of the 50's and 60's), I am very curious about his upcoming double holiday album, which he himself said is very much a "stand alone album project." I might have to get this one, if the samples sound interesting, once they are released.
The Stax box set is definitely the best way to hear this material. It is a great package and the remastering from Vic Anesini is just splendid. The outtakes are also quite interesting.
I appreciate your acknowledgement regarding Elvis's strong vocal and respect your choice not to really like the boisterous nature of Hurt. A very honest and objective post.
I didn't know about that. I will be on the lookout for it too! We are truly living in amazing times if Morrissey is releasing a holiday album!
You're not alone with that view, but life has taught me otherwise. Lets put it this way, when you've f***ed up yourself, you have more compassion for others who are less than perfect.
I love this post. Mark's statement really sums up this era for me. I may not be drawn to many of the songs Elvis chose to sing from the mid to late 70s, but I can comprehend that they were an honest expression of his feelings at the time - as much as, if not more, than the joyfulness he expressed in his 50s recordings.
Yes indeed, From Elvis Presley Boulevard does not begin to have the originality or genre hopping brilliance of albums like Elvis Is Back, From Elvis In Memphis or even Elvis That's The Way It Is or Elvis Country, and it is certainly not Elvis at his vocal peak, but man he sure does lay his emotions out there on this album about as nakedly as he ever did in a recording studio. Somehow, Elvis even managed to squeeze out of couple of really amazing vocal performances on Hurt and Danny Boy at the same time.
Your man was versatile but since you made the statement that you don’t know anyone who is as versatile as “our” man, I would name Paul McCartney and John Lennon as extremely versatile vocalists and easily as versatile as Elvis. Some will moan that I brought up 2 of The Beatles in an Elvis thread, but strong proclamations about Elvis being the ultimate in versatility require balance and some others added to the list. Even if they happen to be Beatles. True. The truth is the truth, even if it’s inconvenient. Yes. If we credit Elvis for so much, then we have to “credit” him with his misuse of drugs. We all have messed up. Only God can judge. But if someone had compassionately and effectively intervened and told him the truth before it was too late, he might have survived past the Seventies. Yes. Elvis was human. Not perfect. Let’s not, though, on the one hand elevate him so high and credit him with SO much while not holding him somewhat responsible for his failings and weaknesses. That we all have. Elvis was not Superman but NOBODY who is walking on this earth in 2019 is.
I have no problem if you join our thread. I don't think anyone here thinks Elvis was Superman. As for finding a reason to plug the Beatles... that's fine, but I think you missed my context to be honest. I must say it is somewhat strange that after a year of us doing these threads, it is strange you suddenly join after the fiasco of that cultural influence thread. If you disrupt this thread with unnecessary posts, I will have no problem with getting you blocked. On the other hand if you want to talk about Elvis' music, please do. That will not require information about the Beatles, they have plenty of threads of their own. Thank you Mark
As much as respect the overall music talent of Paul and John, and I certainly do want to turn this into another Elvis vs Beatles thread, I personally would not put either Paul nor John in that very upper tier of highly versatile vocalists with Elvis. Now mind you there are a ton of vocalists that I personally love, from Nat King Cole to Roy Orbison and Frank Sinatra, among many others, but I would not put them in that elite list either as they were very specifically gifted at a certain style or genre of music that they sang with almost sheer perfection, but they were not exactly genre hopping artists. As far as sheer vocal diversity and genre hopping ability is concerned, I would put Ray Charles, Charlie Rich, and perhaps Bobby Darin, near the top of the list, right there with Elvis. No, I am sorry to say, as much as I enjoy The Beatles, and particularly Paul's rather splendid voice, neither Paul nor John would rate in my top ten list of versatile male singers, but that is a pretty exclusive list for me.
To some degree that may be true, but in general, I think some fans overreach with that conclusion, which borders on revisionism. I certainly do not view the album as some sort preconceived thematic piece by Elvis. As with many of the 1970's era sessions before it, the work at Graceland spanned a variety of genres and themes, and ultimately it was Jarvis that pieced together the sequencing, and easily could have changed the album's emotive feel by including something like Moody Blue, which was held over for the subsequent album. That said, clearly Elvis was in an unhealthy state of mind (as he had been during the preceding 4 years), and was drawn to songs of heartache and loneliness, but it was not necessarily the overriding theme from Graceland, sessions that allegedly included joyous singing of Platters covers and other standards, as well as Elvis playing dress-up and planning drug-busts.
I don't think anyone has ever claimed that FEPB is a "preconceived thematic piece by Elvis." And there's no need for Elvis (or any performer) to approach a recording session with a self-conscious "You know what, I'd really like to lay my emotions bare" attitude in order to, well, lay their emotions on the line. An argument can be made that the most convincing performances tend to be relatively spontaneous in nature. There's a reason why Dylan tries to get his records done in as few takes as possible - what later takes may gain in polish, they often lose in authenticity. Not to jump ahead, but She Thinks I Still Care exemplifies this perfectly; the master is fine, but it has nothing (imo) on the earlier take that was released on the 70s box. Sure, the arrangement has a lot to do with it, but I think Elvis is much more convincing on the early takes. Maybe he got tired later on, or maybe he grew more self-conscious while they were rearranging the song...I don't know. But for me, there's something magical that got lost once they started the revision process. Anyway, for one reason or another, Elvis managed to convey and capture something - dark, wounded, desperate - on the JR sessions, and that's why I love them so much.
Yeah, I don't think it was a conscious decision by Elvis to bear his soul so vividly, but more or less emerged somewhat organically from the songs that Felton Jarvis knew Elvis was increasingly drawn to in his last few years. We know he had sung an informal version of Danny Boy years before, and obviously Hurt was also a song he had probably heard several versions of and liked for a long time, including the version by one of his early idols, Roy Hamilton. I also think you are right to point out that it was not just gloom and doom that Elvis was drawn to in the first of his final recording sessions at Graceland. He also recorded several uptempo songs like Moody Blue and For The Heart, so I agree with you that it was not some grand design that From Elvis Presley Boulevard became such a revealing album, and would show us where Elvis was emotionally at the time, but ultimately the song choices made, and the sequencing of the album itself, turned it into a rather cohesive album with a theme of loneliness and isolation creeping along in its background. The song titles alone say a whole lot by themselves regarding Elvis's probable state of mind at the time; Hurt, Never Again, Love Coming Down, Solitaire, and I'll Never Fall In Love Again, just to name a few.
Nice post. I have to agree. I think for the most part these last two albums have a fragile beauty, filled with honesty, that lifts them above themselves for me at least I really like them.
You were writing your splendid post about the same time that I was writing mine right below yours. I think we were trying to make a similar point, but I really love the way you describe exactly how I feel about the Jungle Room sessions. Another brilliant post, Dirk.
You have a point and I'm also a big fan of Paul McCartney and John Lennon! They are also two extremely versatile and charismatic vocalists that have ever been in the history of recorded music. I'm thinking that my original post had to do with someone saying that Elvis was mainly a Rock and R&B vocalist. My argument was that he was so versatile but also just happened to be a crooner that could also nail rock and R&B like few others could do. As for a comparison of John Lennon, Elvis, and Paul McCartney as most versatile VOCALISTS, I still give Elvis the edge. To John Lennon's and Paul McCartney's credit, no one that I have heard, has bettered almost all of their definitive versions of their songs including Elvis when he performed them. Many vocalists have tried as we all know. To Elvis' credit, however, is the large number of ballads, R&B, rock, country, gospel, and others from multiple vocalists and styles that Elvis took the torch of the definitive version and made them his own. In many cases he did this with previously well known hit versions.
When millions of people before you become addicted to opiates and STILL you decide to try them out for yourself, I have no compassion for such a decision. I never have and never will. I have f*cked up many times in many ways. But I can learn from other people's mistakes as well as my own. I consider it to be an extreme example of weakness of character to take addictive drugs for recreational purposes. Oh everyone ELSE gets addicted but I sure in hell won't by God! Now that being said, ONCE one becomes addicted and then recovers, I at least have respect for their ability to do that. I totally understand that once addicted it is so often nearly impossible to kick it for good. But that is totally different from the stupid decision to try it in the first place. Same for tobacco. Why in the world would ANYONE start in the first place? Peer pressure? WEAK, WEAK, WEAK reasoning. And now people are SHOCKED that vaping is causing health problems. Vapers are smokers in denial. CHANGE MY MIND.
Rather than like your post I thought I would quote it because you've anticipated exactly what I was planning to say about that song. The released take is disappointing... another instance of Elvis taking a classic country song and delivering a lackluster performance of a bland arrangement. When I first heard the alternate arrangement on the 70s box I was floored, amazed that those in charge had thought the released version was better. No, I'm not saying that take is among the best things Elvis ever did, but it's got a sense of energy and genuine feeling that is missing from the released take. It's one of the highlights of late-career Elvis, and I say that as someone who's not nearly as much a fan of the jungle room recordings as you are.
Totally off topic, but it's no surprise that 90% of smokers started before they turned 18. Teenagers are not known for having good judgment...
None of the Platters covers were recorded, apparently. I don't know how extensive the performances were, if they were just Elvis singing a line or two, or more than that.
I think that is a simplification mate. I also don't know that in the fifties and sixties there was a wide spread field of knowledge about these things. Add to that the US government feeding boot camp guys amphetamines, giving a them a legitimacy ... and it's a whole other can of worms. Unless you have ridden the addiction bus, it is difficult to understand the situation