Elvis Presley - what's your leftfield choice for The King's greatest vocal performance?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Aar Gal, Sep 9, 2021.

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  1. Saintbert

    Saintbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    Helsinki
    Singing to his king, "Who Am I" (recorded in 1969):

     
  2. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I just love the contrast in vocal styles between Rags To Riches and the song my buddy @Shawn posted below it, The Last Farewell. I love both performances almost equally, but what I really love is the way that Elvis approaches the vocals for both songs so completely differently.

    On Rags To Riches, Elvis just lets it all hang out and leaves nothing on the table. He goes for the notes fearlessly and sings it like his very life is on the line. On the other hand, Elvis sings The Last Farewell delicately and much like his fantastic vocal on In The Ghetto, it is his subtle, yet caressing vocal phrasing that makes the lyrics of the song resonate for the listener that much more. The string and horn arrangement on The Last Farewell is also quite majestic by Bergen White, with those syncopated strings on the line "Though death and darkness gather all about me..." really driving the danger home that lurks just around the corner for the protagonist in the song.

    If anyone doubts why Elvis could identify with this song about a sailor going off to war, just try to remember that Elvis did go off to Germany on a ship when he served his time as a real soldier in the Army in 1958. He did not try to get out of his obligation by serving in some special services division as an entertainer or singer, but instead he chose to meet his draft obligation as a real soldier.

    Since Shawn already posted Elvis's great cover version of Roger Whittaker's The Last Farewell above, I will post my very favorite undubbed version of Rags To Riches from last year's magnificent box set, From Elvis In Nashville, marvulously remixed and remastered for this release.

     
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  3. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    I like E's version of this song but The Drifters nail it.
     
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  4. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    " Hold it fellas...that don't move me! Let's get really real gone for a change."
     
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  5. Thievius

    Thievius Blue Oyster Cult-ist

    Location:
    Syracuse, NY
    Well, as a bonus cut. Obviously not from the film, but yes its definitely a favorite. And thats also an underrated soundtrack.
     
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  6. ScottishStuart

    ScottishStuart Stay Hard, Stay Hungry, Stay Alive

    Location:
    Stirling
    What a brilliant thread idea.
     
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  7. mc7t

    mc7t Forum Resident

    I was going to choose "If I can dream", but I'd definitely say that that's considered mainstream, so I'll go with this.



    Makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand up.
     
  8. Pelvis Ressley

    Pelvis Ressley Down in the Jungle Room

    Location:
    Capac, Michigan
    "It Hurts Me" would be in my top contenders. I just wish the Jordanaires were a bit further down in the mix.

     
  9. PepiJean

    PepiJean Forum Resident

    Funny thing here is that when Clyde re-recorded SUCH A NIGHT during the 60's, he ended up using Elvis' style and arrangement.
    For me, the definitive version in this case is Elvis'. And the LP "Elvis is back!" is a monument.
     
  10. PepiJean

    PepiJean Forum Resident

    MYSTERY TRAIN, HEARTBREAK HOTEL, TROUBLE, IF I CAN DREAM and LONG BLACK LIMOUSINE would be my top#5.
     
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  11. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I am a huge fan of Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters and of course Elvis himself was a big fan of the singer, but I have to agree with you regarding the merits of Elvis's version over either version by Clyde. Elvis's silky and rangy voice, combined with that great A-Team of Nashville studio players, was just a match made in heaven. And then you have engineer Bill Porter at the console giving Elvis the best sound he ever had in the studio. It was sonic masterpiece and a marvelous showcase of all the tools in Elvis vocal cabinet. He grunts, moans, and sings with a passion and beauty that words simply cannot describe.
     
  12. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    "I Believe In The Man In The Sky"

    Take 1


     
  13. ATMP

    ATMP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Thanks for the clarification. And I should know better since my first exposure was on the From Nashville to Memphis 60s Masters set which excluded the soundtracks.
     
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  14. Thievius

    Thievius Blue Oyster Cult-ist

    Location:
    Syracuse, NY
    Funny you say that, my first digital version was a "Double Feature" of Spinout and Double Trouble which also excised the bonus tracks. That was disappointing.
     
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  15. T-Mac

    T-Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio
    The one that gets me every time if An American Trilogy from the Aloha via Satellite 1973 show, the soft beginning then build up and tension is incredible. The King on the biggest stage nails it
     
  16. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Agree highly on this choice. Elvis at his best on this LP. Not one duff track.
     
  17. danasgoodstuff

    danasgoodstuff Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR

    Don't Think Twice, one of many (un)edits available on the web, nice to hear him having fun like this. Put this on one side of a 12" single and the long version Merry Xmas Baby on the other.
     
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  18. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    So many great choices that have been posted so far. I'm going to steer clear of many of the most obvious great performances that are usually given.

    Here's an Elvis gospel song that I return to quite often. I just love his version of "Reach Out To Jesus". Elvis always had a special touch when it came to gospel songs.

     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2021
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  19. Thomas Casagranda

    Thomas Casagranda Forum Resident

    Long Black Limousine. He also had a cold when he recorded it.
     
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  20. frog12

    frog12 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Elvis Presley - Clean up your own backyard

    Armchair quarterback's always moanin' Second guessing people all day long Pushing, fooling and hanging on in Always messing where they don't belong When you get right down to the nitty-gritty Isn't it a pity that in this big city Not a one a'little bitty man'll admit He could have been a little bit wrong

     
  21. PepiJean

    PepiJean Forum Resident

    Or put as the B-Side the 1954 Sun track BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY so you can hear Elvis having the same fun and still enjoying musicmaking despite the 17 years gap.
     
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  22. Jayson Wall

    Jayson Wall Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Sure, not his greatest but I do love "Edge Of Reality" from the musical version of "Play Misty For Me". ;)

     
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  23. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    My second leftfield choice for greatest vocal performance ever by Elvis has to be his towering and soulful cover version of Bridge Over Troubled Water. Elvis cut his studio version in 1970, so the song was still relatively fresh and had not been done to death yet. The lyrics about friendship and loyalty resonated with Elvis, so he actually went back into the studio to overdub another vocal right after his initial take on the song, and it ended up being one of the very finest of his entire career. The song is also aided by a majestic string and horn chart by Bergen White, who happened to now be Elvis's very favorite Nashville maestro, ever since he also did the fantastic brass arrangement on Elvis's live cover version of Polk Salad Annie a few months before for his live On Stage album from that very same year.

     
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  24. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Definitely this one...

    Among about 70 others. :) .....

     
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  25. joeislive

    joeislive Streets Ahead

    Ugh, love that track. Maybe the cold added to the urgency. I love that whole album.
     
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