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

I would give another vote to any of his gospel tracks. Godless heathen that I am, Elvis+ gospel is really something special, apart from the aforementioned Milky White Way, my favorite has always been Run On. Technically a gospel song but as bad ass as any thing. I’ve heard other people cover that song and each time I do I always think how much I rather be listening to Elvis’s version.

 

I like Elvis’ vocals best when he pushed the top of his vocal range and added some grit. Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock are some prime examples of this kind of vocal tone. Too bad he didn’t use that voice very often.

That being said, I am not a big fan of the majority of Elvis vocals, especially his crooning and balladeering. For the most part I find his vocals to be so overly affected that they sometimes come across as a “put on” voice, rather than his real voice.

 

I watched the great HBO doc THE SEARCHER again recently and the show’s writer, Alan Light, wisely spent a great deal of time on how important gospel music was to Elvis. There were some good quotes from Presley himself on how gospel music was one of the foundations of his musical education and of rock music itself. Certainly some of Elvis’ finest performances are on his gospel recordings, both studio and live.

 

“Let It Be Me” from On Stage is one of the single greatest readings of a song I have ever heard.

From earlier in his career, “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again” shows off his innate and effortless sense of swing.

 

First, apropos of the thread, I think Elvis was an excellent singer in his early stuff.

On the other hand, his later music (after the 50's I guess) has always puzzled me.

I mean, I can't even quite understand what category his later stuff seems to fit in. It sounds sort of stage music, goofy, kinda rhythmic but not like any particular genre of pop.
It's among the least appealing, bland music I've ever heard.

But...taste and all that...

 

Ah, one of Elvis's most passionate live vocals ever caught on tape. The intensity and raw beauty of his vocal is just breathtaking, but so is the great arrangement by pianist Glen D. Hardin. Sheer perfection all the way around.

 

coulda gone with at least 20 of his most traditional early stuff.

but this is such a wonderfully understated performance that builds nicely. and thank god for the jordanaires.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMD8d7oUjxw

 

That’s Someone You Never Forget, from 1961:

 

I don't mean to pick on you, especially since this is a not uncommon perception, BUT there are any number of post Army performances by Elvis that are anything but bland, and some of them are posted here. Some of his later work is kind of neither here nor there, AND I think there was a tendency to assume that any really good performances released later had been recorded earlier (and some in fact had been). Let me just offer this:

Merry Xmas Baby, 1971, whatever this is, it doesn't strike me as bland.

And in one way you're right, a lot of Elvis' work doesn't fit neatly into any category other than Elvis music, he's his own category. As are Ray Charles and Charlie Rich and any number of others who were truly bad and nationwide.

 

Would be something different everyday….

today’s choice is “What Now My Love”.

 

A really nice example of a post Army highlight and another example of Elvis's later stage vocal prowess. Elvis author Robert Matthew-Walker has one of my favorite reviews ever of why this vocal performance is so special on Merry Christmas Baby, and he makes a great case why people should not underestimate Elvis's post Army vocal performances. And this vocal came in 1971, a mere six years before the singer's death.

"Since Presley's achievements as a blue singer are so little known, let us look at 'Merry Christmas Baby' in some detail. It is a basic 12-bar blues in G minor, but what is astonishing is that, for perhaps the only time in his career, Presley reveals the full range of his voice and his natural feel for the blues. He uses his voice as an instrument as he endeavors to match the amazing guitar work of James Burton (surely influenced by Johnny 'Guitar' Watson). Presley hums, moans and shouts. The piano is free and florid - the use of the high keyboard register is unusual and distinctive, but it is Presley's earthy, yet subtle and hypnotic singing in the opening verse that inspires the musicians. The gamut of his voice - from low, growly G's to a staggering, thrilling top B flat - sung, not falsetto - is so surprising, and so unlike anything else Presley did, as to cause one to rethink entirely one's attitude to this singer."

 

It Feels So Right

 

Little Sister - by far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55ak4ubAbIY

 

Memories

 

King of the whole wild world

 

• STRANGER IN MY OWN HOME TOWN (Blues, 1969)

“Percy Mayfield’s startling Stranger In My Own Hometown follows. This is the most rocking track on the album and the most haunting. This is the sound of a man confronting a city that had witnessed the assignation of Martin Luther King less than a year earlier. Elvis’ sorrow at this event has been recounted by both Celeste Yarnall and Jerry Schilling, perhaps more than If I Can Dream this is his reaction to it. It’s an explosive, surging performance that stands with his greatest work. The song’s ferocious climax features one of the strangest horn arrangements ever put on vinyl and Elvis screaming off mike ‘Blow your brains out.’ He would revisit this song later in his career and re-invent the idea of a blues man in a frightening laid back chronicle of alienation and despair. Anyone who doesn’t understand the genius of Elvis Presley should listen to this song.”

(Jeremy Richey)

 

I think my #1 favorite vocal by Elvis is 1956's "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" (Lloyd Price tune). Elvis only sings, I think, two verses, but his vocal is just so rock'n'roll and also so Elvis... it's spine-tingling, for me.

For the more obvious choices, you could go with "Jailhouse Rock" (rock'n'roll style) or "It's Now or Never" (ballad style). But "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" is another great one.

 

Long black Limousine, Any day now, I really don´t want to know, Reconsider baby, Baby, Let´s play house

 

"Blue Moon"... From the Sun era songs and the song mainly featured in the film Mystery Train...

Now I'm sure there are greater performances he did but I'm going with what I know!

 

Great performance, great movie too!

 

Can't disagree about the early stuff: it remains Elvis' groundbreaking legacy, specially the recordings at Sun studios (although I also have a soft spot for the "King Creole" - 1958 - movie soundtrack.)
About the "latter" music, I think you should give a try to his first post army album "Elvis is Back!" (1960, a mixture of R&B and Pop) and also to "From Elvis in Memphis" (1969, more on the Country Soul sound): I can assure you that, on both occasions, his music is everything but bland.

 

I know this is off topic, but maybe a good place to ask as any...

I'm in a pickle with the King -- I love him enough to own the Complete Masters set and some boxes, but not enough for all the FTDs -- BUT I want more outtakes -- should I go for something like Today, Tomorrow and Forever? Any other suggestions?

 

Several of the his gospel songs and early sides are there for me but my favorite is this alternate take of Power Of My Love:

 

Loving Arms