Moody Blue [Collector's Edition, Original recording remastered, Extra tracks]

Elvis Presley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 16, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Collector's Edition, Original recording remastered, Extra tracks
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00004T0US
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,827 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese-only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD) pressing of this 1977 album. SHM-CDs can be played on any audio player and delivers unbelievably high-quality sound. You won't believe it's the same CD! Universal. 2009. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The final recording sessions...and '77 concert highlights, June 10, 2000

By 

Burning Love (US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moody Blue (Audio CD)

In 1976, Elvis Presley recorded what would become the last batch of songs in a studio setting...sort of...

After 1975's "Today" sessions, Elvis never again recorded in a bona fide recording studio. RCA, desperate to get SOMETHING new from The King (that was not in a live concert format), it was decided to bring the studio to Elvis. In February of 1976 (and later in October as well), Elvis cut tracks within his own home, Graceland.

This CD features the two final albums by the King featuring new material. They have been combined together in this package, making it a nice little investment. Tracks 1-9 are from the original "Moody Blue" album, and tracks 10-19 were from the album "From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee".

1-UNCHAINED MELODY Recorded live in April of '77, this shows that Elvis's range has not deteriorated like his health and appearance had. Very effective, a similar performance was filmed in June of that year for the CBS special that aired shortly after his death. Although it didn't make the final cut of the special, it was later released on both the video "Elvis: The Great Performances-Center Stage" and the accompanying CD "Elvis: The Great Performances"

2-IF YOU LOVE ME, LET ME KNOW Elvis had been performing this song since his August '74 Vegas engagement, but no version of it was legitimately released until this one, recorded on stage in April '77. While not one of the King's more memorable performances, it's quite bouncy and fun. A similar version was recorded in June of '77 and is featured on the album "Elvis In Concert".

3-LITTLE DARLIN' This toungue-in-cheek performance, also from Elvis' April '77 concert tour, shows that despite being only months away from death, he still didn't lose his sense of humor.

4-HE'LL HAVE TO GO Elvis sings this Jim Reeves hit with a lot of nice low notes, comparable to "In the Ghetto". Recorded in Graceland in October '76, this would ultimately be the last studio recorded The King ever made.

5-WAY DOWN Also recorded in the October '76 Graceland sessions, this cool rocker showed that Elvis didn't do all slow ballads in the end. A late classic.

6-PLEDGING MY LOVE Recorded immediately after "Way Down", Elvis appears to be enjoying himself on this Johnny Ace hit. Nicely sung, a similar (and longer) version appears on "Platinum: A Life In Music"

7-MOODY BLUE Recorded in February '76 in Graceland, this is the closest Elvis ever got to doing a disco record. A happy tune, it did well on the country charts, peaking at #1.

8-SHE THINKS I STILL CARE Another country classic given a treatment by Elvis. Recorded in February '76 in Graceland, Elvis gives it a nice, if not outstanding, treatment. A slightly different version appears on "Walk a Mile In My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters"

9-IT'S EASY FOR YOU Recorded during the October '76 Graceland sessions, this melodramatic ballad would end up being the last song on the last album released during Elvis' lifetime ("Moody Blue", July '77). A haunting way to end a 20+ recording career.

The remaining tracks were all recorded during the Graceland sessions in February '76:

10-HURT A late Elvis classic, Elvis puts full gusto into this Timi Yuro hit. The power of his voice and range make this a must-listen.

11-NEVER AGAIN Another melodramatic ballad, Elvis puts a lot of soul in this rather ordinary tune.

12-BLUE EYES CRYING IN THE RAIN Nice lead guitar work on this one. Elvis sounds a little tired, though.

13-DANNY BOY Another old song given a try by the King. Not outstanding, but again kind of cryptic, considering The King would be dead a year and a half later.

14-THE LAST FAREWELL One of the lesser moments of the Graceland sessions, this ordinary tune isn't anything spectacular.

15-FOR THE HEART The most upbeat tune on the "From Elvis Presley Boulevard" album, this has a fine vocal by Elvis and cool background singing as well. A nice outtake appears on "Platinum: A Life In Music"

16-BITTER THEY ARE, HARDER THEY FALL Another melodramatic ballad, Elvis seems to pour a lot into this one. Not a song to play when in a manic depressive state.

17-SOLITAIRE This Neil Sedaka tune, recently a hit for the Carpenters, is done rather lethargically by Elvis. Nothing great by any means.

18-LOVE COMING DOWN Yet another depressing tune. One really wonders exactly HOW lonely Elvis felt at the time.

19-I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Although the album was entitled "From Elvis Presley Boulevard...", a better title would have been "Elvis Sings Really Miserable Songs". This Tom Jones hit actually fails in the hands of Elvis Presley. Elvis fails to hit the high notes that he had done so graciously in the past on tunes such as "An American Trilogy" and "What Now, My Love".

This album is essential for the Elvis collector, considering that these are the final recordings done during his lifetime, save for the June '77 concert performances released on the posthumous release "Elvis In Concert"

The artwork is heavily borrowed from the original "Moody Blue" album, but now with a bigger, more recent photo. The original featured a rather tiny photo from the November '72 (!) tour, while this one features a summer '75 picture.

Nicely packaged, with good sound, it is a worthwhile investment. The highlights far outweigh the misses.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Last Recordings Worth a Listen, September 22, 2000

By 

Steven Barker (Phoenix, Az.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moody Blue (Audio CD)

It is important to realize how bored Elvis was with everything around him at this stage of his life. His career, although not floundering was certainly not going anywhere. Elvis needed challenges to achieve personal highs, and at this time he was not challeged. He could record songs like this in his sleep. (Which was'nt far from reality here.) Which brings me to my point. The fact that he could turn in towering performances like HURT and UNCHAINED MELODY, and rock out with WAY DOWN and FOR THE HEART at this time in his life, prove one thing. Elvis, even at his most distracted and lowest point, is still better than dozens of other artists at their best. The country flavored tunes here like MOODY BLUE(which was his last #1 record)and SHE THINKS I STILL CARE would make Garth, Alan, Vince, etc...jelouse with envy. It's always been amazing to me how when Elvis covers songs like Olivia Newton-John's IF YOU LOVE(Let Me Know), he makes it his, even when the arrangement is identical to the original. One of my favorite tracks on this album is Elvis' version of the classic DANNY BOY. Recorded with just piano and Elvis, there is not a finer version of this song anywhere. Much has been writen about this session of recordings, as they were done at Graceland (in the "Jungle Room")and were the last of his lifetime (except for live recordings). Did he still have "it"? Yes he most certainly did! It's too bad Elvis was'nt there to enjoy it. Thankfully we still can today!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Graceland Sessions, October 14, 2000

By 

Scott T. Rivers (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moody Blue (Audio CD)

Elvis Presley's final studio tracks have been unappreciated by critics and historians, but this recent packaging of "Moody Blue" (1977) with "From Elvis Presley Boulevard" (1976) deserves a listen. Recorded in Graceland's "Jungle Room," Presley's instinctive eclecticism rarely falters as he runs the gamut from country weepers to spirited rock 'n' roll. Despite ill health and emotional turmoil, he gives it his all with bravura revivals of "Hurt," "Danny Boy" and "He'll Have to Go." Even toward the end, Elvis remained a compelling rocker - delivering the goods on classic tracks such as "Moody Blue," "Way Down" and "For the Heart." The overall CD is a revelatory work from an artist whose musical commitment still touches the soul.