Customer Reviews

Moody Blue

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

The original Moody Blue album is one of my favorite records of all-time. Elvis, who could sing anything and make it sound like gold was sadly in poor health when he recorded these tracks. He had lost his passion for life and was terribly unhappy. His soul was crying out and the evidence is on this, his final album. These are perhaps the most moving performances of his career. They are unlike anything else you will ever hear. This album is beefed up with his previous release, "From Elvis Presley Boulevard". Another terrific album along the same lines but a little more country oriented. RCA did a bang up job with this release. Those not familiar with these tracks will find that Elvis Presley was not only the King of Rock and Roll, but he was also one of the most incredible artists this world will will ever know. Bravo!

It goes without saying that in the legacy of rock music, Elvis is among the most important, and that most important in this case does not mean most consistent. When treating Elvis' catalog for remastering, I can see why RCA would not consider it practical to take Sony's approach and remaster every LP Elvis released as a single album, single disc release. On the other hand, the sloppy treatment rendered on Elvis' catalog is unforgivable, no matter how wildly varied these albums are. There are still dozens, if not hundreds, of throwaway compilations on the market, and now to further the problem, RCA is screwing with Elvis' original albums. The sequencing and tracklist of ON STAGE for instance, is a remastering of the original album with bonus tracks interspersed, and a medley replacing the original version of a song - and is for all intents and purposes a new CD. What RCA has done to MOODY BLUE amounts to the same damage.

MOODY BLUE isn't a masterpiece, and its history among Elvis fans is very divisble - but in its original form it was a really good record, featuring some excellent performances. The original album was made up of 3 tour tracks, 6 Graceland sessions, and a live cut from his 1974 live in Memphis album. "Unchained Melody" is a more theatrical cut than a straight performance, but Elvis handles the song well. His two Olivia Newton-John covers "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" and 1974 "Let Me Be There" are well-done. While some reviewers have noted the songs sound alike, that was why they worked as hits for Olivia as "If You Love Me" followed "Let Me Be There" up the charts; both written by John Rostill and have a similar style. Both are good songs, in particular I like Elvis' loose take on "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)". "Little Darlin'" isn't much of a performance though. The Graceland sessions include two excellent country classics "He'll Have To Go" (Jim Reeves) and "She Thinks I Still Care" (George Jones), in particular "She Thinks I Still Care" is a standout. The title track was Elvis' last #1, topped the country charts, and is a favorite, though one can detect a slight disco flavoring to the song. "Way Down" was a smart uptempo rock song, and the cover of "Pledging My Love" is beautiful. Though Elvis didn't intend it "It's Easy For You" was a beautifully sad note to close his last album.

Given that MOODY BLUE was my first Elvis record (child of the 1980s) I am especially fond of it, which makes RCAs remastering decisions even more atrocious. Whether or not the record is patchwork, which it is, there's a certain historical/artistic sense that is lost by the reckless tampering with the album's content. For this edition, RCA cut "Let Me Be There" which closed side one, and added the entirety of FROM ELVIS PRESLEY BOULEVARD IN MEMPHIS after "It's Easy For You," which damages the effect. While there are some good songs on that album, "For The Heart," "Hurt," "The Last Farewell," it neither works well with MOODY BLUE, nor does it make any sense to tag another album on as "Bonus Tracks."

This may be a purists' review, but RCA does Elvis fans a disservice by reorganizing a catalog that has stood for over thirty years. Its time for the label to show some artistic respect for Elvis' recorded achievements, aside from the hits. Why not remaster these albums (completely) and sell two-as-ones, keep them intact and identified as different albums. Rather than a revamped ON STAGE offer LIVE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL and the original ON STAGE. Offer BACK IN MEMPHIS alongside FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS. Rather than restructure the MOODY BLUE album and attempt to pass off a different record as bonus tracks, fix the errors (the missing "Let Me Be There") and sell them as one set. This allows fans to appropriately build their Elvis libraries, and treats his catalog with some measure of respect.

This was the last album released during Elvis Presley's lifetime. At this point in Elvis's life, he refused to go to a recording studio, for whatever reason. So, RCA Records brought a mobile recording studio to Graceland, in the hopes of getting another album out of him. Things didn't go exactly as they planned, as Elvis recorded only a handful of songs, despite how easy they made it for him. So, in order to have enough songs to fill out an album, they recorded Elvis live on tour, hoping he would perform some songs he hadn't previously recorded. Even then, they still didn't have enough songs for an album, so they padded out the album with "Let Me Be There", which had previously been released on the LLive on Stage in Memphis album. So after all that, how is the album? Pretty good, actually, although it is far from Elvis's strongest album. "Way Down" and "Moody Blue" are strong efforts, and most of the other songs are pretty good, although "It's Easy For You" is kind of weak and "Little Darlin'" is treated as a joke. Not to mention that "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" is practically the same song as "Let Me Be There". As bonus tracks, the CD features the entire From Elvis Presley Boulevard album, which was also recorded at Graceland. This album also features some good moments and some not so good moments. "Hurt" is a fantastic performance that is arguably the last great recording Elvis ever made. "For the Heart" is another good one, and I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Elvis's version of "Danny Boy". The rest of the material is uneven, but at least Elvis was recording songs he actually liked, unlike some other occasions. This CD should appeal to all of the King's fans.

Like most of the people here, I first heard this album as a kid - as an eight year old fooling around with his big sister's sanyo mono tape player. Maybe it's stuck with me subliminally, but for me this is unbeatable music of our time - a white hot band kicking hard on a live take of 'let me be there' (Elvis coaxing them into a pyrotechnic reprise as the crowd goes wild!); Elvis with as rich and powerful a voice as he ever had at the piano singing a truly righteous unchained melody (don't call us, we'll call you, the righteous brothers!), E showing he can still cut it in rock'n'roll on 'Way Down' which in the chorus lurches into a shuffle stevie ray vaughan would be proud of (oooh I can FEEL it!), and a fab-o disco take on the title track Moody Blue. But for me the final two songs, for some reason care' and 'it's easy for you'. This is Elvis not as King of Rock 'n' Roll but as King Lear, a man who knows that all the power in the world ain't nothing without... well, you know what. As Elvis sings 'she thinks I still care' you KNOW that this is E in total, indefensible denial. BOY does he care. And the final track which, i discovered to my horror recently, was written by Lloyd Webber and Rice sums up the last century's greatest entertainer's dilemma, addressed to his ex-wife, his lover, his fans, his different point of view/even though i'm shattered/it's easy for you". Even after all this time I know if I had to take one record from my collection to a desert island, then this would be it.

The Graceland den, 1976: the setting for what would be Elvis Presley's final recording sessions. By this time, Elvis was overweight, overmedicated, and less eager to visit a recording studio. This reissue of MOODY BLUE is paired with all the songs from the FROM ELVIS PRESLEY BLVD. album. The now-famous (or infamous) "Jungle Room" sessions may be considered the closest Elvis ever got to producing an autobiography, but through music.

At the age of 41, Elvis was depressed and bored with life, and had suffered from various illnesses commonly associated with an elderly person (e.g. blurred vision, bouts of the flu, and heart disease). He was also unable to fully recover from his divorce from Priscilla. This is reflected in many of the songs he recorded at these sessions, including "Hurt," "Never Again," "Solitaire," "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," "Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall," "Love Coming Down," "It's Easy for You" and "She Thinks I Still Care."

It's interesting that MOODY BLUE and its title track were part of Elvis' final sessions, because Elvis displayed some moodiness of his own. For example, his rendition of Timi Yuro's "Hurt" is blistering and power, but his cover of Neil Sedaka's "Solitaire" goes nowhere fast. It's ironic since he became obsessed with singing about divorce, regret and loss during the last few years of his life. But he somehow managed to maintain a sense of humour through it all, as heard on his live cover/parody of "Little Darlin'."

This "two-fer" reissue could have been treated with better care, however. The "new" cover of Elvis in a blue suit is fine, but the producers took too much liberty in removing his live recording of "Let Me Be There," even though it is noted in the booklet that it can be found on the 1974 LIVE ON STAGE IN MEMPHIS album. The photos also appear grainy and out-of-focus, despite the fact that Elvis wasn't looking his best when they were taken.

From a musical standpoint, MOODY BLUE would not be a good way to begin an Elvis collection. There are some highlights worth noting, like "Hurt," "Moody Blue," "Danny Boy," "Unchained Melody" and "Way Down" (his final rocker). But to best hear Elvis in his prime, one should start with the '50s box set THE KING OF ROCK 'N' ROLL and work from there.

although i don't own Moody Blue(his last studio recordings) i am a big fan of elvis music from the 1970s,i mostly like on this album(which includes as a bonus the entire From Elvis Presley Boulevard album from 1976) the three live tracks he preformed during his April of 77 tour. Felton Jarvis(who also produced Elvis's last #1 hit "Suspicious Minds" in 1969) took a 8-track recorder with him hoping since he could not get Elvis into a studio(Elvis even abandoned a session in Feburary of thar year)
he thought he could get music recorded by Elvis on tour. Unchained Melody highlights the three live tracks on this album. i have heard both versions of this song. the clean version(you can hear it online), and the overdubbed version with strings that was released on this album. also included in the live tracks is a funny version on "little darlin", and "if you love me(let me know). this album shoud be even bought for historical value. most of this songs have a place in elvis history. "Way Down"(his last rocker) was for example the last single released while elvis was still alive. "she thinks i still care"(the George Jones hit) was the last studio recording Elvis ever made. THe real highlight of both albums put together is his version of
"Hurt"(not to be confused with the Johnny Cash hit released before he died). his voice is soaring on this. no wonder it became a favorite on the set of his live shows. BUY MOODY BLUE, it is the greatest album elvis presley ever made, especially conserding the time in his life that this was made.
i give it more that 5 stars

I see copies of the original vinyl "Moody Blue" all the time. People think just because it's blue vinyl that it's a collectible. RCA must've pressed several million of them over the years. My copy has a promo stamp on the back cover, so it might be worth something. "Moody Blue" is still one of Elvis' biggest selling albums (aside from compilatons), and there are two cd versions of it, but this is the complete one here. Elvis wasn't interested in going to a recording studio in 76-77, so RCA recorded him on tour and at home. "Unchained Melody" is Elvis live in 1977, and I think his version of this classic is the best ever (sorry Righteous Brothers fans!). His update of the Diamonds' "Little Darlin'" is a lot of fun, and he also tackles two Olivia Newton-John hits, "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)", and "Let Me Be There". James Burton's guitar playing highlights both songs. The studio tracks were all recorded at Graceland in late '76. "He'll Have to Go" is a gentle remake of the Jim Reeves standard; "Pledging My Love" was a hit for the late great Johnny Ace in the 50's, Elvis sings with much warmth on this version. "Way Down" is a gospel fried rocker, featuring the double low C of bass singer J. D. Sumner. This performance really cooks! It was #1 on the Billboard country chart the day Elvis died. "Moody Blue" was also a #1 country hit, but the sound is closer to Neil Diamond, more pop than country. Once again, I gotta note the nice guitar work of James Burton. "She Thinks I Still Care" is another country standard, and Elvis sings it like he means it. The closing track, "It's Easy for You", is one of the most personal songs Elvis ever recorded, and is downright depressing in light of later events. Elvis may not have been too interested in recording the last year of his life, but when he did it, he still gave the songs all he had.