The rhythm & the blues inside

[jeanno]

Peter Guralnick said that, in the beginning, there was Gospel, Blues and Country music. He also stated that the first time he heard Presley´s Sun singles, he thought about the performer as a Blues artist. Guralnick called that his “own prejudice”. Elvis Presley never became a straight Blues performer but, during his extended career, he often came back to the (rhythm &) Blues, just as often as he would leave and then go back to Memphis . Blues music was part of his roots and he never forgot it.

"Elvis was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing.
They wouldn't let Black music through. He opened the door for Black music."
(Little Richard)

“Elvis made his pull from the Blues.”
(Howlin´Wolf)

Between 1954 and 1955, at Sun Records, Elvis recorded a bunch of rhythm and blues cuts. Highlights included his first single – Crudup´s THAT´S ALL RIGHT MAMA – but also Roy Brown´s GOOD ROCKIN´ TONIGHT, Kokomo Arnold´s MILKCOW BLUES BOOGIE, TRYING TO GET TO YOU, Little Jr. Parker´s MYSTERY TRAIN, TOMORROW NIGHT, or Billy Emmerson´s WHEN IT RAINS IT REALLY POURS. Even the slow version of I´M LEFT, YOU´RE RIGHT, SHE´S GONE or Eddy Arnold´s more dynamic BABY LET´S PLAY HOUSE (converted for the occasion in a towering performance that leaned heavily towards Rockabilly) had their own, clear – and natural – Blues inspirations. This R&B repertoire was something pretty “risqué” at a time when any radio station could easily ban a singer that would sound too black. But it seems that Elvis´ own admiration and respect towards Black musical culture helped him to keep going on. Sam Phillips remembered once: “The lack of prejudice on the part of Elvis Presley had to be one of the biggest things that ever could have happened to us, though. It was almost subversive, sneaking around through the music – but we hit things a little bit, don´t you think? I went into this no-man´s-land and I knocked the sh*t out of the color line. You know, Elvis Presley knew what it was like to be poor, but that damn sure didn´t make him prejudice. He didn´t draw any lines. And like Paul Ackerman said, you have to be an awful smart person or dumb as hell (and you know he wasn´t dumb) to put out that kind of thinking.”

Of course, even at this early stage of his career, Elvis was already accused of “stealing” black music to their original creators. This theory makes no sense when you compare, for example, Arthur Big Boy Crudup lugubrious vocals on THAT´S ALL RIGHT alongside the verve and panache of Presley´s interpretation. Give it a simple / single listen and all comparisons disappear. “A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man´s music when, in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied stage mannerisms from Elvis.” (Jackie Wilson)

“Musically speaking, Elvis was always growing, growing, growing.
They sang a lot of the same things we did, using the same identical progressions we did and they called it "rock n' roll."
Elvis was doing Big Boy Crudup's tunes and they [were] calling that rock n' roll. And I thought it was a way of saying he's not black.”
(B.B. King)

“Elvis's version of “Peace in the Valley was one of the best gospel recordings I've ever heard.”
(Dr. Brewster)

"Elvis was a door, a gateway through to the roots.
In the beginning of his career Elvis admitted where the roots came from,
but did anybody care?”
(ChuckD)

Then, early in 1956, he left Sun for RCA. He sold his contract but not his Soul and for his very first RCA session, he recorded three Blues/R&B numbers out of five, including his future first gold record HEARTBREAK HOTEL. Actually, the first number put on tape that day was a cover of Ray Charles´ Blues classic I GOT A WOMAN (the third piece would be an electrifying version of MONEY HONEY, another R&B classic perhaps more associated with The Drifters 1954 hit). Twenty days (and twenty nights) later, in New York , Presley would record another fine selection of R&B material that would include two Crudup´s masterpieces (SO GLAD YOU´RE MINE and MY BABY LEFT ME – what an intro that one! -), Joe Turner´s hit SHAKE RATTLE AND ROLL and the bluesy, New Orleans oriented standard LAWDY MISS CLAWDY from Lloyd Price, an all times favourite of Elvis. Most of that early material would be used at the same time on TV for the Dorsey Bros Shows, between January and March 1956. Presley´s popularity would peak during that summer with the recording and the farther release of his/the greatest record single DON´T BE CRUEL / HOUND DOG (the later being another outstanding R&B cover) coupled with some firy stage performances, claiming during one of them that “those people in NY are not gonna change me none.” And, in a way – but in a way only –, he did not change as he kept recording outstanding bluesy material during the next two years: ANYPLACE IS PARADISE, MEAN WOMAN BLUES, Fats Domino´s BLUEBERRY HILL, DON´T LEAVE ME NOW, TROUBLE (a delicious tribute to Muddy Water´s Blues style), NEW ORLEANS or both versions of ONE NIGHT (and also both of AIN´T THAT LOVIN´ YOU BABY, written by Clyde Otis & "Ivory Joe" Hunter) are the ultimate proof of Elvis´ deep interest and respect for Rhythm & Blues. My personal favourite from that period remains the hoarsy-shouted SANTA CLAUS IS BACK IN TOWN, the rawest and bluesiest Christmas Carol ever, treated for the occasion as the gutbucket R&B it was. SANTA CLAUS… was one of the many R&B composed for Elvis by the Rock legend Leiber & Stoller tandem.

Elvis´ love for R&B had no limits. He not only sang with feeling and respect but also made the effort to meet some of his R&B heroes. In the fall of 1956, he travelled to Vegas to watch Jackie Wilson show and came back home stunned by Wilson´s own interpretation of DON´T BE CRUEL. Jackie would become one of Presley´s best friends in the show business. Elvis also invited people like Ivory Joe Hunter and, later, James Brown to come home, at Graceland , and have some good times jamming and having fun. Summer of 1956: it was reported by “The World” that “the rock 'n' roll phenomenon cracked Memphis 's segregation laws” by attending the Memphis Fairgrounds amusement park “during what is designated as ‘colored night.” Presley even attended several times the WDIA “Goodwill Revue”, in Memphis, to participate and help “needy Negro children” and, over the years, made pictures with Rufus Thomas, B.B. King, Little Junior Parker, Carla Thomas or Bobby “Blue” Bland: “I took Elvis on stage by the hand (…) and when he did that little wiggle that they wouldn´t let him do on TV, the crowd just went crazy. They stormed all backstage, beating on the doors and everything!” (Carla Thomas) “To all who where in earshot, Presley was heard telling B.B.King `Thanks, man, for the early lessons you gave me.´ Arthur Godfrey would surely call that `humility´.” ( Tribute State Defender)

"Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us."
(Al Green)

"I wasn't just a fan, I was his brother...there'll never be another like that soul brother. He taught white America to get down.”
(James Brown)

Elvis spent an awful lot of time in Memphis´ cultural - Beale Street -, mixing with black community, absorbing the local blues and their styles. From 1954, he met there Blues legends like Lowell Fulson or B.B. King. He bought his flashy clothes at Lansky´s and, like disc jockey Dewey Phillips (another white legend in the black community), he learnt from mixing cultures and musics. Beale Street was Presley´s real high school. Guralnick pointed out also that “in Memphis the two African-American newspapers, The Memphis World and The Tri-State Defender, hailed him as a “race man” — not just for his music but also for his indifference to the usual social distinctions.”

In 1958, when he “abandoned” his professional career for a two years army duty, there were some fears about what would come back from that too long absence. At first, early in 1960, it seemed that Presley was still in top bluesy form with the release of an outstanding LP obviously titled “Elvis is Back!” that would include five impressive R&B numbers: the teasing and sexy FEVER and SUCH A NIGHT gather pretty well next to some of Presley grittiest Blues renditions of IT FEELS SO RIGHT, LIKE A BABY and the final masterpiece, a raucous version of Lowell Fulson classic RECONSIDER BABY. And even if newer semi-opera covers were now dominating Elvis´ singles, at least the B-Sides were still greatly inspired with Blues numbers like the sublime A MESS OF BLUES from a new and exquisite R&B tandem: Pomus & Shuman. One year later, Elvis Presley would record his last R&B records for the next five years.

“Nobody can sing that kind of music like colored people.
I can't sing it like Fats Domino can. I know that.”
(Elvis Presley)

1961 would bring Presley´s last truly inspired R&B performances. Apart from a great cover of Chuck Willis´ FEEL SO BAD that would reach the US Top five, Elvis also recorded another terrific single that would include (just as for DON´T BE CRUEL / HOUND DOG) a pop rock tune coupled with a wonderfully nasty Blues titled LITTLE SISTER, another Pomus/Shuman high-class composition. The problem was that, next to that material, the fans had to deal with some unbelievably soft “*-bluesy-*” (let´s call them that way anyway) like GIVE ME THE RIGHT (whose earlier take 2 is at least a little bit more… well, a little bit less pop) or BEACH BOY BLUES. These songs, despite of being nice tracks in their respective albums, paled compared to earlier R&B attempts. If “Elvis is Back!” was the right way, the new pop approach became… the sellest way. But not the best and even less the Bluesiest. Softly, almost without pain, the Blues was over, heartlessly expunged from the King´s repertoire. Nevertheless, some too few R&B were put on tape during the next five years, nothing with the menace of TROUBLE or LITTLE SISTER but still better than the current recordings. I WANT YOU WITH ME, GONNA GET BACK HOME SOME HOW, The Drifter´s GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!, LONG LONELY HIGHWAY or/and LITTLE EGYPT (are there any more?...) gave us - the bluesiest fans – some (light) food in that drastic diet.

"Early on somebody told me that Elvis was black. And I said ‘No, he's white but he's down-home'.
And that is what it's all about. Not being black or white it's being ‘down-home' and which part of down-home you come from."
(Sammy Davis Jnr.)

“Elvis is my man.”
(Janis Joplin)

1966, thanks to the arrival of a new producer and Elvis´ revival interest to his own music, brought back some R&B. The recording of a new Gospel album carried back some interest towards “musicking” and, in that spur of the moment, Elvis not only put on tape a great religious album but also several remarkable tracks, including a delicate rendition of his future R&B single, LOVE LETTERS and a raunchy and carnal cover of DOWN IN THE ALLEY (Elvis´ rawest Blues performance since RECONSIDER BABY). It was the beginning of what we could call the rebuilding period. During the next two years, and apart from an awful number of unbearable movie songs, Elvis would make another step into the right direction by recording a hoarsy and contagious rendition of Jerry Reed´s talking Blues GUITAR MAN but also other R&B numbers in a more classic vein like BIG BOSS MAN, HI-HEEL SNEAKERS ( “[Elvis] improvises like a bluesman, making a virtue out of necessity and creating out of his hoarseness a sense of worldless menace" , Peter Guralnick) or another talking Blues cut titled US MALE. All that good work culminated with the taping of the glorious TV “comeback” special where Elvis Presley would offer his two best live concerts ever. During the so-called “sit-down shows”, Presley renewed interest with his roots, specially those linked with R&B. Surrounded by a small audience, Elvis was in fire rasping as hard as he could tough and raucous Blues numbers like LAWDY MISS CLAWDY, Rufus Thomas´ TIGER MAN, THAT´S ALL RIGHT, HEARTBREAK HOTEL, ONE NIGHT, SANTA CLAUS IS BACK IN TOWN or TRYIN´ TO GET TO YOU. He also performed Jimmy Reed´s BABY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO over and over and over. He had not sounded that committed and threatening since a decade. He would hardly sound like that after. Even some less interesting material like LET YOURSELF GO would be treated with much more passion and feeling than anything recorded four or five years before. Elvis was back… for good.

"Elvis is the greatest white blues singer in the world."
(Joe Cocker)

"On a scale of one to ten, I would rate Elvis eleven."
(Sammy Davis Jnr.)

At the American Studios, early in 1969, Elvis not only recorded one of his greatest recording session; he also delivered some wonderful Blues performances, including AFTER LOVING YOU, POWER OF MY LOVE or Percy Mayfield´s ironic Blues STRANGER IN MY OWN HOME TOWN. The conviction and the power were back. Even a straight Country & Western number like I´LL HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS could become a Bluesy master-track with an unqualified success in the process of transformation. Also during those sessions, Elvis got the pleasure to meet one of his R&B heroes, Roy Hamilton. For the following summer, Elvis Presley triumphed in Las Vegas offering an exciting one month long engagement that would show his eclectic musical taste. Willie Dixon´s MY BABE, Reed´s BABY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO, a fantastic medley of MYSTERY TRAIN / TIGER MAN and a frenetic high-voltage WHAT´D I SAY, Ray Charles´ all times classic, would be Elvis´ tribute to Blues music. During his second Vegas venue, in February 1970, he would even cut a blistering cover of Chuck Willis´ C.C. RIDER. He was seen backstage talking with Fats Domino ( “He is the real King of Rock´n´Roll” , said Presley about him), having fun with Sammy Davis Jr., and singing with his new Soul backup band, The Sweet Inspirations. At this stage of his career, there were still problems with down-south people that did not want to have that kind of black female group in their shows (the owners of Houston Rodeo show, on February 1970) but Elvis had long taken his decision: "No Sweets, no Elvis." And the backup vocal group was naturally there during all six shows, in front of a total of more than 200.000 people. Myrna Smith (one of the Sweet Inspirations): “I know that no matter what colour I was Elvis would have loved me the same. As far as he treated me, there was not racial bone in his body. I mean in the early days he even sneaked into those black gospel churches in Memphis which would have taken a lot of nerve. White boys just wouldn't go there, it was a brave thing to do but he was just determined."

The new decade also brought some new and pretty inspired studio sessions in Nashville. Between 1970 and 1971, Elvis recorded some 80 tracks at Studio “B”, an impressive mixed bag of all type of genres. Between the R&B highlights we can find a delicious gutbucket Blues titled MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY (an old R&B hit for Charles Brown but also for Chuck Berry) and a new frenetic medley, this time gathering Muddy Waters and Damita Jo GOT MY MOJO WORKIN ´ / KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER. Both were recorded – not surprisingly – during impromptus studio jams. Elvis would even defied Jerry Lee Lewis, The Killer himself, by covering his 1957 Sun classic WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN´ GOIN´ ON into an aggressive R&B / Rock´n´Roll cut, and showing everybody, though, some of his last hints of pure self confidence.

"I would hate to say strictly Country music because of the fact that I liked all types of music when I was a child.
Of course, the Gran Ole Opry was the first thing I´ve ever heard, probably,
but I liked the Blues and the Gospel, the Gospel quartets and all that."
(Elvis Presley)

"I have a respect for Elvis and my friendship. It ain't my business what he did in private.
The only thing I want to know is, ‘Was he my friend?', ‘Did I enjoy him as a performer?', ‘Did he give the world of entertainment something?'
- and the answer is YES on all accounts. The other jazz just don't matter."
(Sammy Davis Jnr.)

From 1971 on, Elvis started loosing interest to everything, including his music. The studio sessions were not anymore what they once had been, the concerts were becoming a routine and, to his point of view, there were no more good songwriters to create good Rock/Blues music. There would still be some flashes, here and there, of Presley´s masterful control on a Blues/R&B number. IF YOU DON´T COME BACK, JUST A LITTLE BIT, I GOT A FEELIN´ IN MY BODY or STEAMROLLER BLUES were excellent but all too few choices to really keep in touch with the Blues. At home, he kept listening to his own vinyl collection: Ray Charles, Ivory Joe Hunter, Muddy Waters, Jackie Wilson, Fats Domino, Roy Hamilton, etc… At the end, it seems that, somehow, Presley was coming back once again to his roots (recording some Rockabilly hinted material like FOR THE HEART – specially the first take – and the release of a good Blues Rock single, WAY DOWN / PLEDGING MY BOY) but everything ended before he could materialize anything, leaving us in infinity despair as he recorded all kind of genre albums (Gospel, Country, Rock, Christmas, etc) except a Blues one. For those who cannot live without it, here is – at least – a selection of Presley 23 greatest Blues cuts:

Title: THE RHYTHM & THE BLUE INSIDE
Artist: Elvis Presley
Tracks:

• My Baby´s Gone/Mystery Train

• Trying To Get To You

• Good Rockin´ Tonight

• Heartbreak Hotel (5th Stage Show)

• My Baby Left Me

• Lawdy Miss Clawdy

• Hound Dog (Milton Berle Show)

• Santa Claus Is Back In Town

• One Night

• Trouble

• A Mess Of Blues

• It Feels So Right

• Reconsider Baby

• Feel So Bad

• Little Sister

• Down In The Alley

• Hi-Heel Sneakers

• Stranger In My Own Home Town

• My Babe (in person´69)

• C.C. Rider (february´70)

• Got My Mojo Workin´/Keep Your Hands Off Of Her

• Merry Christmas Baby

• Baby What You Want Me To Do (Home recording)

“Last time I saw Elvis alive was at Graceland.
We sang ‘Old Blind Barnabus' together, a gospel song. I love him and hope to see him in heaven.
There'll never be another like that soul brother."
(James Brown)

complet article with sources, pics and video at:
http://www.elvicities.com/~jeanno/R&Bi.htm

[TONY]

[quote="jeanno"] here is – at least – a selection of Presley 23 greatest Blues cuts:
quote]

As already released on the previous blues based compilations "Blue rhythms", "Elvis r & b", "Reconsider baby" and "Elvis blues"!!!