Songs I regret Elvis didn't record.

[nohair 1]

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Would have loved to hear him do some more Joe South, especially this one

[keninlincs]

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Would have loved to hear him do some more Joe South, especially this one

Agree that one would have been interesting

[fn2drive]

These eyes; oh happy day;heard it through the grapevine;a man's world;Let it be;And had he lived-things have changed.

[likethebike]

Some of the songs here like Orbison's "Running Scared" and the Drifter's "Save the Last Dance for Me" are so perfect in their original versions that I wouldn't need to hear an Elvis rival. But then he found something unique in "You've Lost That Feeling" arguably the most perfect record ever made in the Righteous Brother's original.

I would have like to have heard what he would have done with "Turn Me Loose" which Doc and Morty wrote for him while he was incarcerated in the army. Fabian had a big hit with it in the interim. Not only would it have been interesting to hear it performed by a great singer (although Dion did a good job with it in the late 1990s) but Pomus and Shuman watered down the lyrics to make it appropriate for 15-year-old Fabian to sing. It would have been great to hear Elvis have at that original song.

In terms of fantasy songs (I.E. those written after his death) I always thought Elvis could have done a great job on John Mellencamp's "Hurt So Good." I can almost hear his famous "heh" little sneer right before the last line.

[Daryl]

1. Rainy Night In Georgia
2. If I Could Read Your Mind
3. You Can Have Her
4. When The Snow Is On The Roses
5. Drift Away
6. Games People Play
7. Sunday Morning Coming Down
8. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
9. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
10. I Feel Fine

[bajo]

Rainy Night In Georgia is mentioned.
Other than that I can hear him in:

Tougher Than The Rest (Bruce),
Thunder On The Mountain(Dob D.),
Untie Me (Joe South),
Somewhere USA (Gordon L.)
What Kind Of Fool (Del Shannon)
a.o.

[Dan_T]

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[Dan_T]

And just for fun.......

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[Good Time Charlie]

As I was listening to some Orbison in the car today it made me think about this topic. Although I love Roy's recording, I've always felt "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" was tailor-made for Elvis and he would've recorded a superior version, at the correct stage of his career. Or even as a song live in concert around 1969, I can just imagine him and his new band absolutely tearing it up on stage with this classic.

I've also felt that "Crazy" would've been perfect for the 1971 concept album "Elvis Country", performed in that wonderful, soulful and bluesy country style that we see on numbers like "I Really Don't Want to Know", "Funny How Time Slips Away" and "Make the World Go Away".

And there's just so many old country and blues numbers that I wish Elvis would've revisited in a similar style to what we see on "From Elvis In Memphis" and "Elvis Country". Elvis' studio and live work in the final stage of his career (1969-1977) was so erratic and varied, there was rarely a constant theme. Elvis should've found his own niche concentrating on a mix of new, earthy material and covers of old forgotten gems. It's no surprise that the standout moments of Elvis' final years was when he worked his magic on covers of classic 1950s and early 60's material; "Merry Christmas Baby", "Promised Land", "Hurt", "Pledging My Love", "Unchained Melody" etc.

[ElvisLive3August1969]

Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry)
Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison )
Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran )

There are a lot more songs from the fifties that I wish he did.

[Walter Hale 4]

We all know the story that Col. Parker wanted money for Elvis to record certain songs, and if he didn't get what he wanted, or if the songwriter refused to deal - then it never happened. Plus, there are songs that Elvis, himself, probably would not have ever wanted to record.

Yet, I hear a lot of songs and think that - yeah, he could have recorded that.

Here is my list.

1. Running Scared: Elvis one-lines this one a few times while recording/rehearsing "Tommorow Never Comes," (from 1970) and I would have loved to hear Elvis do a legit Orbinson cover of the song. Song was written in Elvis' lifetime. It could have been done.

2. All By Myself: I doubt Elvis ever heard this song, although believe it or not, Frank Sinatra actually covered it in 1975, while on tour in Israel. Would have fit his voice, and would have fit "From Elvis Presley Blvd" quite nicely.

3. Lady Madonna: Yeah, we got an informal rehearsal from the 1971 Nashville sessions and David Briggs played it as a solo in Lake Tahoe. However, Elvis never seemed to seriously want to cover it - and yet the informal take with the country sound - shows he could have easily done it.

4. Misery: Fluff piece by the Beatles says most Beatle fans, but I actually think Misery is underrated as a good pop song. Another one, I'd love to had heard Elvis do.

5. The Power of Love: Not Hewy Lewis' song, but the one that Celine Dion covered in 1993-94. Rewrite some of the lyrics, and honestly I think you got a late 1975-76 Elvis Presley song. When he really could do the opera stuff. Song wasn't written until 1985, so not really possible.

6. Hit Me With Your Best Shot: I've sung this one Elvis style a few times, with a lyric rewrite from the actual primise (sic) of the song. Being a 1979 written song, I always call it the lost Elvis classic that Pat Bentar took credit for. Jokingly, of course.

7. I Will Always Love You: Everybody's got to know the legend of Dolly Parton getting an offer from the Colonel for Elvis to record this one. It's kind of wierd, I didn't hear the story of this one until 2005, but in 1993 when I hear girls from High School Choir cover the Whitney Houston cover in their solos - I kept thinking that a 1976-77 Elvis could have pulled this one off.

8. I Walk The Line: Elvis joked a few lines in Vegas in 1969 (along with Folsum Prison), but Elvis seems to seriously try to do this one - and it would have been something if he had done it down the line. (And I'd even paid money for a master of Folsum Prison - if Elvis had changed the key to A.)

I agree with 6 in your list except the two Beatles songs. In addition I think any of Chuck Berry songs (excepting My DingaLing) would've suited Elvis especially 1970-1972.

[Pete Dube]

I really wish Elvis did the following songs: 1.) Tie Me Kangaroo Down Boy 2.) Afternoon Delight 3.) Feelin' Groovy 4.) I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing 5.) Yummy, Yummy
If he had done these songs my life would be so much the richer.

[James27]

Full versions of: "I Shall Be Released" by Bob Dylan. "Fire" by Bruce Springsteen. "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" by Charlie Rich. "Suzy Q." by Dale Hawkins. "Running Scared" by Roy Orbison.

[fn2drive]

The sun ain't gonna shine anymore. Excellent suggestion. Considering all the maudlin crap near the end, this one would have been great.

[MysteryTrain]

If Elvis was able to do another Christmas session, I think he should have done "Please Come Home For Christmas." I like the "Eagles" version.

MT

[Walter Hale 4]

A couple Aussies songs would have suited EP -

[rjm]

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rjm
P.S. Props to the late MJJ for recommending this great song in his autobio (1988, Doubleday). In my opinion, it would have been ideal for Elvis. Wonder if he liked it?

[rjm]

This must be here, regardless. He could not have recorded it, but . . .
Someone actually made a youtube of it. I knew what people would think the day it debuted on country radio in the west Alabama night. The night when I called up the DJ and promised him it would go straight to number one. It did. And I only explained it to him after it did. Sorry if you read me saying this before, but finding this video is chilling vindication.

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rjm
"All over Alabama, the lamps are out." James Agee, 1936.

[rjm]

One more: Elvis began to record "Poor Man's Gold" but stopped after hearing a siren outside of American Sound Studios. Here is Mac's complete version.
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A poor man's gold:
Contents of Vernon Presley's wallet: June 26, 1979.

[MaryAnn]

If Elvis was able to do another Christmas session, I think he should have done "Please Come Home For Christmas." I like the "Eagles" version.

MT

"Please Come Home For Christmas" would have been perfect for Elvis. The Eagle's 1978 version is great, but the 1960 original by the song's composer, Charles Brown, is also mighty fine.

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[luckyjackson1]

Just stumbled upon this old thread, and I guess I probably posted this a zillion times before...

"Rainy Night In Georgia"
"We Had It All"
"It's Only Make Believe"
"Dreaming My Dreams With You"
"Sunday Morning Coming Down"

And I totally agree with "Please Come Home For Christmas" and "Need Your Love So Bad".

Oh, there are sooooo many many more...

[ale]

8. I Walk The Line: Elvis joked a few lines in Vegas in 1969 (along with Folsum Prison), but Elvis seems to seriously try to do this one - and it would have been something if he had done it down the line. (And I'd even paid money for a master of Folsum Prison - if Elvis had changed the key to A.)

I'd rather have Folsom prison blues, Elvis would have made a terrific version!....in the style of Waylon Jennings version

[mysterytrainrideson]

Bad Moon Rising
With A Little Help From My Friends
Don't Let Me Down

[TCB-FAN]

This Dennis Yost classic would fit Elvis like a glove had he recorded it in '72...


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[Renan]

I wish Elvis had recorded "A Time For Us" in the style of the great Andy Williams.

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