"Reconsider Baby"

[ICanHelp]

Wonderful information about a dynamite song. Thank you very much. Interesting that your recent informational posts involve classic songs to which Elvis gave a serious treatment in the 1970s. I love Elvis' Pittsburgh 1976 version of this tune, and it's an absolute pleasure watching him play the guitar. I only wish he had put down the acoustic and picked up the electric.

Switching gears a bit; you may dislike the song My Boy, but you cannot legitimately call it a poor performance Elvis gives a lovely, nuanced, heartfelt rendering of this admittedly MOR tune.

[rollinson1]

It's not just a "good cut," it's one of the ten very greatest studio recordings in Elvis Presley's storied career.

He would revisit the song a handful of times on stage in the later years, with known versions from August 1969, June 1972, December 1976 and February 1977. The best of these is the 8-23-1969 MS recording, which RCA captured on multitrack. The performance from New York, at the 6-10-1972 AS, is notable for Presley scat-singing Scotty Moore's original 1960 guitar solo towards the end.

I know you state in the later years doc but lets not forget the Memphis and Pearl Harbor charity gigs. If only he had gone on a world tour at this time. Truly awesome.

[drjohncarpenter]

Wonderful information about a dynamite song. Thank you very much. Interesting that your recent informational posts involve classic songs to which Elvis gave a serious treatment in the 1970s. I love Elvis' Pittsburgh 1976 version of this tune, and it's an absolute pleasure watching him play the guitar. I only wish he had put down the acoustic and picked up the electric.

Switching gears a bit; you may dislike the song My Boy, but you cannot legitimately call it a poor performance Elvis gives a lovely, nuanced, heartfelt rendering of this admittedly MOR tune.

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

[drjohncarpenter]

I disagree I think you could put him up there with them.

Not saying he's necessarily better but he could sing the blues with the best of them black or white.

Elvis might say that about Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf but he was a modest guy.

According to Peter Guralnick he said that Howlin Wolf told him that Elvis was one of the best blues singers.

If he had recorded more blues Elvis probably would have got more recognition as being the great blues singer that he was.

I've read a lot of work by critic Peter Guralnick, and own every important recording by Howlin' Wolf, and then some. I've never seen such a statement by the legendary blues singer. Can you please tell me where I may read about Chester Burnett's admiration for Elvis being "one of the best blues singers"?

[Scarre]

It is a good song that sold millions.

[ICanHelp]

Wonderful information about a dynamite song. Thank you very much. Interesting that your recent informational posts involve classic songs to which Elvis gave a serious treatment in the 1970s. I love Elvis' Pittsburgh 1976 version of this tune, and it's an absolute pleasure watching him play the guitar. I only wish he had put down the acoustic and picked up the electric.

Switching gears a bit; you may dislike the song My Boy, but you cannot legitimately call it a poor performance Elvis gives a lovely, nuanced, heartfelt rendering of this admittedly MOR tune.

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Thank you for the interesting information on the My Boy recording. That's why I come here.

I still like the song. I think about it when I tuck in my 10 year old son (even though his mom and I remain happily married). Just call me a sentimental fool.

[Johnny2523]

Wonderful information about a dynamite song. Thank you very much. Interesting that your recent informational posts involve classic songs to which Elvis gave a serious treatment in the 1970s. I love Elvis' Pittsburgh 1976 version of this tune, and it's an absolute pleasure watching him play the guitar. I only wish he had put down the acoustic and picked up the electric.

Switching gears a bit; you may dislike the song My Boy, but you cannot legitimately call it a poor performance Elvis gives a lovely, nuanced, heartfelt rendering of this admittedly MOR tune.

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Yet elvis must have liked the song, otherwise he wouldnt have sung it so many times in the august/september 1973 shows, as well for so many shows in 1975. If elvis didnt complete the master felton could have easily spliced the ending with the other takes from this song..

[drjohncarpenter]

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Yet elvis must have liked the song, otherwise he wouldnt have sung it so many times in the august/september 1973 shows, as well for so many shows in 1975. If elvis didnt complete the master felton could have easily spliced the ending with the other takes from this song..

There is no "if" regarding the "My Boy" master. It is a known fact Felton had to cut together an ending from another take.

And the facts tell us a very different story about how much Elvis "liked the song":

- after 1973, Elvis only chose to include "My Boy" in ~35 of his ~450 performances between 1974 and 1977
- "My Boy" was last served up in December 1975, not a single one is known from 1976 or 1977

That's a whole lotta shows without "My Boy."

Perhaps Elvis realized after the fact, "Hey, this song sucks."

[midnightx]

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Yet elvis must have liked the song, otherwise he wouldnt have sung it so many times in the august/september 1973 shows, as well for so many shows in 1975. If elvis didnt complete the master felton could have easily spliced the ending with the other takes from this song..

There is no "if" regarding the "My Boy" master. It is a known fact Felton had to cut together an ending from another take.

And the facts tell us a very different story about how much Elvis "liked the song":

- after 1973, Elvis only chose to include "My Boy" in ~35 of his ~450 performances between 1974 and 1977
- "My Boy" was last served up in December 1975, not a single one is known from 1976 or 1977

That's a whole lotta shows without "My Boy."

Perhaps Elvis realized after the fact, "Hey, this song sucks."

Had Tom Parker scheduled some concert appearances in Europe and in particular Scandinavia, the song would have been included in many more set lists due to popular demand.

[drjohncarpenter]

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Yet elvis must have liked the song, otherwise he wouldnt have sung it so many times in the august/september 1973 shows, as well for so many shows in 1975. If elvis didnt complete the master felton could have easily spliced the ending with the other takes from this song..

There is no "if" regarding the "My Boy" master. It is a known fact Felton had to cut together an ending from another take.

And the facts tell us a very different story about how much Elvis "liked the song":

- after 1973, Elvis only chose to include "My Boy" in ~35 of his ~450 performances between 1974 and 1977
- "My Boy" was last served up in December 1975, not a single one is known from 1976 or 1977

That's a whole lotta shows without "My Boy."

Perhaps Elvis realized after the fact, "Hey, this song sucks."

Had Tom Parker scheduled some concert appearances in Europe and in particular Scandinavia, the song would have been included in many more set lists due to popular demand.

Well, that is undeniable.

[brian]

I disagree I think you could put him up there with them.

Not saying he's necessarily better but he could sing the blues with the best of them black or white.

Elvis might say that about Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf but he was a modest guy.

According to Peter Guralnick he said that Howlin Wolf told him that Elvis was one of the best blues singers.

If he had recorded more blues Elvis probably would have got more recognition as being the great blues singer that he was.

I've read a lot of work by critic Peter Guralnick, and own every important recording by Howlin' Wolf, and then some. I've never seen such a statement by the legendary blues singer. Can you please tell me where I may read about Chester Burnett's admiration for Elvis being "one of the best blues singers"?

That's been discussed a couple of times on this forum over the years.

That's how I first learned about Howlin Wolf's praise of Elvis.

I suppose I could track it down for you if you want.

[drjohncarpenter]

I disagree I think you could put him up there with them.

Not saying he's necessarily better but he could sing the blues with the best of them black or white.

Elvis might say that about Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf but he was a modest guy.

According to Peter Guralnick he said that Howlin Wolf told him that Elvis was one of the best blues singers.

If he had recorded more blues Elvis probably would have got more recognition as being the great blues singer that he was.

I've read a lot of work by critic Peter Guralnick, and own every important recording by Howlin' Wolf, and then some. I've never seen such a statement by the legendary blues singer. Can you please tell me where I may read about Chester Burnett's admiration for Elvis being "one of the best blues singers"?

That's been discussed a couple of times on this forum over the years.

That's how I first learned about Howlin Wolf's praise of Elvis.

I suppose I could track it down for you if you want.

Yes, please.

[Juan Luis]

One of my favorite guitarists version…

[Scarre]

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Yet elvis must have liked the song, otherwise he wouldnt have sung it so many times in the august/september 1973 shows, as well for so many shows in 1975. If elvis didnt complete the master felton could have easily spliced the ending with the other takes from this song..

There is no "if" regarding the "My Boy" master. It is a known fact Felton had to cut together an ending from another take.

And the facts tell us a very different story about how much Elvis "liked the song":

- after 1973, Elvis only chose to include "My Boy" in ~35 of his ~450 performances between 1974 and 1977
- "My Boy" was last served up in December 1975, not a single one is known from 1976 or 1977

That's a whole lotta shows without "My Boy."

Perhaps Elvis realized after the fact, "Hey, this song sucks."

Had Tom Parker scheduled some concert appearances in Europe and in particular Scandinavia, the song would have been included in many more set lists due to popular demand.

Well, that is undeniable.

You (and your friend midnightx) constantly make, in alot of threads, off topic comments about this song. I know it is difficult for you, but try to stay on topic. You think you are funny, but no one is laughing...except for midnightx...

Just curious...how many times did he chose to include "Reconsider Baby", say from 1970-1977...?

Juan Luis, I like EP:s version but I would have prefered to have the solo with an guitar or harmonica. More piano would have been great too.

[londonflash]

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Yet elvis must have liked the song, otherwise he wouldnt have sung it so many times in the august/september 1973 shows, as well for so many shows in 1975. If elvis didnt complete the master felton could have easily spliced the ending with the other takes from this song..

There is no "if" regarding the "My Boy" master. It is a known fact Felton had to cut together an ending from another take.

And the facts tell us a very different story about how much Elvis "liked the song":

- after 1973, Elvis only chose to include "My Boy" in ~35 of his ~450 performances between 1974 and 1977
- "My Boy" was last served up in December 1975, not a single one is known from 1976 or 1977

That's a whole lotta shows without "My Boy."

Perhaps Elvis realized after the fact, "Hey, this song sucks."

Had Tom Parker scheduled some concert appearances in Europe and in particular Scandinavia, the song would have been included in many more set lists due to popular demand.

No doubt about it. A sped-up version performed as a duet with Sherrill Nielsen would have made a killer opening number.

[rjm]

I disagree I think you could put him up there with them.

Not saying he's necessarily better but he could sing the blues with the best of them black or white.

Elvis might say that about Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf but he was a modest guy.

According to Peter Guralnick he said that Howlin Wolf told him that Elvis was one of the best blues singers.

If he had recorded more blues Elvis probably would have got more recognition as being the great blues singer that he was.

I've read a lot of work by critic Peter Guralnick, and own every important recording by Howlin' Wolf, and then some. I've never seen such a statement by the legendary blues singer. Can you please tell me where I may read about Chester Burnett's admiration for Elvis being "one of the best blues singers"?

That's been discussed a couple of times on this forum over the years.

That's how I first learned about Howlin Wolf's praise of Elvis.

I suppose I could track it down for you if you want.

Yes, please.

It was at a Newport Folk Festival. Not sure of the year. Wolf was asked about the youthful (and white) blues bands coming up at the time. He said, basically, that he liked 'em fine, but "that other boy . . . " He said that this other young fella went out to California.

"If he stopped, he stopped, but he made his PULL from the blues."

Here's the citation.

http://books.google.com/books?id=tV-9J-I6oYAC&pg=PT65&lpg=PT65&dq=if+he+stopped,+he+stopped+but+he+made+his+pull+from+the+blues+Howlin+Wolf&source=bl&ots=Q_oLB0Kfxm&sig=n4g7VNIRTk05gnkgzXWLiy7Ssjg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VAhKVPLcC-mIigKnuICAAg&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAw


As to the phrase "best white" whatever - well, it grates for a number of reasons. First of all, blues was only part of his bag of tricks, while others are blues specialists. How about we call such individuals "blues specialists" rather than "black blues singers." Because it's like saying that Neil DeGrasse Tyson is "the best black popular astrophysicist" of his time. It relegates black excellence to entertainment and sports ("white men can't jump").

Just take it song by song, and evaluate the performances. I prefer Elvis' "My Babe" to Little Walter's. And there are a number of others where he cuts the so-called "black" version. Including RB. And "One Night" by a country mile over Lewis.

And there are numbers where he absolutely falls short. His studio version of "Long Tall Sally" is desultory and forgettable. (Although the live version from Arkansas stands on its own. Not "better" than Richard's, but both excellent and entirely different in feel. It's a MEAN, almost violent version, which you can't say about Richard's work, ever. Though it lacks Richard's enveloping warmth, joy, and good humor, it's supposed to. It's a dangerous performance.)

I just wanted to clarify that. In terms of overall career output, he was one of the great younger bluesmen of the time. But it was not his specialty, so the crowns go to the specialists.

I think Elvis became more of a soul singer, bringing gospel to pop and country tunes. Marion heard this in "My Happiness," and I hear it, too.

There is no need to say that whites or blacks can or can't do ANYTHING on the same level as one another. Unless we get past that, blacks can aspire to be the greatest at music and dancing and basketball, but only pretenders at "white things" like law, medicine, or astrophysics.

Even if one insists that blacks invented the blues and so are "naturally" superior, that just doesn't cut it for me. Every performance stands or falls on its own merits.

Biology and even cultural history do not determine individual merit. Performances do.

I don't think this President wants to be a "great black President" among a sea of whiteness. He's the only one. If he succeeds or fails, his unique ethnic status should have nothing to do with it. If history judges him to be merely average, it shouldn't be because whites are "naturally" better at that sort of thing. Just as Elvis' ethnicity should have nothing to do with the relative quality of his blues performances.

With all due respect, that's where I make my stand.

rjm

Sent via mobile

[r&b]

It's not just a "good cut," it's one of the ten very greatest studio recordings in Elvis Presley's storied career.

He would revisit the song a handful of times on stage in the later years, with known versions from August 1969, June 1972, December 1976 and February 1977. The best of these is the 8-23-1969 MS recording, which RCA captured on multitrack. The performance from New York, at the 6-10-1972 AS, is notable for Presley scat-singing Scotty Moore's original 1960 guitar solo towards the end.

I second that! Since it closed out his first post-Army LP, I looked at it as a sign of things to come. Its unfortunate that it didnt pan out that way.

[r&b]

Oh, one may easily call "My Boy" a poor track.

Elvis over-sings on his cover of the 1971 Richard Harris single, and the arrangement is completely overdone. In fact, Presley never even bothered to complete his vocal, and associate producer Felton Jarvis had to loop parts of the work captured on tape. So much for commitment. "My Boy" is a prime example of where things went very wrong for Elvis in the 1970s.

Yet elvis must have liked the song, otherwise he wouldnt have sung it so many times in the august/september 1973 shows, as well for so many shows in 1975. If elvis didnt complete the master felton could have easily spliced the ending with the other takes from this song..

There is no "if" regarding the "My Boy" master. It is a known fact Felton had to cut together an ending from another take.

And the facts tell us a very different story about how much Elvis "liked the song":

- after 1973, Elvis only chose to include "My Boy" in ~35 of his ~450 performances between 1974 and 1977
- "My Boy" was last served up in December 1975, not a single one is known from 1976 or 1977

That's a whole lotta shows without "My Boy."

Perhaps Elvis realized after the fact, "Hey, this song sucks."

Had Tom Parker scheduled some concert appearances in Europe and in particular Scandinavia, the song would have been included in many more set lists due to popular demand.

Well, that is undeniable.

You (and your friend midnightx) constantly make, in alot of threads, off topic comments about this song. I know it is difficult for you, but try to stay on topic. You think you are funny, but no one is laughing...except for midnightx...

Just curious...how many times did he chose to include "Reconsider Baby", say from 1970-1977...?

Juan Luis, I like EP:s version but I would have prefered to have the solo with an guitar or harmonica. More piano would have been great too.

Thank you! Therein lies the problem with the Presley career in the 70's. That he chose mundane material over some bona-fide great material, and largely ignoring his own great catalog is indeed a mystery for those of us who wonder why?

[brian]

I disagree I think you could put him up there with them.

Not saying he's necessarily better but he could sing the blues with the best of them black or white.

Elvis might say that about Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf but he was a modest guy.

According to Peter Guralnick he said that Howlin Wolf told him that Elvis was one of the best blues singers.

If he had recorded more blues Elvis probably would have got more recognition as being the great blues singer that he was.

I've read a lot of work by critic Peter Guralnick, and own every important recording by Howlin' Wolf, and then some. I've never seen such a statement by the legendary blues singer. Can you please tell me where I may read about Chester Burnett's admiration for Elvis being "one of the best blues singers"?

That's been discussed a couple of times on this forum over the years.

That's how I first learned about Howlin Wolf's praise of Elvis.

I suppose I could track it down for you if you want.

Yes, please.

It was at a Newport Folk Festival. Not sure of the year. Wolf was asked about the youthful (and white) blues bands coming up at the time. He said, basically, that he liked 'em fine, but "that other boy . . . " He said that this other young fella went out to California.

"If he stopped, he stopped, but he made his PULL from the blues."

Here's the citation.

http://books.google.com/books?id=tV-9J-I6oYAC&pg=PT65&lpg=PT65&dq=if+he+stopped,+he+stopped+but+he+made+his+pull+from+the+blues+Howlin+Wolf&source=bl&ots=Q_oLB0Kfxm&sig=n4g7VNIRTk05gnkgzXWLiy7Ssjg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VAhKVPLcC-mIigKnuICAAg&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAw

Thank you.

The interview I was speaking of was a little bit different it was Peter Guralnick reminiscing about meeting and interviewing Howlin Wolf for the first time.

He talked about discussing the best blues singers at the moment and Howlin Wolf mentioned Elvis and Peter Guralnick was a bit surprised.

Then Howlin wolf goes on to talk about how Elvis made his pull from the blues after Peter Guralnick said that he couldn't be considered strictly a blues singer.

I believe this interview you posted is from 1966.

[rjm]

Probably so. Since the wording is identical, and the interviewer unnamed, I figured it has to be him. It's Peter. No way Wolf said EXACTLY the same thing on two occasions. I recall Peter writing that it was at Newport, which sounds like 65/66. Was Peter writing yet? Well Crawdaddy was a launchpad for young writers.

My guess the interviewer is Peter Guralnick. The quotations are identical.

Then, I think he later reminisced, citing these quotations. Has to be. I remember what you remember.

I didn't know about Crawdaddy either, but this is apparently the original source. (Luckily, I have an issue or two that date from those times. It's a cool paper, and makes me wish I were older. Fine writing. With some wildness thrown in.)

rjm

Sent via mobile

[Mister Moon]

Probably so. Since the wording is identical, and the interviewer unnamed, I figured it has to be him. It's Peter. No way Wolf said EXACTLY the same thing on two occasions. I recall Peter writing that it was at Newport, which sounds like 65/66. Was Peter writing yet? Well Crawdaddy was a launchpad for young writers.

My guess the interviewer is Peter Guralnick. The quotations are identical.

Then, I think he later reminisced, citing these quotations. Has to be. I remember what you remember.

I didn't know about Crawdaddy either, but this is apparently the original source. (Luckily, I have an issue or two that date from those times. It's a cool paper, and makes me wish I were older. Fine writing. With some wildness thrown in.)

Yes, Guralnick did write for "Crawdaddy!" in his early years, so I guess it's the same interview :

(...) In the mid-’60s, the appearance of small magazines and tabloids that catered to younger readers and published the first serious writing about rock — Crawdaddy, the Boston Phoenix, Rolling Stone — provided Guralnick with his first opportunity to share his musical discoveries with others.

“Getting paid was a big surprise,” he laughs, and for years his profiles of blues, soul and country musicians appeared in pages dedicated almost exclusively to rock articles and reviews. “I felt sometimes I stuck out like a sore thumb,” Guralnick says. “I would be in Crawdaddy writing about Robert Pete Williams and here [alongside it] would be an article about Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape.”

The differences between Guralnick and his colleagues were often more than thematic. Celebrated contemporaries like Lester Bangs, Nick Tosches and Richard Meltzer wrote about music in a self-referential, often expletive-riddled style that was a corollary to the new journalism of Norman Mailer and Tom Wolfe, and varied almost diametrically from Guralnick’s self-effacing approach.

“I was looking for a clean, colloquial style that treated the subject with dignity and respect,” he says, “but that wasn’t condescending. Sometimes I used myself as a foil to bring out the atmosphere around a musician, but it never occurred to me that I was or that I should be the subject.” (...)

"The blues according to Peter Guralnick".
http://www.salon.com/2000/06/16/guralnick_2/

[drjohncarpenter]

I've read a lot of work by critic Peter Guralnick, and own every important recording by Howlin' Wolf, and then some. I've never seen such a statement by the legendary blues singer. Can you please tell me where I may read about Chester Burnett's admiration for Elvis being "one of the best blues singers"?

That's been discussed a couple of times on this forum over the years.

That's how I first learned about Howlin Wolf's praise of Elvis.

I suppose I could track it down for you if you want.

Yes, please.

It was at a Newport Folk Festival. Not sure of the year. Wolf was asked about the youthful (and white) blues bands coming up at the time. He said, basically, that he liked 'em fine, but "that other boy . . . " He said that this other young fella went out to California.

"If he stopped, he stopped, but he made his PULL from the blues."

Here's the citation.

http://books.google.com/books?id=tV-9J-I6oYAC&pg=PT65&lpg=PT65&dq=if+he+stopped,+he+stopped+but+he+made+his+pull+from+the+blues+Howlin+Wolf&source=bl&ots=Q_oLB0Kfxm&sig=n4g7VNIRTk05gnkgzXWLiy7Ssjg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VAhKVPLcC-mIigKnuICAAg&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAw


As to the phrase "best white" whatever - well, it grates for a number of reasons. First of all, blues was only part of his bag of tricks, while others are blues specialists. How about we call such individuals "blues specialists" rather than "black blues singers." Because it's like saying that Neil DeGrasse Tyson is "the best black popular astrophysicist" of his time. It relegates black excellence to entertainment and sports ("white men can't jump").

Just take it song by song, and evaluate the performances. I prefer Elvis' "My Babe" to Little Walter's. And there are a number of others where he cuts the so-called "black" version. Including RB. And "One Night" by a country mile over Lewis.

And there are numbers where he absolutely falls short. His studio version of "Long Tall Sally" is desultory and forgettable. (Although the live version from Arkansas stands on its own. Not "better" than Richard's, but both excellent and entirely different in feel. It's a MEAN, almost violent version, which you can't say about Richard's work, ever. Though it lacks Richard's enveloping warmth, joy, and good humor, it's supposed to. It's a dangerous performance.)

I just wanted to clarify that. In terms of overall career output, he was one of the great younger bluesmen of the time. But it was not his specialty, so the crowns go to the specialists.

I think Elvis became more of a soul singer, bringing gospel to pop and country tunes. Marion heard this in "My Happiness," and I hear it, too.

There is no need to say that whites or blacks can or can't do ANYTHING on the same level as one another. Unless we get past that, blacks can aspire to be the greatest at music and dancing and basketball, but only pretenders at "white things" like law, medicine, or astrophysics.

Even if one insists that blacks invented the blues and so are "naturally" superior, that just doesn't cut it for me. Every performance stands or falls on its own merits.

Biology and even cultural history do not determine individual merit. Performances do.

I don't think this President wants to be a "great black President" among a sea of whiteness. He's the only one. If he succeeds or fails, his unique ethnic status should have nothing to do with it. If history judges him to be merely average, it shouldn't be because whites are "naturally" better at that sort of thing. Just as Elvis' ethnicity should have nothing to do with the relative quality of his blues performances.

With all due respect, that's where I make my stand.

rjm

Sent via mobile

Lovely post, thank you. I am very familiar with that interview and it was indeed done by Peter Guralnick for "Crawdaddy" magazine.

020501_Crawdaddy Book_Williams_p 64.jpg

The Crawdaddy! Book (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, May 1, 2002)



As I suspected, at no point does Howlin' Wolf tell Peter that "Elvis was one of the best blues singers."

That statement does not exist.

[brian]

I suppose Peter Guralnick could have misrembered Howlin Wolf's exact words but he does praise Elvis as a blues singer.

That's the jist of what Howlin Wolf was saying.

[rjm]

Thank you. No he didn't.

I can't name "the best blues singer," actually. Most would say Robert Johnson.

But I would hesitate to name one, or even rank them. (It's far easier to point out the poor ones, actually. That goes for any music.)

Blues is so special specifically because it doesn't focus on individuals; the blues is a shared language, and has always been a community of artists. One artist would mentor another and bring them into the wider community. That's what's so beautiful about it. It has nothing to do with any "Hot 100." It's not about competition; it's about communication. From very deep inside. Every member of the community who can make a genuine contribution seems very welcome. Elvis made his contributions.

"If he stopped, he stopped. It's nothing to laugh at." But you get the impression that he felt a sense of loss. Maybe even a twinge of betrayal, although he doesn't begrudge him. Went off to California to reap the rewards. Left the blues behind. He was trying to say: don't forget. Never forget it. His facility with the blues was fundamental to his living the good life now, out there. But it's sad to him: "it's nothing to laugh at."

While Elvis never completely "stopped" - musically, he left that community that you see in the Withers photos of the '56 and '57 Goodwill Reviews.

rjm
P.S. -- Well, if it was 1965, Elvis had indeed "stopped."

Sent via mobile

[drjohncarpenter]

Thank you. No he didn't.

I can't name "the best blues singer," actually. Most would say Robert Johnson.

But I would hesitate to name one, or even rank them. (It's far easier to point out the poor ones, actually.)

Blues is so special specifically because it doesn't focus on individuals; the blues is a shared language, and has always been a community of artists. One artist would mentor another and bring them into the wider community. That's what's so beautiful about it. It has nothing to do with any "Hot 100." It's not about competition; it's about communication. From very deep inside. Every member of the community who can make a contribution seems very welcome. Elvis made his contributions.

"If he stopped, he stopped. It's nothing to laugh at."

rjm

Sent via mobile

Correct.