what'd I say-worst cover by elvis?

[Vince_Everett]

When Elvis Presley covered a song, he made it his own ,most of the time.There are many examples: from Hound Dog to Polk Salad Annie, from Blue Suede Shoes to You've Lost That Loving Feeling, from I Got a Woman to Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Elvis covered 3 Little Richard songs: Rip It Up, Ready Teddy( better than the originals in my opinion) and Long Tall Sally( not better than the original but still an OK cover).
Again,he covered 3 Ray Charles songs:I got a woman-much better than the original, I can't stop loving you (the version live in concert-1970 is better in my opinion) and WHAT'D I SAY(this is the worst cover that I ever listened..I don't know what happened here, Elvis wasn't Elvis in this song.Everything sounds bad on this one.
So in conclusion ,the only bad Elvis cover in my opinion is WHAT'D I SAY.
What is your opinion on this matter, guys? What is your pick for Worst cover done by Elvis and why? Please motivate your choice/pick.

First of all, I gotta say Elvis doesn't come close to topping the original, game-changing Little Richard singles he covered in 1956, although his energy and enthusiasm are undeniable. More importantly, you don't suggest any specifics for what "bad" means here. Are we talking about a bad song choice? Bad vocals? Bad arrangement? Bad in comparison to the original? Bad studio covers or bad live covers, or both?
The 1963 recording of "What'd I Say" is poorly arranged, and the 1964 release sounded thin. Both of these could have been corrected, if only. That said, there are plenty of other Presley recordings which make me cringe more :

Padre
Silver Bells
Put Your Hand in the Hand
Three Corn Patches
My Boy
America the Beautiful [live]
I'll Never Fall in Love Again

Which one of these do I consider the worst? Heh. Gee, I'm not sure ...

But Doc, what's your take on the 1969 live versions of the song if I may ask?

[Rtn 2 Sndr]

I have never cared for Elvis' performance of "What'd I Say" in either the studio or live versions.

When I listen to the studio version, it just seems to me that Elvis was not enthusiastic about the song. Perhaps it would have been a better recording if he had recorded it in 1960-61 at RCA Studio B with the Nashville session musicians.

When I listen to the live version, it always sounds to me like Elvis is rushing it.

[JimmyCool]

(...)there are plenty of other Presley recordings which make me cringe more :

Padre
Silver Bells
Put Your Hand in the Hand
Three Corn Patches
My Boy
America the Beautiful [live]
I'll Never Fall in Love Again

Which one of these do I consider the worst? Heh. Gee, I'm not sure ...

[jurasic1968]

And, Doc, the movie clip of What'd I Say from Viva Las Vegas is for me one of the best Elvis did in his 60's movies. He was so happy to sing with Ann-hard to explain but I like every second when Elvis and Ann interacted in VLV.

[drjohncarpenter]

First of all, I gotta say Elvis doesn't come close to topping the original, game-changing Little Richard singles he covered in 1956, although his energy and enthusiasm are undeniable. More importantly, you don't suggest any specifics for what "bad" means here. Are we talking about a bad song choice? Bad vocals? Bad arrangement? Bad in comparison to the original? Bad studio covers or bad live covers, or both?
The 1963 recording of "What'd I Say" is poorly arranged, and the 1964 release sounded thin. Both of these could have been corrected, if only. That said, there are plenty of other Presley recordings which make me cringe more :

Padre
Silver Bells
Put Your Hand in the Hand
Three Corn Patches
My Boy
America the Beautiful [live]
I'll Never Fall in Love Again

Which one of these do I consider the worst? Heh. Gee, I'm not sure ...

But Doc, what's your take on the 1969 live versions of the song if I may ask?

The 1969 performances of "What'd I Say" are fantastic, as might be expected for his live work then. It sounds nothing like his earlier studio recording, nor does it try even for a second to emulate the indelible 1959 Ray Charles single. It is not an "oldies hit parade." The song is intended to blow 2,200 people right out of their seats as he closes his set, by giving fans a powerhouse rock 'n' roll number, akin to a runaway freight train. And it does. Big time.

The 8-21-1969 MS performance came to my attention when I got a copy of the wonderful bootleg, The Legend Lives On. It also appeared around the same time on another awesome import LP called Superstar Outtakes Vol. 1. In fact, the quality and pitch were better on that one. It's debatable which came first, but both were dreams come true for any Elvis fan suffering through garbage titles from RCA like Elvis Sings For Children ... and Grownups too!.











Since those LPs, RCA issued in 1981 an edited version (ack) from a different 1969 show, then unleashed the unedited version about a decade later. The wonderful Follow That Dream label has since gifted us with several complete 1969 concerts, but the stunning version on the bootleg (aka THE ONE) did not surface officially until just a few years ago. And it's still incredible, right down to James Burton's searing, lengthy guitar solo. As Elvis historian Lee Cotten notes, "It really moves."

Look for it on bonus CD2 of the Viva Las Vegas live collection, issued in August 2007.

070816_Viva Las Vegas_2xCD.jpg

And, Doc, the movie clip of What'd I Say from Viva Las Vegas is for me one of the best Elvis did in his 60's movies. He was so happy to sing with Ann-hard to explain but I like every second when Elvis and Ann interacted in VLV.

I totally agree. Visually, the sequence, an 11th-hour addition, is exactly what director George Sidney was hoping for from the stars, a fun-filled, energetic, sexy romp.

[jurasic1968]

Thanks again Doc. I like to repeat once again: I learned so much from this forum and from you in the last 3 years and a half... Just I want to say this forum is the best of the best regarding Elvis. It's hard to comprehend - like Elvis said in his September 1972 press conference - how great is to learn so many new things about Elvis everyday, especially when people - like myself- were a fan of Elvis in a small country in Eastern Europe and a lot of years I had to buy Elvis' music from the black market.

[matilda]

When Elvis Presley covered a song, he made it his own ,most of the time.There are many examples: from Hound Dog to Polk Salad Annie, from Blue Suede Shoes to You've Lost That Loving Feeling, from I Got a Woman to Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Elvis covered 3 Little Richard songs: Rip It Up, Ready Teddy( better than the originals in my opinion) and Long Tall Sally( not better than the original but still an OK cover).
Again,he covered 3 Ray Charles songs:I got a woman-much better than the original, I can't stop loving you (the version live in concert-1970 is better in my opinion) and WHAT'D I SAY(this is the worst cover that I ever listened..I don't know what happened here, Elvis wasn't Elvis in this song.Everything sounds bad on this one.
So in conclusion ,the only bad Elvis cover in my opinion is WHAT'D I SAY.
What is your opinion on this matter, guys? What is your pick for Worst cover done by Elvis and why? Please motivate your choice/pick.

As a big "fan" of Elvis since 1956, I have a different view of this.
I have a problem with the word "Cover" used in regard to Elvis, ever.
To me a "Cover" means when someone records a sound-alike version of a current "hit" song in order to compete for sales in a different or same marketplace.
For example, the Rolling Stones covered "It's All Over Now" by the Valentinos, which greatly upset them at the time, although Sam Cooke, their mentor, tried to console them by reminding them that the $$$ from the Rolling Stones' version might be much more than they could have made on their own!
Many US hits in the 50's & 60's were immediately "covered" in UK by local artists like Marty Wilde, Tommy Steele, Cilla Black, etc etc, simply to get £££... In the US, many black artists had their own "hits" covered for the white or country markets by Pat Boone, Georgia Gibbs and many more...
I don't believe Elvis ever "covered" any song in this fashion... When he recorded someone else's hit song, it was a "tribute" to that song & artist: I feel Elvis was always acknowledging others when he sang "their" songs and even knew (or at least hoped) they would benefit in $$$ when he did so.
For example, I see the entire "Aloha from Hawaii" concert as his Tribute & Thanks & Love to the many artists whose "hits" he performed: The Beatles, Marty Robbins, James Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Rodgers, Carl Perkins, Hank Williams, Don Gibson, Ben E. King, Dean Martin or Jim Reeves, Little Richard etc. And I am sure many of them enjoyed the royalties ($$$) they got from Elvis singing their songs.
In regards to "What'd I Say," I hear that song as Elvis (singing as Lucky Jackson) doing a version of the song for the movie. His "own" interpretation as "Elvis" was more like what he sang on stage in 1969
To me, all the songs Elvis sang in his movies need to be heard more as Elvis singing as his "character" in the movie, not as Elvis' own best interpretations as Elvis! I don't think that, as Elvis, he would have sung many of them by choice
Hope this gives you a different "lens" to enjoy/not enjoy some of these type of songs!

Nope. Except of the florita club version of young and beautiful in JR (where in one scene it was specific required to bring on a not so confident version of that song) to say that elvis used a method acting/singing approach while recording movie songs is so much BS.
In the 60s he didn't care about the movies anymore.
To say, that elvis' "datin" sounded so thick-tongued cause elvis was in character of Rick Richards while recording the song is so ridiculous.

[jurasic1968]

In the summer of 1965 Elvis had problems.

[matilda]

No, he was just in character.good excuse for all bad performances in his movie period,.

[jurasic1968]

He had problems with drugs like Seconal and other antidepressants.

[drjohncarpenter]

Thanks again Doc. I like to repeat once again: I learned so much from this forum and from you in the last 3 years and a half... Just I want to say this forum is the best of the best regarding Elvis. It's hard to comprehend - like Elvis said in his September 1972 press conference - how great is to learn so many new things about Elvis everyday, especially when people - like myself- were a fan of Elvis in a small country in Eastern Europe and a lot of years I had to buy Elvis' music from the black market.

I agree this is a wonderful gathering place for any and every serious fan of Elvis Presley. I, too, have learned a LOT from many very kind and intelligent members of this forum. Thank you for the compliment, and I am so glad things are better today for you, in terms of owning the music that Elvis recorded. He truly is one-of-a-kind, and a global superstar, even today.

[matilda]

He had problems with drugs like Seconal and other antidepressants.

Don't know if that's the reason. But at least it wasn't the elvis stays in character-theory while recording movie songs.

[r&b]

When Elvis Presley covered a song, he made it his own ,most of the time.There are many examples: from Hound Dog to Polk Salad Annie, from Blue Suede Shoes to You've Lost That Loving Feeling, from I Got a Woman to Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Elvis covered 3 Little Richard songs: Rip It Up, Ready Teddy( better than the originals in my opinion) and Long Tall Sally( not better than the original but still an OK cover).
Again,he covered 3 Ray Charles songs:I got a woman-much better than the original, I can't stop loving you (the version live in concert-1970 is better in my opinion) and WHAT'D I SAY(this is the worst cover that I ever listened..I don't know what happened here, Elvis wasn't Elvis in this song.Everything sounds bad on this one.
So in conclusion ,the only bad Elvis cover in my opinion is WHAT'D I SAY.
What is your opinion on this matter, guys? What is your pick for Worst cover done by Elvis and why? Please motivate your choice/pick.

The only one? I'd say these covers by Elvis were not better than their original also

Blueberry Hill
Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On
Hey Jude
Dont Think Twice, Its All Right
You Dont Have To Say You Love Me
Rags To Riches
Until Its Time For You To Go
Green Green Grass of Home
Hurt
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Pledging My Love

I forgot about My Way. Sinatra's is better if just for the arrangement. Its also very hard to compare a live version of a song to a studio master which is perfected by multiple takes. I dont consider a live Elvis cover to really be a cover, just a song he sang in concert that gig. If it was recorded that night, great, if not, you will never know how well it was or wasnt performed, but either way its not a legit cover of a song IMO. Since Elvis did record My Way in the studio, it pales next to the Sinatra studio version. If you do like to include live versions as covers, then his live versions of Proud Mary and You Lost That Lovin Feeling also dont top the originals.

[Fabbe]

This studio version from 1970 is better concerning the sound.....

this is great - with professional editing and tastefull overdubb you might have a great version


Inviato dal mio iPad utilizzando Tapatalk

[ale]

I like the versión he made of it
Maybe it sounds a little weak but that's the band
many of the 60's songs from the movies...rock songs sound weak, specially those telecaster riffs...too trebly

[matilda]

The female backing choir on the master is very annoying.

[jurasic1968]

Thanks again Doc. I like to repeat once again: I learned so much from this forum and from you in the last 3 years and a half... Just I want to say this forum is the best of the best regarding Elvis. It's hard to comprehend - like Elvis said in his September 1972 press conference - how great is to learn so many new things about Elvis everyday, especially when people - like myself- were a fan of Elvis in a small country in Eastern Europe and a lot of years I had to buy Elvis' music from the black market.

I agree this is a wonderful gathering place for any and every serious fan of Elvis Presley. I, too, have learned a LOT from many very kind and intelligent members of this forum. Thank you for the compliment, and I am so glad things are better today for you, in terms of owning the music that Elvis recorded. He truly is one-of-a-kind, and a global superstar, even today.

Thank you. To be honest, I admit that only 10 years ago in Romania I could buy the Aloha and the 1968 TV Comeback special released officially. And I was "All Shook Up", comparing an official release to the ones from the black market. The quality of these DVD-s was to me from another planet.

[epf]

When Elvis Presley covered a song, he made it his own ,most of the time.There are many examples: from Hound Dog to Polk Salad Annie, from Blue Suede Shoes to You've Lost That Loving Feeling, from I Got a Woman to Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Elvis covered 3 Little Richard songs: Rip It Up, Ready Teddy( better than the originals in my opinion) and Long Tall Sally( not better than the original but still an OK cover).
Again,he covered 3 Ray Charles songs:I got a woman-much better than the original, I can't stop loving you (the version live in concert-1970 is better in my opinion) and WHAT'D I SAY(this is the worst cover that I ever listened..I don't know what happened here, Elvis wasn't Elvis in this song.Everything sounds bad on this one.
So in conclusion ,the only bad Elvis cover in my opinion is WHAT'D I SAY.
What is your opinion on this matter, guys? What is your pick for Worst cover done by Elvis and why? Please motivate your choice/pick.

The only one? I'd say these covers by Elvis were not better than their original also

Blueberry Hill
Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On
Hey Jude
Dont Think Twice, Its All Right
You Dont Have To Say You Love Me
Rags To Riches
Until Its Time For You To Go
Green Green Grass of Home
Hurt
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Pledging My Love

I forgot about My Way. Sinatra's is better if just for the arrangement. Its also very hard to compare a live version of a song to a studio master which is perfected by multiple takes. I dont consider a live Elvis cover to really be a cover, just a song he sang in concert that gig. If it was recorded that night, great, if not, you will never know how well it was or wasnt performed, but either way its not a legit cover of a song IMO. Since Elvis did record My Way in the studio, it pales next to the Sinatra studio version. If you do like to include live versions as covers, then his live versions of Proud Mary and You Lost That Lovin Feeling also dont top the originals.

That was the reason it was never released during Elvis's lifetime, so one can wonder if that one counts.

[Rich_TCB]

The master of "Blueberry Hill" isn't good at all. It just drags (I blame DJ Fontana), it was poorly arranged, and Elvis' vocal is lazy.

[r&b]

The master of "Blueberry Hill" isn't good at all. It just drags (I blame DJ Fontana), it was poorly arranged, and Elvis' vocal is lazy.

Elvis made the mistake of trying to emulate Fats. He should have sung it Elvis style.

[joshferrell]

yes I don't care too much for the studio version of "What'd I Say" those female voices and grating to my ear...I can't stand the mix,,, maybe if they stripped those annoying voices and do a remix of it, it may be better,..yes the live versions in 1969 are better.. and as far as I'm concerned "Hey Jude" was his worse cover song,,, that should have never been released,,,at least not until the 90's with "Lady Madonna" on the box set.

[Chris Roberts]

Apart from some of the backing vocals this isn't a bad arrangement. It was released as the B side of Viva Las Vegas in the UK. Unfortunately the actual recording lets it down, and as another member mentioned, it could have been far better if recorded in studio B.

[fragance]

Apart from some of the backing vocals this isn't a bad arrangement. It was released as the B side of Viva Las Vegas in the UK. Unfortunately the actual recording lets it down, and as another member mentioned, it could have been far better if recorded in studio B.

more enjoyable without loud backing vocals (I hope)


http://www17.zippyshare.com/v/mpvCo3y2/file.html

[GLAISTER]

For me, 'What'd I Say' is a strange one.

Let me start off by saying that I think Ray Charles' original version is unbeatable - nailed to perfection. Elvis' '63 version really ought to have been there with the original, but it isn't - for me, it holds loads of promise but fails to get going at all. Vegas '69 is different - some fantastic versions and lots of different solos from JB, even variations in tempo from one show to the next - brilliant.

But for me, it's the 1970 rehearsal version that is my personal favourite of Elvis' versions. It's loose as a goose, all over the place, and at times sounds like it's about to fall over, takes about a minute to get going but then really swings the way Ray Charles original does - fantastic.

[FredAistair]

When Elvis Presley covered a song, he made it his own ,most of the time.There are many examples: from Hound Dog to Polk Salad Annie, from Blue Suede Shoes to You've Lost That Loving Feeling, from I Got a Woman to Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Elvis covered 3 Little Richard songs: Rip It Up, Ready Teddy( better than the originals in my opinion) and Long Tall Sally( not better than the original but still an OK cover).
Again,he covered 3 Ray Charles songs:I got a woman-much better than the original, I can't stop loving you (the version live in concert-1970 is better in my opinion) and WHAT'D I SAY(this is the worst cover that I ever listened..I don't know what happened here, Elvis wasn't Elvis in this song.Everything sounds bad on this one.
So in conclusion ,the only bad Elvis cover in my opinion is WHAT'D I SAY.
What is your opinion on this matter, guys? What is your pick for Worst cover done by Elvis and why? Please motivate your choice/pick.

The only one? I'd say these covers by Elvis were not better than their original also

Blueberry Hill
Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On
Hey Jude
Dont Think Twice, Its All Right
You Dont Have To Say You Love Me
Rags To Riches
Until Its Time For You To Go
Green Green Grass of Home
Hurt
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Pledging My Love

Personally I greatly prefer Elvis's take on

Dont Think Twice, Its All Right
You Dont Have To Say You Love Me
Rags To Riches
Hurt
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
Pledging My Love

Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On is quite a different version, so a direct comparison isn't really there.