Best track on "That´s the way it is" LP 1970

#457476

This one is a tough one to arrange a poll around. Here are no fillers at all in my opinion (those were saved for a may 1971 project...), Elvis sings splendid all the way through and the playing/overdubs are generally tastefully done. But still there are 5 or 6 albums that are better than THWII including the debut album, Is back, From Elvis in Memphis, Country and maybe one of his gospel albums. Why? Well it´s hard to pick reasons, but maybe one or two more rockers in the style of "Patch it up" could have been good for the album. BUT one thing´s for sure. Elvis never did a better "Late night in the bar with a nice single malt whisky"-type of album. It´s good to relax to and the songs aren´t too sad either. The track that stand out a little bit are "I just can´t help believing" and it´s gonna get my vote. The rest is solid. Maybe "I´ve lost you" is a bit repetative, but it has it´s merits. The must of excluding two tracks are mission impossible here, but it will be "You´ve lost that loving feeling" and "You don´t have to say you love". Not because they aren´t in the same class as the other tracks, but I promise to include those two in the future Madison square garden poll (The THWII versions are slightly better though).

Vote on!

Regards//Björn

Rob · #457488

Very tough, but "Bridge Over Troubled Water" will always get my vote. To me, it just doesn't get any better than that.

Sail on silver girl, sail on by..........

JerryNodak · #457523

My favorite track has always been "How The Web Was Woven." Thank goodness we will finally get the studio versions of "Patch It Up" and "I've Lost You" on the FTD version of this album. I've never been crazy about the live versions.

#457530

If it was the studio cut I've Lost You, but I have always liked how "modern" The Next Step Is Love sounded. Great vocal and production on that.

#457533

I'd forgotten what a strong track list there was on this !

Apart from the repetitive Patch It Up, they are all pretty good tracks !

In the end, I went for Just Pretend, but How The Web Was Woven was a close second................

#457592

My fave Elvis album. I love, love, love I Just Can't Help Believin', but ultimately it has to be Stranger In The Crowd. That songs just rules.

Jules

#457593

ColinB wrote:Apart from the repetitive Patch It Up, they are all pretty good tracks !

I love the live version of Patch It Up. Never think of it as repetitive. It's everything the studio version wants to be - loose but tight, and with lots of rock and roll.

Jules

#457594

JerryNodak wrote:My favorite track has always been "How The Web Was Woven." Thank goodness we will finally get the studio versions of "Patch It Up" and "I've Lost You" on the FTD version of this album. I've never been crazy about the live versions.

It's the other way around for me. I prefer the live versions.

Jules

#457595

Mike Eder wrote:If it was the studio cut I've Lost You, but I have always liked how "modern" The Next Step Is Love sounded. Great vocal and production on that.

Sure is. Dammit, the whole album is great! I'll shut up now.

Jules

#457922

familyjules wrote:
JerryNodak wrote:My favorite track has always been "How The Web Was Woven." Thank goodness we will finally get the studio versions of "Patch It Up" and "I've Lost You" on the FTD version of this album. I've never been crazy about the live versions.
It's the other way around for me. I prefer the live versions.

Jules

A minor minus on the studio version of "Patch it up" is the brass. It sound a bit out of tune here and there. Otherwise I love the distorded guitars.

//Björn

#458646

That's a tough one indee. My vote goes for "I just can't help believin'".

On another day I would choose probably "Bridge" or "Just pretend"....

Joern

#458895

ColinB wrote:I'd forgotten what a strong track list there was on this !

Apart from the repetitive Patch It Up, they are all pretty good tracks !

In the end, I went for Just Pretend, but How The Web Was Woven was a close second................

You're so right Colin, great tracklist!

#458929

ColinB wrote:I'd forgotten what a strong track list there was on this !

Apart from the repetitive Patch It Up, they are all pretty good tracks !

Hooray! Someone else who feels like me about Patch It Up. The only Elvis song I actually dislike: for its repetitiveness, and, so often I wanna shout "Charlie! Give Elvis back his mic!"
[Don't try to convince me otherwise please - disliking one Elvis song is the only thing I have that proves to me I ain't an Elvis freak

]

Back to the album...
This album is my absolute #1, I don't know how many copies I've bought of it over the years as this is what I give to my friends as a gift so they'll appreciate Elvis like I do. [OK, sounding a bit like a freak there - The Management]

Nearly impossible to pick a favourite track from it: Mary In The Morning .... Twenty Days and Twenty Nights ... Bridge ...etc, etc.
But I finally voted for Stranger In The Crowd just love the rhythm, story and imagery in that and I can never hear it without seeing a video in my head of Elvis standing on that corner with a cigarette. [FREAK! - The Management]

#458945

I have had this in my cd player in my car for months....I voted for "Just Pretend". But almost all the other songs come in a close second.

Matthew · #459057

"Just Pretend" gets my vote. This along with "Bridge" are two songs that work equally well in their studio and live forms and I don't think the album would have been weaker for it if a live rendition had been included instead of the studio master.

"Bridge" is outstaning but the original album master falls down for the unforgivable fake applause added at the end.

Regarding "Patch It Up" and "I've Lost You" - I prefer the studio versions for both these songs. "Patch It Up" rocks hard! The live version is limp in comparison. There is just something unique about this studio recording in the Elvis cannon, tight, modern, heavy rock almost. James' guitar solo at the end - I just want this to go on and on.

Overall an outstanding album in the Elvis catalogue.

#459060

This is a tough call, since most of the studio tracks on here are outstanding. Still, I've always had a soft spot for Stranger In The Crowd!

Matthew · #459062

bajo wrote:This is a tough call, since most of the studio tracks on here are outstanding. Still, I've always had a soft spot for Stranger In The Crowd!

Nah - Elvis can keep his overflowing cup of love along with his milk and honey.

#459142

Stranger In The Crowd and The Next Step Is Love I've always considered to be attempts to do some up-to-date songs with up-to-date lyrics. Like a wave, my cup of love was overflowing. Fun, fun, look at us run, we've yet to taste the icing of the cake. As opposed to a timeless song like Just Pretend.

#459241

Just Pretend didn't stick out for me until 1992 when I got a video of it on the Lost Performances. I like it very much now. While Stranger is my least favorite song on here, again seeing the outtake of him animatedly performing it turned me around. Next Step does have a few lyrics that are creaky but I stand by it as my favorite here because Elvis' voice and the production are both breathtaking. I've Lost You and Patch It Up were better to me in the studio cuts.

#459295

Very tough, but "Bridge Over Troubled Water" will always get my vote. To me, it just doesn't get any better than that.

Exactly my opinion. His rendition of Paul Simon´s song is just fabulous. The pace, the ambiance, every instrument, every word, everything falls into place here. Just perfect (without the applauses at the end, of course). Pure delight although IJCHB, YLTLF and JP are masterpieces too.

#460375

This is one of my favourite albums
I voted 20 days and 20 nights

#460555

sylvain wrote:This is one of my favourite albums
I voted 20 days and 20 nights

That track is a bit underrated I think.

//Björn

#460575

dreambear wrote:
sylvain wrote:This is one of my favourite albums
I voted 20 days and 20 nights
That track is a bit underrated I think.

//Björn

The whole album is underrated!

Jules

#460799

familyjules wrote:
dreambear wrote:
sylvain wrote:This is one of my favourite albums
I voted 20 days and 20 nights
That track is a bit underrated I think.

//Björn
The whole album is underrated!

Jules

Not just this album

#461057

sylvain wrote:
familyjules wrote:
dreambear wrote:
sylvain wrote:This is one of my favourite albums
I voted 20 days and 20 nights
That track is a bit underrated I think.

//Björn
The whole album is underrated!

Jules

Not just this album

That's true. Elvis is underrated! He is. People of an older generation think he's silly kid's stuff who mumbled his words and wasn't as good as Frank Sinatra. And younger people think he's an icon of kitch.

If you say you're a Beatles fan then you usually get nods of agreement. Say you're an Elvis fan and you get people looking for signs of irony.

I guess the legend got too big. Elvis became like Superman and Batman. It's hard for people to see past the glitter and flash and hear the quality of that voice, and see the natural charisma of the man rather than the suits and capes.

Elvis is underrated.

Jules

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