SINGLES OF THE '70s

[jeanno]

Elvis needed to be persuaded and sold on an idea by someone with strong creative convictions (was there anyone like that employed at RCA in the early 70’s?).

No, there was not.

An A&R rep could have easily sat down with Elvis and relayed various ideas for a studio project with direction and growth potential.

That would have been the best way.
If only RCA had had the balls to tell Elvis (say back in 1975, after listening to the TODAY session) "T-R-O-U-B-L-E and I CAN HELP are fun. Now, please, we need 12 more good tracks. Forget WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE and AND I LOVE YO SO."

If only, if only...

[RonBaker2003]

The problem (in my humble opinion) was the publishing deal they kept trying to push on the songwriters. You give songwriters a crappy deal, you get crappy music. "And I Love You So" is a decent song...but it isn't suited for Elvis. Perry Como's version was good, but then you don't expect Perry to rock out.

[Pete Dube]

The problem (in my humble opinion) was the publishing deal they kept trying to push on the songwriters. You give songwriters a crappy deal, you get crappy music. "And I Love You So" is a decent song...but it isn't suited for Elvis. Perry Como's version was good, but then you don't expect Perry to rock out.

Whatever one thinks of Perry Como, And I Love You So is a fine song by Don Mclean that Elvis chose to cover after the Como hit. The publishing deals don't really apply here other than perhaps preventing Elvis from getting first crack at the tune.

[brian]

The problem (in my humble opinion) was the publishing deal they kept trying to push on the songwriters. You give songwriters a crappy deal, you get crappy music. "And I Love You So" is a decent song...but it isn't suited for Elvis. Perry Como's version was good, but then you don't expect Perry to rock out.

Whatever one thinks of Perry Como, And I Love You So is a fine song by Don Mclean that Elvis chose to cover after the Como hit. The publishing deals don't really apply here other than perhaps preventing Elvis from getting first crack at the tune.

yes, it is a very good ballad one of the best Elvis ever cut imo.

Several have mentioned the song T-R-O-U-B-L-E and the Today album from 1975

The Today album was okay imo it's Elvis doing a 70's country album
country albums in those days consisted of one or 2 singles then a couple of covers of recent country songs and then a cover of a country standard and then filler to complete the album. That's what we got with Today. it's not a bad album at all. I was looking at songs that topped the charts in 75 and several topped the country and crossed over and topped the pop charts like B.J. Thomas, Glen Campbell, and Freddy Fender.
T-R-O-U-B-L-E has the country sound just like those crossover hits, it should've done better than peaking at #35 pop although it did better on the Country chart peaking at #11. Anyway I like the song it's a Jerry Lee Lewis honkytonk country rocker, I think the tune could've also done well in 1980 when the Urban cowboy craze was going on.

[RonBaker2003]

"T-R-O-U-B-L-E" was a major country hit by Travis Tritt here in the US.

[jeanno]

My problem with the TODAY LP is that it could have been title PRESLEY COVERS EVERYBODY: Elvis does JL Lewis (T-R-O-U-B-L-R), Elvis does Perry Como (AND I LOVE YOU SO), Elvis does Billy Swann (I CAN HELP), Elvis does Tom Jones (GREEN GREEN GRASS), etc. There was little interest about doing a good album: as soon as the 10 tracks were recorded (and some of them were real crap like WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE), everybody went home.
For me, 4/10 (and worst was to come).

[brian]

My problem with the TODAY LP is that it could have been title PRESLEY COVERS EVERYBODY: Elvis does JL Lewis (T-R-O-U-B-L-R), Elvis does Perry Como (AND I LOVE YOU SO), Elvis does Billy Swann (I CAN HELP), Elvis does Tom Jones (GREEN GREEN GRASS), etc. There was little interest about doing a good album: as soon as the 10 tracks were recorded (and some of them were real crap like WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE), everybody went home.
For me, 4/10 (and worst was to come).

I understand what you're saying but like I said it was a standard country album at the time

T-R-O-U-B-L-E wasn't a cover I mentioned Jerry Lee Lewis because it's a song I could see him doing

[mrbthebarber]

............ still reeling from

the three at piano recordings which should NOT have been included

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just how often in the seventies did we get to hear Elvis make such beautifully restrained emotive music with little backing? Singing songs that TRULY meant something to him rather than the like of Three damn corn patches!

[jeanno]

brian
I know T-R-O-U-B-L-E was not a Lewis´ cover but it just sounded more like a JL Lewis track than a Presley´s. TODAY must be one of Elvis most impersonal album.

[brian]

brian
I know T-R-O-U-B-L-E was not a Lewis´ cover but it just sounded more like a JL Lewis track than a Presley´s.

To me that's not a bad thing

I mentioned this in an earlier post

It's Elvis doing something different

[likethebike]

"And I Love You So" is a beautiful performance of a song that meant a lot to Elvis. "Woman Without Love" is a stiffo but most of the performances are pretty solid.

Perhaps Elvis should have told RCA
Jeese, I just released Promised Land how about promoting that for awhile?

[jeanno]

AND I LOVE YOU SO is indeed a beautiful song, specially that alternate take in PLATINUM, but it seems out of place in an Elvis´ Album. I mean, Presley should have been recording other things than AILYS or WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE, GREEN GREEN GRASS, etc. I never listen to the TODAY album as it was released (although I do have the FTD version); I prefer to combine the best of the 1975 studio tracks with some of 1976. Something like:

1- For the heart (alt. take 1 - Platinum)
2- She thinks I still care (alt. take 2B)
3- Pieces of my life
4- I can help
5- T-R-O-U-B-L-E
6- Hurt

7- Way Down
8- Pledging my love
9- Moody Blue
10- Bringin´ it back
11- Shake a hand
12- Blue eyes crying in the rain

Not the best album ever but still more enjoyable - at list for me - than TODAY, FROM EP BLVD and MOODY BLUE.

Perhaps Elvis should have told RCA
Jeese, I just released Promised Land how about promoting that for awhile?

So true.

[Lennart]

[quote="jeanno"]AND I LOVE YOU SO is indeed a beautiful song, specially that alternate take in PLATINUM, but it seems out of place in an Elvis´ Album. I mean, Presley should have been recording other things than AILYS or WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE, GREEN GREEN GRASS, etc. I never listen to the TODAY album as it was released (although I do have the FTD version); I prefer to combine the best of the 1975 studio tracks with some of 1976. Something like:

1- For the heart (alt. take 1 - Platinum)
2- She thinks I still care (alt. take 2B)
3- Pieces of my life
4- I can help
5- T-R-O-U-B-L-E
6- Hurt

7- Way Down
8- Pledging my love
9- Moody Blue
10- Bringin´ it back
11- Shake a hand
12- Blue eyes crying in the rain

Not the best album ever but still more enjoyable - at list for me - than TODAY, FROM EP BLVD and MOODY BLUE.

That´s a great list!
Almost exactly the same songs and versions I prefer. I would substitute "Bringin´ it back" for " It´s easy for you".
I have always found "Bringin´ it back" quite boring and " It´s easy for you" quite good although not great.

Once again, a great list Jeanno!

Lennart

[jeanno]

Thanks Lennart!

[Lennart]

Thanks Lennart!

You´re welcome!

[patricia66]

Joel Whitburn lists Elvis as the 13th best selling artist of the 70's.

I can only recommend to look at Joel Whitburns chart listings - and not only the pop charts but AC and Country. It's a real eye opener. The common focus on Elvis pop chart listings in the 70s is misleading.[/quote]

In my oppinion the reason Elvis didn't get airplay on Rock radio was because he started out in the 50's and there was a bais towards that by the programmers of those type of stations, Had Elvis been a rock star from the 60's or 70's "Promised Land'' and T-R-OU-B-L-E would have probably gotten some spins.

Very likely so. But it is a common thing, it's not different today and it happens to every "old" star. Taking all this into account, he did really well in the 70s. Just look where the others from the 50s are in comparison with regard to consistence.

[ColinB]

My problem with the TODAY LP is that it could have been title PRESLEY COVERS EVERYBODY: Elvis does JL Lewis (T-R-O-U-B-L-R), Elvis does Perry Como (AND I LOVE YOU SO), Elvis does Billy Swann (I CAN HELP), Elvis does Tom Jones (GREEN GREEN GRASS), etc.
There was little interest about doing a good album: as soon as the 10 tracks were recorded (and some of them were real crap like WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE), everybody went home.
For me, 4/10 (and worst was to come).

Well, after '73 it became hard to get him in the recording studio.

He never set foot there in '74 !

By '75, I guess they felt they had to go with what they got.

In '76, they had to take the studio to him !

[jeanno]

ColinB
You´re right.
I rarely listen to the 1975/1976 studio sessions. In fact, for the whole 70´s, I only listen to the Nashville 1970 sessions. After that, I could gather my favorite post1970 recordings in a single CD:
Early Mornin´ Rain, Merry Christmas Baby, I´ve Got Confidence, Don´t think Twice, Holly Leaves & Christmas Trees, I John, I´ll Be Home On Christmas Day, Burning Love, Always on my Mind, Separate Ways, I´ve Got a Thing about you Baby, If You Don´t Come Back, Just A Little bit, I Got A Feelin´ in my Body, You Asked Me To, Talk About The Good Times, Promised Land, Lovin´ arms, I Can Help.

[jyroflux]

"I Really Don't Want to Know" was the A-side of "There Goes My Everything" and it's simply an epic performance. Again fans seemed to like it to the tune of almost 750,000 records but programmers didn't. But damn it was a great piece of soul blues, that must have sounded great and unpredictable coming out of the Top 40.

I remember Dick Clark playing I Really Don't Want to Know on Bandstand. I thought the song was going to be a bigger hit than it was. It just missed cracking the pop top ten if I remember right.

[rickeap]

The singles choices circa 70-71 were mostly poor. The second CD of singles is far superior.
Some rock material, maybe Whole Lotta Shakin', should have been used.

[jyroflux]

I think I'm Leavin' / The Heart of Rome was a great combo. I literally wore the grooves out on the 45 of the I'm Leavin' side. Where Did They Go, Lord / Rags to Riches was a very odd choice. Some folks still think Where Did They Go, Lord is a gospel song and the flip side probably got no air play at all. I Really Don't Want to Know / Take Good Care of Her was a perfect coupling as far as I'm concerned, but maybe only for the country charts, though Top 40 stations still played the A side.

[skatterbrane]

I love I've Lost You/The Next Step is Love and I'm Leavin' I always have.

After buying "Elvis Now" I gave up on Elvis until his Moody Blue LP. (right after he died, I collected all between Elvis Now and Moody Blue, already having every other LP.) I was just so depressed that after he came back with a vengence in the 1968-1971 period, that he once again fell into such a slump--recordings wise.

[Christopher Brown]

I think in the mid '70s people just didn't care for Elvis, as his single choices were solid, and I think if someone of a contemporary nature on the charts at the time released some of the singles Elvis did, I think they would have done much better. I'm thinking T-R-O-U-B-L-E and I'VE GOT A THING ABOUT YOU BABY, even IF YOU TALK IN YOUR SLEEP.