SINGLES OF THE '70s

[Christopher Brown]

Disc 1 of the Seventies Box Set (the most played decade in my house) is an amazing mess of poor choices by Elvis and his management for singles.

Listening to the top 30 during the early ‘70s (I was 15 as the decade began) many of Elvis’ singles just didn’t fit in. I’m not saying he had to fit in, but better contemporary and catchy material remained hidden in albums, and the singles from “Patch It Up” (which I don’t like because of its repetitiveness – though for some reason I love the extended live versions of “Suspicious Minds”) right through to “Burning Love” (save for the exceptional “I’m Leavin’”) were poor.

I’ve excluded “I Just Can’t Help Believin’” and “How Web Was Woven” as that was not a North American single (I’m Canadian).

“The Wonder of You” (a very old song at the time) did amazingly well, and it’s hard to argue its release. “I’ve Lost You” (tilting toward too repetitive) and “The Next Step Is Love” was a solid release from his latest film. “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” is good. However, “Patch It Up”, as hard as it tries to rock and roll, is only average in material, and obviously not well liked by the public.

The next string of tracks is pedestrian, of poor quality or in the case of the last one, performed without emotion:

“There Goes My Everything” (easy going country corn, whose cousin “He Is My Everything” I also dislike);
“Life” (whose lyrics 30 plus years later I still don’t understand);
“Where Did They Go, Lord?” (which RCA thought for years was a gospel song);
“It’s Only Love” and “The Sound Of Your Cry” (both REALLY tried at the contemporary vain, but fail);
“Until It’s Time For You To Go” (successful, though v-e-r-y slow);
“We Can Make The Morning” (a very unlikely choice for a single, even the “B” side);
“An American Trilogy” (undeniably great in person as I can personally tell you, but as a single???); and
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (misses the critical third verse and falls far short of heart felt live performances – especially December 1976).

When compiling various CDs of material, these hardly ever appear on my discs.

Unfortunately, for the pop chart, Elvis’ single choices woke up too late, and classics like “Promised Land” and “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” never had a chance to reach the top.

Disc 3 and Disc 4 of the ‘70s Box Set (aside from the three at piano recordings which should NOT have been included and a lackluster but understandable inclusion of the studio version of “My Way”) blow Disc 1 away every which way. They’re virtually personal preference compilations minus the four tracks just mentioned, although I still lament the exclusion of “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” and “It’s Easy For You”

Disc 2 representing the rest of his singles is very solid other than the ridiculous “Raised On Rock” and the flip of “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” – but why would you ever turn that single over to listen to “Mr. Songman” (a song I like, but do recognize its shortcomings). Only “Hurt” is really out of touch with the mid-70s – but his interest in it meant I got to hear it in person many, many times.

Wrong choices = expected outcome.

[Mike Eder]

Could there have been better choices made at times? Yes, but I recently got a Japanese LP box set from 1985 that had every single from 54-85 on there and I have to say the seventies ones held up pretty well. Of the ones you pointed out in list form
“There Goes My Everything” (easy going country corn, whose cousin “He Is My Everything” I also dislike);A good vocal and arrangement, I too would of picked something with a little more fire say Whole Lotta Shakin Going On or perhaps I Washed My Hands. That doesn't mean I don't like it, I just think there were too many ballads in a row coming out as singles.
“Life” (whose lyrics 30 plus years later I still don’t understand); One of my least favorites also
“Where Did They Go, Lord?” (which RCA thought for years was a gospel song);
Good vocal, interesting production, if not his best]
“It’s Only Love” and “The Sound Of Your Cry” (both REALLY tried at the contemporary vain, but fail); Two songs which some hate but I happen to like. I think the music is produced well and that he sings wonderfully. It's very pop so those who generally favor his fifties material is not going to like them. Maybe I am the only one who likes both.
“Until It’s Time For You To Go” (successful, though v-e-r-y slow); Pretty song good production. I think it was a solid choice
“We Can Make The Morning” (a very unlikely choice for a single, even the “B” side);
Another great vocal, very good pop. Again this is not a direction favored by some but I think he was really good at bringing this type of song alive.
“An American Trilogy” (undeniably great in person as I can personally tell you, but as a single???); True it worked better in concert then as a commercial hit, it still is a defining moment in Elvis' catalog. and
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (misses the critical third verse and falls far short of heart felt live performances – especially December 1976).I like this one too, very nicely done, Elvis' is my favorite rendition. Maybe the concert version was a little less stiff, but the acoustic guitar on the studio cut is amazing

Whenever I talk about these type of songs I know I am putting myself up for some critique but you like what you like.

[JerryNodak]

I remember reading somewhere (probably in one of Ernst's books) that RCA had another single planned for release at the time instead of "Trilogy," but Elvis insisted. Trilogy was a great song in it's concert context, but not a great single choice. This is one time when Elvis instincts or whatever were wrong.

[JerryNodak]

As I recall "I Really Don't Want To Know/There Goes My Everything made the Billboard Country Top Ten peaking at #9. So in my mind the single served its purpose. Which was to get Elvis back on country radio. To get him taken seriously by the country audience once again. This audience served him well in the years to come. The name of the album after all was "Elvis Country."

[JerryNodak]

Not too mention I've Got A Thing About You Baby/Take Good Care Of Her.

[Mike Eder]

Though like the rest of Elvis' career it dropped off a bit in the mid sixties, he was a big country artist from day one. I feel he changed that field quite a bit, made it more youthful and modern. Johnny Cash had a big role in that too, but people like Marty Robbins and George Jones were very influenced by Elvis for a period of time.

[likethebike]

Except for 1971 where he completely lost the plot in terms of singles, I think Elvis chose very wisely in terms of his singles choices.

"Until it's Time For You to Go" seems like it should have been a big hit for someone, yet Elvis' version which just broke Top 40 was as high as it got in any version. "An American Trilogy" was an insane commercial choice with its long running time and coming so close on the heels of Mickey Newbury's record but Elvis saw it as his best shot at that time. I had to respect that.

"I've Lost You" you could win or lose on that one. Audiences seem to respond as sales approached 700,000 but programmers didn't seem to like it. "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.

After the success of "Burning Love" which happened to hit Top Ten in a week that also featured big hits by Ricky Nelson and Chuck Berry, I think there was a backlash against playing '50s artists on the air. For Berry and Nelson, it wiped them out. For Elvis who was picking up country and adult contemporary fans, it limited his options. I also think Elvis was too darn eclectic. The audience for "Burning Love" and "Separate Ways" was just not the same.

I think "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" was a whiff by programmers and audiences. Up tempo rockers were having a tough time getting airplay by 1975. Led Zeppelin's "Trampled Under Foot" from the same year did even worse than "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" in the Top 40. Sadly, Elvis didn't have the FM following that Led Zeppelin had which meant even though they weren't breaking the Top 20, they were still racking up huge LP numbers. Elvis' eclecticism assured he never would have access to that audience. Even in middle to old age, the classic rock audience has little tolerance for songs about divorce and middle age. At that time, they must have viewed something like "Separate Ways" as an old man's song.

"Promised Land"'s chart position is a little deceiving. According to Ernst, Elvis and the Colonel demanded more promotion for Elvis' single after "I've Got a Thing About You Baby" sold about 500,000 and missed the Top 30. (Imagine what it would have sold if it had been given heavy airplay.) "Promised Land" and "If You Talk in Your Sleep" sold about 150,000 units less apiece but charted much better.

In the 1970s especially though winning a single was a crap shoot. A super piece of schlock like Terry Jacks' "Seasons in the Sun" tears up the charts while Bruce Springsteen can't even break the Top 20 with "Born To Run."

[Mike Eder]

Very good post, but though I concede "Rags To Riches" as solid but not commercial and "Life" as being pretty bad I think the rest of the 1971 releases were among his best. "I'm Leavin'" every has high praise from pretty much everyone, but It's Only Love is also a fine modern (for 1971) record that I think is underrated highly. Merry Christmas Baby is a wonderful single and has a fine b-side too. If only the 1971 Xmas album was as good as the single, but I digress. Why these did not do well I cannot even venture to guess, other then to say that perhaps rock radio programers of the seventies saw Elvis as an oldies act with the exception of The Wonder Of You and Burning Love.

[likethebike]

Lonely summer- One of the shames of bias against '50s artists was that many of them including Nelson were very credibly recording in a modern groove. There's often been a lot of complaints about Nelson's label failing to issue his very fine remake of "Dream Lover" after his great SNL appearance but really couldn't someone have slapped it on the radio anyway. It fits in very well to my ears amongst pieces like JD Souther's "You're Only Lonely" which was a massive hit in 1979.

Mike I agree about "I'm Leaving" but I feel it's very uncommercial. I think it's a little disquieting for the Top 40 and worse for Elvis it's not immediately recognizable as Elvis product. "Merry Christmas Baby" is truly great but programmers probably rejected it as a retread or something. They might have thought "Blue Christmas" was enough Elvis to fill the Christmas niche. "It's Only Love" is respectable to me but I don't feel it stands out in any way. It has kind of a cookie cutter feel, which I would also say to a lesser extent about the B-side.

[Mike Eder]

likethebike I agree I'm Leavin' doesn't sound like "ELVIS" but that's part of it's charm. It shows him evolving as an artist. One thing I think you will agree with is that it was records like these that kept Elvis from turning into an oldies act. It did make the top 40 briefly and I think it's the Elvis track I most often play to people who only know the biggest hits. It may be understated, but hearing the acoustic sounds popular at the time makes me think it fit in with the charts. What it needed was promotion, maybe a promo film to go with it?
You are probably right about Merry Christmas Baby but it's a shame as since it was included in This Is Elvis it gets airplay each Christmas. Lonely Summer I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" could have been a good choice, it is a great country record.

It's Only Love is again a very different sound for Elvis. I think the produiction is very nice on it, a real layered sound. I like the interplay with the back up singers and I think the strings are very nicely done. I think Elvis sang it very well too. Too bad he didn't promote it in concert as that may have pushed it up the charts a little. Sound Of Your Cry is nice for almost the exact same reasons. Strong vocal, interesting arrangment, modern lyrics. I know these two songs aren't universally loved, but I see them as something that challenged Elvis to go beyond his roots.

1971 Elvis isn't really understood.too well in my opinion. I am not sure why but the Elvis of 1970 and 1972 seem much more popular. I think that too many people look at his marriage falling apart, seeing him gain a touch of weight, and just say "Oh it's the decline now". Perhaps he wasn't quite as fiery some nights, but I look at 1971 as a year in dire need of reapraisal.

[familyjules]

1971 Elvis isn't really understood.too well in my opinion. I am not sure why but the Elvis of 1970 and 1972 seem much more popular. I think that too many people look at his marriage falling apart, seeing him gain a touch of weight, and just say "Oh it's the decline now". Perhaps he wasn't quite as fiery some nights, but I look at 1971 as a year in dire need of reapraisal.

I can't agree. I think that the standards of Elvis's recordings dropped alarmingly in 1971. Not that some good stuff wasn't cut, but compare the '71 sessions to the 1970 sessions, or the 1969 sessions, and you can't really say the '71 stuff stands up. It's just not in the same class. Also with Elvis committed to pop, religious and Christmas recordings, the material is all overthe place. The sessions lack drive and focus, and most of all they lack truly exceptional songs. It was the first year that Elvis stooped evolving since the '68 Special.

Despite Elvis barely straying into a recording studio in 1972, the new material he cut there and on stage during that year show a significant improvement IMO. There's a fire in his belly again.

Jules

[Mike Eder]

1971 Elvis isn't really understood.too well in my opinion. I am not sure why but the Elvis of 1970 and 1972 seem much more popular. I think that too many people look at his marriage falling apart, seeing him gain a touch of weight, and just say "Oh it's the decline now". Perhaps he wasn't quite as fiery some nights, but I look at 1971 as a year in dire need of reapraisal.

I can't agree. I think that the standards of Elvis's recordings dropped alarmingly in 1971. Not that some good stuff wasn't cut, but compare the '71 sessions to the 1970 sessions, or the 1969 sessions, and you can't really say the '71 stuff stands up. It's just not in the same class. Also with Elvis committed to pop, religious and Christmas recordings, the material is all overthe place. The sessions lack drive and focus, and most of all they lack truly exceptional songs. It was the first year that Elvis stooped evolving since the '68 Special.

Despite Elvis barely straying into a recording studio in 1972, the new material he cut there and on stage during that year show a significant improvement IMO. There's a fire in his belly again.

Jules

That's the standard view, and I know it. I just don't see it myself. Do I think Elvis should have done a Christmas album? Not really, but I enjoy four ot five tunes from it very much. The rest of the stuff to me is really good. Something like Padre may be overblown, but I think Elvis' voice had a real richness and strengh that was a continued evolution of his mature style. I don't hear any loss of control that some people say exists there. Not everything Elvis did in 1969 or 1970 was great either, but most of what he did at those sessions is terrific and again for me most of what he did in 1971 is excellent as well. I can sit here and list track after track that I like but I know I can't convince you if you don't like the songs. All I can do is tell you what my impressions are, and to me 1971 is a year that is overlooked and underated. I willingly admit that I like most of what Elvis did period. I don't care for some soundtrack material, but otherwise I think Elvis had a lot to consistently offer. Now don't get me wrong I know that some of Elvis' concerts of the last 18 months weren't up to previous standards, but I think in the studio he was still cutting strong material. I know the 1971-76 studio material isn't loved by all, but I just don't go by the traditional view of those years.creatively.

[familyjules]

I think the bottom line is this - if I was asked to compile an album of 1971 material that wasn't gospel or Christmas related, then I'd struggle. RCA must have thought the same, because they didn't do so either. And you can't say the same about 1969 or 1970. Yes there's some great stuff from 1971.....but there's just not very much of it.

Jules

[Mike Eder]

Not going in any order such as a track lineup,I could put 12 good songs together.that aren't Gospel or Xmas.
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
For Lovin Me
Early Morning Rain
Don't Think Twice
Help Me Make It
Until It's Time
I'm Leavin'
We Can Make The Morning
It's Only Love
It's Still Here
Love The Life I Lead
I Will Be True

Fools Rush In, and Kathleen are also good but I think have a different feel or background then the other songs
My Way is sedate but not nearly as bad as people say.
Padre is the one true miss for me.

So going by it track by track I think a solid pop album could have been made.It's not a hard rock album, and I think that's why some don't like this stuff. Perhaps they find it too removed from vintage Elvis of either 55,60, or even 69. I find it to be an attempt to grow and evolve and to go out on a limb. I like Fool and Now as is, but perhaps having all the 1971 cuts in one place would have pleased later day critics of Elvis' LP output.

Again if you don't like the songs you don't and I respect that, but still I don't see how Elvis was going downhill.as an artist outside of doing a Christmas project that had to many traditional songs on it.

[ColinB]

I think that the standards of Elvis's recordings dropped alarmingly in 1971.
Not that some good stuff wasn't cut, but compare the '71 sessions to the 1970 sessions, or the 1969 sessions, and you can't really say the '71 stuff stands up.
It's just not in the same class.

Yes.

The welcome [and long-overdue] return to creativity in the recording studio that occurred in 1969, had settled down to workmanlike efficiency in 1970, but was tapering off into boredom and sloppiness by 1971.

[dreambear]

Hallelujah!

Spot on!

//Björn

[Mike Eder]

Lonely Summer, while I agree that Rags To Riches, Life, and Merry Christmas Baby weren't going to be mainstream sellers, I'm Leavin' and It's Only Love are fine stabs at a contemporary sound. So I guess two out of five does make it seem like he went a little off track there in his choices. Yet compared to the random nature of his singles from 1964-67 (which included way too many old and previously released recordings) he still provided a fairly contemporary,if at times uncommercial, sound. In short I basically agree with what you said.

[brian]

I agree that the single choices were poor in the early 70's. Too many slowee job at picking singles. "Steamroller Blues" was a natural, after the success of the "Aloha" broadcast; 'I've Got a Thing About You Baby" should've been a bigger hit - Elvis connected with the Tony Joe White material so well, surprising he didn't record more; "If You Talk in Your Sleep" was kind of different for Elvis, rather adult lyric content, and a kind of Vegas meets Memphis soul sound - certainly not a song you could confuse with the bland ballads. "Promised Land" was his biggest hit of the last 3 or 4 years, and again, fans responded to Elvis covering a classic rock and roll song. So how did "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" miss? Was it seen as kind of a "Promised Land" clone? Okay, similar backbeat, but that's where the similarity ends.

Hi Lonely summer how are you doing today
I agree with you that Elvis should have recorded more Tony Joe white songs. I read in an interview With Tony Joe from 2003 that he was present at the stax sessions where he brought Elvis 3 songs and Elvis recorded 2 of them. Other good songs for Elvis to record of Tony Joe's were ''Even Trolls love Rock n'' roll''
''Backwoods preacher man'' ''Saturday Nite in Oak Groove Louisiana'' ( nice rocker)
I am the only one here that thinks while Elvis was at stax he should have recorded more funky stax soul songs by the Stax staff songwriters like Issac Hayes. It is not surprising to me that Elvis didn't have more luck on the charts in the 70's. The 70's were a strange decade to me. the big hits of that time were
''I think I love you'', ''Tie a yellow ribbon'' ''Don't rock the boat'' ( can't see Elvis doing any of these songs)
''My Ding a ling'' was the biggest hit Chuck Berry ever had!!!
Elvis didn't do to poorly during this time though as he was a major live attraction and was still having top 20 pop hits throughout the decade. Joel Whitburn lists Elvis as the 13th best selling artist of the 70's.
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.

[bajo]

Well, in hindsight, I would have gone for selections like these for alternate 70's singles:

Just Pretend/Stranger In The Crowd
It's Your Baby, You Rock It/The Fool
Funny How Time Slips Away/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
I'm Leavin'/Early Morning Rain
I've Got A Thing About You Baby/Find Out What's Happening
Steamroller Blues (jan 12th '73)/Never Been Spain (feb '72 live master)
Loving Arms/I Got A Feelin' In My Body
Fairytale/And I Love You So

[Pete Dube]

Here's some possibilities:
How The Web Was Woven/Stranger In The Crowd
Make The World Go Away/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
It's Your Baby, You Rock It/Where Did They Go Lord?
I'm Leavin'/Fools Rush In
Help Me Make It Through The Night/The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(That's What You Get) For Lovin' Me/It's Only Love
I Can't Stop Loving You/The Impossible Dream (Both from the MSG lp)
You Gave Me a Mountain/Fool
Steamroller Blues/I'll Remember You
I've Got a Thing About You Baby/Just a Little Bit
Trying To Get To You/How Great Thou Art (Live On Stage In Memphis)
Lovin' Arms/Thinking About You
T*R*O*U*B*L*E/Bringin' It Back
Hurt/Danny Boy
For The Heart/Love Comin' Down

[midnightx]

I also think Elvis was too darn eclectic. The audience for "Burning Love" and "Separate Ways" was just not the same.

And that is where his A&R representation failed. Nothing wrong with being eclectic, but a focused label representative and skilled producer could have controlled and framed recording sessions in a more effective manner with a creative goal in mind.

[minkahed]

I also think Elvis was too darn eclectic. The audience for "Burning Love" and "Separate Ways" was just not the same.

And that is where his A&R representation failed. Nothing wrong with being eclectic, but a focused label representative and skilled producer could have controlled and framed recording sessions in a more effective manner with a creative goal in mind.

I'm not in disagreement with you midnight, but, I'm curious, if you were in charge of Elvis' A&R after the success of "Burning Love", what would have been your strategic next move, in terms of what would have been Elvis' next release ?

[midnightx]

I'm not in disagreement with you midnight, but, I'm curious, if you were in charge of Elvis' A&R after the success of "Burning Love", what would have been your strategic next move, in terms of what would have been Elvis' next release ?

Well, for one thing, Burning Love should have been the lead-off single for a legitimate studio album, not included as part of a movie song compilation.

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?). An A&R rep could have easily sat down with Elvis and relayed various ideas for a studio project with direction and growth potential. Now clearly Tom Parker would have been an obstacle, but regardless, Elvis was simply coming into sessions and presented with loads of mediocre material spanning various genres. Imagine an A&R rep sitting down with Elvis and introducing him to a producer like Tom Dowd or Phil Ramone with a concrete idea of a musical direction armed with specific songs. Do you think there is a chance Elvis would have been inspired and intrigued with this kind of studio challenge and change of direction? In theory, there was tremendous potential for Elvis to do wonderful things in the studio during the 70’s. Of course, with Tom Parker and Freddy Bienstock stifling much of the creative process with their business arrangements set up on Elvis’ behalf with regards to RCA and publishing, there was little that could be done.

[likethebike]

It's tough to say whether a Dowd or, in my preference, a Wexler would have inspired Elvis post-1970 because his biggest problem appears to have been his drug addiction and his personal woes. I think most of all Elvis needed some time off and a more sensible release schedule.

I agree that Elvis after 1972 lacked focus. I think that position though was in his albums. What hurts an album like 1975's Today is a lack of direction. Elvis is in good form, but the material varied in quality and form. You could say that it was a similar aesthetic to Elvis is Back, but there wasn't that exploratory nature. And there was the been there done that. If a piece had been shaved here or there, and a piece added, an arrangement changed, a song order and cohesion, a pretty good collection could have been a classic.

"Separate Ways" and "Burning Love" (and "American Trilogy") were his best shots. That's the way he had always worked it and if the audience too dumb to pick up on a record like "Separate Ways", so be it. I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to challenge and expand your audience.

Singles wise, as I said previously in this post, with a few exceptions, Elvis was in pretty good shape in the 1970s. I think Midnight you make too much of material. Some of the most dreadful songs I've ever heard in my life scraped te top of the charts in the mid-1970s. If "Half Breed" and "Convoy" are #1, it's almost a badge of honor if "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" and "I've Got a Thing About You Baby" are missing the Top 30. Granted records like "Sundown" and "Love Train" also made #1 during this time, but success and quality, especially at this time, were not tied together.

As I have said before, Elvis, in comparison to other non-writing performers, got a lot of decent untried material. He also recorded some of the greatest songs ever written as well. Most of the time, Elvis' performance was great. Sometimes it wasn't as on "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" or the 1973 version of "Something", both pretty good songs performed indifferently by Elvis. It was hard to see this because RCA released so much material in the decade which included not only Elvis singing mediocre songs well, but also Elvis singing good songs like "Hey Jude" (recorded in '69 but not released until 1972) poorly. If the label had stuck to releasing Elvis singing good songs well or singing the absolute hell of not so good songs like "Hurt" and turning it into a good song, then things would look a lot different. Despite all of Elvis' problems, there was more than enough that already existed to make a compelling curtain call.

[Joe Car]

It's tough to say whether a Dowd or, in my preference, a Wexler would have inspired Elvis post-1970 because his biggest problem appears to have been his drug addiction and his personal woes. I think most of all Elvis needed some time off and a more sensible release schedule.

I agree that Elvis after 1972 lacked focus. I think that position though was in his albums. What hurts an album like 1975's Today is a lack of direction. Elvis is in good form, but the material varied in quality and form. You could say that it was a similar aesthetic to Elvis is Back, but there wasn't that exploratory nature. And there was the been there done that. If a piece had been shaved here or there, and a piece added, an arrangement changed, a song order and cohesion, a pretty good collection could have been a classic.

"Separate Ways" and "Burning Love" (and "American Trilogy") were his best shots. That's the way he had always worked it and if the audience too dumb to pick up on a record like "Separate Ways", so be it. I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to challenge and expand your audience.

Singles wise, as I said previously in this post, with a few exceptions, Elvis was in pretty good shape in the 1970s. I think Midnight you make too much of material. Some of the most dreadful songs I've ever heard in my life scraped te top of the charts in the mid-1970s. If "Half Breed" and "Convoy" are #1, it's almost a badge of honor if "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" and "I've Got a Thing About You Baby" are missing the Top 30. Granted records like "Sundown" and "Love Train" also made #1 during this time, but success and quality, especially at this time, were not tied together.

As I have said before, Elvis, in comparison to other non-writing performers, got a lot of decent untried material. He also recorded some of the greatest songs ever written as well. Most of the time, Elvis' performance was great. Sometimes it wasn't as on "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" or the 1973 version of "Something", both pretty good songs performed indifferently by Elvis. It was hard to see this because RCA released so much material in the decade which included not only Elvis singing mediocre songs well, but also Elvis singing good songs like "Hey Jude" (recorded in '69 but not released until 1972) poorly. If the label had stuck to releasing Elvis singing good songs well or singing the absolute hell of not so good songs like "Hurt" and turning it into a good song, then things would look a lot different. Despite all of Elvis' problems, there was more than enough that already existed to make a compelling curtain call.

My Ding-A-lIng was a number one, that pretty much sums up some of the seventies choices by music fans!