My Boy

tiger man was released shortly after the soundtrack album, on the singer album flaming star, and then rereleased by RCA in 1969.

tiger man was released shortly after the soundtrack album ...

IIRC, Singer Presents Elvis Singing Flaming Star was issued in December 1968.

Ah - in that case Doc, I apologize. I'd forgotten / didn't check that it had been released on Flaming Star. I stand corrected.

I do think the lyrics are good for My Boy. They are quite literal - nothing ambiguous about them - but that's a strength. The song tells a story that a lot of people can relate to. I'm Leavin', by comparison, is a nothing lyric, but is rescued by a great arrangement. In fact, the arrangement and melody are so strong that they distract from just how poor the lyric is. As I said a while back on the same point, it's a song that needs an extra verse.

Alright, let's not attack "I'm Leavin'". It's a magical recording. And, while the lyrics are certainly non-descript, therein lies their strength, at least when paired with that haunting arrangement and Elvis' sublime vocal.

Well I did say it has a very strong arrangement and melody and I do like it. Just needed a bit more lyrical content.

if only a dozen or so less la la las.

I'm glad Elvis recorded My Boy instead of something like Beautiful Boy. Can you imagine the thrashing Elvis would have received if he'd recorded something like that but Lennon gets away with it.

I'm glad Elvis recorded My Boy instead of something like Beautiful Boy. Can you imagine the thrashing Elvis would have received if he'd recorded something like that but Lennon gets away with it.

Lennon gets away with it because he wrote the song about his own son, there is a difference.

I've always loved My Boy since buying the single back in '75 and I always will. At the time, and even today I see it as in the same vein as You Don't Have To Say You Love Me; You Gave Me a Mountain; What Now My Love. An power ballad with European chord structure and British-flavoured orchestral arrangment. If one wants to make the case that as a song and performance My Boy is inferior to these others then have at it. Now something like Heart of Rome, yeah that's substandard material and an over-the-top vocal performance (and even that tune has it's fans). But My Boy is much superior to HoR in both quality of material and vocal performance.

Regarding You Gave Me a Mountain Elvis' character is practically Job from the bible. The only thing left out of the lyric is his dog getting hit by a car. But I love the song.

... and the outstanding Tomorrow Is A Long Time.

It's funny, I never enjoy listening to this song... admitedly I'm not a Dylan fan but even Elvis couldn't save this tune for me. It just seems to go on forever...

When "Speedway" is on TCM, I can't get to the closet fast enough.

I don't care who you are. That's funny right there!

I think SPEEDWAY is pretty good for these reasons:

1. It doesn't pretend to be anything else but a far fetched comedy musical.

2. It has some great moments - namely when Elvis punches his hand through the door and punches that bloke along the floor sliding into the lift. Now that is a film that does not take itself seriously - its just silly fun.

3. It has two good songs - Let Yourself Go and Who Are You - great tunes and well sung

4. Elvis looks great and is clearly having fun

Let the onslaught begin!!

When "Speedway" is on TCM, I can't get to the closet fast enough.

I don't care who you are. That's funny right there!

I think SPEEDWAY is pretty good for these reasons:

1. It doesn't pretend to be anything else but a far fetched comedy musical.

2. It has some great moments - namely when Elvis punches his hand through the door and punches that bloke along the floor sliding into the lift. Now that is a film that does not take itself seriously - its just silly fun.

3. It has two good songs - Let Yourself Go and Who Are You - great tunes and well sung

4. Elvis looks great and is clearly having fun

Let the onslaught begin!!

I agree... Speedway and King Creole are his two finest works... in a class by themselves.

When "Speedway" is on TCM, I can't get to the closet fast enough.

I don't care who you are. That's funny right there!

I think SPEEDWAY is pretty good for these reasons:

1. It doesn't pretend to be anything else but a far fetched comedy musical.

2. It has some great moments - namely when Elvis punches his hand through the door and punches that bloke along the floor sliding into the lift. Now that is a film that does not take itself seriously - its just silly fun.

3. It has two good songs - Let Yourself Go and Who Are You - great tunes and well sung

4. Elvis looks great and is clearly having fun

Let the onslaught begin!!

I agree... Speedway and King Creole are his two finest works... in a class by themselves.

I am not sure if you agree or that is out and out sarcasm

If you are agreeing - thanks for the support - but I' m not with you on the finest works bit

Pardon my ignorance, did EP only perform this song live in Las Vegas?

Pardon my ignorance, did EP only perform this song live in Las Vegas?

Of course not. Also on tour in 1975 (April-May tour).

I'm glad Elvis recorded My Boy instead of something like Beautiful Boy. Can you imagine the thrashing Elvis would have received ...

Can you imagine what Lisa Marie would've thought?

some facts mixed with humble opinions.

- it is Vegas because it was directly taken from elvis vegas show (august 73 Las vegas) and recorded in the studio.

You are correct. I was reading the relevant section in "A Life In Music" earlier on and it makes mention of this. My apologies on that front, Doc.

Still, "My Boy" doesn't scream Vegas as much as some other EP numbers (e.g. "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" -- which I also like).

The main thrust of my argument remains. I contend that "My Boy", while far from Elvis' top ten recordings from the 70's, is a solid, albeit dramatic, emotional number. It is not the best of recordings to come out of the session in which it was laid down, nor did I ever claim it was. But calling it "terrible" is rather extreme and just a little excessive, in my opinion.

Elvis' tastes were broad and eclectic. We've all seen Graceland in one form or another, right? "My Boy" is rendered with passion and is legitimate proof that he could -- and repeatedly did -- absorb and conquer material from hither and thither.

Somebody mentioned that You Asked Me To and Talk About The Good Times should've been singles. These are fine country-rock tracks, but they most likely would not have had much impact on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which was for all practical purposes a chart for commercial pop, adult-contemporary and pop-rock singles. Because Elvis was a crossover artist (an artist who can score on different genre charts) his singles tended to have a side for the pop and/or adult-contemporary charts and a side for the country chart. For example If You Talk In Your Sleep was intended for the pop chart, Help Me for the country chart. I think that, for the most part they got the singles from the Dec. '73 Stax sessions right. I do think Lovin' Arms should've been a single. I also think Love Song of the Year would've made a better B-side for T*R*O*U*B*L*E.

I also think Love Song of the Year would've made a better B-side for T*R*O*U*B*L*E.

I think a track fromt the Today sessions would have made a better b-side for T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Susan When She Tried would have made a good B-side, thus pairing rock n roll with upbeat country as with the Sun sides. Mr Songman is a pleasant enough listen, but the material is quite hackneyed. A shame, as the song title would have made a good album title too!

Mr. Songman should never have been recorded let alone be a b-side for T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

I really don't want to know sold 800000 copies.

Thanks Ivan. That single sold a bit better than it's U.S. chart position would suggest. That's where airplay comes into it. If it's airplay had matched it's sales it probably would've made the top 15. Were those 800,000 copies sold just U.S. sales?

The B side, There Goes My Everything, was Elvis' first top 10 country chart hit since 1958.

Just because you prefer one style over another doesn't mean the style you dislike is bad, its just not to your taste.

This argument is overplayed, specious and intellectually dishonest. Don't feel persecuted -- sadly, you're far from the only exponent of this empty rhetoric on the MB or elsewhere.

If one follows this line of thinking regarding Elvis' career, it ultimately means he recorded nothing great or terrible, as it's all according "to your taste." He made neither wonderful nor worthless films, since whatever you believe is only "your opinion."

What a pathetic and irksome spectacle.

If mine is a fallacious observation, please detail how a consensus is reached on anything pertaining to Elvis' art. For example, explain how "Mystery Train" is a stone classic Presley recording. Or that "Heartbreak Hotel" didn't just move a million discs in 1956, but actually changed lives.

It can't be done. Not here.

"Oh, I don't agree -- they're terrible. I never liked them much. That's just your opinion." He was so much greater in the 70s. Songs like "The Sound Of Your Cry" and "My Boy" are just so emotional."

Arrrgh!

Maby not so much opinon, but the individual listener's taste. So how difficult is it to accept that some few hundred thousand individuals bothered to go out and pick up an Elvis Presley record with My Boy on it?
We all know the recorded works by Elvis, for better or worse!
"Don't let other people's opinion throw you! And try not to throw other people's opinon"!
Somehow edited, but still....! That said, I like Elvis' version of My Boy.
Maybe not a classic, but then again I also happen to like Mystery Train!
And that's not an opinion. That's my taste!

So how difficult is it to accept that some few hundred thousand individuals bothered to go out and pick up an Elvis Presley record with My Boy on it?

Those consumers must have been shaking their heads in confusion and disbelief once they listened to the track.

If Elvis had the proper A&R representation during the 1970's tracks such as My Boy, Mr. Songman, Love Song Of The Year, etc would never have made it to a recording session.

If Elvis had the proper A&R representation during the 1970's tracks such as My Boy, Mr. Songman, Love Song Of The Year, etc would never have made it to a recording session.

Evidently Elvis himself liked My Boy and wanted to record it, as he was singing it live first. It was a top 5 hit anyway, so recording it was hardly unwise.

So how do you know they didn't hear it on the radio, before they picked it up? It was a radio hit in the US, climbed suprisingly high on the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
How come? Who are we to jugde those peoples taste for the record they bought?
And how hard is it really to simply accept that My Boy was one of the more popular Elvis singles of the 70's? I have no problem with it!

If mine is a fallacious observation, please detail how a consensus is reached on anything pertaining to Elvis' art. For example, explain how "Mystery Train" is a stone classic Presley recording. Or that "Heartbreak Hotel" didn't just move a million discs in 1956, but actually changed lives.

OK, Doc. Don't go mad.

"Memories", a cut we both like, cannot possibly be uttered in the same breath as "Mystery Train" or "Heartbreak Hotel".

The artistry of all three is superior to "My Boy" -- but "My Boy" isn't terrible. There are tiers of quality. "Mystery Train" and "Heartbreak Hotel" occupy the very top, "Memories" occupies a tier one or two below that, and "My Boy" a tier or two below that, with several more needed before all Presley cuts are fully accounted for.