i need somebody to lean on

[drjohncarpenter]

The walk through the hotel lounge with this interior-monologue-song is such a beautiful scene in this great movie. "Not only does he sing better - at least more audibly - but the tunes continue to improve." (New York Times) Elvis has done many good songs in Hollywood. Not all are bad.

No, just most of them.

[drjohncarpenter]

Although his magnificent early sixties voice "has left the building" in the 70's, Elvis is surely still touching when he sings I'll take you home again Kathleen or It's still here. But his piano playing is rather poor. These songs could have been so much better with David Briggs at the keyboards...

His playing is fine. He wasn't trying to be Van Cliburn.

The intimacy and sheer emotion Elvis reaches with the May 1971 piano songs could not have been achieved with another person playing the piano.

[drjohncarpenter]

If he had taken care of himself, E could have done anything he wanted to for a very long time.

T

He did have uncontrollable health problems, you do realize that don't you?

Thanks.

[InheritTheWind]

But his piano playing is rather poor.

I loved it when Elvis played piano. Although not technically great I thought he was very effective when he played piano. (Kurt Cobain wasn't a great guitarist but he was an effective guitarist.)
Also, Elvis sang a lot better when he played piano. He was more in tune with the performance and his vocal was usually more committed; he wasn't on auto-pilot.

[terbon4]

If he wanted to, could Elvis achieve this same vocal in 1972? 1970?

Yes. Always On My Mind, For Ol' Times Sake and Lovin' Arms to name some are superior in my book. Great tune though.

I would say the piano songs--It's Still Here and I Will Be True--are more in the vein of INSTLO than these tracks (although I do enjoy these three very much).

If he had taken care of himself, E could have done anything he wanted to for a very long time.

T

He did have uncontrollable health problems, you do realize that don't you?

REALLY??? I'll have to look into that!

[greystoke]

Elvis treated I Need Somebody to Lean On to a performance of considerable charm regardless of the gradually decreasing quality of his soundtrack material. The Viva Las Vegas soundtrack bucked this trend and I Need Somebody to Lean On was, most definitely, part of that. Elvis, of course, had been in similar territory before, with They Remind Me Too Much of You, from It Happened at the World's Fair. Both songs being piano-led ballads, contemplative in nature and minor - but likeable - examples of the torch song. And that's something both Norman Taurog and George Sidney appreciated in their staging of the scenes in which these songs play out in their respective films. In both instances, the songs act as internal monologues, although Sidney breaks from this to allow Elvis's Lucky Jackson to further state his romantic plea. This is convincing and affective in both its simplicity and its sincerity. Something that eludes They Remind Me Too Much of You because Taurog serves it up slightly cold. Sidney, on the other hand, lets us in. As does Elvis, because he clearly believes in the song, and delivers every syllable with crystal clarity. He done the same with They Remind Me Too Much of You, his phrasing nigh-on perfect here, but in the scene from World's Fair, we're voyeurs. In Viva Las Vegas, we're allowed to be involved.

[stevelecher]

Nice post Greystoke, as usual. Both songs are favorites of mine and both feature EP at his 60's balladeering best.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

This is one of my all time favourite movies ballads and love the intimacy of the outtake we have. After the release of the soundtrack on FTD I still think today that they didn´t treat the soundtrack they way it deserves . After all it is one of his best movies from the 60´s. Mr. Ernst Jorgensen please bring us the 2 cd set release on FTD . Thanks!. Bye for now .

[rjm]

I just saw the film itself, now. On this TV, full HD. And the song is more appealing because of the visual element; he does seem to be "pleading" and there is sincerity there. I liked it very much. It's not my fave film, because he is a singing race car driver, but I do appreciate it more. rjm