"Moody Blue" the single!

[Juan Luis]

..
..
A very good song from Mark James that did not chart well with the composer. Elvis' arrangement version is close to the original. Very well produced with strings arranged by Bergen White. The track has country-disco feel to it. Uses overdubs of a Moog Minimoog synthesiser by Shane Keister, and Conga drum percussion by the late Jazz percussionist Farrell Morris. Recorded during the February Graceland sessions and released in late November. Thirty-nine years ago this Sunday!

The single peaked in the UK at #6, Billboard Hot 100 #31, Adult Contemporary #2, and became a #1 Billboard Country hit for Elvis on February 19, 1977. Was this a coincidence that Elvis attempted this song twice during those days? On the 20th a failed attempt, and complete on February 21st at Charlotte. Perhaps Elvis was told by his staff of how well the record was doing, topping the country charts! And being on tour in country music territory at the time, not far-fetched to think this might be the case.

I acquired this single in early December 1976, and loved it from the first spin! Last Elvis record I purchased while he was still alive. I travelled outside the US for Summer vacation and did not return until September 1977. Upon returning I found to my bittersweet surprise, the album named "Moody Blue" had been released while I was away! Elvis only recorded three upbeat numbers in 1976 at Graceland. "Moody Blue", For The Heart", and "Way Down". All very good in my book!


"Well, when Monday comes she's Tuesday,
When Tuesday comes she's Wednesday,
Into another day again
Her personality unwinds
Just like a ball of twine
On a spool that never ends
Just when I think I know her well
Her emotions reveal,
She's not the person that
I though I knew
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue." - I love those lyrics!

[TINML]

Great post, one of my favorites.

I had no idea the pitched had been messed with till I heard the version on Second To None.

Was Mark asked to give up half of his publishing like other writers to get Elvis to cut their songs?

[Ciscoking]

This catchy song always belongs to my TOP 5. Love it..love the rhythm..also love the long unedited/dubbed master...

[charroman]

In the UK 76 (into 77) was a good time for rock n roll / Elvis fans generally. There was a healthy re-issue programme and a lot of acts in the charts covering music from 20 years previously. There was a clebration of Elvis movies on the TV and RCA UK had issued Girl of My Best Friend and Suspicion and both charted well and were played a lot even appearing on Top Of The pops. Hank Mizzells Jungle Rock was out as a single again and did good business. This was a time of varied music and unlike today different types of music, Disco, country, soul, reggae and oldies could all chart at the same time. Moody Blue and Way Down were good contemporary material that deserved to do well.

Sun Sessions and Moody Blue were the first two Elvis albums I owned and little did I know at the time they represented his first and last studio work

[bajo]

I recall Moody Blue as well as a fresh breeze when I first heard it on the radio. My first thought was: Finally real hit by Elvis again. All the elements were there. Here in Norway it reached the top 10 peaking at no 6.
It was a huge hit on the radio here. As a merchant sailor, wireless operator, I found myself tuned into a local FM station while we were entering Jacksonville, Florida in early 1976 (I think it was). There was this country hits countdown and they were closing in to no 1. And it was such a thrill to hear that it was Moody Blue that came on as the no 1 record!! Fond memories! I'll never forget that one.

[LSP-4445]

Love the song,love the album...always have always will.
My favorite version/mix is still the complete unedited master released first on Live,Live,Live and then later on VENUS the label.
I really like the mix on that one.
My user name could as well be AFL1-2428

[DayVee Bee]

Was Mark asked to give up half of his publishing like other writers to get Elvis to cut their songs?

50% of something is always more than 100% of nothing

[elvisjock]

I remember spinning the blue album on my phonograph in the summer of 1977, and my father shouting "that needle is gonna ruin my record!"

Most every artist would feature their new single in concert at every opportunity. Not our Elvis. In the fall of '76, it could be that he was unaware that the song was coming out as a single (hard to believe, but we hear him tell the guy in Tucson that he hasn't listened to his latest album.) In Vegas (I think) he had a request for the song, and told the person to "go back to Memphis and listen to it on the radio."

It could be that he just didn't like it, and by that point, nobody was going to make him do something he didn't want to do.

I will say that it was a tough song to sing. It was easy to run out of breath (as he did on the master).

I love the remix on Second to None, especially the more upfront guitar lick after "changes every time."

[TeddyGirl]

I like the 'italian' version, ha-ha

[lucio]

It's my wife's favourite Elvis song and the first single I ever purchased as a kid back in 1977. It was played quite often on Top 40 radio here in Toronto, Canada and the start of an all too large collection of Elvis books, cds, videos...
Also in my top 5 favourites and a song I probably listen to at least once every 2 weeks since '77.

[TINML]

Was Mark asked to give up half of his publishing like other writers to get Elvis to cut their songs?

50% of something is always more than 100% of nothing

I don't disagree

[mjsantafe]

I like the 'italian' version, ha-ha

+1

[ICanHelp]

A good record but not a great vocal performance. Contradicting the "Elvis was a has been" narrative, he was riding high on the country charts with two number one singles (Moody Blue and Way Down) before he died.

[stevelecher]

A good record but not a great vocal performance. Contradicting the "Elvis was a has been" narrative, he was riding high on the country charts with two number one singles (Moody Blue and Way Down) before he died.

Elvis Presley Blvd LP was number one on country LP chart for four weeks and was a top ten country album for the whole year of 1976.

[brian]

Was Mark asked to give up half of his publishing like other writers to get Elvis to cut their songs?

On Suspicious Minds but the others I'm thinking no.

Raised on Rock and Moody Blue were brought to Elvis' sessions by Marty Lacker.

Marty Lacker says that he brought songs to Elvis from outside sources where they didn't have and couldn't get the publishing on.

[brian]

One of his best songs from the seventies and one of my favorite songs that he did in his whole career.

[Ciscoking]

One of his best songs from the seventies and one of my favorite songs that he did in his whole career.

I agree 100%

[Hard Rocker]

Far too much positivity on this thread. Where the heck are the doom-mongers!?!

[Scarre]

Far too much positivity on this thread. Where the heck are the doom-mongers!?!

[Scarre]

One of his best songs from the seventies and one of my favorite songs that he did in his whole career.

I can agree with this.

[elvisalisellers]

Far too much positivity on this thread. Where the heck are the doom-mongers!?!

"They're" complicated ladies.

[Pete Dube]

A good record but not a great vocal performance. Contradicting the "Elvis was a has been" narrative, he was riding high on the country charts with two number one singles (Moody Blue and Way Down) before he died.

It may not be great but it is a good vocal. The best he was capable of at that particular time. Certainly one of the best of the February '76 sessions.

[Ciscoking]

Far too much positivity on this thread. Where the heck are the doom-mongers!?!

I was also wondering...this thread runs too smooth...but it is still going..so..

[Matthew]

Far too much positivity on this thread. Where the heck are the doom-mongers!?!

"They're" complicated ladies.

I was also wondering...this thread runs too smooth...but it is still going..so..

Quoted for posterity, trolling forum troublemakers. No agitation in this thread until these three come on literally asking for trouble! No surprises there. Funny, the last of this motley crew complains "things have been off the past few months on the forum" when clearly he is a big part of the problem. Will he stop? Only he knows.

To the topic at hand, this song holds special meaning since it is my mother's favourite Elvis song. Probably the strongest overall result from those troubled February sessions. It should have been on the Boulevard LP.

[rollinson1]

Far too much positivity on this thread. Where the heck are the doom-mongers!?!

"They're" complicated ladies.

I was also wondering...this thread runs too smooth...but it is still going..so..

Quoted for posterity, trolling forum troublemakers. No agitation in this thread until these three come on literally asking for trouble! No surprises there. Funny, the last of this motley crew complains "things have been off the past few months on the forum" when clearly he is a big part of the problem. Will he stop? Only he knows.

To the topic at hand, this song holds special meaning since it is my mother's favourite Elvis song. Probably the strongest overall result from those troubled February sessions. It should have been on the Boulevard LP.

Boulevard and Moody Blue should have been one album with any leftovers used as B sides on singles.No need for Let Me Be There or If You Love Me on the Moody Blue album. This goes for many of Elvis' 70's albums. To me less is more. I know some people knocked the Elvis at Stax album a couple of years ago but if they had taken the best 14 - 16 songs and used the others for B sides in 74 I honestly believe Elvis would have gotten better credit than what he did. The same goes for Elvis Now and Elvis (Fool) albums. Just my opinion.
P.s Moody Blue is a great song and brings back some really good memories.

Paul