Danny Boy

[elvisjock]

A few days ago, I noted my belief that Elvis' delivery of the line "But how bitter will be this last farewell" on the master take was as good as it gets.

I feel the same way about the master of Danny Boy, when he sings "When summer's, in the meadow." And, in Take 9, his sensitivity and control on the last two words, "to...me," and the blending with Sherrill, Kathy and Myrna - so pretty.

[drjohncarpenter]

A few days ago, I noted my belief that Elvis' delivery of the line "But how bitter will be this last farewell" on the master take was as good as it gets.

I feel the same way about the master of Danny Boy, when he sings "When summer's, in the meadow." And, in Take 9, his sensitivity and control on the last two words (to...me) and the blending with Sherrill, Kathy and Myrna - so pretty.

And only Kathy is left, a poignant thought.

[Domino]

I sure wouldn't boo him off the stage for singing Danny Boy.He still had it in 76.

..

[Domino]

Take 9.


..

[stevelecher]

Listen to Pot Luck or Something For Everybody and then Danny Boy and tell me he still had it. Fact is he's shot but he had so much talent that he's still compelling to us. Play it for a non-fan and they'll tell you he sounds terrible. To me, it's like Johnny Cash's "Hurt." It's painful but poignant and meaningful.

[bajo]

I've actually always liked Elvis' version of Danny Boy, since I first heard the original album. Now, finally I've got hold of the Legacy release and I just made a CDR of it, leaving out all the studio banter and fs's. Now it's just the pure remixed outtakes left, and it's such a beautiful album to listen to. I used to listen to Elvis' albums as they came out during those days, long before anyone could tell me how bad they were. I thought they were not back then! And now there's the full circle with this wonderful release. Must add that I added the rough mix master of He'll Have To Go to the compilation. I still love the Graceland sessions!

[Juan Luis]

Listen to Pot Luck or Something For Everybody and then Danny Boy and tell me he still had it. Fact is he's shot but he had so much talent that he's still compelling to us. Play it for a non-fan and they'll tell you he sounds terrible. To me, it's like Johnny Cash's "Hurt." It's painful but poignant and meaningful.

Not from my neck of the woods, and all (that I have read) the reviewers. Elvis will always lose when competing with himself in early 1960's. Goes backwards too as an 18-19 year old ballad singer.

[Will]

This release brings new life to all the tracks but I found Danny Boy especially moving

[Steve Morse]

Listen to Pot Luck or Something For Everybody and then Danny Boy and tell me he still had it. Fact is he's shot but he had so much talent that he's still compelling to us. Play it for a non-fan and they'll tell you he sounds terrible. To me, it's like Johnny Cash's "Hurt." It's painful but poignant and meaningful.

I very much doubt that. It's nigh-on perfect.

I, for one, am eternally grateful that Elvis's voice and repertoire changed through the years. It gave us the wonderful variety of listening that we now have.

[Arvis Paisley]

Danny Boy is one of his best performances ever. I never tire of hearing it. I want it played at my funeral.

[Domino]

Listen to Pot Luck or Something For Everybody and then Danny Boy and tell me he still had it. Fact is he's shot but he had so much talent that he's still compelling to us. Play it for a non-fan and they'll tell you he sounds terrible. To me, it's like Johnny Cash's "Hurt." It's painful but poignant and meaningful.

I don't compare .When I listen to 1960's ,I don't think of 50's. Like I don't think of 60's when I hear 70's.

[elvis-fan]

Elvis' vocal performance is the best on the master IMO... it's nice to hear the alternate takes but the master is quite well done... even for Elvis in 1976.

[OnStage55]

Woke up this morning with the Way Down Legacy cd on, and for the first time, fell in love with "Danny Boy". Wonderful performance. Listening to this cd, he doesn't sound depressed to me, as people always say, and his voice is still very good, if not quite up to peak vocal prowess. Still had his sense of humour, as can be heard in the between song chatter. "Love Coming Down" is growing on me, too, never was a favorite of mine before.

Wonderful.

Ive alway like Danny Boy very much since i first heard back in 1976, Elvis wrings every ounce of emotion out of it.

As for WDITJR i have found a refreshing New fondness for all these recordings again due to this release.

[Juan Luis]

Ken sharp interview with Ernst Jorgensen in part:


"Back in the mid Seventies, the first person inside Elvis' inner circle you connected with was his late producer, Felton Jarvis.

I was awestruck. My only hope that he would talk to me was two years earlier he corresponded with me through his wife, Mary. I had written him a long letter about Elvis recording sessions. I got back a long letter from him and Mary with all the details I wanted including all the songs for the Promised Land album that weren't even released yet. As a person, he was such a nice man, incredibly helpful and as enthusiastic as any of us who really appreciated Elvis' music. He'd just done these sessions down at Graceland and he couldn't stop talking about the recording of 'Danny Boy'. He was kind enough to invite my wife and I down for some mixing sessions for the From Elvis Presley Boulevard album, which unfortunately we couldn't make. He died fairly young but I maintained a relationship with his wife Mary all through the rest of her life. She was the same heartwarming, helpful and intelligent person."

[Stvimpe]

Oh Danny boy...

Even if Elvis voice was 'broken'... still very moving and touching to me. In that sense, yes, he still had it for me. Ain't saying he still had all his vocal powers, his full voice range. Ain't saying it's a grand song performance. But in putting emotion in a song, conveying feelings upon the listener, yes, he still had it for me. He still had that sparkle. Not as brilliantly shining as it used to be. But still that magical sparkle. For me. And I think I'm not the only one who feels/sees/hears it that way - with all respect for all others who don't feel/see/hear it that way.

Cheers!

[fn2drive]

Depressing performance. Joyless and lifeless. Who really wanted Elvis recording this. Probably no one had publishing. Clearly reveals all the defects in Elvis voice. So sad this is what he was reduced to at the end-singing the most maudlin of all maudlin ballads. Perhaps the January Creative session would have been composed solely of Elvis doing funeral dirges-a humming album only.

[Stvimpe]

Joyless? Sure, it's a sad song

[r&b]

I dont get what everyone hears here. The singing is just not that good. I'll take Jackie Wilson or Tom Jones if I want to hear this song, which I dont really ever want to.

[brian]

Danny Boy has always been a good song and Elvis does a great job on it.

It could have been a #1 hit for him if he had recorded it in 1938 instead of 1976.

[Stvimpe]

Danny Boy has always been a good song and Elvis does a great job on it.

It could have been a #1 hit for him if he had recorded it in 1938 instead of 1976.

He did have several hits in 1926...

[drjohncarpenter]

Depressing performance. Joyless and lifeless. Who really wanted Elvis recording this. Probably no one had publishing. Clearly reveals all the defects in Elvis voice. So sad this is what he was reduced to at the end-singing the most maudlin of all maudlin ballads. Perhaps the January Creative session would have been composed solely of Elvis doing funeral dirges-a humming album only.

It may be all of those things, but at least he is thoroughly committed to the song, which cannot be said of every 1976 Graceland master. Interestingly, had Sherrill Nielsen been able to make the session date it is very likely the tenor would have been part of the final arrangement, possibly a la how Presley delivered "Softly As I Leave You" in concert. I'm uncertain that would have been preferable to Elvis' stark, unadorned take, as issued on LP that June.

Many agree that Elvis' April 1959 German home demo of "Danny Boy" is really something special:


..

[poormadpeter2]

Elvis's Danny Boy shows what can be achieved even with a worn-out instrument when full commitment is given to a song. It's the one true piece of art that came out of the February 1976 sessions.

[Dan_T]

I think I must be the only one who thinks Elvis' "'70's Vocal/voice, technique " is a deliberate sound. (although very weary in July '73) Listening to the pre take run through's on "Way Down In The Jungle Room" CD you can clearly hear his 60's voice (IMO) and when the take starts he goes in to his "70's voice" . just like the rough edge he had in the 68 comeback was manufactured. It's very close to the sound he was producing on the Paradise Hawaiian Style soundtrack.

[paulsweeney]

I've always loved Elvis' version of Danny Boy. I could care less what others say. I like it, and that's all that matters.

[fn2drive]

Depressing performance. Joyless and lifeless. Who really wanted Elvis recording this. Probably no one had publishing. Clearly reveals all the defects in Elvis voice. So sad this is what he was reduced to at the end-singing the most maudlin of all maudlin ballads. Perhaps the January Creative session would have been composed solely of Elvis doing funeral dirges-a humming album only.

It may be all of those things, but at least he is thoroughly committed to the song, which cannot be said of every 1976 Graceland master. Interestingly, had Sherrill Nielsen been able to make the session date it is very likely the tenor would have been part of the final arrangement, possibly a la how Presley delivered "Softly As I Leave You" in concert. I'm uncertain that would have been preferable to Elvis' stark, unadorned take, as issued on LP that June.

Many agree that Elvis' April 1959 German home demo of "Danny Boy" is really something special:


..

Doc, i cant argue the point that the performance was committed. But to what end? Just another song that he never should have recorded. Perhaps,it is my general disdain for the song-what a depressing anthem-to me anyway. Perhaps too much time in too many pubs listening to too many melancholy renditions. Rather be at a wake.