I’m Leavin’

[Delboy]

This was a track that like ‘Kentucky Rain’ is highly regarded but I never really warmed to. Lo and behold I am sitting in a pub in England and it comes on in the backing music, which was a real mixed bag. Have to say it’s worth a revisit. What is the general fan base view of this track?

[Asheville75]

Love it! So sensitive, honest, naked.

[Rob]

I love Elvis' naked songs.

[MRM]

It was a minor hit in the US, barely reached the top 40. It did better on the adult contemporary chart, but I've never heard it on the radio or even as public background music. It's a good song, though.

[midnightx]

An overrated track. As I have stated in the past, the studio version starts off with promise, but the potential is not realized because of the clumsy bridge, broken-up arrangement, disjointed production, and semi-weak vocal.

[karlos]

I like this track. Even the live version is okay / His delivery is okay too. An over rated type of song .Werent most his seventy hits overated in some way , and many of his earlier songs underated :
You will come to like this - the more you hear it I guess

Taking Care Of Elvis Forever!

[DEH]

never been a fan of the song. elvis obviously liked it though. he sang it live quite a few times.

[drjohncarpenter]

This was a track that like ‘Kentucky Rain’ is highly regarded but I never really warmed to. Lo and behold I am sitting in a pub in England and it comes on in the backing music, which was a real mixed bag. Have to say it’s worth a revisit. What is the general fan base view of this track?

Phew, man, it's tough, but the thing is worth working on.

- Elvis, during the session for "I'm Leavin'" - May 1971

[minkahed]

Elvis himself stated that the track was "worth working on" ...

Had Elvis' taste in music and prouction deteriorated that much ?

[drjohncarpenter]

Elvis himself stated that the track was "worth working on" ...

Had Elvis' taste in music and prouction deteriorated that much ?

Did he?

[r&b]

So-so but its better than the mostly bombast over produced ballads we got in the 70's. Overrated song by a lot of fans that I find a little too repetitious with all the La La's. Just not commercial enough for radio airplay or to be a big hit . I find the 1971 releases the real start of the downward trend for Elvis' music both in quality and how they were marketed and released. To think 1969 was only 2 years before is quite remarkable.

[elvisa]

I almost never listen to the song, but when someone mentions it, I always think about this live version......mostly because of the cute chat around the song
..

[Juan Luis]

So-so but its better than the mostly bombast over produced ballads we got in the 70's. Overrated song by a lot of fans that I find a little too repetitious with all the La La's. Just not commercial enough for radio airplay or to be a big hit . I find the 1971 releases the real start of the downward trend for Elvis' music both in quality and how they were marketed and released. To think 1969 was only 2 years before is quite remarkable.

It could only happen once. 1970 came next. And then 1971,72,73,74...2017. In 1972 (over 3 years after) Elvis had the biggest hit over all the Memphis singles, with the exception of "Suspicious Minds". Same producer on both records.

[stevelecher]

Should that song have been that tough for Elvis? He would have nailed it in three takes in 62-63.

[brian]

I like the la la la parts of the song. The song has a somewhat strange arrangement and lyrics. At least it was an original single for Elvis at the time when all his other single releases that year were covers. It's not bad.

[MRM]

I like this track. Even the live version is okay / His delivery is okay too. An over rated type of song .Werent most his seventy hits overated in some way , and many of his earlier songs underated :
You will come to like this - the more you hear it I guess

Taking Care Of Elvis Forever!

Do you mean "overproduced"? I don't think "overrated/underrated" is the world you're looking for. Oversung?

[r&b]

So-so but its better than the mostly bombast over produced ballads we got in the 70's. Overrated song by a lot of fans that I find a little too repetitious with all the La La's. Just not commercial enough for radio airplay or to be a big hit . I find the 1971 releases the real start of the downward trend for Elvis' music both in quality and how they were marketed and released. To think 1969 was only 2 years before is quite remarkable.

It could only happen once. 1970 came next. And then 1971,72,73,74...2017. In 1972 (over 3 years after) Elvis had the biggest hit over all the Memphis singles, with the exception of "Suspicious Minds". Same producer on both records.

He was very lucky in a way. The main difference being he didnt want to really be in a studio anymore. In 1969, he was really energized, into making some hit records. In 1972, Burning Love came along and he didnt even recognize its hit potential and had to be forced into recording. A totally different artist in only 3 years, and his only major Billboard chart hit single from 1971 till the end. Not good for a artist of Elvis' caliber. And why bring the producer aspect into this again? We know Jarvis is your idol, but cant u ever let that go?

[brian]

Having great material can energize a person. If you go into recording session and you know that you aren't going to get good material then that can make recording a chore.

[poormadpeter2]

Probably too esoteric for some tastes - and it's not very often you say THAT about an Elvis record. But it is very nicely produced, carefully arranged (whether you like the arrangement or not) and I have to say I fall into the camp that feels had it been recorded the year before it might not have worked. Elvis had a fuller, more powerful voice in 1970 (and a more youthful one), but the world-weary sound of his voice in 1971 fitted the feel of the record perfectly. But regarding the charts, it's certainly not a song you hear once and end up singing along to for the rest of the day, and perhaps that's part of the problem - as was, by this point, the fact that Elvis wasn't on TV promoting his singles. But I'll take it over Don't Cry Daddy any day - I'm Leavin' is a far superior record.

[tedjackson]

I think the piano is the best part of the song, I do like Elvis' mellow low key singing though.

[drjohncarpenter]

Should that song have been that tough for Elvis? He would have nailed it in three takes in 62-63.

Elvis means it is an emotionally tough piece of material. His singing on the master makes that clear.

[stevelecher]

Should that song have been that tough for Elvis? He would have nailed it in three takes in 62-63.

Elvis means it is an emotionally tough piece of material. His singing on the master makes that clear.

You really think that? I was thinking he was saying it was tough for him to get it right, to master it. Hmmm?

[midnightx]

So-so but its better than the mostly bombast over produced ballads we got in the 70's. Overrated song by a lot of fans that I find a little too repetitious with all the La La's. Just not commercial enough for radio airplay or to be a big hit . I find the 1971 releases the real start of the downward trend for Elvis' music both in quality and how they were marketed and released. To think 1969 was only 2 years before is quite remarkable.

It could only happen once. 1970 came next. And then 1971,72,73,74...2017. In 1972 (over 3 years after) Elvis had the biggest hit over all the Memphis singles, with the exception of "Suspicious Minds". Same producer on both records.

[Juan Luis]

So-so but its better than the mostly bombast over produced ballads we got in the 70's. Overrated song by a lot of fans that I find a little too repetitious with all the La La's. Just not commercial enough for radio airplay or to be a big hit . I find the 1971 releases the real start of the downward trend for Elvis' music both in quality and how they were marketed and released. To think 1969 was only 2 years before is quite remarkable.

It could only happen once. 1970 came next. And then 1971,72,73,74...2017. In 1972 (over 3 years after) Elvis had the biggest hit over all the Memphis singles, with the exception of "Suspicious Minds". Same producer on both records.

He was very lucky in a way. The main difference being he didnt want to really be in a studio anymore. In 1969, he was really energized, into making some hit records. In 1972, Burning Love came along and he didnt even recognize its hit potential and had to be forced into recording. A totally different artist in only 3 years, and his only major Billboard chart hit single from 1971 till the end. Not good for a artist of Elvis' caliber. And why bring the producer aspect into this again? We know Jarvis is your idol, but cant u ever let that go?

No you can't let (accusing me of idol worship) go almost 2 years of bla bla bla..so what? In 1953 he could hardly sing..by 56 he was doing Heartbreak Hotel and Hound Dog? And BURNING LOVE didn't "come along"...

[Juan Luis]

So-so but its better than the mostly bombast over produced ballads we got in the 70's. Overrated song by a lot of fans that I find a little too repetitious with all the La La's. Just not commercial enough for radio airplay or to be a big hit . I find the 1971 releases the real start of the downward trend for Elvis' music both in quality and how they were marketed and released. To think 1969 was only 2 years before is quite remarkable.

It could only happen once. 1970 came next. And then 1971,72,73,74...2017. In 1972 (over 3 years after) Elvis had the biggest hit over all the Memphis singles, with the exception of "Suspicious Minds". Same producer on both records.

The single you love to hate cause of Jarvis's great post-production. I bet you wish it hadn't been a #1 for that reason. Too bad...