Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We heard song #24, "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" from 1956. This was the followup single to "Heartbreak Hotel." It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Top 100, and was #1 on their sales chart. The song was written by Maurice Mysels and Ira Kosloff.

During April 1956, Variety reported that Presley's RCA Victor single, "Heartbreak Hotel," had sold one million copies. RCA Victor producer Steve Sholes wanted a strong single for the next release, aware that there was not much good material available. Due to Presley's busy touring schedule, Sholes needed to get him into the studio as soon as possible. Presley and his band chartered a small propeller airplane to Nashville for one day of recording between shows.

En route from Amarillo, the airplane developed engine trouble and fell through the sky several times. Upon arrival in Nashville on the morning of April 14, all four were disconcerted. Presley arrived at the RCA Victor Studios without ideas for the recording session and therefore had no choice but to use Sholes' suggestions, one of which was "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You."

Being used to later working hours, coupled with his traumatic experience during his overnight flight, the recording session was bad. Take after take was ruined for one reason or another and the band was not relaxed. Presley, usually a very quick study with a song, couldn't get the lyrics right. After 17 takes in three hours, Sholes decided Presley and the band weren't able to record properly and sent them home.

After the session, Sholes listened to the takes again. He wasn't happy with the results of what he considered to be an unprofessional and wasted session. It had cost $1,000 to fly Presley and his band in by a private flight, and Sholes let Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, know that he was unsatisfied with the work and required material urgently for a second album. He knew that with Presley's busy touring schedule it could be months before RCA Victor got him back into a studio. Performing what was a very rare and generally unsuccessful procedure for the 1950s, Sholes took parts of two takes he liked (takes 14 and 17), cut and spliced them together to create a take worthy of release. His cuts were so seamless, nobody at RCA Victor could tell it wasn't from a single take. "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" was backed with "My Baby Left Me" and was released on May 4, 1956. Pre-orders of over 300,000 were the biggest ever in the history of the company.

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Song #23 is next. This was the number one song on my ballot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwR53vdPZOI
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We heard song #23, "Good Rockin' Tonight" from 1954. This was EP's second single for Sun. The song was written by Roy Brown, who did the original version in 1947. Brown had first offered his song to Wynonie Harris, who turned it down.


Of course in 1948 Wynonie Harris released his version, which became a huge hit and is perhaps the first real rock and roll record. It's really insane that neither of these foundational artists have been inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame yet. The song is a primer of sorts on the popular black music of the era, making lyrical reference to Sweet Lorraine, Sioux City Sue, Sweet Georgia Brown, Caldonia, Elder Brown, and Deacon Jones. All of these characters had figured prominently in previous hit songs. The song has also been credited with being the most successful record to that point to use the word "rock" not as a euphemism for sex, but as a descriptive for the musical style.

The Elvis version of the song was done at a faster tempo than either of the versions mentioned here. The words were also changed a bunch. Presley and his bandmates hewed closer to the original Roy Brown version, but omitted the lyrics' by-then-dated roster of names in favor of a simpler, more energetic "We're gonna rock, rock, rock!" Described as "a flat-out rocker" country radio programmers blanched, and older audiences were somewhat mystified. A live show broadcast from Houston DJ Bill Collie's club documented that the crowd "barely responded" to the song. White people were not quite ready for this kind of thing in 1954.

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Song #22 is up now. This is one of the more progressive things that Elvis did in the early 60s. It sounds like it could have been done 5 years later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM4JZBqjQqA
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #22 is "Little Sister" from 1961. Flip side of "His Latest Flame," this one reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its first appearance on an album was on "Elvis Golden record Volume 3" in 1963. The song was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, who are pictured below:

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Lead guitar was played by Hank Garland, with backing vocals by the Jordanaires featuring the distinctive bass voice of Ray Walker. The song lyric makes mention of "Jim Dandy" which was the title of a 1956 song "Jim Dandy" by LaVern Baker. An answer song to "Little Sister", with the same melody but different lyrics, was recorded and released under the title "Hey, Memphis" by Baker on Atlantic Records (Atlantic 2119-A) in September 1961.


Next up is song #21. It features a melody written by George R. Poulton.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5SkY9WHekg
Fred
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Fred »

#24, "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" was a nice surprise on this rather 50's favored list.
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

The #21 song is "Love Me Tender" from 1956. This record was #1 for 4 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 and was also the title song from Elvis' first movie. The words are credited to Ken Darby under the pseudonym "Vera Matson", the name of his wife, and Elvis Presley. The song was adapted from the melody for "Aura Lee", a sentimental Civil War ballad from 1861. The music was written by George R. Poulton.


Elvis Presley performed "Love Me Tender" on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 9, 1956, shortly before the single's release and about a month before the movie, Love Me Tender, was released (for which the reworded song had been written). After that, RCA received more than a million advance orders, making it a gold record before it was even released. The studio, 20th Century Fox, originally wanted to call the movie The Reno Brothers, but instead re-titled it Love Me Tender to capitalize on the song's popularity.

Movie producer David Weisbart would not allow Presley's regular band (Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and D.J. Fontana) to play on the soundtrack. Instead, The Ken Darby Trio provided the musical backing with Red Robinson on drums, Charles Prescott on bass, Vita Mumolo on guitar, and Jon Dodson on background vocals, with Presley providing only lead vocals.

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RANK-BALLOTS-POINTS-TITLE-YEAR
021 - 19-822 - Love Me Tender - 1956
022 - 19-821 - Little Sister - 1961
023 - 19-789 - Good Rockin' Tonight - 1954
024 - 20-757 - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - 1956
025 - 16-718 - My Baby Left Me - 1956
026 - 16-686 - Always On My Mind - 1972
027 - 17-665 - Blue Suede Shoes - 1956
028 - 16-658 - Kentucky Rain - 1970
029 - 13-647 - A Little Less Conversation - 1968
030 - 15-586 - Crying In The Chapel - 1965
031 - 16-579 - Too Much - 1957
032 - 14-564 - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - 1957
033 - 16-558 - (You're The) Devil In Disguise - 1963
034 - 15-553 - Don't - 1957
035 - 15-552 - If I Can Dream - 1968
036 - 15-541 - Treat Me Nice - 1957
037 - 12-535 - I Was The One - 1956
038 - 12-503 - Milkcow Blues Boogie - 1955
039 - 13-497 - Stuck On You - 1960
040 - 16-489 - A Big Hunk O' Love - 1959
041 - 11-470 - Trying To Get To You - 1956
042 - 14-468 - King Creole - 1958
043 - 17-460 - (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I - 1959
044 - 10-444 - The Wonder Of You - 1970
045 - 09-440 - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone - 1955
046 - 10-438 - Love Me - 1956
047 - 12-431 - A Mess of Blues - 1960
048 - 11-421 - Surrender - 1961
049 - 08-411 - I Don't Care if The Sun Don't Shine - 1954
050 - 10-407 - So Glad You're Mine - 1956
051 - 10-405 - Just Because - 1956
052 - 09-373 - One Sided Love Affair - 1956
053 - 12-370 - Good Luck Charm - 1962
054 - 10-368 - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - 1956
055 - 09-352 - Ain't That Loving You Baby - 1964
056 - 09-346 - Santa Claus is Back in Town - 1957
057 - 11-339 - Hard Headed Woman - 1958
058 - 11-332 - (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 1957
059 - 10-330 - An American Trilogy - 1972
060 - 09-307 - (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) - 1957
061 - 07-286 - Trouble - 1958
062 - 10-280 - I Need Your Love Tonight - 1959
063 - 06-276 - Viva Las Vegas - 1964
064 - 09-268 - Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do - 1957
065 - 09-266 - Paralyzed - 1956
066 - 10-259 - I Feel So Bad - 1961
067 - 06-230 - You're A Heartbreaker - 1955
068 - 06-225 - Way Down - 1977
069 - 06-216 - I Forgot To Remember To Forget - 1955
070 - 06-213 - Money Honey - 1956
071 - 08-210 - I Beg of You - 1957
072 - 05-205 - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - 1956
073 - 05-202 - That's When Your Heartaches Begin - 1957
074 - 04-198 - Anyway You Want Me - 1956
075 - 07-197 - Such A Night - 1960
076 - 07-195 - Reconsider Baby - 1960
077 - 04-183 - Fame And Fortune - 1960
078 - 06-180 - Guitar Man - 1967
079 - 05-178 - Suspicion - 1962
080 - 05-173 - Promised Land - 1974
081 - 05-172 - Mean Woman Blues - 1957
082 - 04-172 - Indescribably Blue - 1967
083 - 05-170 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) - 1956
084 - 03-168 - Harbor Lights - 1954
085 - 05-159 - Playing For Keeps - 1957
086 - 06-158 - I Got A Woman - 1956
087 - 09-156 - Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - 1958
088 - 04-154 - You'll Think of Me - 1969
089 - 08-153 - I Got Stung - 1958
090 - 06-153 - Loving You - 1957
091 - 04-152 - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - 1970
092 - 04-148 - Wooden Heart - 1960
093 - 05-147 - Moody Blue - 1976
094 - 03-135 - Rubberneckin'- 1969
095 - 04-133 - Tomorrow Is A Long Time - 1966
096 - 04-127 - Like A Baby - 1960
097 - 03-124 - I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) - 1956
098 - 03-123 - I Just Can't Help Believin'- 1970
099 - 03-120 - Long Black Limousine - 1969
100 - 03-119 - Inherit the Wind - 1969
101 - 03-119 - Follow That Dream - 1962
102 - 02-119 - It Hurts Me - 1964
103 - 04-116 - Wearin' That Loved On Look - 1969
104 - 04-115 - She's Not You - 1962
105 - 03-114 - One Night (of Sin) - 1957
106 - 03-106 - Any Day Now - 1969
107 - 03-105 - Big Boss Man - 1967
108 - 03-102 - I'll Be Home For Christmas - 1957
109 - 02-101 - We Can Make the Morning - 1972
====================================================
110 - 02-98 - Anything That's Part of You
111 - 03-97 - Here Comes Santa Claus
112 - 02-95 - Mama Liked the Roses
113 - 02-92 - Fever
114 - 03-91 - I Want To Be Free
115 - 03-89 - It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'
116 - 03-87 - Hurt
117 - 02-87 - Amazing Grace
118 - 02-85 - Bossa Nova Baby
119 - 02-85 - Crawfish
120 - 02-82 - Rock-A-Hula Baby
121 - 02-81 - We're Gonna Move
122 - 02-79 - I Love You Because
122 - 02-79 - The Girl of My Best Friend
124 - 03-78 - Tomorrow Night
125 - 02-78 - Tiger Man (Live)
126 - 02-78 - First In Line
127 - 03-77 - Don't Cry Daddy
128 - 02-76 - Young And Beautiful
129 - 02-76 - I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water
130 - 02-75 - That's Someone You Never Forget
131 - 02-75 - I Will Be Home Again
132 - 02-72 - I'll Hold You in My Heart
133 - 02-71 - Loving Arms
134 - 02-71 - Trying To Get To You (live)
135 - 03-69 - Shake, Rattle And Roll
136 - 02-69 - Shake, Rattle And Roll / Flip, Flop And Fly (Live)
137 - 02-68 - Take My Hand Precious Lord
138 - 02-63 - Memories
139 - 02-59 - Pocketful of Rainbows
140 - 03-58 - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
141 - 02-58 - Merry Christmas, Baby
142 - 02-55 - When It Rains It Really Pours
143 - 02-55 - Ready Teddy
144 - 02-52 - I Need You So
145 - 03-50 - It’s Your Baby You Rock It
146 - 02-50 - Girls! Girls! Girls!
147 - 02-49 - U.S. Male
148 - 02-46 - I Gotta Know
149 - 02-45 - Doncha' Think It's Time
150 - 02-41 - The Fool
151 - 02-39 - Only The strong Survive
152 - 02-36 - Power of My Love
153 - 02-35 - I Got a Feelin' in My Body
========================================================================


Time now to kick off the top 20 songs on the list. THIS is #20:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZmUfUBqE-s
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

At #20 is "Return To Sender" from 1962. This reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 5 weeks, stuck behind "Big Girls Don't Cry" by the Four Seasons. It get to #1 in the UK, where it stayed for the final 3 weeks of the year. The song was written by Winfield Scott and Otis Blackwell and published by Elvis Presley Music. "Return To Sender" was featured in the movie "Girls! Girls! Girls!"

Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott were a team of songwriters who wrote songs for rhythm and blues artists such as LaVern Baker, Ruth Brown and Clyde McPhatter. To be able to make a living as songwriters, they decided to begin writing pop and country songs for the likes of Carl Perkins, Conway Twitty, Johnnie Ray, Connie Francis, and Elvis Presley. After Blackwell wrote Presley's hits "Don't Be Cruel" (1956) and "All Shook Up" (1957), Freddy Bienstock, vice president of the record company Hill & Range, looked to the duo to write songs for Presley's films. Hill & Range sought Blackwell to write songs for the Presley vehicle Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962); following the commercial disappointment of Presley's pop ballad "She's Not You" (1962), the record company wanted him to return to the rock and roll genre without alienating fans who enjoyed his crooning.

Scripts for Presley films would note places where a song was to be inserted into the film as well as suggested titles and genres for such songs. While other songwriters would adhere to these notes, Blackwell and Scott would not, as they were used to the creative freedom of the rhythm and blues field. The songwriters decided to write a great song without any concern for whether or not it fit into the film's storyline.

After penning a track for the film about fishing entitled "Coming in Loaded" and other material they disliked, the two gave up on writing other songs until they found inspiration in a returned piece of mail. A demo that they had sent to a record company of returned to them with the words "Return to sender! No such person! No such zone!" stamped onto it. Blackwell and Scott decided to use those phrases as lyrics in a song about a failing relationship between "a spiteful woman and a heartbroken man."

Upon finishing "Return to Sender," Blackwell and Scott played it for producer Hal B. Wallis on a piano. Wallis liked the song and decided to release it as a single. The script for Girls! Girls! Girls! was rewritten to accommodate "Return to Sender," much to the surprise of the song's writers. Scott said that the experience taught the duo a valuable lesson - "Write a great song - and they'll find someplace to put it". "Return to Sender" was the final song that Blackwell wrote for Presley.

On March 27, 1962, Presley was handed the task of recording all thirteen songs on the Girls! Girls! Girls! soundtrack. Presley was unenthusiastic about the material he was recording and quickly recorded most of it. The Jordanaires, Dudley Brooks, D. J. Fontana, and Scotty Moore were in the studio, which the instrumentation for the album was played by Boots Randolph on saxophone, Ray Siegel on bass, Barney Kessel and Tiny Timbrell on guitar, and Hal Blaine and Bernie Mattinson on specialty drums. Then, when he began singing "Return to Sender," he became more energetic. Presley found the song easy to perform and recorded it in just two takes. He modeled his vocal stylings on Blackwell's. While watching Presley perform the track, Moore and Fontana felt that the "old magic" of the singer's earlier work had returned.

"Return to Sender" is a pop and rock and roll song with a length of two minutes and nine seconds and an up-tempo, "gently rock[ing]" beat. Per Presley's decision, the lead instrument of the song's chorus is Randolph's saxophone rather than a guitar, which was more characteristic of Presley's music. According to Ace Collins in Untold Gold: The Stories Behind Elvis's #1 Hits, the track "recaptured the happy enthusiasm and unbridled joy" of the rock and roll music of the mid-1950s. The song is about a heartbroken man who keeps sending mail to his lover Collins also noted a contrast between the song's joyful instrumentation and its lyrics, which are those of a "woeful ballad."

Gerri Granger later recorded an answer song: "Don't Want Your Letters." The song was arranged and conducted by Bert Keyes. It was released on the single Big Top 45-3128.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pca2s26jnzE&t=19s


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Song #19 is up now, and this to me is the most surprising song to make the top 25. It's an excellent record, don't get me wrong, but a non hit that that did not make my top 50. I had it at #55. Turns out it did really well with our younger voters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiY5auB3OWg
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Okay, we heard song #19, "Blue Moon," from the Elvis Presley album in 1956. The song of course is a Rodgers and Hart standard from 1934, recorded hundreds, if not thousands of times by different acts over the years. This song was listed on 20 of the 41 ballots. Yes, I was pleasantly surprised at the great support this one got from many of our younger voters. Most of the younger folks are album listeners, and of course this song was first released on EP's debut album, which is considered one of his two or three greatest albums. It's the only Elvis record I am aware of where he puts his fabulous falsetto voice to full use.

The track was recorded in the Sun Studios on August 19, 1954, the only song recorded that day. Earlier I referred to it as a "non hit," but actually "Blue Moon" spent seventeen weeks on the Billboard Top 100, although it only reached # 55. It was the only one of the 6 singles (12 songs) from the "Elvis Presley" album that made the charts as a single. A couple of others from the album had charted earlier from EPs.

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Song #18 is up now. This one was first done by Del Shannon, a couple of months before Elvis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59pOE3OmUi8
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #18 is "Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame" from 1961. This was another Pomus-Shuman song, and it reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. As mentioned before, before Elvis did the song it was done by Del Shannon and included on his album "Runaway With Del Shannon."


The song was named on 22 of the 41 ballots, totaling 876 points in the voting.

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Song #17 is up now. It is perhaps Presley's most intense record of the 1950s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb18smk-GvA
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We heard "One Night," which came in at #17 on the countdown. Another version of the same song with very different lyrics came in at #105. This one here is where the lyrics were changed so instead of feeling bad about a night that he already had with this woman, now he is hoping and praying to get "One Night" with her.

Presley recorded a version of the song with its original lyrics on January 18, 1957, but this version would not be released until 1983. Both Elvis' manager and record company had reservations about the suggestive lyrics. Elvis did not give up on the song. He continued to play with it during his spare time on the set of Loving You, finally rewriting the lyrics that he felt were holding the song captive, changing "One night of sin is what I'm now paying for" into "One night with you is what I'm now praying for." Presley's recording credited Anita Steinman as an additional co-writer, with Bartholomew and King. On February 23, 1957, at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles, he showed up with his new lyrics, feeling sure they would meet his label's approval.

"One Night" reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, on the charts for 4 months from November 1958 through March of 1959.

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Next up is song #16. This one marked a change in direction of sorts for Elvis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwelrtb8Oho
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #16 is "It's Now Or Never" from 1960. This was a humongous worldwide hit with supposedly over 20 million copies sold. In the USA it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 5 weeks. In the UK it was number one for 8 weeks. Its British release was delayed for some time because of rights issues, allowing the song to build up massive advance orders and to enter the UK Singles Chart at number one, a very rare occurrence at the time.

"It's Now or Never" is one of two popular songs based on the Italian song of the Neapolitan language, "'O Sole mio" (music by Eduardo di Capua); the other being "There's No Tomorrow," recorded by U.S. singer Tony Martin in 1949, which inspired Presley's version.



The lyrics to "It's Now Or Never" were written by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold. The song was published by Elvis Presley's company Gladys Music, Inc. In the late 1950s, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, Presley heard Martin's recording. According to The New York Times, quoting from the 1986 book Behind the Hits, "he told the idea to his music publisher, Freddy Bienstock, who was visiting him in Germany... Mr. Bienstock, who many times found songwriters for Presley, returned to his New York office, where he found songwriters, Mr. [Aaron] Schroeder and Wally Gold, the only people in that day. The two wrote lyrics in half an hour. Selling more than 20 million records, the song became number one in countries all around the world and was Presley's best selling single ever... a song [they] finished in 20 minutes to a half hour was the biggest song of [their] career."

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We are now at song #15 in the countdown. The Blue Moon Boys speed up an R&B hit from a few months before and this becomes their first national chart hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BeO15HofhA
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #15 is "Baby Let's Play House" from 1955. The song was written and first recorded by Arthur Gunter in 1954.


The Arthur Gunter version was on the Billboard national R&B chart for 3 weeks in January and February 1955. Elvis heard the record and loved it, so on February 5, 1955, he and Scotty and Bill went into the Sun Studios and recorded a cover version of the song. The record was issued a few months later and in mid-July 1955 it became the first Elvis record to enter the national charts when it debuted on the Billboard Country chart. It reached #5 on that chart in a 15 week run.

Presley's version differs greatly from the original. Elvis started the song with the chorus, where Gunter began with the first verse, and he replaced Gunter's line "You may get religion" with the words "You may have a pink Cadillac", referring to his custom-painted 1955 Cadillac auto that had been serving as the band's transportation at the time. The Elvis record is considered one of the greatest rockabilly records ever made. It's pretty much a perfect example of what rockabilly is.

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We are now at song #14. This record will perhaps outlive all other Elvis records in terms of mainstream familiarity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6WnnZRSKYs
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #14 is "Blue Christmas" from Elvis' Christmas album in 1957. The song was written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson . It was first recorded by Doye O'Dell in 1948, and was popularized the following year in three separate recordings: one by country artist Ernest Tubb, one by musical conductor and arranger Hugo Winterhalter and his orchestra and chorus, and one by bandleader Russ Morgan and his orchestra.


Elvis Presley cemented the status of "Blue Christmas" as a rock-and-roll holiday classic by recording it for his 1957 LP Elvis' Christmas Album. Presley's version is notable musicologically as well as culturally in that the vocal group the Jordanaires (especially in the soprano line, sung by Millie Kirkham) replace many major and just minor thirds with neutral and septimal minor thirds, respectively. In addition to contributing to the overall tone of the song, the resulting "blue notes" constitute a musical play on words that provides an "inside joke" or "quail egg" to trained ears. "Blue Christmas" was also included on a 1957 45 EP (Extended Play) entitled Elvis Sings Christmas Songs (EPA-4108), which also included "Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)" on side one, with "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" on side two. Presley's original 1957 version was released as a commercially available single for the first time in 1964. This single was also a hit in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 11 on the British singles chart during the week of 26 December 1964.

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Song #13 is up now, and it's another old song that Elvis took and transformed into his own style:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7M0CmkJ-2o
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We just heard song #13, "Blue Moon of Kentucky' from 1954. This was one side of Elvis' debut single, with "That's All Right" on the other side. The original version of the song is by Bill Monroe. It was recorded in 1946 and released in early 1947.


The search for another song to release along with "That's All Right" at Sun Records in July 1954 led to "Blue Moon of Kentucky" via Bill Black. According to Scotty Moore:

We all of us knew we needed something...and things seemed hopeless after a while. Bill is the one who came up with "Blue Moon of Kentucky"...We're taking a little break and he starts beating on the bass and singing "Blue Moon of Kentucky", mocking Bill Monroe, singing the high falsetto voice. Elvis joins in with him, starts playing and singing along with him.
— The Blue Moon Boys - The Story of Elvis Presley's Band

Presley, Moore, and Black, with the encouragement of Sam Phillips, transformed Monroe's slow waltz, in 3/4 time, into an upbeat, blues-flavored tune in 4/4 time.

After an early rendition of the song, Sun Records owner Sam Phillips exclaimed, "BOY, that's fine, that's fine. That's a POP song now!." As with all of the Presley records issued by Sun, the artists were listed and stylized as "ELVIS PRESLEY SCOTTY and BILL".

The same night that Dewey Phillips first played the flip side of this first release of Presley's music on WHBQ, "That's All Right", Sleepy Eye John at WHHM loosed "Blue Moon of Kentucky". Bob Neal of WMPS played the record, too. The pop jockeys, entranced by something new, began slipping "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in among the easy-listening pop of Teresa Brewer, Nat Cole, Tony Bennett, and others.

With Presley's version of Monroe's song consistently rated higher, both sides began to chart across the Southern United States. Billboard has the song listed only in Memphis, and as number six with "That's All Right" at number 7 on October 9 in the C&W Territorial Best Sellers. By October 23, "Blue Moon of Kentucky" was in the top 10 in Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans, with "That's All Right" absent from the listings.

Fellow Sun Records artist Charlie Feathers has often claimed that he came up with the arrangement of the song used by Presley. While others sources claimed that it was Presley who arranged the song.

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We now move to song #12. This song was first written in 1926. Elvis recorded this at the suggestion of Col. Parker, as this was Mrs. Parker's favorite song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XVdtX7uSnk
Hymie
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #12 is "Are You Lonesome Tonight" from 1960. The song was written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926. It was recorded several times in 1927—first by Charles Hart, with successful versions by Vaughn De Leath, Henry Burr, and the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan. In 1950 the Blue Barron Orchestra version reached the top twenty on the Billboard's Pop Singles chart.


The song was written in 1926 by vaudevillians Lou Handman and Roy Turk with three verses, followed by a spoken bridge. They based the bridge on a line in Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, and "You know someone said that the world's a stage. And each must play a part" refers to "All the world's a stage" from William Shakespeare's As You Like It. This recitation is printed on the inside back cover of the original 1927 sheet music, and is sung on Stanley Kirkby's recording in 1928, Al Jolson's recording in 1949 and Blue Barrron recording in 1950 (US top 20 hit). Billboard reported in 1960 its discovery that it was written by songwriter and vaudeville pianist Dave Dreyer.

In April 1960, after Elvis Presley's two-year service in the United States Army, he recorded the song at the suggestion of manager Colonel Tom Parker; "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was Parker's wife, Marie Mott's, favorite song. Its release was delayed by RCA Victor executives, who thought the song did not fit Presley's new (and publicized) style. When "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was released in November 1960 it was an immediate success in the U.S., topping Billboard's Pop Singles chart and reaching number three on the R&B chart. A month after the song's release, it topped the UK Singles Chart. Presley's version was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for a Gold Record Award for 1,000,000 copies sold in the United States in 1983. It was upgraded by the RIAA to a 2xPlatinum Record Award for 2,000,000 sales in 1992.

Presley returned to the studio with his band, consisting of Scotty Moore, drummer D. J. Fontana, pianist Floyd Cramer, guitarist Hank Garland, bassist Bobby Moore, percussionist Buddy Harman, and the Jordanaires, on April 3. After the eight songs Parker needed for Elvis Is Back! were recorded, Presley moved on to his manager's request. At 4 am on April 4, the singer began recording "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", accompanied by acoustic guitar, drums, bass, and the backup group. He asked everyone else in the studio to leave the session, told Chet Atkins to turn the lights out, and performed the song with the spoken bridge. After the second take, Presley said to producer Steve Sholes, "Throw that tune out; I can't do it justice". Sholes told engineer Bill Porter to ignore Presley's order and asked the singer to do a new take, explaining that the Jordanaires had bumped into their microphone stand while recording in the dark. Presley performed the song once more, and that take became the master for the single.

Image


Song #11 is up now. This song was listed on 25 ballots:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ-r0bilzhU
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Father2TheMan »

Hymie wrote: Mon Aug 26, 2019 9:41 pm
We now move to song #12. This song was first written in 1926. Elvis recorded this at the suggestion of Col. Parker, as this was Mrs. Parker's favorite song:
Personally, I think "Are You Lonesome To-night?" makes up for a lot of the questionable material Parker foisted upon Elvis.

Thanks, Mrs. Parker!
"The laughs come hard in Old Lang Syne....."
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We just heard song #11 on the countdown, "In The Ghetto," from the "Elvis In Memphis" album in 1969. "In the Ghetto" (originally titled "The Vicious Circle") was written by Mac Davis.

The song is a narrative of generational poverty: a boy is born to a mother who already has more children than she can feed in the ghetto of Chicago. The boy grows up hungry, steals and fights, purchases a gun and steals a car, attempts to run, but is shot and killed. The song ends with another child being born in the ghetto, and implies that the newborn could meet the same fate, continuing the cycle of poverty and violence. The feeling of an inescapable circle is created by the structure of the song, with its simple, stark phrasing; by the repetition of the phrase "in the ghetto" as the close of every fourth line; and finally by the repetition of the first verse's "and his mama cries" just before the beginning and as the close of the last verse. It is played in the key of B flat.

"In the Ghetto" was recorded during Presley's session in the American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. It was Presley's first creative recording session since the '68 Comeback. Other hits recorded at this session were "Suspicious Minds", "Kentucky Rain", and "Don't Cry Daddy". The song was published by Gladys Music, Inc., Elvis Presley's publishing company.

The song was Presley's first Top 10 hit in the US in four years, peaking at number 3, and number 2 in Canada. It was his first UK Top 10 hit in three years, also peaking at No. 2. It hit No. 1 on Cashbox and No. 8 Easy Listening. It was a number-one hit in West Germany, Ireland, Norway, Australia and New Zealand.

Personally I prefer the undubbed version of the record. It sound more intimate and you can really hear the guitar work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whBO6uWF2dw&t=23s


RANK-BALLOTS-POINTS-TITLE-YEAR
011 - 25-1193 - In The Ghetto - 1969
012 - 22-1011 - Are You Lonesome Tonight - 1960
013 - 21-921 - Blue Moon of Kentucky - 1954
014 - 22-893 - Blue Christmas - 1957
015 - 19-892 - Baby Let's Play House - 1955
016 - 19-883 - It's Now Or Never - 1960
017 - 21-879 - One Night - 1958
018 - 22-876 - (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame - 1961
019 - 20-860 - Blue Moon - 1956
020 - 19-824 - Return To Sender - 1962
021 - 19-822 - Love Me Tender - 1956
022 - 19-821 - Little Sister - 1961
023 - 19-789 - Good Rockin' Tonight - 1954
024 - 20-757 - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - 1956
025 - 16-718 - My Baby Left Me - 1956
026 - 16-686 - Always On My Mind - 1972
027 - 17-665 - Blue Suede Shoes - 1956
028 - 16-658 - Kentucky Rain - 1970
029 - 13-647 - A Little Less Conversation - 1968
030 - 15-586 - Crying In The Chapel - 1965
031 - 16-579 - Too Much - 1957
032 - 14-564 - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - 1957
033 - 16-558 - (You're The) Devil In Disguise - 1963
034 - 15-553 - Don't - 1957
035 - 15-552 - If I Can Dream - 1968
036 - 15-541 - Treat Me Nice - 1957
037 - 12-535 - I Was The One - 1956
038 - 12-503 - Milkcow Blues Boogie - 1955
039 - 13-497 - Stuck On You - 1960
040 - 16-489 - A Big Hunk O' Love - 1959
041 - 11-470 - Trying To Get To You - 1956
042 - 14-468 - King Creole - 1958
043 - 17-460 - (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I - 1959
044 - 10-444 - The Wonder Of You - 1970
045 - 09-440 - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone - 1955
046 - 10-438 - Love Me - 1956
047 - 12-431 - A Mess of Blues - 1960
048 - 11-421 - Surrender - 1961
049 - 08-411 - I Don't Care if The Sun Don't Shine - 1954
050 - 10-407 - So Glad You're Mine - 1956
051 - 10-405 - Just Because - 1956
052 - 09-373 - One Sided Love Affair - 1956
053 - 12-370 - Good Luck Charm - 1962
054 - 10-368 - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - 1956
055 - 09-352 - Ain't That Loving You Baby - 1964
056 - 09-346 - Santa Claus is Back in Town - 1957
057 - 11-339 - Hard Headed Woman - 1958
058 - 11-332 - (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 1957
059 - 10-330 - An American Trilogy - 1972
060 - 09-307 - (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) - 1957
061 - 07-286 - Trouble - 1958
062 - 10-280 - I Need Your Love Tonight - 1959
063 - 06-276 - Viva Las Vegas - 1964
064 - 09-268 - Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do - 1957
065 - 09-266 - Paralyzed - 1956
066 - 10-259 - I Feel So Bad - 1961
067 - 06-230 - You're A Heartbreaker - 1955
068 - 06-225 - Way Down - 1977
069 - 06-216 - I Forgot To Remember To Forget - 1955
070 - 06-213 - Money Honey - 1956
071 - 08-210 - I Beg of You - 1957
072 - 05-205 - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - 1956
073 - 05-202 - That's When Your Heartaches Begin - 1957
074 - 04-198 - Anyway You Want Me - 1956
075 - 07-197 - Such A Night - 1960
076 - 07-195 - Reconsider Baby - 1960
077 - 04-183 - Fame And Fortune - 1960
078 - 06-180 - Guitar Man - 1967
079 - 05-178 - Suspicion - 1962
080 - 05-173 - Promised Land - 1974
081 - 05-172 - Mean Woman Blues - 1957
082 - 04-172 - Indescribably Blue - 1967
083 - 05-170 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) - 1956
084 - 03-168 - Harbor Lights - 1954
085 - 05-159 - Playing For Keeps - 1957
086 - 06-158 - I Got A Woman - 1956
087 - 09-156 - Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - 1958
088 - 04-154 - You'll Think of Me - 1969
089 - 08-153 - I Got Stung - 1958
090 - 06-153 - Loving You - 1957
091 - 04-152 - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - 1970
092 - 04-148 - Wooden Heart - 1960
093 - 05-147 - Moody Blue - 1976
094 - 03-135 - Rubberneckin'- 1969
095 - 04-133 - Tomorrow Is A Long Time - 1966
096 - 04-127 - Like A Baby - 1960
097 - 03-124 - I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) - 1956
098 - 03-123 - I Just Can't Help Believin'- 1970
099 - 03-120 - Long Black Limousine - 1969
100 - 03-119 - Inherit the Wind - 1969
101 - 03-119 - Follow That Dream - 1962
102 - 02-119 - It Hurts Me - 1964
103 - 04-116 - Wearin' That Loved On Look - 1969
104 - 04-115 - She's Not You - 1962
105 - 03-114 - One Night (of Sin) - 1957
106 - 03-106 - Any Day Now - 1969
107 - 03-105 - Big Boss Man - 1967
108 - 03-102 - I'll Be Home For Christmas - 1957
109 - 02-101 - We Can Make the Morning - 1972
====================================================
110 - 02-98 - Anything That's Part of You
111 - 03-97 - Here Comes Santa Claus
112 - 02-95 - Mama Liked the Roses
113 - 02-92 - Fever
114 - 03-91 - I Want To Be Free
115 - 03-89 - It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'
116 - 03-87 - Hurt
117 - 02-87 - Amazing Grace
118 - 02-85 - Bossa Nova Baby
119 - 02-85 - Crawfish
120 - 02-82 - Rock-A-Hula Baby
121 - 02-81 - We're Gonna Move
122 - 02-79 - I Love You Because
122 - 02-79 - The Girl of My Best Friend
124 - 03-78 - Tomorrow Night
125 - 02-78 - Tiger Man (Live)
126 - 02-78 - First In Line
127 - 03-77 - Don't Cry Daddy
128 - 02-76 - Young And Beautiful
129 - 02-76 - I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water
130 - 02-75 - That's Someone You Never Forget
131 - 02-75 - I Will Be Home Again
132 - 02-72 - I'll Hold You in My Heart
133 - 02-71 - Loving Arms
134 - 02-71 - Trying To Get To You (live)
135 - 03-69 - Shake, Rattle And Roll
136 - 02-69 - Shake, Rattle And Roll / Flip, Flop And Fly (Live)
137 - 02-68 - Take My Hand Precious Lord
138 - 02-63 - Memories
139 - 02-59 - Pocketful of Rainbows
140 - 03-58 - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
141 - 02-58 - Merry Christmas, Baby
142 - 02-55 - When It Rains It Really Pours
143 - 02-55 - Ready Teddy
144 - 02-52 - I Need You So
145 - 03-50 - It’s Your Baby You Rock It
146 - 02-50 - Girls! Girls! Girls!
147 - 02-49 - U.S. Male
148 - 02-46 - I Gotta Know
149 - 02-45 - Doncha' Think It's Time
150 - 02-41 - The Fool
151 - 02-39 - Only The strong Survive
152 - 02-36 - Power of My Love
153 - 02-35 - I Got a Feelin' in My Body
========================================================================


We have arrived at the top 10 Elvis songs, as we voted them. From now until the end I will post 2 songs each day, one in the morning and one at night. Here is song #10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGJTaP6anOU
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Wezzo »

Ah, shame In the Ghetto just missed out on a top-ten spot.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Wezzo wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:34 pm Ah, shame In the Ghetto just missed out on a top-ten spot.
Funny you should say that. My older friends are really pissed that it finished so high.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Fred »

Hymie wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 9:38 pm
Wezzo wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:34 pm Ah, shame In the Ghetto just missed out on a top-ten spot.
Funny you should say that. My older friends are really pissed that it finished so high.
Thay should be pissed about 'Rubberneckin' being fourth best Memphis song at no. 94. Or One Night being no. 17. IMHO.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Fred wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 10:21 pm
Hymie wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 9:38 pm
Wezzo wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:34 pm Ah, shame In the Ghetto just missed out on a top-ten spot.
Funny you should say that. My older friends are really pissed that it finished so high.
Thay should be pissed about 'Rubberneckin' being fourth best Memphis song at no. 94. Or One Night being no. 17. IMHO.
I think they think that "One Night" is about right where it is, and they have no interest in "Rubberneckin'" as long as it's not anywhere high on the list. As for "Memphis Songs" I gather you mean when he returned to Memphis to record in later years. These folks are all in their 70s and pretty much have little interest in Elvis after like 1962. To them the "Memphis Songs" are all the things he recorded at Sun.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

The #10 song on the countdown is "Can't Help Falling In Love" from the movie "Blue Hawaii" in 1961. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and published by Gladys Music, Inc. The melody is based on "Plaisir d'amour," a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini. The song was initially written for a woman as "Can't Help Falling in Love with Him", which explains the first and third line ending on "in" and "sin" rather than words rhyming with "you."

The Elvis record peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 early in 1962, stuck behind "Peppermint Twist" by Joey Dee and the Starlighters. In the UK it was #1 for 4 weeks. During Presley's late 1960s and 1970s live performances, the song was performed as the show's finale. Most notably, it was also sung in the live segment of his 1968 NBC television special, and as the closer for his 1973 Global telecast, Aloha from Hawaii. A version with a faster arrangement was the closing number in Presley's final TV special, Elvis in Concert. "Can't Help Falling in Love" was also the last song he performed live, at his concert in Indianapolis at Market Square Arena on 26 June 1977. Over the years it has become one of the top wedding songs in America.

Personnel

Elvis Presley – lead vocals
The Jordanaires – backing vocals
Scotty Moore – electric guitar
Barney Kessel – electric guitar
Floyd Cramer – piano
Bob Moore – double bass
Hal Blaine – drums

Image


Moving down now to song #9.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf2VYAtqRe0
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We just heard song #9, "Burning Love" from 1972. This one reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ironically it was stuck behind a record by another legendary 1950s artist, Chuck Berry and "My Ding-A-Ling." "Burning Love" did get to #1 on Cash Box. The song was Elvis's 40th and last Top Ten hit on the Billboard US charts. "Steamroller Blues" got to #10 for one week on Cash Box.

The song was written by Dennis Linde. The electric guitar opening and riffs on the Elvis record were overdubbed and played by Dennis Linde himself. The song was originally recorded by Arthur Alexander, who included it on his 1972 self-titled album.


"Burning Love" was listed on 30 of the 41 ballots in the voting. The top 8 songs coming up on the countdown were all listed on at least 33 ballots.

Personnel

Elvis Presley — lead vocals
James Burton, Dennis Linde — guitar
John Wilkinson — rhythm guitar
Emory Gordy, Jr. — bass
Glen D. Hardin — piano
Ronnie Tutt — drums
J. D. Sumner & The Stamps — backing vocals
Jerry Carrigan – percussion, cowbell

Image


Song #8 is up now. This one is my favorite of all of his RCA recordings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23zLefwiii4
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #8 is "All Shook Up" from 1957. This was one of EP's monster hits. It was #1 on the Billboard Top 100 for 8 weeks and was on the chart for 30 weeks. The song was written by Otis Blackwell and Elvis. Elvis himself, during an interview on October 28, 1957, said: "I've never even had an idea for a song. Just once, maybe. I went to bed one night, had quite a dream, and woke up all shook up. I phoned a pal and told him about it. By morning, he had a new song, 'All Shook Up'."

Somehow the song was recorded first by David Hill. Check it out below, it's not very good IMO.


"All Shook Up: was listed on 34 of the 41 ballots. Only one song was listed on more than 34 ballots.

Image


Song #7 is up now. This one started it all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVqRyWGr1_I
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

The #7 song is "That's All Right" from 1954. This is Presley's first release. As the story goes Elvis, Scotty and Bill had tried several different songs that day in the Sun Studio and nothing was really clicking. During a break Elvis started messing around singing this old Arthur Crudup tune from 1947. Sam Phillips liked what he was hearing and told the boys to work up an arrangement to record that song, and the rest was history. Here's the Crudup original:



Sam Phillips gave copies of the acetate to local disc jockeys Dewey Phillips (no relation) of WHBQ, Uncle Richard of WMPS, and Sleepy Eyed John Lepley of WHHM. On July 7, 1954, Dewey Phillips played "That's All Right" on his popular radio show "Red, Hot & Blue". On hearing the news that Dewey was going to play his song, Presley went to the local movie theater to calm his nerves.

Interest in the song was so intense that Dewey reportedly played the acetate 14 times and received over 40 telephone calls. Presley was persuaded to go to the station for an on-air interview that night. Unaware that the microphone was live at the time, Presley answered Dewey's questions, including one about which high school he attended: a roundabout way of informing the audience of Presley's race without actually asking the question.

"That's All Right" was officially released on July 19, 1954, and sold around 20,000 copies. This number was not enough to chart nationally, but the single reached number four on the local Memphis charts.


Image


We are up to song #6 now. This one was pretty popular!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eHJ12Vhpyc
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Nick »

Hymie wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 9:38 pm
Wezzo wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:34 pm Ah, shame In the Ghetto just missed out on a top-ten spot.
Funny you should say that. My older friends are really pissed that it finished so high.
How do they feel about the top 5 placement of "Suspicious Minds"?
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Nick wrote: Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:58 pm
Hymie wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 9:38 pm
Wezzo wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 2:34 pm Ah, shame In the Ghetto just missed out on a top-ten spot.
Funny you should say that. My older friends are really pissed that it finished so high.
How do they feel about the top 5 placement of "Suspicious Minds"?
IF it is top 5, I will comment :-)
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Nick »

Hymie wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2019 1:53 am
Nick wrote: Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:58 pm
Hymie wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 9:38 pm

Funny you should say that. My older friends are really pissed that it finished so high.
How do they feel about the top 5 placement of "Suspicious Minds"?
IF it is top 5, I will comment :-)
Fair enough! haha :D
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Song #6 is "Hound Dog" from 1956. After all these years I still feel like this is the first song that comes to mind for most people when they think of Elvis. There's just something definitive about it. It reached #2 on the Billboard Top 100, stuck behind its own flip side. There have been lots of great two sided records throughout musical history. Things like "Bo Diddley / I'm A Man" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice / God Only Knows" and "Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever" come to mind, but I don't think any two sider could ever top "Hound Dog / Don't Be Cruel." That pairing ushered in the "Double A side" single. It would be insane to call either of those songs a B side.

"Hound Dog" was of course written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They wrote it especially for "Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, after meeting and hanging out with her for awhile. Naturally it became a monstrous hit on the R&B chart in 1953, reaching #1 and staying there for 7 weeks. It's a sensational record.

Image


Let's face it though. Other than a couple of lines in the lyrics the Elvis "Hound Dog" really bears little resemblance to the Big Mama Thornton original. Elvis' version was directly influenced by the version by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, from 1955. Elvis had seen their lounge act in Las Vegas in May 1956 and picked up their lyrics and arrangement, which he started doing in his live act.


The song was already the finale of Elvis' live act when he finally recorded it on July 2, 1956. He had performed the song live on the Milton Berle Show in June, complete with a bump and grind ending that outraged and shocked many at the time.


Elvis then sound the song live to Nipper, the RCA dog, the night before the recording session on the Steve Allen Show. They did over 30 takes on the song in the studio the next day. Producer Steve Sholes was ready to quit after take #26, but Elvis insisted on continuing, and finally take 31 was the one that became the master.

Leiber and Stoller initially hated Elvis' reading of "Hound Dog." They considered it "nervous," "frenetic" and "lacking any real groove." They also thought that it did not work at all lyrically with a man singing rather than a woman. When the single was released a couple of weeks later there was already a huge demand for "Hound Dog" because of the live TV performances. How ironic that the song ended up being the flip side of another song that was even a bigger hit. A much as I love the Big Mama Thornton record, I have the Presley record ranked higher on my all time list. The Elvis is #183 and the Big Mama is #386.

Image


Okay, time for song #5 now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_eE0NPArEY
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We are up among the top 5 Elvis songs now. The #5 song is "Mystery Train," the 5th and final Sun single, from 1955. The song was written and originally recorded by Junior Parker in 1953. This was also a Sun release, as by Little Junior's Blue Flames.


Elvis Presley's version of "Mystery Train" was first released on August 20, 1955, as the B-side of "I Forgot to Remember to Forget". In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 77 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. "Mystery Train" is now considered to be an "enduring classic". Presley's version is ranked the third most acclaimed song of 1955, by Acclaimed Music.

Rank - Artist --------Song
1 - Little Richard - Tutti Frutti
2 - Chuck Berry - Maybellene
3 - Elvis Presley - Mystery Train
4 - Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
5 - Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues

Image


Up now is song #4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxOBOhRECoo
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

The #4 song is (gulp) "Suspicious Minds" from 1969. This was Elvis' return to the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 after 7 years. He had last been there with "Good Luck Charm" in 1962. The song was written and first recorded by American songwriter Mark James. James had written "Hooked On A Feeling" for BJ Thomas. "Suspicious Minds" was recorded by Elvis Presley with producer Chips Moman after James' 1968 recording failed commercially. Session guitarist Reggie Young played on both the James and Presley versions.

"Suspicious Minds" is a very good record, no doubt, but I don't see it belonging up here with his greatest 1950s classics. It baffles me how the record can be so highly regarded by critics. Acclaimed Music ranks it as his third most acclaimed song after "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Hound Dog." And "Hound Dog" is just BARELY above it on their rankings.

Usually critics frown upon records where an act records a new version of a previously recorded song and does it in the same way as the earlier version. Presley's record is a direct copy of the Mark James original. Same arrangement, even the same guitar player. Elvis is a better singer, but I think the two versions are pretty close. I have the Elvis as an 8 and the James as a 7. See what you think:



I have to conclude that the critics either did not know that someone else had recorded the song before Elvis, and/or never heard his version. I can't see them ranking the Elvis record so highly if they had known the Mark James version from less than a year earlier.

Image


We are now at #3. All that's left are 3 monster #1 hits from the 1950s. THIS is #3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9BLw4W5KU8
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Nick »

Hymie wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:22 am
Usually critics frown upon records where an act records a new version of a previously recorded song and does it in the same way as the earlier version. Presley's record is a direct copy of the Mark James original. Same arrangement, even the same guitar player. Elvis is a better singer, but I think the two versions are pretty close. I have the Elvis as an 8 and the James as a 7. See what you think:
"Suspicious Minds" by Elvis is a solid 10/10 in my book, and among my top 100 songs of all time. The Mark James version is a 6/10 at best. Now there are a few things I like about the Elvis version more than the original. I like how the Elvis version starts off so immediately, how the guitars at the start of the song sound so much punchier than those at the start of the Mark James version. And there's also the false ending in the Elvis version, which extends the song to 4 and a half minutes as opposed to just 3. But these are relatively minor points, and really only account for a difference of about a point and a half. Where the real difference lies is in the singing. Elvis was a fantastic singer, and to me, his version of "Suspicious Minds" is him at his absolute peak. His voice is so full, so dramatic, rising almost to the point of melodrama but just, just missing it. Mark James, on the other hand, is not a very good singer at all. At best he's merely competent. His singing is relatively flat and lifeless, and it lacks the drama that the song needs. When I listen to the Elvis version I believe in the character he's portraying. When I listen to the Mark James version I hear a guy who was paid to sing a song.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Nick wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:43 am
Now there are a few things I like about the Elvis version more than the original. I like how the Elvis version starts off so immediately,
I don't get this comment. Both versions have the same intro with the vocal coming in at just before 8 seconds. The only difference is that the guitars are accented in the Elvis version while James has an organ in there. But each starts out just as quickly as the other.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Nick wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:43 am Elvis was a fantastic singer, and to me, his version of "Suspicious Minds" is him at his absolute peak.

I don't think many would agree that Elvis peaked in 1969.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Nick »

Hymie wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:59 am
Nick wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 1:43 am
Now there are a few things I like about the Elvis version more than the original. I like how the Elvis version starts off so immediately,
I don't get this comment. Both versions have the same intro with the vocal coming in at just before 8 seconds. The only difference is that the guitars are accented in the Elvis version while James has an organ in there. But each starts out just as quickly as the other.
Poor phrasing on my part. When I said "immediately" I didn't mean in terms of time, but in terms of immediacy, or, in other words, urgency. The guitar intro sounds much more urgent and immediate than the organ intro does.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by andyd1010 »

I agree with all of Nick's points. I would guess the consensus is that he peaked in 1956, but my favorite Elvis album (From Elvis in Memphis) and song (this one) came out in 1969. Hymie, I'm curious, what do you think was his best vocal performance? And do you think his vocal ability had declined by 1969? I think there are plenty of singers who can still sing well in their 30s and 40s (and beyond) but stop consistently releasing great music at that stage due more to a decline in creativity than performance ability. And in Elvis's case, there were a lot of other factors too.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

andyd1010 wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:03 am Hymie, I'm curious, what do you think was his best vocal performance?
I don't know, maybe "It's Now Or Never" or "Anyway You Want Me."

Certainly not "Suspicious Minds," In fact if I was to pick his best later day vocal I would say that would be "If I Can Dream," easily.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We just heard song #3 on the countdown, "Heartbreak Hotel," from 1956. This was his highly anticipated first original release on RCA, and it did not disappoint, getting to #1 on the Billboard Top 100 and staying there for 7 weeks, and also topping the country chart for an amazing 17 weeks.

The song was written by Tommy Durden and Mae Boren Axton (Hoyt Axton's mother). Elvis was also listed as a writer, but I don't think he wrote shit. That was just business. Tommy and Mae wrote the song after Tommy brought in a newspaper article about a man who had committed suicide and had left a note saying "I walk the lonely street." Axton approached the popular singing duo the Wilburn Brothers, and offered them the chance to record "Heartbreak Hotel". However, Doyle and Teddy Wilburn declined, describing the song as "strange and almost morbid". Axton, however, agreed to a publishing deal with Buddy Killen, a young Nashville bass player, who had recently set up his own publishing company called Tree Publishing. With a publishing deal in place, Axton arranged through Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker to present the song to Presley at the annual Country Music Disc Jockey Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was to be named the most promising male country star of 1955.

Here's the demo that Elvis heard, done by Glenn Reeves.


The song was recorded on January 10, 1956. To get the echo effect that Steve Sholes aw as an essential ingredient of the Sun Sound, a speaker was placed under the stairwell in the hallway, creating a swampy cavernous sound that was very different from Sam Phillips' carefully controlled "slapback." In fact, Sam Phillips so detested "Heartbreak Hotel" that he gave an interview on the subject to the New York Post.

I am baffled at why this record is by far the most critically acclaimed song of Presley's career. What makes it better than things like "Jailhouse Rock" and the Sun records?

Presley had first performed "Heartbreak Hotel" during a live show in December 1955 during a tour of the Louisiana Hayride, but the song gained strong popularity after his appearance on Stage Show in March 1956. It became a staple of Presley's repertoire in live appearances, last performed by him on May 29, 1977, at the Civic Center in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1995 "Heartbreak Hotel" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame,

Personnel
Elvis Presley – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Scotty Moore – electric guitar
Chet Atkins – acoustic guitar
Bill Black – double bass
D.J. Fontana – drums
Floyd Cramer – piano
Steve Sholes – producer, A&R
Bob Farris – engineer

Image


Just 2 songs left now. THIS IS #2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Lv6cHgnjo
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

We heard song #2, "Don't Be Cruel," from 1956. This song was listed on 36 of the 41 ballots, which was the most of any song on the list. It did however not get as many really high rankings as the #1 song, which had 56 more total points despite being listed on 2 fewer ballots.

"Don't Be Cruel" was written by Otis Blackwell, who agreed to give co-writing credit to Presley in order to get him to record the song. Freddy Bienstock, Presley's music publisher, gave the following explanation for why Elvis received co-writing credit for songs like "Don't Be Cruel." "In the early days Elvis would show dissatisfaction with some lines and he would make alterations, so it wasn't just what is known as a 'cut-in'. His name did not appear after the first year. But if Elvis liked the song, the writers would be offered a guarantee of a million records and they would surrender a third of their royalties to Elvis'."

The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1956 the song was #1 on the Billboard Top 100 for 7 weeks. Somehow it ended up as the stronger side of the single despite being back with "Hound Dog," which was already in demand before the record was even released. Presley performed "Don't Be Cruel" during all three of his appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1956 and January 1957.

When Sam Phillips heard "Don't Be Cruel" on the radio for the first time he pulled his car off the road while driving through Alabama. He said to himself, "They have finally found this man's ability. The rhythm was right, and it was moving along just right. It had that absolute spontaneity, and yet Elvis still had command." This casual spontaneity came after almost 30 takes.


Okay, We have arrived at the number one song on the countdown. Named on 34 ballots and totaling 2032 points, here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9M0xTltDfI
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

The number one song on the countdown is "Jailhouse Rock" from 1957. Written by Leiber and Stoller for the movie of the same name, it was another one of Elvis' monster 1950s hits, #1 on for 6 weeks on the Billboard Top 100, and also topping their R&B and country charts. Rolling Stone magazine included it at number 67 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2004, it finished at number 21 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. On November 27, 2016 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
In 2005, the song was re-released in the UK and reached number one for a single week.

Presley's performance of the song in the film, choreographed as a dance routine involving himself and a large group of male prisoners, was featured among other classic MGM musical numbers in the 1994 documentary That's Entertainment! III. The film version differs from the single version of the song, featuring backing instrumentation and vocals not heard on the record.


Some of the characters named in the song are real people. Shifty Henry was a well-known LA musician, not a criminal. The Purple Gang was a real mob. "Sad Sack" was a U.S. Army nickname in World War II for a loser, which also became the name of a popular comic strip and comic book character.

According to Rolling Stone, Leiber and Stoller's "theme song for Presley's third movie was decidedly silly, the kind of tongue-in-cheek goof they had come up with for The Coasters. The King, however, sang it as straight rock & roll, overlooking the jokes in the lyrics (like the suggestion of gay romance when inmate Number 47 tells Number 3, 'You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see') and then introducing Scotty Moore's guitar solo with a cry so intense that the take almost collapses." Gender studies scholars cite the song for "its famous reference to homoerotics behind bars," while music critic Garry Mulholland writes, "'Jailhouse Rock' was always a queer lyric, in both senses." Douglas Brode writes of the filmed production number that it's "amazing that the sequence passed by the censors".

Image


RANK-BALLOTS-POINTS-TITLE-YEAR
001 - 34-2032 - Jailhouse Rock - 1957
002 - 36-1976 - Don't Be Cruel - 1956
003 - 34-1921 - Heartbreak Hotel - 1956
004 - 34-1845 - Suspicious Minds - 1969
005 - 33-1659 - Mystery Train - 1955
006 - 33-1653 - Hound Dog - 1956
007 - 33-1646 - That's All Right - 1954
008 - 34-1617 - All Shook Up - 1957
009 - 30-1493 - Burning Love - 1972
010 - 29-1370 - Can't Help Falling In Love - 1961
011 - 25-1193 - In The Ghetto - 1969
012 - 22-1011 - Are You Lonesome Tonight - 1960
013 - 21-921 - Blue Moon of Kentucky - 1954
014 - 22-893 - Blue Christmas - 1957
015 - 19-892 - Baby Let's Play House - 1955
016 - 19-883 - It's Now Or Never - 1960
017 - 21-879 - One Night - 1958
018 - 22-876 - (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame - 1961
019 - 20-860 - Blue Moon - 1956
020 - 19-824 - Return To Sender - 1962
021 - 19-822 - Love Me Tender - 1956
022 - 19-821 - Little Sister - 1961
023 - 19-789 - Good Rockin' Tonight - 1954
024 - 20-757 - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - 1956
025 - 16-718 - My Baby Left Me - 1956
026 - 16-686 - Always On My Mind - 1972
027 - 17-665 - Blue Suede Shoes - 1956
028 - 16-658 - Kentucky Rain - 1970
029 - 13-647 - A Little Less Conversation - 1968
030 - 15-586 - Crying In The Chapel - 1965
031 - 16-579 - Too Much - 1957
032 - 14-564 - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - 1957
033 - 16-558 - (You're The) Devil In Disguise - 1963
034 - 15-553 - Don't - 1957
035 - 15-552 - If I Can Dream - 1968
036 - 15-541 - Treat Me Nice - 1957
037 - 12-535 - I Was The One - 1956
038 - 12-503 - Milkcow Blues Boogie - 1955
039 - 13-497 - Stuck On You - 1960
040 - 16-489 - A Big Hunk O' Love - 1959
041 - 11-470 - Trying To Get To You - 1956
042 - 14-468 - King Creole - 1958
043 - 17-460 - (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I - 1959
044 - 10-444 - The Wonder Of You - 1970
045 - 09-440 - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone - 1955
046 - 10-438 - Love Me - 1956
047 - 12-431 - A Mess of Blues - 1960
048 - 11-421 - Surrender - 1961
049 - 08-411 - I Don't Care if The Sun Don't Shine - 1954
050 - 10-407 - So Glad You're Mine - 1956
051 - 10-405 - Just Because - 1956
052 - 09-373 - One Sided Love Affair - 1956
053 - 12-370 - Good Luck Charm - 1962
054 - 10-368 - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - 1956
055 - 09-352 - Ain't That Loving You Baby - 1964
056 - 09-346 - Santa Claus is Back in Town - 1957
057 - 11-339 - Hard Headed Woman - 1958
058 - 11-332 - (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 1957
059 - 10-330 - An American Trilogy - 1972
060 - 09-307 - (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) - 1957
061 - 07-286 - Trouble - 1958
062 - 10-280 - I Need Your Love Tonight - 1959
063 - 06-276 - Viva Las Vegas - 1964
064 - 09-268 - Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do - 1957
065 - 09-266 - Paralyzed - 1956
066 - 10-259 - I Feel So Bad - 1961
067 - 06-230 - You're A Heartbreaker - 1955
068 - 06-225 - Way Down - 1977
069 - 06-216 - I Forgot To Remember To Forget - 1955
070 - 06-213 - Money Honey - 1956
071 - 08-210 - I Beg of You - 1957
072 - 05-205 - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - 1956
073 - 05-202 - That's When Your Heartaches Begin - 1957
074 - 04-198 - Anyway You Want Me - 1956
075 - 07-197 - Such A Night - 1960
076 - 07-195 - Reconsider Baby - 1960
077 - 04-183 - Fame And Fortune - 1960
078 - 06-180 - Guitar Man - 1967
079 - 05-178 - Suspicion - 1962
080 - 05-173 - Promised Land - 1974
081 - 05-172 - Mean Woman Blues - 1957
082 - 04-172 - Indescribably Blue - 1967
083 - 05-170 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) - 1956
084 - 03-168 - Harbor Lights - 1954
085 - 05-159 - Playing For Keeps - 1957
086 - 06-158 - I Got A Woman - 1956
087 - 09-156 - Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - 1958
088 - 04-154 - You'll Think of Me - 1969
089 - 08-153 - I Got Stung - 1958
090 - 06-153 - Loving You - 1957
091 - 04-152 - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - 1970
092 - 04-148 - Wooden Heart - 1960
093 - 05-147 - Moody Blue - 1976
094 - 03-135 - Rubberneckin'- 1969
095 - 04-133 - Tomorrow Is A Long Time - 1966
096 - 04-127 - Like A Baby - 1960
097 - 03-124 - I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) - 1956
098 - 03-123 - I Just Can't Help Believin'- 1970
099 - 03-120 - Long Black Limousine - 1969
100 - 03-119 - Inherit the Wind - 1969
101 - 03-119 - Follow That Dream - 1962
102 - 02-119 - It Hurts Me - 1964
103 - 04-116 - Wearin' That Loved On Look - 1969
104 - 04-115 - She's Not You - 1962
105 - 03-114 - One Night (of Sin) - 1957
106 - 03-106 - Any Day Now - 1969
107 - 03-105 - Big Boss Man - 1967
108 - 03-102 - I'll Be Home For Christmas - 1957
109 - 02-101 - We Can Make the Morning - 1972
====================================================
110 - 02-98 - Anything That's Part of You
111 - 03-97 - Here Comes Santa Claus
112 - 02-95 - Mama Liked the Roses
113 - 02-92 - Fever
114 - 03-91 - I Want To Be Free
115 - 03-89 - It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'
116 - 03-87 - Hurt
117 - 02-87 - Amazing Grace
118 - 02-85 - Bossa Nova Baby
119 - 02-85 - Crawfish
120 - 02-82 - Rock-A-Hula Baby
121 - 02-81 - We're Gonna Move
122 - 02-79 - I Love You Because
122 - 02-79 - The Girl of My Best Friend
124 - 03-78 - Tomorrow Night
125 - 02-78 - Tiger Man (Live)
126 - 02-78 - First In Line
127 - 03-77 - Don't Cry Daddy
128 - 02-76 - Young And Beautiful
129 - 02-76 - I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water
130 - 02-75 - That's Someone You Never Forget
131 - 02-75 - I Will Be Home Again
132 - 02-72 - I'll Hold You in My Heart
133 - 02-71 - Loving Arms
134 - 02-71 - Trying To Get To You (live)
135 - 03-69 - Shake, Rattle And Roll
136 - 02-69 - Shake, Rattle And Roll / Flip, Flop And Fly (Live)
137 - 02-68 - Take My Hand Precious Lord
138 - 02-63 - Memories
139 - 02-59 - Pocketful of Rainbows
140 - 03-58 - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
141 - 02-58 - Merry Christmas, Baby
142 - 02-55 - When It Rains It Really Pours
143 - 02-55 - Ready Teddy
144 - 02-52 - I Need You So
145 - 03-50 - It’s Your Baby You Rock It
146 - 02-50 - Girls! Girls! Girls!
147 - 02-49 - U.S. Male
148 - 02-46 - I Gotta Know
149 - 02-45 - Doncha' Think It's Time
150 - 02-41 - The Fool
151 - 02-39 - Only The strong Survive
152 - 02-36 - Power of My Love
153 - 02-35 - I Got a Feelin' in My Body
========================================================================


Here is a breakdown of the songs on the countdown by year.

YEARS

1954
007 - 33-1646 - That's All Right - 1954
013 - 21-921 - Blue Moon of Kentucky - 1954
023 - 19-789 - Good Rockin' Tonight - 1954
049 - 08-411 - I Don't Care if The Sun Don't Shine - 1954
084 - 03-168 - Harbor Lights - 1954

1955
005 - 33-1659 - Mystery Train - 1955
015 - 19-892 - Baby Let's Play House - 1955
038 - 12-503 - Milkcow Blues Boogie - 1955
045 - 09-440 - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone - 1955
067 - 06-230 - You're A Heartbreaker - 1955
069 - 06-216 - I Forgot To Remember To Forget - 1955

1956
002 - 36-1976 - Don't Be Cruel - 1956
003 - 34-1921 - Heartbreak Hotel - 1956
006 - 33-1653 - Hound Dog - 1956
019 - 20-860 - Blue Moon - 1956
021 - 19-822 - Love Me Tender - 1956
024 - 20-757 - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - 1956
025 - 16-718 - My Baby Left Me - 1956
027 - 17-665 - Blue Suede Shoes - 1956
037 - 12-535 - I Was The One - 1956
041 - 11-470 - Trying To Get To You - 1956
046 - 10-438 - Love Me - 1956
050 - 10-407 - So Glad You're Mine - 1956
051 - 10-405 - Just Because - 1956
052 - 09-373 - One Sided Love Affair - 1956
054 - 10-368 - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - 1956
065 - 09-266 - Paralyzed - 1956
070 - 06-213 - Money Honey - 1956
072 - 05-205 - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - 1956
074 - 04-198 - Anyway You Want Me - 1956
083 - 05-170 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) - 1956
086 - 06-158 - I Got A Woman - 1956
097 - 03-124 - I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) - 1956

1957
001 - 34-2032 - Jailhouse Rock - 1957
008 - 34-1617 - All Shook Up - 1957
014 - 22-893 - Blue Christmas - 1957
031 - 16-579 - Too Much - 1957
032 - 14-564 - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - 1957
034 - 15-553 - Don't - 1957
036 - 15-541 - Treat Me Nice - 1957
056 - 09-346 - Santa Claus is Back in Town - 1957
058 - 11-332 - (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 1957
060 - 09-307 - (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) - 1957
064 - 09-268 - Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do - 1957
071 - 08-210 - I Beg of You - 1957
073 - 05-202 - That's When Your Heartaches Begin - 1957
081 - 05-172 - Mean Woman Blues - 1957
085 - 05-159 - Playing For Keeps - 1957
090 - 06-153 - Loving You - 1957
105 - 03-114 - One Night (of Sin) - 1957
108 - 03-102 - I'll Be Home For Christmas - 1957

1958
017 - 21-879 - One Night - 1958
042 - 14-468 - King Creole - 1958
057 - 11-339 - Hard Headed Woman - 1958
061 - 07-286 - Trouble - 1958
087 - 09-156 - Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - 1958
089 - 08-153 - I Got Stung - 1958

1959
040 - 16-489 - A Big Hunk O' Love - 1959
043 - 17-460 - (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I - 1959
062 - 10-280 - I Need Your Love Tonight - 1959

1960
012 - 22-1011 - Are You Lonesome Tonight - 1960
016 - 19-883 - It's Now Or Never - 1960
039 - 13-497 - Stuck On You - 1960
047 - 12-431 - A Mess of Blues - 1960
075 - 07-197 - Such A Night - 1960
076 - 07-195 - Reconsider Baby - 1960
077 - 04-183 - Fame And Fortune - 1960
092 - 04-148 - Wooden Heart - 1960
096 - 04-127 - Like A Baby - 1960

1961
010 - 29-1370 - Can't Help Falling In Love - 1961
018 - 22-876 - (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame - 1961
022 - 19-821 - Little Sister - 1961
048 - 11-421 - Surrender - 1961
066 - 10-259 - I Feel So Bad - 1961

1962
020 - 19-824 - Return To Sender - 1962
053 - 12-370 - Good Luck Charm - 1962
079 - 05-178 - Suspicion - 1962
101 - 03-119 - Follow That Dream - 1962
104 - 04-115 - She's Not You - 1962

1963
033 - 16-558 - (You're The) Devil In Disguise - 1963

1964
055 - 09-352 - Ain't That Loving You Baby - 1964
063 - 06-276 - Viva Las Vegas - 1964
102 - 02-119 - It Hurts Me - 1964

1965
030 - 15-586 - Crying In The Chapel - 1965

1966
095 - 04-133 - Tomorrow Is A Long Time - 1966

1967
078 - 06-180 - Guitar Man - 1967
082 - 04-172 - Indescribably Blue - 1967
107 - 03-105 - Big Boss Man - 1967

1968
029 - 13-647 - A Little Less Conversation - 1968
035 - 15-552 - If I Can Dream - 1968

1969
004 - 34-1845 - Suspicious Minds - 1969
011 - 25-1193 - In The Ghetto - 1969
088 - 04-154 - You'll Think of Me - 1969
094 - 03-135 - Rubberneckin'- 1969
099 - 03-120 - Long Black Limousine - 1969
100 - 03-119 - Inherit the Wind - 1969
103 - 04-116 - Wearin' That Loved On Look - 1969
106 - 03-106 - Any Day Now - 1969

1970
028 - 16-658 - Kentucky Rain - 1970
044 - 10-444 - The Wonder Of You - 1970
091 - 04-152 - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - 1970
098 - 03-123 - I Just Can't Help Believin'- 1970

1972
009 - 30-1493 - Burning Love - 1972
026 - 16-686 - Always On My Mind - 1972
059 - 10-330 - An American Trilogy - 1972
109 - 02-101 - We Can Make the Morning - 1972

1974
080 - 05-173 - Promised Land - 1974

1976
093 - 05-147 - Moody Blue - 1976

1977
068 - 06-225 - Way Down - 1977

======================================================================================


And finally, the songs that were only named on one ballot, along with their point total.

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love -46
A Little Bit Of Green -56
And I Love You So -47
And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind -68
As Long As I Have You -75
Black Star -11
Bridge Over Troubled Water -33
Charro -21
Clean Up Your Own Backyard -12
Danny Boy -62
Dirty, Dirty Feeling -16
Dixieland Rock -21
Do The Clam -46
Do You Know who I Am? -18
Drums Of The Islands -75
Edge of Reality -31
Flaming Star -18
For The Heart -16
Frankie And Johnny -34
From A Jack To A King -19
G.I. Blues -19
Hard Knocks -19
His Hand In Mine -13
How Do You Think I Feel -49
How Great Thou Art -20
How's The World Treating You -38
I Can't Stop Loving You (Live) -14
If Every Day Was Like Christmas -48
I'll Remember You -41
I'm A Roustabout -48
I'm Counting On You -37
I Met Her Today -54
I'm Movin' On -32
I Need Somebody To Lean On -12
In My Own Way -50
It Feels So Right -12
It's A Sin -52
I've Got A Thing About you Baby -52
I Want You With Me -45
I Was Born About 10,000 Years Ago -18
Judy -50
Just Pretend -17
King of The Whole Wide World -17
Kissin' Cousins -25
Let Me -28
Lonely Man -46
Love Letters -26
Make Me Know It -36
Make the World Go Away -25
Mary in the Morning -15
Memphis Tennessee -13
Money Honey (Live) -49
My Way -25
Night Rider -18
Old Shep -24
O Little Town of Bethlehem -23
On A Snowy Christmas Night -46
One Broken Heart for Sale -50
One Night (Live) -27
Party -18
Patch It Up -42
Pieces of My Life -30
Reconsider Baby (Live) -34
Rip It Up -19
Saved -56
Separate Ways -11
Silent Night -21
Soldier Boy -13
Something Blue -49
Song of the Shrimp -17
Stand By Me -68
Starting Today -58
Stay Away -49
Stranger In My Own Home Town -26
Summer Kisses, Winter Tears -38
There Goes My Everything -43
There's Always Me -60
The Sound of Your Cry -29
This Is The Story -20
Tomorrow Never Comes -34
Tonight Is So Right for Love -35
T-R-O-U-B-L-E -40
True Love Travels on a Gravel Road -29
TV Special Medley -41
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On -16
Without Love -58
You'll Be Gone -41
You'll Never Walk Alone -71
Your Cheatin' Heart -54
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by mileswide »

Exhaustively researched, enjoyed reading the back stories of all the songs! Any chance of a Johnny Cash poll at some point if it hasn't already been done?
All I got inside is vacancy!
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

mileswide wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 6:45 pm Exhaustively researched, enjoyed reading the back stories of all the songs! Any chance of a Johnny Cash poll at some point if it hasn't already been done?
Thanks. Cash would be rough for me. I really like his Sun stuff and a few Columbia things, but I don't know many of his songs after the 60s.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by mileswide »

Hymie wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 9:46 pm Thanks. Cash would be rough for me. I really like his Sun stuff and a few Columbia things, but I don't know many of his songs after the 60s.
Love almost all eras of Cash (couldn't quite bring myself to include the schlocky The Night Hank Williams Came to Town on my 1987 songs list though) but his time at Sun yielded some of his best stuff- his greatest song in my eyes Big River plus There You Go, Cry Cry Cry, Guess Things Happen That Way, I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison...

If you'd consider a poll along those lines, I could do the synopses for his post-60s songs. I'd keep it in the same format and house style of course. Reading Steve Turner's biog The Man Called Cash at the moment, so I'm really in a JC mood. Just a thought, no pressure!
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Safetycat »

accidentally posted twice, how do i delete a post :?
Last edited by Safetycat on Sun Sep 01, 2019 11:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Safetycat »

Thanks for this poll, it's been an amazing time reading all of your information and listening to the songs I didn't know.

I don't know if it's true for anyone else, but my top vote for Suspicious Minds was mainly for his live performance on From Vegas to Memphis. It was randomly included instead of the single version in some music I acquired once, and I just think it's a fantastic version of the song:
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Re: Best Elvis Presley Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Safetycat wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 11:28 pm Thanks for this poll, it's been an amazing time reading all of your information and listening to the songs I didn't know.

I don't know if it's true for anyone else, but my top vote for Suspicious Minds was mainly for his live performance on From Vegas to Memphis. It was randomly included instead of the single version in some music I acquired once, and I just think it's a fantastic version of the song:
I don't need 7 minutes plus of that song!
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