Which Elvis Gospel album do you think is his Best?

[Raised on Rock]

As you may know Elvis had a deep love for gospel music, anykind, an on several recording sessions he recorded some gospel tunes along the way, like Who Am I? on The American Sound Studios, and he often sing his favourites tune in this genere on stage.

Yet, among all the many recoding sessions he had, he devoted only four just for spirituals, "The Peace in the Valley sessions" in ?57, "The His Hand in Mine Sessions" ?60, "The How Great Thou Art sessions" in ?67, and "The He Touched Me sessions" in ?71; all four in their time and place are some of the fines material Elvis ever recorded, and the released albums made of those session are among his finest ones.

So from your very personal point of view, which of those sessions/albums, is the better crafted, inspired, performed, produced, has the best musicians, gospel quartets, even which of those has the better cover art, and with which of those do you think Elvis felt more satisfied.

Ill post my choice latter on.

Have a good one!

P.S. I meant do you think.

[Suspicious Minds]

I voted for His Hand In Mine. This is like a rock'n' roll album, only in Gospel style. I play this album more than the others.

[rockin]

All of them are wonderful, but in my opinion "He Touched Me" is his best.
The reason being is because the album is unique in that the album was before its time. The gospel albums '71 mostly were of old hymns, where as Elvis was more contemporary and even had the sounds of contemporary music. The "He Touched Me" album showed a change in Christian music as we know it.
(y) (y) (y) (y)

[ForeverTheKing]

I voted His Hand In Mine just because it's the first I bought and it's the album that made me know Gospel music for the first time.
Anyway...I can't decide what's the best one 'cause I like every album...the last ones are more mature (especially Elvis' voice) but I like also the songs in the album I've choosen.:P

[MauriceColgan]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/MauriceColgan/GOSPEL.jpg The Original Album.

Peace In The Valley was only an EP but Elvis did sing those songs beautifully.

I like many of the late Gospel songs so I am really frustrated with this question...too many qualifications would be needed to reply........so I wont:-)

[Diane]

I like my life as straight forward and as uncomplicated as I can get it. I have all of the gospel albums in vinyl but I also bought the He Touched Me cd as it was my favorite so I'll go with that.

[Polk-Salad-Annie]

All of them are wonderful, but in my opinion Peace in the valley is the one i like the most.(y) (y)

[Elvisgirl]

i can't choose. all of hem

[Suspicious Minds]

I do like the other albums but His Hand In Mine was my first religious album in my collection.

[Raised on Rock]

Think you should change your question because it's not a matter of which album was the best, but which album do you like the best. It's all a matter of personal taste and not the quality of the album. Besides that it would be unfair to compare an album that was recorded in the fifties with an album that was recroded in the seventies. Elvis voice was improved, the recording technigues were inproved and the equippment.
Personally I like "He Touched Me" the most.

No I dont think I should change it cause thats exactly what I want to know form all of you, your opinions about the quality of the album; for example, I do think ELvis is Back is his best album from the 60's, thats about quality, but I happend to enjoy more From Elvis in Memphis, you know what I mean now? so From Elvis Memphis is my personal favourite, thats about personal tastes and my feelings towards that LP, but in rigorous musical terms I do think Elvis Is Back is superior, and thats about my own understanding and personal thoughts about music, thoughts that must be sustaintable on certain knowledge but that of course are not universal or ultimate true for everybody to agree with, and that why I want to know about what do you think is Elvis BEST gospel album, and yeah sure, tell us by the way which one you love the most.

Yes, and album made in the 50's is crafted in very diferent circumstances that one in the 60's, but hey, the fact that ELvis had impoved his vocal abilities, and that technology had bee improved to, well that doesnt make the Clambake sessions artisticly superior than the primitive Sun Session, see what I mean? one thing is technology and technique changing in time an another is artistic achievment, and if you like Clambake more than Mystery Train, well thats totally fine, a matter of tastes, but one thing is that an another is to do critic review of both albums a matter of thoughts about what is artistic creation in human history.

To compare those albums side by side, that will not prove much, but to compare them with many other gospel albums released around the same time each of Elvis gospel Lp?s where released will give you more clues, which was the most outstanting in its time.

[Lonniebealestreet]

He Touched Me. The songs were very contemporary and Elvis' singing was superb--not only rich as ever, but quite spirited. On other songs from the same sessions he did not sound as inspired, which stands to reason.

I just put the LP on. Sounds absolutely fantastic.

You know...when most people name their favorite Elvis albums they tend to not include the gospel albums even if they are among their favorites. This is definitely one of mine.

[Menwithbrokenhearts]

I think " He Touched Me" is the best one for many of the reasons above . "Peace in the Valley" is my favorite because that is the one I first heard that my grandfather owned. Good memories associated with that one.

[P.S. Annie]

Though question but I think I go for He touched me:king:

[JDD]

Though I accidently voted for the wrong one above, the How Great Thou Art was my favorite of the ones he put out during his life.

That said over all I like the one called Elvis Ultimate Gospel the best because it covers the best of all of my favorites from the gospel albums he released. I probably wouldn't have originally bought it, but it was a gift from my son to me and I ended up being really happy with it.

[Cryogenic]

Even though I am still not well versed in the gospel music of Elvis Presley...

"How Great Thou Art" is my favourite. His voice is simply unreal on this album. Every song drips with utter reverence for the divine. And I say this as a pantheist (that's someone who believes in a creator, but not the Christian, Muslim or any kind of God traditionally revealed by religion). "How Great Thou Art", "In The Garden", "Stand By Me", "Run On" and "Crying In The Chapel" -- what singing! The engineering sounds very impressive, too. But it's really all about Elvis: he is totally into all of these songs. "Run On" is also notable for its contemporary sound. A gospel rocker! This is one of my favourites, even though I don't agree with the sentiment of God cutting anyone down! But it''s eclipsed by what is probably my all-time favourite. "Crying In The Chapel" is just gorgeous. Absolute serenity through music.

"He Touched Me" might be my second choice. If only because it's so different. "Amazing Grace" alone shows the power of Elvis. He was like a poet, but of singing, able to defamiliarise the familiar, deconstructing a classic, then reconstructing it into something entirely different, and doing it so thoroughly and so convincingly that it was rendered anew. Such is the case here. Elvis could have gone for a more traditional rendering of "Amazing Grace", and he might still have topped everyone else, but he deliberately went for a bluesier feel, and it completely sets itself apart, wholly and absolutely. The harmonising is also like nothing else on an Elvis Presley record. It's a bullseye. Pow!

[MauriceColgan]

"Elvis' Christmas Album" 1957 must have given many of Elvis's original fans a taste for Gospel music. I remember how surprised I was by the whole album at that time, but I distinctly remember the Peace in the Valley song striking a chord.

The "Amazing Grace" CD set brought us back to listening to the gospel collection. Then came the "He Touched Me" videos and we found ourselves once again immersed in this gospel music....and we are Atheists!

The BBC kindly sent us a video of it's TV coverage of Elvis's gospel music in "Heaven" a Sunday morning religious programme. Maybe we should request another look at it? heaven@bbc.co.uk

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/MauriceColgan/ELCHRIS.jpg UK Version of the 1957 Album.

[hounddog]

How Great Thou Art, i love Where No One Stands Alone, he sings that song with the same sort of passion as he does If I Can Dream.

[JerryNodak]

I rank them:
How Great Thou Art
His Hand In Mine
He Touched Me
Peace In The Valley (The only song I like is the title song).

[Dudcowboy_1]

He Touched Me is my favortie gospel song of all time I can never sing it live because I start crying, because makes you think of him(elvis.)

[Menwithbrokenhearts]

He Touched Me is my favortie gospel song of all time I can never sing it live because I start crying, because makes you think of him(elvis.)
Hey man, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord " does that to me. If i were a performer there is no way I could ever sing that song. I can see it playing in the background as Elvis is received in Heaven. I can see him singing that song and wanting the pain to go away. Needing devine intervention. It makes me profoundly sad.

[nashville cat]

A few months ago, I may have said He Touched Me, but currently it's probably How Great Thou Art. Certain performances on He Touched Me sound a little rushed to my ears, I think more time was spent on HGTA, and it shows. Love the big vocal sound from the Imperials and the Jordanaires on that one too.

[jak]

He Touched Me is my pick.I think he is beyond compare on that.He never sounded more sincere to me.His voice is perfect.
Jak

[Burning_Love]

He touched me.
As i have none of the others.
But love the album, been addicted to this one lately :D

[TurnpikeTaylor]

My fave and vote went to "How Great Thou Art", infact this album is one of my all time fave albums. Yet i think this album could have been even better, as i have always thought Elvis was not in great voice during these sessions.

[ruggishboo]

One of my friends that isn't a big Elvis fan once told me they really liked his gospel records because "Elvis made gospel music sound cool, and he sang those better than anything else I've heard". In my opinion, Elvis put more of his heart and soul into his recordings of gospel music. The "How Great Thou Art" sessions were probably some of his best recordings in his 23-year career, recorded in the middle of his Hollywood years. The richness and depth of these songs stands in stark contrast to what was dished out for say the Frankie and Johnny soundtrack. The "He Touched Me" album was as someone else said, "ahead of its time". He seemed to me to put more effort on this that some of the other songs he recorded at the same sessions. And "His Hand in Mine" is Elvis at his post-army best. His voice was incredible in 1960, and this album showcases that. I love listening to Elvis sing gospel. I think if he would have lived another twenty years, he would have participated in the Gaither gospel videos of the 90's often. He would of loved singing with some of his gospel heroes on a regular basis. Just my opinion though...

[SeeSeeRider777]

I dont listen to any gospel music except for Elvis'. I dont like anybody else's versions of gospel music. I dont connect with any other artist's versions of gospel music. The best album is He Touched Me. Lead me, Guide Me is my favorite gospel song.

[rhythmknights]

How Great Thou Art, because it's the one I own. i really do wish i could critique his voice and methods like some of the others, but i'm just not that knowledgeable. RaisedOnRock, i do enjoy your posts.
my favorite gospel songs is Lead Me, Guide Me & You Gave Me a Mountain.

[MJ27]

I am not religious ,but I love the "How Great Thou Art" album. Elvis' voice blending in with the choir is magnificent!.(y)

[Elvis 1972]

"His Hand In Mine" everything about the album is perfect!

Rita

[KPM]

I had a hard choice but went with "How Great Thou Art" many of those songs are songs I sang in church so it influenced my choice. "He Touched Me" would be next I love "Reach Out to Jesus" and "Seeing Is Believing" both great gospel records.

[Diane]

Well you know I have all those albums in vinyl and only "Amazing Grace" in a CD so I would be hard put to choose. Choosing individual songs would be easier.

Diane

[Wendy56]

"Elvis' Christmas Album" 1957 must have given many of Elvis's original fans a taste for Gospel music. I remember how surprised I was by the whole album at that time, but I distinctly remember the Peace in the Valley song striking a chord.

The "Amazing Grace" CD set brought us back to listening to the gospel collection. Then came the "He Touched Me" videos and we found ourselves once again immersed in this gospel music....and we are Atheists!

The BBC kindly sent us a video of it's TV coverage of Elvis's gospel music in "Heaven" a Sunday morning religious programme. Maybe we should request another look at it?
Another well said! :clap:

[Wendy56]

I can't pick any. All are great albums.

[Getlo]

I do enjoy the He Touched Me album more than How Great Thou Art, but HGTA is the superior album, IMO. The vocals are sincere and restrained, and the album is beautifully produced.

His Hand In Mine? Good, yes. Great? No. It was sincere, yes, but I think he was to young to produce a truly great gospel album at that stage of his life.

[Memory]

I like it all but I vote for he touched me.It was my first gospel record (y)

[artfromtex]

to me, it's a no brainer. "How Great Thou Art" had better songs, production, and performances.

i also like the traditional gospel style far better than the contempory style.

[kathy parkinson]

He touched me

[marijaep]

"He Touched Me" for me too (y)

[alstrada]

i can't choose. all of hem

[cameron]

He Touched Me

[TotallyInsane]

He Touched Me

You been to bed yet or you pulling an all nighter??? :D

[cameron]

You been to bed yet or you pulling an all nighter??? :D
Went to bed early. Now, I pay the price today.
Very aggravating to wake up so early. :blink:

[TotallyInsane]

Went to bed early. Now, I pay the price today.
Very aggravating to wake up so early. :blink:

Me too - we should be in rare form by 10:00 am!!!!!

[Unchained Melody]

Peace In The Valley followed closely by He Touched Me....(y)

[rams]

:hmm:Without a doubt, "His Hand in Mine" is easily and by far away his most treasured Gospel Album.(y) This album is frequently overlooked and very underrated but this is the True GEM of his Gospel offering.(y)
:hmm:Mostly overlooked because of the popularity of "How Great Thou Art" being used throughout his shows at times and the Grammy involvement with it but again my opinion lies with "HIS Hand In Mine" !!!(y)(y)(y)(y)

rams

[Cryogenic]

I agree. To me, "His Hand in Mine" is magnificent and a stunning masterpiece of singing, arrangement and production. Someone on EIN wrote it's like being bathed in milk and honey -- I'll go with that. The lilting piano, the gentle brilliance of Elvis' voice, the sweet harmonies, the firm optimism in the celebration of the numinous and the divine ..... it's all there, for me. It's funny. I gave a different answer on Page One of this thread, but that was before I was familiar with HHiM. This is now my #1!

[LianaKaralivanou]

I voted for "How Great Thou Art". This song always does something to me...I find the lyrics soooo touching, so unbelievable.

[renapap05]

It's a really tough question....:hmm::hmm: Finally I voted for "His Hand in Mine".Good Gospel by Elvis(y)(y)

[dj_ethan]

How Great Thou Art

[Dino78]

My favourite one is "How great thou art".
Followed by "His hand in mine" and "He touched me".

[easyrider]

i voted His Hand In Mine but i like all albums

[shelley.m.]

I enjoy the album His Hand In Mine.

[Elvis Girl]

i like them all lol it's so hard to say which i like more than others!