Coolest Intro to An Elvis Song

[Unchained Melody]

I'd go for...

Way Down
Johny B Goode
Steamroller Blues
Promised Land
TROUBLE
Raised On Rock
Walk A Mile In My Shoes

What's your picks.....

PS. Notice all my choices are from the 70's basically because I have been playing the Walk A Mile In My Shoes boxset continuously !!

[Albert]

Great question and excellent choices to begin with

WHen I was a young kid, I listened to my father's Elvis records. He only had two live albums: CBS The Concert ('77) and Elvis In Person ('69). I remember loving the intro of Johnny Be Good when after James' part, the bass would slide in, followed by the drums.


Another intro that always, ALWAYS pleases me is the one from Can't Help Falling In Love (live version): silence, fantastic pianopart, great piece of drumming and then Elvis falling in... the fact that it has been used more than 1000 times during his last 7 years should say enough about the quality of this song.

Third choice would be "Steamroller Blues": the intro has been changed slightly over the years, but it kept being a wonderfull, dirty, swampy intro with drums, piano, guitar and bass... fantastic

But browsing through my collection for this topic, it's funny to suddenly find out that Elvis' music has fantastic intro's. Just look at songs as Give Me The Right (or any other song from the Something For Everyone album) or That's Something You'll Never Forget (one of the most artistic, haunting intro's of an Elvissong).

P.S. Fantastic avatar you've got. Is that edited? It's a very and rare point of view.

[ehollier]

Have you ever noticed that many of the songs that he sang on stage had no intros. Its almost like the band would let him sing the first line of the next song and then fall into step with him?? I know he didn't do this for each song, but if you watch some of this concerts on dvd, you will notice this.

As far as favorite intros, its hard to beat "C C Rider" (after 2000 intro but before the actual song begins) in concert. As far as recorded songs not performed live, I'd say that I love "Stranger in my Hometown" or "Power of my Love"!!!!!!!!!

[rocknroll]

Jailhouse Rock
Little Sister

No intro winner, hands down, is Hound Dog.

[ehollier]

..................

No intro winner, hands down, is Hound Dog.

Especially when it was preceeded by one of those hilarous monologue/stories that he was known to tell.

Also, I forgot about Little Sister....what a cool song!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[torpor97]

Polk Salad Annie
Tryin To Get To You

[SeeSeeRider777]

See See Rider after the 2001 intro

If You Dont Come Back- Pure Funk. Love that song.

[rocknroll]

Especially when it was preceeded by one of those hilarous monologue/stories that he was known to tell.

Also, I forgot about Little Sister....what a cool song!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was thinking more about the original recording of Hound Dog. Very explosive.

[artfromtex]

"Promised Land" get me pumped every time i hear that bass kick in. is that Putnam? (i'm a big Scheff fan)

...and Elvis In Person ('69). I remember loving the intro of Johnny Be Good when after James' part, the bass would slide in, followed by the drums.

dude, i know exactly what you mean. that is rock n' roll DNA right there. that electric piano banging away into the verse is pretty mean too. it's distorted almost like Deep Purple.

[utmom2008]

I have always loved the slow, sexy intro to You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling.

[Awickedreigndrop]

I'll say "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" from the 68 Comback Special

[Getlo]

Too many to mention, but ...

My Babe (1969, not 1972!)
Steamroller Blues

... are two of my favourites.

[utmom2008]

Too many to mention, but ...

My Babe (1969, not 1972!)

That entire 1969 version is great! When he sings...she don't, she don't, she don't Oh God.... that is the King of cool and sexy.

[elvisia]

Intro by John Wilkinson to Early morning rain, I just love that....it sounds so great.

[marijaep]

Great thread Brad

"T-R-O-U-B-L-E"
"Baby What Do You Want Me To Do"
"Jailhouse Rock"
"Way Down"

[Suspicious Minds]

I thought The Wonder of You had an intro before Elvis starts to sing this song. Let It Be Me is another.
Being a country boy I don't understand this cool language.

[Sonny]

Blue Suede Shoes (Live in 1969, love that rockin intro)

My Baby Left Me (original version, very cool!)

[SleepyJack]

The opening to "My baby left me"...the original. The start of "Little sister". The guitar opening to the `69 versions of "Johnny B. Goode".The intro to "Clean up your own backyard".

[Unchained Melody]

How could I forget such great ones like Jailhouse Rock the '57 version of course !!

[Tony Trout]

"Promised Land" get me pumped every time i hear that bass kick in. is that Putnam? (i'm a big Scheff fan)

When Elvis recorded "Promised Land", Scheff was already gone from Elvis's touring band. Norbert Putnam played on the recording. After that, it was either Emory Gordy, Jr. or Duke Bardwell in live performances until Jerry returned on April 24, 1975.

Intro by John Wilkinson to Early morning rain, I just love that....it sounds so great.

It's definitely a good intro but I also like the intro of the song from "Aloha From Hawaii" done by James Burton.