Most Underrated Elvis Performances?

[Lonniebealestreet]

Very true, both of you!

I wonder what it is that makes BMG USA think that the best-known hits are the only Elvis songs that people will buy--over and over again!

"Because they do."

Yeah, but they won't forever, and the new fans and those yet to be enlightened are very often drawn to the less popular material. And maybe some of the CDs of more obscure material haven't been big sellers, but then they have hardly been promoted at all. Have a little faith in Elvis' appeal; I think he's earned it by now!

"I didn't know Elvis sang that song" is a statement often made by pleasantly surprised listeners. And obscure songs that people haven't heard before at all, when sung by Elvis, come across so well in most cases. Given the size and variety of the Elvis catalogue, really lots of great compilations could be made of the lesser known songs. Turn the (perceived) negative of the songs not being well known into a positive:

"Discover Elvis in a whole new way!"

"Listen to a new side of Elvis!"

"...hidden gems from Elvis' crown."

"Songs you never knew Elvis sang!"

"You may have heard these songs before, but not by Elvis."

"Elvis: Beyond Blue Suede Shoes and Teddy Bears"

Whatever. But definitely a lot of great music is not being heard by a lot of people who would perhaps be converted if they did.

[NightRider]

But definitely a lot of great music is not being heard by a lot of people who would perhaps be converted if they did.

Couldn't agree more Bobby....

Two good friends of mine have been converted.....from here songs other than those that are best known. And, as usually happens, they now enjoy those tracks too.
The best examples i can give are from song of the 70's on both occasions. Tracks such as 'Im Leavin'....'Thinkin about you'....'Its Midnight'...'its easy for you'....'Your love's been a long time coming'.....'honky tonk angel'....'pieces of my life'....'how the web was woven'...'You gave me a mountain'.....all songs that have helped to convert people who wouldn't have given Elvis a second before they heard them.

So its not hard to work out is it. There must loads of other music fans who have never heard the 'other side' of Elvis.....missing out big time

[Jungleroom76]

It is SO nice to see that more people are realizing just how short-sighted RCA is, when it comes to the Elvis Presley catalog. Just as we have discussed here on the board about EPE's refusal to promote Elvis post-Aloha, it seems to be the exact same problem at RCA in their lack of faith in Elvis' post-hits catalog. (And, isn't it convienent that the lack of faith on both sides of this whole discussion is centered around anything having to do with Elvis after 1973!!)

But, that is one of the main reasons why I love this messageboard so much, and am so proud to be a part of it....to be able to spread the word to other fans that there really is some great music out there, beyond LOVE ME TENDER or HOUND DOG....IF you know where to find it!!!

I was listening to the TODAY CD again yesterday, and just hearing all of the power and emotion Elvis puts into PIECES OF MY LIFE really makes me feel sorry for the Elvis fans out there who may still not know what kind of music Elvis was truly capable of recording, outside of his hit records!! These people NEED to hear PIECES OF MY LIFE, LOVE COMING DOWN, NEVER AGAIN, SOLITAIRE, WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE, etc. Basically, any of Elvis' recordings post-Aloha, which of course, leads right back to my opening sentences here in this post!!!

As I said before, it truly is a shame that Elvis' legacy is treated this way....with such little faith in anything having to do with Elvis after 1973!!

TCB!
Mike

[Cryogenic]

I was blown away by Elvis singing those high notes of "Hurt" in EIC when I finally got me a decent bootleg DVD. His live version of "Unchained Melody" (culled from the final edit of EIC, of course) is absolutely captivating. While Guralnick doesn't exactly denigrate it in Careless Love, he does give you the impression it's painful to watch - it's not; it's merely very poignant and an incredible viewing and listening experience.

I don't really know a lot of Elvis' work post-Aloha outside of EIC and a few scattered songs here and there. I am looking forward to uncovering it in the coming months and years.

You can step back much further, however, and find truly brilliant underrated songs in every era of Elvis' life. "Reconsider Baby", from Elvis Is Back, is incredibly sensual and bluesy. The musical arrangement is one of the richest I've heard on any Elvis track. Then there's the incredibly moving and simply gorgeous "I'll Remember You" which was tagged on at the end of his Spinout album. What a sublime place to put such an enrapturing song! Another favourite of mine is the beautiful "Twenty Days and Twenty Nights" straight out of 1970.

Underrated gems are everywhere. SonyBMG are largely to blame for this. Although I think it's important to keep paying respect to Elvis' most successful chart work, they should also push harder with lesser known material. Save for some of those awful 60s films, the phrase "bad Elvis record" is a contradiction in terms.

[Mr. Songman]

I'm sorry to interrupt and sound so demanding, but we have all overlooked a song that was terribly under-rated. No Elvis song captures lyrics and emotions as does the beautiful Ito Eats from Blue Hawaii. All one has to do is listen to it and the tears start to flow. Now, please excuse me while I go finish my drink.

[Cryogenic]

I know you weren't directly addressing just me there... but I didn't mean to imply his 60s movies work was a complete desert. Of the tracks I know from it, Blue Hawaii is an absolutely enchanting soundtrack. I'll have to hunt that one down. I'm not at all convinced it can possibly top "Can't Help Falling In Love" or "Blue Hawaii" or " Hawaiian Wedding Song", but if it's even halfway as good as any of those, I'm sold. I don't think Elvis' voice ever sounded quite so magnificent and soothing and downright other worldly as on that album.

EDIT: Wait... you were kidding, right? That's the anomalous track I've read about in reviews. Blegh.

[Mr. Songman]

[rick]

Good time Charlie, Talk About the Good Times, Just Pretend, long version of Whole Lotta Shakin', tomorrow Never Comes, are a few of many, many, great tracks that deserved to be hits
rick

[JerryNodak]

Where to start? I was listening to the Elvis "Now" album the other day. So,
I'll mention these since no one else has: Early Morning Rain; Until It's Time For
You To Go; We Can Make The Morning; Sylvia; Fools Rush In.

[nashville cat]

Just one song comes to mind -

"They Remind Me Too Much Of You"

Brilliant song and performance. One of Elvis' best ballads, IMO.

"C'mon Everybody" is one of his best rockers, but not well known.

From the 70's, I would say "I've Got a Feeling In My Body" is a towering performance and the band really cooks too.

[boogie]

to me, if there's 1 song it would be "LIFE"...
always found this one so "real" and "true"
even the alternate takes sounds wonderful

[poormansgold]

there are alot underrated songs He did, one for me will be "Gentle On My Mind: That's most underrated song by Elvis, He did great with this song, It sure be A Single in 1969 with "Power Of My love" On B Side. It's might been top 10 hits , at 2 on list.

Here my 4 picks
"Gentle On My Mind"
"Power Of My Love"
"True Love Travels On Gravel Road"
"Long black Limousine"

[moody_ blue]

frankie and johnny
hard luck
petunia the gardeners daughther

very under rated those *****s who playing in his band in that kind of movies

[EP6873]

"From A Jack To A King", "After Loving You", "She's A Machine", "Love Me, Love The Life I Lead", "There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon", "Please Don't Stop Loving Me", "You Don't Know Me", "The Last Farewell", "Pledging My Love", "Singing Tree"

[Jungleroom76]

to me, if there's 1 song it would be "LIFE"...
always found this one so "real" and "true"
even the alternate takes sounds wonderful

GREAT CHOICE BOOGIE!!

One of my favorite songs too, even though Elvis himself didn't care much for the song....there's just something about that song whenever I hear it...

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

Where to start? I was listening to the Elvis "Now" album the other day. So,
I'll mention these since no one else has: Early Morning Rain; Until It's Time For
You To Go; We Can Make The Morning; Sylvia; Fools Rush In.

EXCELLENT CHOICES JERRY!!!

"Sylvia" and "We Can Make The Morning" are definitely two of his more underrated ballads from the 70's, in my opinion!!

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

"C'mon Everybody" is one of his best rockers, but not well known.

RIGHT ON NASHVILLE CAT!!!

TCB!
Mike

[Raised on Rock]

Hello everybody. I havent post as much as I used to do it lately because of school and stuff but I Ive always check this greatforum once in a while and I just want to say this is great, long live TCB World.

Underated, its funny cause sometimes I think that beyond ELvis 30 #1 the rest of Elvis Material as a whole is underated by the non Elvis fan world, there is always that feeling that people simply take Elvis as a joke because the only think they heard is Teddy Bear young Elvis as a matine idol on TV or the overweighted guy singing Cant Help Falling in Love/Closing Vamp Elvis has left the Building thing. But any time Ill show people other kind of stuff, the reaction is always unanimous: Wow men, this is cool! I just never get to hear this, but this is good stuff, the guy was amazing! so from the Alternate generation people of my age, younger ones (usually our brothers and sis) and older people from the late sixties flower power generation, and even more older consumated Jazz musicians that I happen to be related with, they all agree in one thing when I they finally give me the chance to show them some Elvis stuff, They were MISTAKEN, ANd THe GUY IS FANTASTIC, and they all become if not fans, just plain Elvis music lovers, they respect him now, so do you guys think we need another ELvis greatest Hits CD?

Elvis 30 #1 hits was ok, it was a wise move for sure, they created this ELvis boom then the no1 singles rereleased in britain, that was cool, but about Second to None and the abomination that made the trilogy, that was the most stupid thing ever, the 30 #1 hits Elvis boom was the perfect time to introduce a totally diferent series of complilations showing and selling to a new audience the whole brand of Elvis musical styles, but they simply screwed this oportuinty buring our man into comercial explotation. But lucky we have Follow that DReam, dont you people think this classic album series could be released by BMG to? yes, but dream on.

But here is when stuff like this forum TCB WORLD became so important, one example, a friend of mine, one of those who usually mock the king pay visit here, got to lisen TCB Radio, wached some clips from the You tUbe forum here, heard some clips from the Follow tHat Dream forum, saw some pics, readed some threads, now hes asking me to show him some of that good stuff we all talk about here but nobody hears of it in the outside world.

Good job Elvis fans! TCB!

[ruggishboo]

Here's some songs of Elvis's that I've always thought were underrated but good:

It's Easy For You
Never Again
Pieces of My Life
Do You Know Who I Am?
That's Someone You'll Never Forget
The Sound of Your Cry
Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues

[poormansgold]

THere alot them.
there my songs are unrated

Gentle On My Mind, this one is most nice song he did
your Baby You Rock It
The Fool
Tomorrow Never Times
any day now
charro
That's my list
Tom