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Thread: 50 greatest Elvis songs ever

  1. #1

    50 greatest Elvis songs ever

    1. HOUND DOG

    The intro explodes into your ears, and into the public consciousness, as only A Hard Day's Night and Anarchy In The UK have since. So intense, two minutes of sustained viciousness and sheer malicious glee.

    2. SUSPICIOUS MINDS

    As a mature and supremely confident Elvis harmonises with himself, you can feel the shackles of Hollywood falling away. The shock of the middle eight ("let our love survive") will make you catch your breath

    3. MYSTERY TRAIN

    Singing high and free, even a runaway train can't take his gal away. Scotty Moore and Bill Black never played better, but Elvis's whoop of delight at the end takes the cake.

    4. HEARTBREAK HOTEL

    A freaky but inspired choice of first 45 for a major label. To enhance the atmosphere of seedy desolation, Elvis chose to record the vocal at the end of the studio corridor.

    5. I JUST CAN'T HELP BELIEVING

    Encapsulates the live, second-coming - his band never sounded better. The back-and-forths between Elvis and backing singers the Sweet Inspirations ("one more time... yeah, one more!") are the highlight.

    6. SUSPICION

    A teenage pre-cursor to Suspicious Minds, and almost as good. Shadowed by autoharp and a sinister bassline, the victim's pained politeness explodes into paranoia at the end of the chorus: "Why torture me?"

    7. GOOD ROCKING TONIGHT

    No less than an invitation to come join the teenage revolution. "We're gonna rock all our blues away" - the original slang usage of 'rock 'n' roll' was never more explicit.

    8. DOING THE BEST I CAN

    From the GI Blues soundtrack, a Pomus and Shuman ballad of abject surrender. The vocal gets under your skin, keening and helpless - no wonder girls melted.

    9. ONE NIGHT

    This snarling menace to American moral fibre had to be toned down from "one night of sin" to "one night with you," though the performance is so loaded with sexual promise they needn't have bothered.

    10. TOMORROW IS A LONG TIME

    Cut in 1966 between some of his worst movie scores, the delicate, haunted take on Bob Dylan's song hints at a parallel Elvis universe. Dylan has since hailed it as his favourite cover version.

    11. CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE

    Irresistibly tender. The world's favourite wedding song.

    12. LITTLE SISTER

    Nasty and playful rocker with a burning guitar line.

    13. DON'T BE CRUEL

    The minimal, hand-clapping groove sent this to number one in '56 for eleven weeks.

    14. IT'S NOW OR NEVER

    Inspired by Mario Lanza, adapted for a Cornetto ad, his biggest international hit.

    15. POLK SALAD ANNIE

    Sweaty, southern-fried highlight of his Vegas era.

    16. ALL SHOOK UP

    Introduced the classic "uh-huh-huh" to the Presley repertoire.

    17. PLEASE DON'T STOP LOVING ME

    Intense southern soul ballad buried on the b-side of Frankie And Johnny.

    18. BLUE MOON

    Eerie clip-clopping reading, with Elvis already sounding like his own ghost, haunting America in 1956.

    19. CRAWFISH

    The deepest, most atmospheric song about fishing you'll ever hear.

    20. A MESS OF BLUES

    A whisky-soaked Elvis beats himself up: "Whoops, there goes a teardrop..."

    21. THAT’S ALL RIGHT

    A little hesitant, but this is where it all began.

    22. LONG BLACK LIMOUSINE

    The tale of a poor southern singer gone too soon is delivered with unnerving emotion.

    23. GUITAR MAN

    Jerry Reed’s song was autobiographical, but Presley made it his, and a springboard for artistic renewal in ’68.

    24. JAILHOUSE ROCK

    DJ Fontana’s granite-breaking drums deserve co-star status.

    25. LOVE ME TENDER

    First suggestions of his Italianite leanings, this showed America the boy wasn’t always a hoodlum.

    26. THAT’S SOMEONE YOU’LL NEVER FORGET

    A graveyard ballad, though death is never mentioned directly, that could have been sung with his mum in mind.

    27. ANY DAY NOW

    True blue-eyed soul, a beautiful song from the ’69 Memphis sessions.

    28. BURNING LOVE

    If he wanted to, he could still take the dancefloor in the seventies.

    29. VIVA LAS VEGAS

    A minor hit at the time, a standard now.

    30. AN AMERICAN TRILOGY

    Elvis probably never knew Micky Newbury's patriotic showstopper was ironic.

    31. TRYING TO GET YOU

    Both the Sun original and the bellowing ’68 comeback version are impossible to resist.

    32. A FOOL SUCH AS I

    Messing about with his own myth in fine style.

    33. RECONSIDER BABY

    The dirtiest, truest blues he ever recorded. Boots Randolph’s sax break is filthy.

    34. TROUBLE

    Ludicrous lyric with an insanely aggressive delivery over a drunken, Tom and Jerry-esque Dixieland backing.

    35. I’M LEAVIN’

    “Tried so hard, so hard...” His most intense break-up song, this should be better known.

    36. ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT

    Country ham (it was Colonel Parker’s favourite song) handled with real emotion. That voice had an incredible arsenal.

    37. IN THE GHETTO

    Simplistic but affecting, this 1969 number one turned his career around.

    38. RETURN TO SENDER

    The Presley entry point for five-year olds.

    39. SHE’S NOT YOU

    Elvis’s best performances of the early sixties usually involved a love triangle lyric – this slow-dance special was the strongest.

    40. THE GIRL OF MY BEST FRIEND

    Compelling and heart-breakingly sharp teen romance.

    41. I’VE LOST YOU

    Elvis, King of Pain, reflects on the imminent collapse of his marriage.

    42. BABY LET’S PLAY HOUSE

    Sam Phillips’ echoed production and Elvis’s hiccoughs invent rockabilly in two minutes.

    43. ALWAYS ON MY MIND

    Regrets, he had more than a few.

    44. I NEED SOMEBODY TO LEAN ON

    The perfect lounge jazz-blues for 3 am, from Viva Las Vegas.

    45. HIS LATEST FLAME

    Bo Diddley beat with Latin touches, The Smiths built half their catalogue around it.

    46. IT HURTS ME

    A soulful roar from ’64, revisited to great effect in the Comeback Special.

    47. WAY DOWN

    He bowed out sounding pretty darn contemporary, though JD Sumner’s low, low bass notes take the limelight.

    48. LOVE ME

    Written by Leiber and Stoller as a self-parody; the reading is so sincere, you'd never know.

    49. TOO MUCH

    Constantly on the edge of falling apart but hard as nails, the archetypal tough rocker.

    50. YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

    No matter how many times you’ve heard this song before, the intensity and belief of Elvis’s interpretation will floor you.

    source:http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle2186173.ece

  2. #2
    Don't you get any ideas,but i just don't agree with this...I think all Elvis songs are similar,and they're equally nice.What i mean is,you can't count Elvis songs!!!They're all perfect to me.I don't think for example,that ''Hound dog''is better than ''Suspicious minds''!!!
    I think many fans agree,but i just wanted to tell my opinion...By the way...thanks for sharing this countdown.

  3. #3
    Some strange selections. 'In The Ghetto" and "Reconsider Baby" should rank higher. The description of "Hound Dog" is great.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by renapap05 View Post
    Don't you get any ideas,but i just don't agree with this...I think all Elvis songs are similar,and they're equally nice.What i mean is,you can't count Elvis songs!!!They're all perfect to me.I don't think for example,that ''Hound dog''is better than ''Suspicious minds''!!!
    I think many fans agree,but i just wanted to tell my opinion...By the way...thanks for sharing this countdown.
    you can agree and disagree thats fine with me cause l just copy and pasted this article not write it.

  5. #5
    Cadillac King SatninLove's Avatar
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    Good article Thanks for posting!
    -SatninLove
    "There's A Sweet Sweet Spirit In This Place"....

  6. #6
    Cadillac King SatninLove's Avatar
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    Although how can whoever wrote this leave out
    Just Pretend
    Always On My Mind
    How Great Though Art
    Mary In The Morning and many others!
    -SatninLove
    "There's A Sweet Sweet Spirit In This Place"....

  7. #7
    And my personal favorite "My Boy"
    I'm the King of the Jungle, They call me Tigerman

    ]

  8. #8
    Cadillac King SatninLove's Avatar
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    oops they did include Always On My Mind!I guess I need glasses!
    lol.
    -SatninLove
    "There's A Sweet Sweet Spirit In This Place"....

  9. #9

    Talking The 50 greatest Elvis songs ever do not exist anymore: the number 1 are THE BEATLES

    The 50 greatest Elvis songs ever do not exist anymore.

    If you do not know read billboard and The British magazine ‘Record Collector’ (the number 1 are the beatles).

    If this 50 songs get billboard and Record collectors I will know that are the greatest. But now must be write our favorites 50 Elvis songs
    Last edited by marce_itec70; 10-02-2008 at 05:39 PM.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by marce_itec70 View Post
    The 50 greatest Elvis songs ever do not exist anymore.

    If you do not know read billboard and The British magazine ‘Record Collector’ (the number 1 are the beatles).

    If this 50 songs get billboard and Record collectors I will know that are the greatest. But now must be write our favorites 50 Elvis songs
    thats your opinion, but however l disgree

  11. #11
    SleepyJack
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    Nice to see "Please don`t stop loving me" on there.....Normally a very under-rated song.

  12. #12
    International Level Suspicious Minds's Avatar
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    I have seen this list before. It's more of a greatests hits list with some odd tracks included. There is a darn sight better tracks that should be in the list.
    How did Crawfish get in the list anyway? Although it's from my favourite 50's album. I don't play that track every time.
    They should leave the single tracks out when there is a poll like this.
    Who did they ask for this poll?
    Frank

    Every man has a flaming star

  13. #13

    Cool

    ELVIS rocked the hell with burning love
    This song is a great mix of pop,rock and disco, and
    it really shows the spirit of the 70-s and 80-s a bit. As the "Suspicious minds" it
    brings you to the old good times and fills you with an
    amazing feeling of love and shows you what really rules in this
    world.You may think of this in the opposite way,but the KING
    really rules,and no matter what's the time and fashion:
    Elvis will live forever and it won't b be anyone better than him.
    ELVIS FOREVER!!!He lights our morning skies with Burning Love...
    Last edited by Bolshoy El; 10-03-2008 at 02:25 PM.

  14. #14
    International Level rickb's Avatar
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    no Burning Love?
    Interestly selection even though I don't agree it is really hard to limit Elvis songs to a best 50

  15. #15
    OK, I decided to make my own list of this. Now many of you may disagree with me, but I LOVE these songs.

    1. Bridge Over Troubled Water
    2. Just Pretend
    3. Make The World Go Away
    4. You've Lost That Loving Feeling
    5. I Just Can't Help Believin'
    6. My Way
    7. An American Trilogy
    8. What Now My Love?
    9. Unchained Melody
    10. It's Now Or Never
    11. Kentucky Rain
    12. How Great Thou Art
    13. You'll Never Walk Alone
    14. Suspicious Minds
    15. Memories
    16. In The Ghetto
    17. Don't Cry Daddy
    18. You Gave Me A Mountain
    19. Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues
    20. Moody Blue
    21. Danny Boy
    22. Yesterday/Hey Jude
    23. Polk Salad Annie
    24. Heartbreak Hotel
    25. Don't Be Cruel
    26. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
    27. It's Over
    28. I'm Leavin'
    29. I Can't Stop Loving You
    30. Such A Night
    31. My Boy
    32. There Goes My Everything
    33. Love Song Of The Year
    34. Twenty Days And Twenty Nights
    35. The Next step Is Love
    36. I've Lost You
    37. Sweet Caroline
    38. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
    39. I'll Remember You
    40. I, John
    41. Bosom Of Abraham
    42. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
    43. Solitaire
    44. Long Black Limousine
    45. I Got A Woman
    46. All Shook Up
    47. Burning Love
    48. Te Wonder Of You
    49. Stranger In The Crowd
    50. Promised Land

  16. #16
    Elvis Presley Blvd Unchained Melody's Avatar
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    19. CRAWFISH
    Are you kidding me !

    I'd much rather take elvispresleytheking's top 50 ~!
    "How do I get placed in situations like this? Ah hell, I guess it's all part of showbusiness "~ Elvis in his limo on his way to perform in Omaha, NE on June 19th 1977

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