Elvis The Songwriter

[ph10579]

Does anyone know how many songs that Elvis wrote in his lifetime? Thanks!

[franny]

I found this on one site that mentions something about Elvis writing songs...

franny

While he is credited with co-writing nine songs (that I could find), he was credited for publishing reasons (Parker's advice) and not because he actually sat down with a co-writer and penned the lyrics or worked out the music. In fact, I do not believe that Elvis was involved in any lyric writing or the process of songwriting with the writers he shares credit with (the list of which is limited to Vera Matson, Otis Blackwell, Red West, and Charlie Hodge). He could have been more involved in the writing process with West and Hodge, as they were close friends, but he did not sit down with Blackwell and Matson.

[Awickedreigndrop]

I think he wrote just one called "You'll be gone" with the help of Red and Charlie. It's on the Elvis By The Presley's CD set, the second disc. It's says in the booklet that Elvis had let Priscilla listen to it and she said that she liked his Rock 'n' Roll songs better and Elvis had a "Fit" and he never tried to write a song again. So... It's sad that he let someone discourage him like that. As a songwriter, I'll would have been like, "So What! All my songs can't sound the same!" He probably could have came up with some hits.

[JDD]

I think he wrote just one called "You'll be gone" with the help of Red and Charlie. It's on the Elvis By The Presley's CD set, the second disc. It's says in the booklet that Elvis had let Priscilla listen to it and she said that she liked his Rock 'n' Roll songs better and Elvis had a "Fit" and he never tried to write a song again. So... It's sad that he let someone discourage him like that. As a songwriter, I'll would have been like, "So What! All my songs can't sound the same!" He probably could have came up with some hits.

Not all that long ago on Sirius, Red West was on talking to George Klein and mentioned that a couple of times him and Elvis tried to write things together including the song you mention which he said Him, Elvis and Charlie Hodge worked on, but Elvis was always a ball of energy and wasn't really patient enough to do it. Then he mentined that he was great at arranging things to make them better or contributing a lyric to a work in progress but that Elvis really didn't try to write but a couple of times. Which seems to match what you had heard/read .

Another time I had heard Lisa say, while looking through some of her Fathers old books ,that he had written things in the margins, thoughts, ideals etc, and some of them could easily have become songs had he put the effort into it. I'd like to believe that he could have if he chose to, but what he did was brilliant enough. Think of how many songs he took that were only marginal hits or unknown with others and did that Elvis thing and made into a hit.

[Unchained Melody]

Zero, nothing!

I agree Leroy, none that I know about besides Red writing a song and I think it was Seperate Ways, not for sure but other than that nothing.

[0349054]

If im not mistaken Red also wrote, If You Talk In Your Sleep

[Raised on Rock]

WHat About: "I DIdnt Make it on Playing Guitar". Hell thats Elvis, he would have pushed harder on this kind of Blues, improvisated lirycs and TUne, like on Stranger on My Own Home Town Jam at the 70s box, thats Elvis making up a new song at the moment. Someone needed to tell him that he was good on doing that, that could have been a way for him to writing his own songs, out of a Jam, a Jam which was always his forte.

[Awickedreigndrop]

I think if Elvis took the effort into writing songs it'll probably help him relieve stress, and get things off his chest (or mind). It sure helps me out a lot. Those types of songs are what people look for. I also heard Elvis come up with stuff off the top of his head on some CDs I have. I know he had it in him but he just let other people discourage him. When you write your own songs you are aware of the emotion that lies behind the words and those emotions get out as you sing them. I know that he made a lot of others people's lyrics shine but imagine what he could have done with his own words.

[Dreambear]

Elvis suggested the title to the song "That?s someone you?ll never forget". Then Red West wrote the song along this line.

By the way: Red West also co-wrote "?f you think I don?t need you" with a guy called Cooper. He also penned "If every day was like christmas" and "Seeing is believing" with Glen Spreen.

regards//Bj?rn

[JDD]

Elvis suggested the title to the song "That?s someone you?ll never forget". Then Red West wrote the song along this line.

By the way: Red West also co-wrote "?f you think I don?t need you" with a guy called Cooper. He also penned "If every day was like christmas" and "Seeing is believing" with Glen Spreen.

regards//Bj?rn

Separate Ways was his too, which was one of my favorites as well. I've been impressed with several songs that turned out to be Red West songs.