MUSIC OR DIE #2–Elvis Presley, "Elvis Presley" (1956)

Part 2 of my 1000+ part series.

(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I tackle Elvis the Pelvis' first album, whilst carefully dodging his famed fuzzy footwear.

TL;DR:

More below The Cut >>>

The songs:

1.) Blue Suede Shoes

This is the Elvis that captivated a generation, all youthful swagger and cockiness. With twangy guitars and a swinging beat, he puts his stamp on the Carl Perkins hit. I especially liked the 'improvisational' shoutouts throughout, a notable one being, "Let's go cat!/Ah, walk the dog!"

And so a legend was born

2.) I'm Counting on You

All this dog-walking business is exhausting, so let's slow it down a bit, shall we? I'd actually never heard this one before, and coming off the confidence of "Blue Suede Shoes," it's far more vulnerable. He needs his love to guide him through the day. It's very much an of-the-moment 50s ballad with its piano-driven verses and "ahh-ahh-ahh" backing vocals. It's especially endearing when you consider that Elvis was only something like 21 years old when he recorded this. 

3.) I Got a Woman

Now we get into Ray Charles territory. Not to get into "Who wore it better?"-type debates, but I gotta give it to my man Ray. I'd say that Elvis' youth is working a bit against him here, since it doesn't feel like he gives the same weight and oomph to the words that Ray does (though I can never hear this song again without imagining Kanye West interjecting with "I ain't saying she a gold digger").

Thanks a lot, Kanye

 4.) One Sided Love Affair

Yes, Elvis, yessss. The words in this song, like in many of the best songs of the era, serve as a rhythmical device. Take for instance how Elvis sings "if you wanna be loved/well-a you-a gotta love-a me too", to go with the swinging piano and percussion. Swing them hips, E. 

Weeeerk.

5.) I Love You Because

This sounds like a campfire song if I ever heard one. It opens with whistling, for Pete's sake. 

I call this one, the I Love You Because song song. 

It is positively dripping with earnest sincerity. Just wanna hug him.

6.) Just Because

Not to be confused with "I Love You Because". No, this time he's breaking up with you 'just because', nanny nanny boo boo. I just have to highlight the part of the song where he compares himself to Santa Claus (yes, Santa Claus) and says "Well there'll come a time when old Santa/He won't pay your bills for you." Because nothing screams sexual allure like an elderly home invader.

Which one is Elvis again?

7.) Tutti Frutti

Now we move on to Side Two of the album, beginning with this Little Richard cover. The song, infamously about anal sex (no, but seriously) is stripped of that wild energy and made a bit more straight-laced (cough). Again, I've got to give it to the original, with Richard's screaming raw vocals and the, um, tooting saxophones. Oh Rudy. 

8.) Tryin' to Get to You

That's more like it. Elvis really sings these words, belting out "When I read your loving letter/Then my heart began to sing". This is the kind of writing that suits Elvis' voice and style, and he feels less like he's trying to be someone else like with some of the other songs on this album. I'm inclined to believe that it was songs like this that helped him shape his later song choices and musical decisions.

9.) I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry Over You

This is in the same vein as "One Sided Love Affair", with Elvis swinging his words around and around ("I'm-a sit-a right down and-a cry over you"). I actually prefer "...Love Affair", but this is solid for what it is–a swinging 50s pop song.

10.) I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')

Ooh, falsetto! Elvis whips out a different part of his range, crooning about how the 'stars would tumble' if he ever let you go. Because he'll never give you up, and certainly never let you down.

I set myself up for that.

Interestingly, the tempo picks up around the two-minute mark (in a 2:25 long song), carrying it to the end, just to mix it up? IDEK. On a side note, I enjoyed the minimal, but intricate, guitar in the background.

11.) Blue Moon

Another 50s staple. The opening instrumentation of Elvis' version is really interesting, with a deeeeep bass line and some sort of plucked string...thing? I don't know, but you have my attention, Presley! Also, he injects more of his falsetto in for kicks here and then. His voice sounds especially silken here, though that string-plucking is SO DISTRACTING...I keep feeling like there should be backup vocals going 'a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh', a la "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". (I'm curious to see what it'd sound like with the instrumentation in the Dean Martin version, for instance.) I get how its minimalism serves to highlight the 'lonely' quality of the song, blah blah. (I'm being unnecessarily nitpicky on this one thing sorry guys)

But seriously, though–what a voice.

12.) Money Honey

And we reach the end of the album, this time a cover of Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters. (My favorite version is actually Little Richard's, but that's another story.) Elvis does do justice to the song, giving it attitude and swaggerrrrr.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

This album, like most albums of those days, is a 'collection' of recordings made over the course of several years, so it feels somewhat disjointed at times. What's more, many of those recordings are covers of songs originally done (and done better) by black artists. There is a lot of controversy over Elvis' "appropriating" those songs and the associated culture, which I won't go into here (that's what Google is for). I will say, however, that Elvis undeniably made a lasting impact on the music scene, with it all starting here. Some of the songs are stronger than others, but through it all his charisma and voice shine through. Given all that, it's easy to see how he took the world by storm.

Personal standout tracks:

"Blue Suede Shoes", "One Sided Love Affair", "I Love You Because", "Tryin' to Get to You", "Blue Moon"