Moody Blue

by Elvis Presley

Overview

The last Elvis Presley album released in the singer's lifetime, Moody Blue has a somewhat checkered history, especially among fans. Issued two months before Presley died, the album sold moderately well until Presley died -- then it soared up the charts to number three, as his most current album, and it ultimately sold two million copies. As to the music, the original ten-song album was a mixed bag of live recordings, interspersed with new studio work from the previous fall at Graceland. For all of its slapped-together feel, however, Moody Blue held up. The title song, authored by Mark James (who'd previously written "Suspicious Minds"), was just about as good a single as Elvis released in the 1970s, topping the country charts earlier in 1977; additionally, he did a superb re-interpretation of the George Jones hit "She Thinks I Still Care." "Little Darlin'" was almost more of a burlesque of the '50s rock & roll standard than a real performance, but it is more than made up for by the presence of the Johnny Ace classic "Pledging My Love," done with depth and sincerity. At the time, "Let Me Be There" was also on the album, drawn from the 1974 Memphis live album, but it has been removed from the spring 2000 CD remastering, with nine songs from a series of early February 1976 session substituting for it. Some of the 1976 material doesn't hold up as well, but the bonus tracks end this CD on a high note with Presley's rendition of the Tom Jones hit "I'll Never Fall in Love Again." The 24-bit remastering has added a good deal of luster to the 19 songs here, making this the first proper way to hear this material. ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	05/16/2000
Label:	Rca
UPC:	0078636793122
Rank:	25294

Tracks

1. Unchained Melody
2. If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
3. Little Darlin'
4. He'll Have to Go
5. Way Down
6. Pledging My Love
7. Moody Blue
8. She Thinks I Still Care
9. It's Easy for You
10. Hurt
11. Never Again
12. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
13. Danny Boy
14. The Last Farewell
15. For the Heart
16. Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall
17. Solitaire
18. Love Coming Down
19. I'll Never Fall in Love Again

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elvis Presley   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
The Sweet Inspirations   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Kathy Westmoreland   Vocals,Voices,Vocals (Background)
Myrna Smith   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Sherrill Nielsen   Vocals (Background)
J.D. Sumner   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Bergen White   Horn
J.D. Sumner & the Stamps   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

J.D. Sumner & the Stamps   Performer
Mark James   Writer,Composer
Naomi Neville   Composer
Jimmie Crane   Composer
Maurice Williams   Composer
Ron Webster   Composer
Don Wardell   Executive Producer
Frederick Edward Weatherly   Composer
Jerry Chesnut   Composer
Neil Sedaka   Composer
Jim Currie   Composer
Tim Rice   Composer
R. A. Webster   Composer
Hank Williams   Composer
Al Jacobs   Composer
Alex North   Composer
Brent Maher   Engineer
Burt Bacharach   Composer
Billy Edd Wheeler   Composer
Ferdinand Washington   Composer
Dickey Lee Lipscomb   Composer
Hy Zaret   Composer
Roger Whittaker   Composer
Justin Cody   Composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber   Composer
Steve Duffy   Composer
Benny Williams   Composer
Audrey Allison   Composer
Bergen White   Arranger
Chick Crumpacker   Digital Producer
Layng Martine, Jr.   Composer
Larry Gatlin   Composer
Joe Allison   Composer
Felton Jarvis   Associate Producer
Fred Rose   Composer
Rusty Young   Composer
Elvis Presley   Executive Producer
Don Robey   Composer
Dennis Linde   Composer
Phil Cody   Composer
John Rostill   Composer
Dick Baxter   Digital Engineer
Lonnie Donegan   Composer