Fascinating article, and it gives me new material to listen to.
I've never understood Elvis' thralldom to Parker as anything other than the awe and respect, if not liking, which anybody in Elvis' position in 1954 would have had for a conman who had been able to pull off what Elvis must have regarded as close to miraculous. It was a significant loss artistically, at least in terms of his music, that Elvis, for whatever reason, didn't dump Parker as soon as he could after Beatlemania hit. I doubt he had it in him to be the great actor he wanted to be, but with his musical instincts as solid as they were, he could have avoided the whole lamentable post 1970 jump suit follies. I had the same idea as George Harrison had long before I knew it was Harrison's idea, that Elvis didn't need the jump suits, he was Elvis, why, as Harrison said, didn't he just appear in "a black shirt and jeans and sing, 'That's All Right, Mama'?"
He never needed Parker after 1956. Every time I watch video of Elvis' first appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, I marvel at Elvis' confidence. It amounts to audacity. There he is, 21 years old, and unlike The Beatles eight years later, he didn't have three other guys to lean on for nervous support. He was The Show, and was undeniably to the manor born.
Thank you for reading. Why didn't Elvis dump the Colonel at some point? The eternal question! Other are better equipped to answer, I suspect it has to do with Elvis' essential insecurity, his probably never fully coming to terms with why he became who he was and the fear that it could all disappear one day. But, certainly, imagine all he could have done if he had had the gumption to break free.
It's interesting that you bring up that quote from George Harrison. I get where he is coming from but it seems to me to miss the point of what Elvis aspired to - I think he wanted to be more than the guy who sang 'That's All Right' and his late-60s recordings in Nashville are part of that journey to become a consummate singer, a true artist.
I know Elvis was riven with insecurity ( which makes his cheerful arrogance as a 21 year old kid on the Sullivan show more mystifying ), and you see it in his clinging to Parker as well as in the depressing figure he became from 1970 on. You're right about his wish to become what he conceived saw as a true artist.
Why did Elvis think he needed bombast? Why did it become standard policy for singers of the national anthem to shriek the high note, followed by the cheers of sixty thousand people ( other than the fact that we've become a nation of dolts )?
One thing Sinatra understood which Elvis never did is subtlety, understatement.
Hugh Martin attributed the near universal tendency of singers to go over the top to what he regarded as the baleful influence of Judy Garland. Anybody with a sense of art must be electrified by Judy Garland's performance of "The Man That Got Away" in "A Star is Born," but when it was gene spliced with rock, and the pandemic of tastelessness and which began to pervade American culture in the 70s, the dreariness was upon us.
I suspect Elvis' love of Mario Lanza probably played a role there as did his love of Southern Gospel. Timi Yuro (best known for 'Hurt,' which Elvis covered in 1976) probably too. It definitely got more pronounced later in his career - compare something like 'There's Always Me' from 1961 which has a slightly operatic finale with 'An American Trilogy' which is grandiose to excess (compare it as well to Mickey Newbury's original recording).
Really enjoyed this and completely agree with your take. He had to do something to abate the mold that the movie soundtracks brought, and I’ve always thought this period was ripe to be examined in the way you did.
Came to this from your July 2023 essay (also excellent) and will go to the one on the 1960-64 material next. Thanks for your work on this.
Also, if you get the chance, read this piece I wrote: “My Grandmother, Elvis, and Me.”
WOW. What a great read. I'm a huge Elvis fan but this article tells me I've still got a lot to learn. When you're 65 and had a life together with music, almost every day since I was 7 I find it especially satisfactory to read articles which inspire me to have a new listen to music I already know. I've had a hung up on Elvis from 60-62 and tend to forget there is another great period of work in Nashville from 66-68 (this article). Robert Gilbert put this into words and his words make this the "listening to Elvis in Nashville 66-68 day" for me. I will make a playlist immediately with all the tunes Robert mentions in order. The sun is shining in Oslo, Norway. It's summer and I will take the old dog for a walk and listen. I very much look forward to this experience. And again, looking forward to listen to something you've heard many times before happens because of the inspiring words from Robert Gilbert.
its not only one of his best from the 60s...but one of his career best.
not all was lost in the wilderness.
he took full charge at these sessions...all in...fully invested...not just with his singing.
song selection.
arrangements.
back-up singers.
that hard work was finally rewarded with his first ever grammy.
the non gospel tracks are exceptional...headed by down in the alley and tomorrow is a long time.
his versions of love letters and i'll remember you are definitive.
guitar man.
big boss man.
hi-heel sneekers.
you don't know me.
you'll never walk alone.
all great tracks...essentials.
too much monkey business and us male both sound like they could've been recorded at his brilliant american sessions in '69...but they sprang from nashville a year earlier.
any combination of these non-gospel recordings coulda been coupled together for one helluva album.
the signs were there.
changes were coming.
he was about to clear the wilderness.
and no matter how bad or silly the soundtracks.....they can't touch the brilliance of that excellent lp how great thou art...and these excellent pre-comeback sessions from '66-'68.
his love for music and the making of it had been rekindled...thankfully.
Me too! Perhaps one time down the line. This year's Sony (RCA) release is to be the 50th anniversary of 'Elvis on Tour' - more information coming in about two weeks, if looks like.
I'm 63 now and have been a fan this I was about six or seven.
Now and again I come across an article like this that throws a new light on certain aspects of Elvis's career and it feels like someone is opening a door to let me have a better look inside.
Thanks again, this has definitely given me a new perspective on this part of his career and is much appreciated.
Great read. In Dave Marsh’s 1989 book, 1001 Greatest Rock Singles, he lists “US Male” as evidence that an Elvis revival was brewing underneath all those soundtrack songs. This is a fascinating era for Elvis fans. Not sure RCA has ever anthologized it on record very well. But they should.
Agreed! The collector FTD release of 'How Great Thou Art' plus 'Elvis Sings Guitar Man' (which collect the non-religious, non-movie 1966 recordings plus the September 1967) are the best summations of this time period. RCA did put out a release in the 90s or early aughts that collected most of these recordings but that's about it for wide release. Thank you for reading! Appreciate the kind words.
The movies song are what made Elvis and ti will be the moves songs that will be his future no1,s the only people that do not like thin are the critics that are always wrong i have proved this time and time again with people playing Elvis movie songs far better than the beetles stones and all the rest you wait and see
Fascinating article, and it gives me new material to listen to.
I've never understood Elvis' thralldom to Parker as anything other than the awe and respect, if not liking, which anybody in Elvis' position in 1954 would have had for a conman who had been able to pull off what Elvis must have regarded as close to miraculous. It was a significant loss artistically, at least in terms of his music, that Elvis, for whatever reason, didn't dump Parker as soon as he could after Beatlemania hit. I doubt he had it in him to be the great actor he wanted to be, but with his musical instincts as solid as they were, he could have avoided the whole lamentable post 1970 jump suit follies. I had the same idea as George Harrison had long before I knew it was Harrison's idea, that Elvis didn't need the jump suits, he was Elvis, why, as Harrison said, didn't he just appear in "a black shirt and jeans and sing, 'That's All Right, Mama'?"
He never needed Parker after 1956. Every time I watch video of Elvis' first appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, I marvel at Elvis' confidence. It amounts to audacity. There he is, 21 years old, and unlike The Beatles eight years later, he didn't have three other guys to lean on for nervous support. He was The Show, and was undeniably to the manor born.
Thank you for reading. Why didn't Elvis dump the Colonel at some point? The eternal question! Other are better equipped to answer, I suspect it has to do with Elvis' essential insecurity, his probably never fully coming to terms with why he became who he was and the fear that it could all disappear one day. But, certainly, imagine all he could have done if he had had the gumption to break free.
It's interesting that you bring up that quote from George Harrison. I get where he is coming from but it seems to me to miss the point of what Elvis aspired to - I think he wanted to be more than the guy who sang 'That's All Right' and his late-60s recordings in Nashville are part of that journey to become a consummate singer, a true artist.
I know Elvis was riven with insecurity ( which makes his cheerful arrogance as a 21 year old kid on the Sullivan show more mystifying ), and you see it in his clinging to Parker as well as in the depressing figure he became from 1970 on. You're right about his wish to become what he conceived saw as a true artist.
Why did Elvis think he needed bombast? Why did it become standard policy for singers of the national anthem to shriek the high note, followed by the cheers of sixty thousand people ( other than the fact that we've become a nation of dolts )?
One thing Sinatra understood which Elvis never did is subtlety, understatement.
Hugh Martin attributed the near universal tendency of singers to go over the top to what he regarded as the baleful influence of Judy Garland. Anybody with a sense of art must be electrified by Judy Garland's performance of "The Man That Got Away" in "A Star is Born," but when it was gene spliced with rock, and the pandemic of tastelessness and which began to pervade American culture in the 70s, the dreariness was upon us.
I suspect Elvis' love of Mario Lanza probably played a role there as did his love of Southern Gospel. Timi Yuro (best known for 'Hurt,' which Elvis covered in 1976) probably too. It definitely got more pronounced later in his career - compare something like 'There's Always Me' from 1961 which has a slightly operatic finale with 'An American Trilogy' which is grandiose to excess (compare it as well to Mickey Newbury's original recording).
Yup. The Italian Connection. I've thought the same thing.
Really enjoyed this and completely agree with your take. He had to do something to abate the mold that the movie soundtracks brought, and I’ve always thought this period was ripe to be examined in the way you did.
Came to this from your July 2023 essay (also excellent) and will go to the one on the 1960-64 material next. Thanks for your work on this.
Also, if you get the chance, read this piece I wrote: “My Grandmother, Elvis, and Me.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/glenncook/p/my-grandmother-elvis-and-me?r=727x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thanks Glenn for reading. I look forward to reading your piece! Thank you for sharing.
WOW. What a great read. I'm a huge Elvis fan but this article tells me I've still got a lot to learn. When you're 65 and had a life together with music, almost every day since I was 7 I find it especially satisfactory to read articles which inspire me to have a new listen to music I already know. I've had a hung up on Elvis from 60-62 and tend to forget there is another great period of work in Nashville from 66-68 (this article). Robert Gilbert put this into words and his words make this the "listening to Elvis in Nashville 66-68 day" for me. I will make a playlist immediately with all the tunes Robert mentions in order. The sun is shining in Oslo, Norway. It's summer and I will take the old dog for a walk and listen. I very much look forward to this experience. And again, looking forward to listen to something you've heard many times before happens because of the inspiring words from Robert Gilbert.
Thanks so much. Your comment made my day! I hope you enjoy listening to these recordings.
beautiful essay.
i love the how great thou art album.
its not only one of his best from the 60s...but one of his career best.
not all was lost in the wilderness.
he took full charge at these sessions...all in...fully invested...not just with his singing.
song selection.
arrangements.
back-up singers.
that hard work was finally rewarded with his first ever grammy.
the non gospel tracks are exceptional...headed by down in the alley and tomorrow is a long time.
his versions of love letters and i'll remember you are definitive.
guitar man.
big boss man.
hi-heel sneekers.
you don't know me.
you'll never walk alone.
all great tracks...essentials.
too much monkey business and us male both sound like they could've been recorded at his brilliant american sessions in '69...but they sprang from nashville a year earlier.
any combination of these non-gospel recordings coulda been coupled together for one helluva album.
the signs were there.
changes were coming.
he was about to clear the wilderness.
and no matter how bad or silly the soundtracks.....they can't touch the brilliance of that excellent lp how great thou art...and these excellent pre-comeback sessions from '66-'68.
his love for music and the making of it had been rekindled...thankfully.
for his artistry.
and.
for our benefit.
All very well said!
i wonder if sony legacy will ever do a sessions set for the guitar man sessions like they did with the nashville marathon and '71 nashville sessions.
Me too! Perhaps one time down the line. This year's Sony (RCA) release is to be the 50th anniversary of 'Elvis on Tour' - more information coming in about two weeks, if looks like.
Fantastic read thank you so mush.
I'm 63 now and have been a fan this I was about six or seven.
Now and again I come across an article like this that throws a new light on certain aspects of Elvis's career and it feels like someone is opening a door to let me have a better look inside.
Thanks again, this has definitely given me a new perspective on this part of his career and is much appreciated.
You're very welcome. Thanks for the kind words!
Great read. In Dave Marsh’s 1989 book, 1001 Greatest Rock Singles, he lists “US Male” as evidence that an Elvis revival was brewing underneath all those soundtrack songs. This is a fascinating era for Elvis fans. Not sure RCA has ever anthologized it on record very well. But they should.
Agreed! The collector FTD release of 'How Great Thou Art' plus 'Elvis Sings Guitar Man' (which collect the non-religious, non-movie 1966 recordings plus the September 1967) are the best summations of this time period. RCA did put out a release in the 90s or early aughts that collected most of these recordings but that's about it for wide release. Thank you for reading! Appreciate the kind words.
Great detail!
The movies song are what made Elvis and ti will be the moves songs that will be his future no1,s the only people that do not like thin are the critics that are always wrong i have proved this time and time again with people playing Elvis movie songs far better than the beetles stones and all the rest you wait and see