Essentials by the Dozen - Elvis Presley in 12 Tracks

With respect to Elvis Presley, if you’ve ever made statements worthy of a solid facepalm, such as “That racist sucker was simple and plain” or found yourself listening in on some conversation that had you asking, “Wasn’t Elvis basically just a fat Vegas singer who never wrote any of his songs?”, then this next list should serve as a good starting point if you wish to expand your knowledge on one of rock’s most famous artists.

[NOTE: This list is not a definite top 12 of Presley’s all-time greatest songs. Rather, it should be viewed as a strong collection in his catalogue that would essentially allow to have an efficient overview of his entire career. As an Elvis fan myself, I also firmly believe that you should at the very least know every single one of these songs if you ever wish to debate the brilliance of the man’s music. If at the moment you do not, RELAX, SIT BACK & ENJOY THE MAGIC OF ROCK.]

1. That’s All Right (1954)

Is it true that rock and roll originated from Black musicians? Yes. Is it true that once Elvis Presley emerged, rock and roll began to be labelled as “white man’s music”? Yes. Is it true that Elvis Presley sold more copies than his Black contemporaries due to the colour of his skin? Most likely. Just because Eminem has sold more records than any other rapper in history (most likely because he is white as well), for all the sane, judicious, non-racist people in the world, does that make Eminem any less of the spectacular artist people make him out to be? I hope you responded “no” to this last question, because the same train of thought must be made for Elvis Presley, who truly is amongst the greatest music interpreters of all time. “That’s All Right” was Elvis Presley’s debut single. It belongs within that catalogue of recordings that is considered to have initiated the last seventy years of music.

Great Moment:

“Well, that’s all right, mama

That’s all right for you

That’s all right, mama

Just anyway you do”

2. Blue Moon of Kentucky (1954)

Elvis began his career recording a number of songs at Sun Studios in Memphis, alongside other prominent figures (such as Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis). Sam Philips, the record producer of the studio, had endeavored to find a white male who would essentially be able to successfully bring Afro-American music to a wider audience, since many of the Black artists were unfortunately being overlooked at the time, and he felt he had a golden egg with Presley. Amongst the many Elvis staples which had been recorded (including the previous entry), there was “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, an earlier waltz by Bill Monroe that was swiftly reshaped into a rockabilly tune. The difference between both versions is spectacular, and the coming of Elvis had only just begun.

Great Moment:

“Blue moon, keep on shining bright,

You’re gonna bring me back my baby tonight”

3. Heartbreak Hotel (1956)

“Heartbreak Hotel” is arguably the most important Elvis Presley record of them all. Amongst many subsequent artists who claimed that the record “forever changed their lives” were George Harrison (of the Beatles), Keith Richards (of the Rolling Stones) and Robert Plant (of Led Zeppelin), arguably of the three greatest bands of all time. John Lennon said of the song: “When I first heard ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, I could hardly make out what was being said. It was just the experience of hearing it and having my hair stand on end.” Paul McCartney said of the song: “It’s the way [Presley] sings as if he is singing from the depths of hell.” This record is both exceptionally important and impressive, for it somewhat paved the way for such raw sounds to be commercially acceptable. Gone were the days of large orchestras and flawless vocals. Elvis added the hiccups and imperfections in his voice, and it all sounded so much more real than everything that came before it.

Great Moment:

“Well, since my baby left me

Well, I found a new place to dwell

Well, it’s down at the end of Lonely Street

At Heartbreak Hotel”

4. Tryin’ to Get to You (1956)

Released on Elvis Presley, a debut album I sincerely recommend to anyone who appreciates that old-time rock and roll, “Tryin’ to Get to You” splendidly displays Elvis’ vocal range. It is another rockabilly track that demonstrates just how well Elvis was able to interpret a song. As is a well-known fact, Elvis never wrote any of his tunes. His task was rather to interpret those that were delivered to him. As an expressive uncle of mine once told me: “Sure, it’s impressive to write a song, but who the hell cares if you can’t interpret it properly? There’s a reason Aretha Franklin is the greatest singer of them all! Most people today remember her rendition of ‘Respect’ more than the original Otis Redding recording.” “Tryin’ to Get to You” begins as a masterly tune in which Presley’s voice purposely cracks at just the right moments. Twice in the song, Elvis erupts and pours out all of his emotion into the track, elevating it to superlative status.

Great Moment:

“When I read you loving letter

Then my heart began to sing

There were many miles between us

But they didn’t mean a thing”

5. Love Me (1956)

Released one month after his famed Ed Sullivan Show appearance during which Presley’s hips swayed in sensual controversial fashion (cut to Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B humping each other’s three-quarter-naked bodies at the 2021 Grammy Awards), “Love Me” is as beautiful a love ballad as anyone can hope for from the rock and roll king. The song can be found on his second album simply entitled Elvis, and as with all of his LP’s, there are so many more gems one can find on this one. In contrast to the previous entries on this list, “Love Me” is a prime example of Elvis’ capabilities to slow things down and make the listeners feel a knot in their throat rather than brim with excitement. What a voice this man had. For me, this song is proof that the artist could literally sing anything and keep me captivated the whole way through.

Great Moment:

“Wring my faithful heart

Tear it all apart

But love me”

6. Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Soon after finding immense success in the music industry, Elvis Presley quickly became a top-billed actor, and Jailhouse Rock remains amongst his most celebrated films. Having personally seen the movie along with other Presley films, I cannot stress enough how uninteresting the man’s career in cinema was. I am very much aware of my being the most deranged hardcore Beatles fan I know, but you best believe I argued quite extensively with my father and grandfather who claimed their films were subpar in comparison to Presley’s. I honest to God never had fun watching an Elvis Presley film, and if Jailhouse Rock is considered by many to be his best, that’s really saying a lot. That being said, there is one iconic dance routine set to “Jailhouse Rock” in the movie that is highly worth watching, if just to get an honest idea of Elvis as an enormously entertaining performer as well, whose convulsing body had every teenage girl of the era break at the knees.

Great Moment:

“Warden threw a party in the county jail

The prison band was there, they began to wail

The band was jumpin’, and the joint began to swing

You should’ve heard them knocked out jailbirds sing

Let’s rock”

7. Stuck on You (1960)

From 1958 to 1960, although Elvis still released records, the singer was mostly occupied with his having enrolled in the US Army. “Stuck on You” was his comeback single once that time period had concluded, and it quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard charts, reminding listeners that his career was as strong as ever. It is important to remind oneself just how intelligent Elvis was as an interpreter. Make note of the way he chooses to sing the chorus of the song; it’s beyond anything else heard at the time. What is truly interesting to note is Presley’s strongly held conviction that he was nowhere near a singer in comparison to his Black contemporaries, once going so far as to say: “Nobody can sing that kind of music like colored people. Let’s face it. I can’t sing like Fats Domino. I know that.” To Elvis, Domino was and always had been the true king of rock and roll.

Great Moment:

“I’m gonna stick like glue

Stick, because I’m… stuck on you”

8. Return to Sender (1962)

From 1960 to 1968, Elvis decided to focus on his film career above all else. During this time, other artists rose to prominence (notably all those associated with the British Invasion such as The Beatles and The Stones, but also other American greats such as Bob Dylan and The Beach Boys). Sure, his films were beyond horrendous (as I mentioned earlier, though this is but a personal opinion), but each of them did release some golden hits, nonetheless. “Return to Sender” is one of them, performed in the film Girls! Girls! Girls!. I have never seen the film, but with a title like that and knowing that Elvis was the protagonist, I can ONLY IMAGINE what the plotline dealt with.

Great Moment:

“Return to sender, address unknown

No such number, no such zone”

9. (You’re the) Devil in Disguise (1963)

As was previously mentioned, due to the exponentially growing advent of many notable artists who began to explore popular music in a variety of ways, Presley’s cinema phase was evidently less than extraordinary in comparison, a then relatively unknown John Lennon (though an enormous Presley fan) going so far as to say the man had lost his momentum with “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise”. As much as this might not be Presley’s most renowned era, I still enjoy it, and there are still songs worth listening to all the same. “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” is a classic Elvis tune that is entertaining, simple and to the point. Nothing more, nothing less. If this is considered the start of Presley’s decline, I believe this song to say a lot about his artistry, as it personally still sounds as fresh in today’s day and age.

Great Moment:

“You look like an angel

Walk like an angel

Talk like an angel

But I got wise… You’re the devil in disguise!”

10. In The Ghetto (1969)

1968. The comeback year. Elvis Presley (thankfully) grew tired of the film industry and seeked to reclaim his throne by releasing the ’68 Comeback Special. The result? Not only did the special become enormously popular amongst millions of viewers, but Presley’s music career was wholly revitalized, and his music grew relevant once more. Less than a year following the special, Elvis released his most famous LP From Elvis in Memphis, on which he explored country soul, and the resulting product was a tremendous accomplishment, arguably situated at the peak of his creativity. While the album’s “Suspicious Minds” was the song that rose to the top of the Billboard charts, “In the Ghetto” feels like no other Elvis song heard before and remains a favourite to many fans after all these years, including Eric Cartman who sang his own rendition of it in an early episode of South Park.

Great Moment:

“As the snow flies…

On a cold and grey Chicago morning

A poor little baby child is born

In the ghetto…

And his mama cries…”

11. Gentle on My Mind (1969)

I always believed Elvis’ debut album to be my favourite of his as well as his most accomplished for everything it came to represent, but as I write this list and revisit his catalogue, From Elvis in Memphis is clearly his magnum opus, and I have now become certain of this. A song like “Gentle on My Mind” which is nowhere near amongst the singer’s most well-known should be enormous proof that it is not only Presley’s greatest hits that should cement this man’s reputable legacy, but rather his entire catalogue from A to Z. I decided to include this song on the list, for I believe it to serve as a decent example of what one might find if they choose to rummage Presley’s catalogue on their own. Due to the many gems this singer has released throughout his lifetime, there are possibly so many more of his songs that might speak to you that you will unfortunately never come across if you don’t search yourself. If you remotely appreciated this list of essentials thus far, I suggest you persist to nourish your ears and do just that.

Great Moment:

“It’s just knowing that the world will not be cursing

Or forgiving when I walk along some railroad track and find

That you’re moving on the backroads by the rivers of my memory

And for hours, you’re just gentle on my mind”

12. Burning Love (1972)

From this point on until his death in 1977, Elvis Presley continued to sing, performed under that infamous caricatured persona so often portrayed in the media today, did concerts in Las Vegas and Hawaii, filed for divorce from his wife, and aspired with President Nixon to cleanse America from the counterculture movement which had originated in the 60’s. The ironic part in all this was that, even though Presley was an avid condemner of drug use, while many heavy drug users such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles survived after so many years, it was Presley’s addiction to prescription barbiturates that caused his untimely death at the age of 42. Nonetheless, the 70’s still proved enormously successful for the singer. A few years before the singer’s passing, a business associate of my grandfather’s phoned him and asked if he and my grandmother were willing to fly to the States to attend an Elvis Presley concert as he managed to obtain a couple of extra tickets. Without hesitation, they boarded a plane, watched what they claim was the greatest concert they ever witnessed, flew back to Montreal all within the same day, and happily confirmed that their idol was still at the top of his game. Biased opinion? Who cares? It made my grandparents ecstatic as it did many thousands of other fans. It was around that time that Elvis released “Burning Love”, a classic and profoundly enjoyable experience, as well as my personal favourite Elvis Presley song of all time.

Great Moment:

“Your kisses lift me higher

Like the sweet song of a choir

You light my morning sky

With burning love”

BONUS:

1. “Mystery Train”

2. “I Love You Because”

3. “Blue Moon”

4. “Don’t Be Cruel”

5. “All Shook Up”

6. “A Big Hunk o’ Love”

7. “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame”

8. “Can’t Help Falling in Love”

9. “Suspicious Minds”

10. “Way Down”

Disclaimer: The original version of this story was published on another platform. Link to original version: https://medium.com/@gabriele_delbusso/essentials-by-the-dozen-elvis-presley-in-12-tracks-2b8662712e4