Moody Blue
Moody Blue | ||||
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RCA Victor | ||||
Producer | Felton Jarvis | |||
Elvis Presley chronology | ||||
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Singles from Moody Blue | ||||
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Moody Blue is the twenty-fourth and final
The first American copies of Moody Blue were pressed on limited edition translucent blue vinyl, the first time a Presley album had been issued on colored vinyl. The album soon reverted to black vinyl; after Presley's death it returned to blue, making the original US black vinyl issue the scarcer of the two. All overseas pressings were on black vinyl.
Contents
As described in Elvis: The Illustrated Record, RCA was not able to obtain sufficient new studio material for a complete album, with all but two songs of Presley's studio recordings of 1976 having already been used in the previous album, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee or released as singles. The company chose to use the contents of two singles that had not yet been included on album, along with the two last remaining unreleased tracks from the Graceland sessions; the track list was then augmented with three live songs recorded in multi-track in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on April 24 and 26, 1977, which were heavily overdubbed for the album. One of these was his version of "Unchained Melody", on which he accompanied himself on the piano.
RCA producer Felton Jarvis had booked a recording studio in
The song "
RCA pressed the album on blue
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
MusicHound Rock | [4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
The Rough Guide to Elvis | [6] |
The Los Angeles Times concluded that "the voice is still intact, but the arrangements are often off-center and the material is often uninspired."[7]
Reissues
The original RCA CD issue contained the same tracks and cover art as the original vinyl LP. RCA reissued the album on CD again in 2000 with revised cover art including a different concert photo of Elvis and omitted the track "Let Me Be There", due to its presence on Elvis: As Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis, and it added the complete album From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee as tracks 10–19 – in effect compiling the Graceland sessions rather than reissuing the original album. In 2013, Moody Blue was reissued on the Follow That Dream label in a special edition that contained the original album tracks along with a selection of alternate takes.
Track listing
Original release
April 24, 1977 | 1:52 | |||
4. | "He'll Have to Go" (recorded at Graceland) | Joe Allison, Audrey Allison | October 31, 1976 | 4:28 |
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5. | "Let Me Be There" (from the album Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis) | John Rostill | March 20, 1974 | 3:26 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
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1. | " Layng Martine, Jr. | October 29, 1976 | 2:37 | |
2. | "Pledging My Love" (recorded at Graceland) | Don Robey, Ferdinand Washington | October 29, 1976 | 2:50 |
3. | "Moody Blue" (recorded at Graceland) | Mark James | February 4, 1976 | 2:49 |
4. | "She Thinks I Still Care" (recorded at Graceland) | Dickey Lee, Steve Duffy | February 2, 1976 | 3:49 |
5. | "It's Easy for You" (recorded at Graceland) | Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice | October 29, 1976 | 3:26 |
Follow That Dream re-issue
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Unchained Melody" | 2:34 |
2. | "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" | 3:01 |
3. | "Little Darlin'" (live, April 24, 1977) | 1:55 |
4. | "He'll Have to Go" | 4:34 |
5. | "Let Me Be There" | 3:37 |
6. | "Way Down" | 2:41 |
7. | "Pledging My Love" | 2:53 |
8. | "Moody Blue" | 2:52 |
9. | "She Thinks I Still Care" | 3:53 |
10. | "Its Easy for You" | 3:30 |
11. | "Unchained Melody" (undubbed master) | 3:17 |
12. | "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" (undubbed master) | 2:56 |
13. | "Moody Blue" (take 6) | 4:06 |
14. | "She Thinks I Still Care" (take 2B) | 4:42 |
15. | "My Way" (live) | 4:21 |
16. | "Way Down" (undubbed master) | 3:04 |
17. | "Little Darlin" (undubbed master) | 2:02 |
18. | "He'll Have to Go" (rough mix) | 4:37 |
19. | "Pledging My Love" (composite of rehearsal and take 3) | 3:21 |
20. | "It's Easy for You" (take 1) | 3:46 |
21. | "She Thinks I Still Care" (takes 1, 2A) | 5:35 |
22. | "America, The Beautiful" | 2:19 |
23. | "Softly, as I Leave You" | 3:04 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Way Down" (rehearsal, take 1) | 3:15 |
2. | "Way Down" (take 2A) | 2:54 |
3. | "She Thinks I Still Care" (takes 3, 4) | 4:58 |
4. | "Moody Blue" (take 1) | 3:30 |
5. | "Pledging My Love" (takes 1, 2) | 2:38 |
6. | "Pledging My Love" (take 3) | 4:53 |
7. | "It's Easy for You" (takes 3, 4) | 1:56 |
8. | "It's Easy for You" (undubbed master) | 3:40 |
9. | "She Thinks I Still Care" (takes 7, 9) | 2:28 |
10. | "She Thinks I Still Care" (take 10) | 4:21 |
11. | "Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain" (unedited rough mix of master) | 4:23 |
12. | "Moody Blue" (takes 7, 5) | 5:31 |
13. | "Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall" (rough mix of master) | 3:29 |
14. | "Pledging My Love" (takes 4-5) | 2:06 |
15. | "Pledging My Love" (undubbed, unedited master) | 5:24 |
16. | "Way Down" (take 2B) | 1:42 |
17. | "Way Down" (rough mix of master) | 2:39 |
18. | "Moody Blue" (takes 8, 9) | 1:04 |
19. | "Moody Blue" (master unedited rough mix) | 3:57 |
20. | "She Thinks I Still Care" (take 15) | 4:16 |
21. | "America, The Beautiful" (composite of single master and the surviving ending of the erased studio version) | 2:16 |
Personnel
- Elvis Presley – vocals, piano on "Unchained Melody", executive producer
- The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals
- Sherrill Nielsen – backing vocals
- Kathy Westmoreland – backing vocals
- J.D. Sumner& The Stamps – backing vocals
- Myrna Smith – backing vocals
- James Burton – lead guitar
- John Wilkinson – rhythm guitar
- Jerry Scheff – bass except "Let Me Be There"
- Duke Bardwell – bass on "Let Me Be There"
- Tony Brown – piano except "Unchained Melody", "Let Me Be There", "Moody Blue" and "She Thinks I Still Care", overdubbed organ on "Unchained Melody"
- Glen D. Hardin – piano on "Let Me Be There", "Moody Blue", and "She Thinks I Still Care"
- David Briggs – Fender Rhodes electric piano, clavinet, overdubbed piano on "Unchained Melody", "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)", "Way Down" and "Little Darlin’"
- Ronnie Tutt – drums
- Bergen White – string and horn arrangements
- Overdubbed
- Bobby Ogdin — acoustic piano on "Unchained Melody"[9]: 142 and "Little Darlin'"
- Norbert Putnam – bass on "Unchained Melody"[9]
- Alan Rush – guitar on "Unchained Melody", "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" and "Little Darlin’", backing vocals on "Little Darlin’"
- Dennis Linde – bass on “Unchained Melody”, “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” and “Little Darlin’”, backing vocals on “Little Darlin’”
- Randy Cullers – drums on "Unchained Melody", "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" and "Little Darlin’"
- Farrell Morris – percussion and bells on "Unchained Melody"
- Technical
- Don Wardell – executive producer, producer
- Chick Crumpacker – producer
- Dick Baxter – engineer
- Glenn Meadows – original mastering
- Vic Anesini – digital remastering
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[26] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
France ( SNEP)[27]
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Gold | 100,000* |
New Zealand Sales in 1977 |
— | 7,500[28] |
United States (RIAA)[29] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ "1970s discography".
- ^ Eder, Bruce. "Elvis Presley Moody Blue". AllMusic. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
- ^ "Elvis Presley: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ISBN 1-84353-417-7.
- ^ Hilburn, Robert (Jul 3, 1977). "Newcomers Nudge Out Veterans in Disc Derby". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 68.
- ^ "Elvis Presley Albums". Softshoe-slim.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- ^ ISBN 9781618500908.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5405a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Elvis Presley Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Elvis Presley Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- .
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1977". Dutch Charts. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Top Albums 1977" (PDF). Music Week. 24 December 1977. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue". Music Canada. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ^ "French album certifications – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved May 6, 2022. Select ELVIS PRESLEY and click OK.
- Papers Past. August 19, 1977. p. 4. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "American album certifications – Elvis Presley – Moody Blue". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
External links
- Moody Blue at Discogs (list of releases)
- AFL1-2428 Moody Blue Guide part of The Elvis Presley Record Research Database
- AQL1-2428 Moody Blue Guide part of The Elvis Presley Record Research Database