I’ve done a lot of driving this week. My life is getting nuts. I’ve got Elvis Presley on the shuffle. Thought I’d give you a taste of it. It’s very weird to listen to him on Shuffle. It’s vaguely schizophrenic, the material is often wildly uneven, but there is also a thruline which is his voice and also – I guess I would call it joy. He seems happy to be doing what he’s doing. The Elvis Shuffle of the last couple of driving days:<\/p>\n
“You Gave Me a Mountain” – Live, from the Aloha From Hawaii<\/i> show. He sings the shit out of this song. It obviously meant a lot to him. I have a couple different versions and it’s always an anthem. <\/p>\n
“Good Rockin’ Tonight” – Elvis at his most dirty and deviant. He is up to no good. Thank God.<\/p>\n
“Flaming Star” – theme song for Flaming Star<\/i>, a cowboy song<\/p>\n
“Mansion Over the Hilltop” – from the giant double gospel album Amazing Grace<\/i>. He’s gentle and a bit somnolent here.<\/p>\n
“You’re the Only Star In My Blue Heaven” – from the Million Dollar Quartet session on December 4, 1956. Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins happen to be in the studio at the same time, and they jammed, and someone had enough smarts to turn on the damn tape recorder. Hard to believe that this event actually occurred. The recordings are a joy, with a real sense of the impromptu pushing-each-other-on vibe that had to be in that room, but the best part is you don’t sense competition. Just happiness. Fun. They’re laughing, making fun of each other, and then they also get down to business. This song features Jerry Lee Lewis.<\/p>\n
“I Asked the Lord” – from the home recordings tapes. Elvis messing around on the piano. At one point he starts banging out Jingle Bells. He can’t really play the piano, but he always means it. I love hearing him banging out chords.<\/p>\n
“That’s All Right” – Elvis’ first single, only this one is a live version from much later in his life. Jamming riffing band, huge energy, big choruses behind him. <\/p>\n
“Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues” – from his 1974 album Good Times<\/i>. A melancholy country number. He’s in very good voice. I love it when he goes country.<\/p>\n
“Aloha Oe” – from Blue Hawaii<\/i>. I love this entire ridiculous album.<\/p>\n
“Hawaiian Wedding Song” – see above<\/p>\n
“Frankfort Special” – from G.I. Blues<\/i>. I know his movie soundtracks get short shrift, and sometimes for good reason. But there are wee gems. This is one of them.<\/p>\n
“In Your Arms” – I love this song. It’s from his album with the horrible title Something for Everybody<\/i>, which is indicative of the messed-up energy in his managing team at that time. But this is old-school. Love it.<\/p>\n
“Mystery Train” – he’s got that almost whine and then sexy grumble to his voice here, from his most classic period. Nice song.<\/p>\n
“Baby, Let’s Play House” – he’s so good here, he’s almost parodying himself, all the little grunts and squeals. A racy song, the lyrics were controversial at the time. He’s not saying “let’s make a home together, darling,”, he’s saying “let’s PLAY house” which is a very different thing altogether. Great guitar line too. <\/p>\n
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