Elvis’ first record release of 1967 was the 45 RPM single “Indescribably Blue” backed with “Fools Fall In Love.” Recorded in Nashville the previous year, the single shipped on January 10. “Indescribably Blue” eventually made it to #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (February 25, 1967).
While it may not have been reflected in the chart position, “Indescribably Blue” was one of Elvis’ greatest records – showcasing a more powerful voice, yet harkening back to some of his earliest recordings. Elvis’ friend Lamar Fike, who passed away yesterday, apparently suggested that he record the song, which was written by Darrell Glenn.
The flip side was a cover of “Fools Fall In Love,” a Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller song first recorded by the Drifters in 1957. While Elvis’ version is good and manages to overcome a weak, almost movie-tune-style arrangement, I definitely have to give the Drifters the edge on this one.
* * *
Research Sources
- Elvis Presley: A Life In Music – The Complete Recording Sessions by Ernst Jorgensen, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1998.
- The Elvis Encyclopedia by Adam Victor, Overlook Duckworth, New York, 2008.
- ELVIS: His Life From A To Z by Fred Worth and Steve Tamerius, Wings Books, New York, 1992.
- Billboard, Vol. 79, No. 8, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., February 25, 1967.
Throughout 2011, The Mystery Train Elvis Blog is commemorating the 44th anniversary of 1967. Why? Riders of this train love exploring Elvis’ entire career, not just the 1950s. Find out more here.
The Mystery Train Blog 
Indescribably Blue has always been a favorite of mine
I can’t think of anyone who recorded as many styles as Elvis
rockabilly, rock n roll, ballads, folk tunes, show tunes, dixieland, gospel, country, swamp rock, great american song book crooning, Blues and a few children’s songs from the movies…..
LikeLike
Thanks for posting, Random. There are two reasons why I rarely refer to Elvis as “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The first is that he didn’t like to be called that. The second reason, to your point, is that I feel the “Rock ‘n’ Roll” label is too restrictive for him. He was so much more than that, a point that the general public and even some fans have a hard time accepting.
LikeLike
I agree, Elvis just needs one word to describe him:
Elvis
He was an all around entertainer that cast a shadow so big that we’ve not seen the edges of it
LikeLike
Back in the early 1990s, the local Blockbuster video had sections for Science Fiction, Horror, Suspense, Musicals, etc. They also had a section called simply “Elvis.” I used to go out of my way to rent videos there, just because of that section.
LikeLike