The Mystery Train 1.0

A selection of my writings from the original run of The Mystery Train, published online between 2010 and 2014, preserved as part of the site’s early history.

Elvis Trivialities – Haunted Edition

/ TY / 5 Comments

It’s October 31, so that means it’s time to dust off your well-worn copy of Elvis’ Halloween Album, dress up as an Elvis impersonator, and scare all the neighborhood children (and the adults, too, for that matter).

To help get you in the Halloween spirit, take your chances at today’s Elvis trivia challenge.

Name the Elvis songs from which the following lyrics were taken:

1.) Does your hair look a fright,
2.) There’s a full moon shining bright,
3.) The devil in your eyes 4.) set my soul on fire

5.) I went for some candy, along came 6.) the weave of a spider,
7.) Spinning a spell on 8.) a heart that’s haunted

9.) I’ll bring you pounds and pounds of chocolate candy,
10.) Black cats, keep away from me, 11.) you’ve got a bag of tricks,
12.) Must I evermore be haunted

A gigantic bag full of chocolate-covered bragging rights goes to the first person to get all twelve right in the comments below.

Happy Halloween, and good luck!

Would the world of Christmas be as wonderful in January?

/ TY / 7 Comments

In addition to Promised Land, Follow That Dream is also releasing 1971’s Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas as part of its Classic Album series in December. That’s right, two of his best albums are being released as deluxe editions in the same month.

The 2-CD release will contain the original album, which made its debut 40 years ago this month, as well as a ton of merry outtakes, alternates, and studio banter. The only problem for those of us in the United States is that it usually takes two to three weeks after the release date for FTD’s CDs to arrive here, since they ship from Denmark.

If Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas is released in early December, Americans should have a decent chance of getting it before Christmas. If not, well . . . I, for one, plan to enjoy the wonderful world of Christmas in January, if necessary.

Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas album cover

Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas album cover

Also coming in December from FTD is The Elvis Is Back! Sessions on vinyl and a photo book covering 1956.

Advice for Eric Bana as he takes on the role of Elvis

/ TY / 7 Comments

[Revised October 28, 2011]

Variety reported earlier this week that Eric Bana will play Elvis Presley in a new movie, Elvis & Nixon.

To be honest, at this point, I have no interest in watching someone try to play Elvis. Instead, I would prefer to see a decent series of documentaries produced about his life.

The only reason Elvis & Nixon even hits my radar at all is because Bana appeared in the 2009 movie Star Trek – a fantastic film. Bana played the Romulan villain, Nero. I can’t imagine Bana playing Elvis – but, then, suitability for the role has never been part of the criteria when it comes to productions about Elvis, has it?

Eric Bana as he appeared in Star Trek (2009)

Eric Bana as he appeared in Star Trek (2009)

Oddly enough, there’s already been a movie about the few minutes Elvis spent with President Richard Nixon on December 21, 1970. In 1997, Showtime produced a comedy movie called Elvis Meets Nixon covering the same event.

No word yet on whether the new Elvis & Nixon will be a comedy. One clue, though, may be that it will be the directorial debut of actor Cary Elwes – who has some comedy roles in his background, including Mel Brooks’ Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

So, though I really don’t personally care about this movie, I do care enough about how Elvis is portrayed to the general public to offer Bana some free advice:

1.) Forget everything you think you know about Elvis.
2.) Watch Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, which was filmed four months before the events of Elvis & Nixon.
3.) Repeat #2 until you’re done with your role.

FTD journeys to the Promised Land with Elvis in December

/ TY

[Revised October 28, 2011]

No sooner had The Mystery Train named the Promised Land album as the number one reason to love Elvis after 1972 than Elvis.com announced that a deluxe version is coming in December. Sony’s Follow That Dream collectors label for Elvis fans will soon feature Promised Land as part of its Classic Albums series.

The 2-CD release will contain the original album as well as outtakes, alternates, and studio banter. This must-have release is one many fans have anticipated over the last few years.

Promised Land album cover

Promised Land album cover

20 reasons to love Elvis after 1972

/ TY / 16 Comments
Elvis rocks the world, 1973

Elvis rocks the world, 1973

If you believe many accounts, exploring the work of Elvis Presley after 1972 is a fruitless journey through five depressing years best left forgotten. While a downward spiral of personal problems certainly affected his music, I cannot agree with the overall sentiment.

Inspired by a recent Elvis Today Blog post, I want to share 20 reasons to love Elvis after 1972.

#1 Promised Land album (recorded 1973)
Any discussion around the greatest albums of Elvis’ career should include Promised Land. Featuring that perfect Elvis blend of rock ‘n’ roll, country, and gospel, this is one of his strongest efforts. Standouts include “Promised Land” – destroying any doubts that Elvis could still rock, “Thinking About You,” “It’s Midnight,” “You Asked Me To,” and the funky “If You Talk In Your Sleep.”

#2 Aloha From Hawaii event (1973)
The magnitude of performing the first worldwide satellite broadcast by an entertainer at times seemed to overwhelm even Elvis, particularly in the first half of the main show. All too easily dismissed by some fans, the overall Aloha From Hawaii event still remains worthy of praise. Beyond the actual television special, there was also a double album that remains a classic representation of the excitement of his 1970s stage show, with standouts including “An American Trilogy,” “A Big Hunk O’ Love,” “I’ll Remember You,” “Fever,” and “What Now My Love.”

The 1988 release of The Alternate Aloha on CD revealed Elvis was much more at ease during the rehearsal/back-up concert. “Burning Love,” despite the fact that Elvis misses some of the words, and “Suspicious Minds” exceed their counterparts on the real show.

Elvis Presley Enterprise’s definitive 2-DVD set Aloha From Hawaii Deluxe Edition (2004) captures both shows in terrific audio and video quality, as well as other footage shot at that time. Though he did not pass away until over four years later, for the mainstream public, Aloha From Hawaii would prove to be Elvis’ last hurrah.

#3 Moody Blue album (1974, 1976-1977)
Moody Blue is an album recorded at Elvis’ home, Graceland, and at Elvis’ second home, on stage in front of his fans. Of the four live numbers, the strongest is a haunting version of “Unchained Melody,” recorded on April 24, 1977, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Many of the Graceland recordings are also stellar, including “Pledging My Love,” “Way Down,” “Moody Blue,” “She Thinks I Still Care,” and “He’ll Have To Go.” As the final album released before his death, Moody Blue allowed Elvis to finish in style.

#4 “Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming,” Take 10 (1973)
“Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming,” which expresses a father’s love for a newborn, never stood out to me until I heard this alternate take, first released on 2002’s Today, Tomorrow & Forever boxed set.

#5 Bringing It Back/Pieces Of My Life single (1975)
Much like “Always On My Mind” backed with “Separate Ways” from 1972, 1975’s “Bringing It Back” backed with “Pieces Of My Life” evokes a complete story on one record. Though the music may not have been as groundbreaking, Elvis recorded songs of a much more personal nature in the 1970s compared to other times of his career. It’s not flashy jumpsuits that draw people to this time, but the sheer honesty of the music.

#6 My Way/America The Beautiful single (1977/1975)
“My Way” backed with “America The Beautiful” is the first Elvis record I can specifically remember playing. Recorded just weeks before his death for the Elvis In Concert television special at a show in Rapid City, South Dakota, “My Way” worked effectively as a farewell of sorts, while 1975’s “America The Beautiful,” recorded live in Las Vegas, spoke to his love of the United States and God. Though rock ‘n’ roll is not to be found on it, this record sums up Elvis Presley about as well as any other contender.

#7 “Pledging My Love,” Take 3 (1976)
One of the pleasant surprises of 1997’s Platinum: A Life In Music was take 3 of “Pledging My Love,” recorded at Graceland. Devoid of subsequent production overdubs, this works as a kind of “stripped-down” version.

#8 “Way Down,” Take 2A (1976)
Also from Platinum: A Life In Music, take 2A of “Way Down” is strong for the same reasons as “Pledging My Love” – a stripped-down sound reminiscent of earlier times. The extra band riff near the end is a delight and should have been included on the master.

#9 From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee album (1976)
Recorded at Graceland, From Elvis Presley Boulevard is the saddest album released by Elvis. It is also his most honest. This one gives us a view into the man living in the famous mansion on Elvis Presley Boulevard. Overblown production and all, From Elvis Presley Boulevard is a beautiful and moving album. Highlights include “For The Heart,” “Hurt,” “Never Again,” and “Love Coming Down.”

#10 Good Times album (1973)
Unlike Promised Land, Moody Blue, and From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Good Times is unable to take a spot among the best albums of his career due to a few clunkers that weigh it down. However, “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues,” “Lovin’ Arms,” “I’ve Got A Thing About You, Baby,” and “My Boy” are standouts on this worthy album.

#11 “Where No One Stands Alone,” Live Recording (1977)
Whether we are talking 1953, 1977, or anywhere in between, Elvis Presley was always full of surprises. “Where No One Stands Alone,” released on 2007’s Unchained Melody, is one of his most incredible performances. Accompanying himself on piano, he sings the song on stage for what is apparently the only time. This live version from a February 16, 1977, concert in Montgomery, Alabama, exceeds his 1966 original.

#12 “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues,” Take 7 (1973)
Part of appreciating Elvis involves understanding that he never took himself as seriously as many others do. This broken up take and the resulting jokes after the fact highlight some of his behind-the-scenes humor. First released on Follow That Dream’s 2009 edition of Good Times.

#13 “She Thinks I Still Care,” Take 2B (1976)
“She Thinks I Still Care” is another alternate from the Graceland sessions. Released on 1995’s Walk A Mile In My Shoes, Take 2B takes the song at a brisker pace and works even better than the master.

#14 “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” Home Recording (1973)
Though “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” seemed almost like album-filler on Aloha From Hawaii, Elvis sings a superior version with only himself on acoustic guitar several months later in private. Fortunately, someone rolled a tape recorder. This is a particularly poignant performance when you consider that it takes place only weeks after his divorce from Priscilla is finalized. This one can be found on 2005’s Elvis By The Presleys.

#15 Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis album (1974)
Yes, his third live album in three years had some repetitive material, but “How Great Thou Art,” “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy,” and “My Baby Left Me” help to make this one special, not to mention that it was recorded in Memphis. This version of “How Great Thou Art” earned Elvis his third and final Grammy.

#16 Raised On Rock album (1973)
Raised On Rock receives a lot of criticism, yet contains some strong tracks. Two of the best are “For Ol’ Times Sake” and “Sweet Angeline.”

#17 “I Really Don’t Want To Know,” Live Recording (1977)
Like “My Way,” this one was recorded in Rapid City on June 21, 1977, for the Elvis In Concert special, which aired posthumously. This is a great, though all too short, live version of a song he first recorded in 1970 (Elvis Country).

#18 “Reconsider Baby,” Live Recording (1977)
Elvis could always draw inspiration from the blues, even near the end. Recorded February 21, 1977, this is from the Unchained Melody album. Though Elvis formally recorded the song in 1960 for Elvis Is Back, he was playing around with this one at least as far back as 1956.

#19 “Shake A Hand,” Take 2 (1975)
2002’s 6363 Sunset included this stellar alternate of “Shake A Hand,” recorded at RCA’s Hollywood studio.

#20 “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Live Recording (1977)
On April 29, 1977, in Duluth, Minnesotta, Elvis knocked out a great rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though, like many 1977 recordings, it can be a painful listen. Featured on Spring Tours 77.

* * *

Elvis never claimed to be anything special. It seems, at times, people tear him down for being a flawed man rather than the perfect god they wrongly imagined him to be.

“I’m not a king, I’m just a man,” he sang in 1971’s “Until It’s Time For You To Go,” as if pleading for understanding. No one listened.

It turns out that our hero was only human, just like us. I think that makes his many accomplishments shine that much brighter.

October 23, 2011, Update:
In the comments, Joe mentioned that he decided to try all of the songs mentioned above as a playlist. I liked his idea, so here’s what I came up with.

  • For The Heart (From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee)
  • You Asked Me To (Promised Land)
  • Bringing It Back (Today)
  • Love Coming Down (From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee)
  • Lovin’ Arms (Good Times)
  • Pledging My Love (Moody Blue)
  • I’ve Got A Thing About You, Baby (Good Times)
  • For Ol’ Times Sake (Raised On Rock)
  • She Thinks I Still Care [Alternate] (Walk A Mile In My Shoes)
  • Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues (Good Times)
  • Burning Love [Live] (The Alternate Aloha)
  • What Now My Love [Live] (Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite)
  • Bridge Over Troubled Water [Live] (Spring Tours 77)
  • A Big Hunk O’ Love [Live] (Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite)
  • Unchained Melody [Live] (Moody Blue)
  • An American Trilogy [Live] (Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite)
  • Promised Land (Promised Land)
  • Never Again (From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee)
  • It’s Midnight (Promised Land)
  • Way Down [Alternate] (A Life In Music)
  • He’ll Have To Go (Moody Blue)
  • If You Talk In Your Sleep (Promised Land)
  • Moody Blue (Moody Blue)
  • Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming [Alternate] (Today, Tomorrow & Forever)
  • My Boy (Good Times)
  • I’ll Remember You [Live] (Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite)
  • Fever [Live] (Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite)
  • Lawdy, Miss Clawdy [Live] (Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis)
  • Suspicious Minds [Live] (The Alternate Aloha)
  • America The Beautiful [Live] (Elvis Aron Presley)
  • How Great Thou Art [Live] (Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis)
  • Way Down (Moody Blue)
  • Pieces Of My Life (Today)
  • Hurt (From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee)
  • Sweet Angeline (Raised On Rock)
  • Thinking About You (Promised Land)
  • Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues [Outtake] (Good Times [2009 FTD Edition])
  • I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry [Informal] (Elvis By The Presleys)
  • Pledging My Love [Alternate] (A Life In Music)
  • She Thinks I Still Care (Moody Blue)
  • Shake A Hand [Alternate] (6363 Sunset)
  • Reconsider Baby [Live] (Unchained Melody)
  • My Baby Left Me [Live] (Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis)
  • I Really Don’t Want To Know [Live] (Elvis In Concert)
  • Where No One Stands Alone [Live] (Unchained Melody)
  • My Way [Live] (Elvis Aron Presley)

“To @!#?@! with the Hilton Hotel . . . the Showroom, too”

/ TY / 20 Comments

A few weeks ago, I purchased a batch of Follow That Dream CDs, and I’ve been working my way through them. By far, the most interesting is one I’ve been spinning this week.

Closing Night (2004)Closing Night is actually a 2004 release. For reasons that have escaped my memory, I didn’t pick this one up back then.

Maybe it was the poorly Photoshopped cover that turned me off. Though if cover art were a real consideration for me, I fear much of my Elvis collection wouldn’t be here.

Or, maybe I was worried that this notorious show was a train wreck.

More than likely, though, it was probably a budgetary consideration. Though I support FTD, I can’t afford to buy every single release. Instead, I pick and choose.

In any event, I can explain why I finally purchased this CD. Back in July, Elvis super fan Ian Fraser mentioned this show in a comment to a post here on The Mystery Train. His enthusiasm made me want to try out Closing Night.

The Closing Night CD actually contains selections from two September 3, 1973, concerts at the Hilton Hotel’s Showroom in Las Vegas. Tracks 1 through 7 are from the Dinner Show, while tracks 8 through 25 are from the Midnight Show (the actual closing show that Ian mentions in his comments).

It’s definitely an unusual show, but not a train wreck by any means. It’s intriguing to hear Elvis uncharacteristically blowing off steam while on stage. Plus, there are great live versions of “Trouble” and “My Boy,” not to mention “Bridge Over Suspicious Minds” and the spoken word only version of “Softly, As I Leave You.”

What have you been listening to this week?

Guest Post: Elvis epitomizes everything we love about rock ‘n’ roll

/ Guest Conductor / 7 Comments

I’ve been an “Elvis guy” since I was a kid. His story was a sad one, but what he gave us was amazing. I’ve always felt like I wanted to defend him, like people were all into his “image” but unschooled as to his recorded work.

Speaking of defending, I was planning to write a book, but maybe now instead a website, devoted to his films. They get such a bad rap but are so fun to watch. My wife and two boys always look forward to Elvis Week in January when we shut it down and watch Elvis movies. We returned to Graceland this summer (we’re just north of Toronto) and had a great trip. When I came home I found The Mystery Train and have enjoyed reading and joining in.

I’ve got an older brother. He and his friends are fans of blues and blues/rock — guys like Buddy Guy, the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, and other late-Sixties rockers like Pink Floyd and Creedence Clearwater Revivial.

Being the younger guy, I always wanted to turn them on to some “cool” music they weren’t aware of. They all know and respect Elvis Presley, but I always wondered if they really knew him or some of the lesser-known songs and even mini-eras that were cool, recordings that would help prove his place among the iconic “rockers” in history.

And what about the kids of today? Could I show them that yes, Presley had been there first, had done it better than most, and deserved to stand alongside others? Not just in terms of sales and historical significance, but also in that “cool” factor? They put our boy on stage with Celine Dion, trick up his old tunes for remixes, “duets,” and Cirque du Soleil to make him palatable to the masses – but what tracks, taken on their own merits, would prove my point and show the kids of today, or even hippie-type rockers like my brother and his friends, that the man really helped invent “cool”?

It’s like I tell my kids: try to imagine you’ve never heard of “Elvis” before. Try to think of a time when music was not like “Hound Dog,” but more like “Come On-a My House.” Try to imagine that time and then imagine hearing a white Southern boy singing “That’s All Right,” the track that would have to start my Cool Elvis CD. The primitive, raw energy of this recording makes it significant and not just historically – it’s great to hear and great to sing in the car.

“Mystery Train” qualifies for a lot of the same reasons, but this track adds something darker, sort of a Robert Johnson thing.

“My Baby Left Me” is another Arthur Crudup song, which of course ties it to the blues. Another energetic track that must have sounded so different from other offerings in 1956, delivered with sheer joy and exuberance.

“Hound Dog” would be a hard sell because it’s so iconic, but try to focus on his ferocious vocal. Maybe the “coolest” thing about this track is not Presley at all, but Scotty Moore – his two solos on this record are out of this world. More like “hard rock” compared to other recordings of the time. Can we not trace Jimmy Page back to this two minute and sixteen second part of history?

“Mean Woman Blues” – another blues tune with great lyrics and another ballsy vocal.

I’ve always said that “Jailhouse Rock” is maybe his best vocal. I mean, this song “rocks” and his delivery is one of the coolest single things I’ve ever heard.

“Too Much” has that beat, that tempo, that groove. And it has the way he says “take” as in “take me back, baby…”

“Trouble,” particularly the King Creole version, is maybe the best example of Elvis as a danger, as a threat to your physical well-being. On this track, he’s menacing.

I’ve heard a bootleg recording of Led Zeppelin doing “A Mess of Blues” – talk about giving a song cred. The Presley version is solid with some great piano. Again, “blues.”

All movie songs are terrible? Buried in Frankie and Johnny is “Hard Luck.” He sounds so comfortable singing the blues. Again. And the harmonica? That cat is in the pocket.

In the late Sixties, Presley again showed the world how cool he really was. Just look at him in the Comeback Special. The sit-down session should be enough to prove his coolness. “Down in the Alley” and “Guitar Man” from this era are great tunes with a bit of a new sound for him.

Speaking of movie tunes, gotta go with “Spinout.” Fantastic drumming and another great vocal: “prove” in “she’s out to prove.”

The American Sound Studio recordings are like the Comeback Special: proof enough. Specifically: “Suspicious Minds,” a fan favourite. Everybody loves it and it is maybe the first of his recordings to actually be majestic.

“Rubberneckin’” and “A Little Less Conversation.” What can I say? Remixes aside, these recordings stand up in swagger, energy and coolness with ANYTHING in rock history.

“The Power of My Love” is a great one to play for any old blues boy-type guy. This one bumps and grinds.

“I’m Movin’ On” has to be there. This is for the old school C&W fan. But I love this because it may be the song of Presley’s that most exemplifies the blend of country and blues he was famous for. The highway bounce of the verse and the soul-funk work-out of the chorus. “Move on, baby!”

Being a fan of the oldies, when I first heard Elvis sing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” I couldn’t get into it, but now I can hear that he found the heart and soul of the song and ratcheted it up – big time. Never has “Baby!” sounded so cool.

“Polk Salad Annie” benefits from a visual of Elvis performing it on stage. As a recording, though, it’s got energy to burn and humor as well. You listen with a smile. He’s digging it.

Elvis did for “Never Been to Spain” what he did for “Lovin’ Feelin’.” Punched it up and let it blast through the arena.

“Burning Love” works all these years later, like “Suspicious Minds.” Great guitar intro, great “mature Elvis” vocal with a bit of echo. Another easy sell. It rocks and everyone is down with this one.

“Aw, get on it!” And off we go to the “Promised Land.” Talk about energy. The Seventies juggernaut seems to have started here. The scene in Men in Black is actually perfect: driving really fast with “Promised Land” really loud.

A couple of tracks from this era have a great groove that was perfect for the time: “If You Talk in Your Sleep” and “I’ve Got a Feelin’ in My Body.” “If You Talk in Your Sleep” is down and dirty. “I Got a Feelin’ in My Body” brings the funk. Solid.

“T-R-O-U-B-L-E” is another one you play for the C&W fan. Great vocal and a rollicking track. The lyrics really say “country song,” too.

I close my imaginary Cool Elvis CD the way King closed his chart career: “Way Down.” Contemporary sounding for its time, the vocal catches him at the end, lacking a bit of the old fire. But J.D. Sumner, some great piano playing, and a driving, dramatic performance make this one worthy of inclusion.

So this is the CD I’d take to poker night at my brother’s. You have to have some familiar songs or people feel out of it. So, along with the better known tracks, I’ve thrown in some hidden gems and all together they present a pretty good case.

Don’t let history, his status as an icon, the “Elvis Sightings” and the jokes about his weight take away from the fact that the cat was solid. He is that cool. He really does epitomize everything we love about rock ‘n’ roll. It’s borne out not just in the images but in the recordings. It’s amazing to think that someone so visually stunning and entertaining didn’t need the visual at all, really. Just the music.

/Wellsy

Elvis, The Cool Album

  1. That’s All Right
  2. Mystery Train
  3. My Baby Left Me
  4. Hound Dog
  5. Mean Woman Blues
  6. Jailhouse Rock
  7. Too Much
  8. Trouble
  9. A Mess of Blues
  10. Hard Luck
  11. Down in the Alley
  12. Guitar Man
  13. Spinout
  14. Suspicious Minds
  15. Rubberneckin’
  16. A Little Less Conversation
  17. The Power of My Love
  18. I’m Movin’ On
  19. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
  20. Polk Salad Annie
  21. Never Been to Spain
  22. Burning Love
  23. Promised Land
  24. If You Talk in Your Sleep
  25. I’ve Got a Feelin’ in My Body
  26. T-R-O-U-B-L-E
  27. Way Down