By 1976 Elvis was recording at home in Graceland, cutting what would be the final recordings of his career. Filled with bathos and showing little rock & roll vitality, these remain interesting nonetheless, as it implied his accepting his age somewhat and attempting to combine old-fashioned, melodramatic soul with contemporary country-pop. While the pain and decay are evident — especially in hindsight — Elvis could still sing: "Hurt" is excellent, one of his best and, on "Danny Boy," Elvis reaches with an aching falsetto that closes the song, appropriately. Still, this is hardly the album to begin your collection with.
ELVIS PRESLEY
FROM ELVIS PRESLEY BOULEVARD MEMPHIS TENNESSEE
RCA Victor APL1-1506
May/1976
Produced by Felton Jarvis
Vocals:
Myrna Smith, J.D. Sumner & The Stamps, Kathy Westmoreland
Arrangements by Bergen White
Recorded:
Feb 2-7/1976, Graceland Studio, Memphis
1.
HURT
(Jamie Crane - Al Jacobs)
« © '53 Miller Catalog, ASCAP »
I'm so hurt to think that you would you'd lie to me
I'm hurt way down deep inside of me
You said our love was true we would never ever part
Now you want someone new and it breaks my heart
Hurt so much more than you'll ever know
Yes darling I'm so hurt because I still love you so
But even though you hurt me like nobody else would ever do
I would never ever hurt you
**********
2.
NEVER AGAIN
(Billy Ed Wheeler - Jerry Chesnut)
« © '76 Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP / Tree Publishing, BMI »
I hope I never ever love anyone this much again
I can't take it anymore I've been hurt before never ever quite like this time
What will become of me when you're no longer here
If I can't stop loving you what am I to do you'll be free but where will I be
Now that I'm used to love how can I stand alone
Now that love has come and gone like the ending of a song
A song my lonely heart keeps singing
Where do I go from here will I get over you
If so next time I'll be smart I'll know before I start
A heart that don't care don't get broken
I hope I never ever love anyone this much again
Never ever never again never again
**********
3.
BLUE EYES CRYING IN THE RAIN
(Fred Rose)
« © '45 Milene Music, ASCAP »
In the twilight glow I see her blue eyes crying in the rain
When we kissed goodbye and parted I knew we'd never meet again
Love is like a dying ember only memories remain
Through the ages I'll remember blue eyes crying in the rain
[ guitar ]
Some day when we meet up yonder we'll stroll hand in hand again
In a land that knows no parting blue eyes crying in the rain
Blue eyes crying in the rain
(Blue eyes crying in the rain blue eyes crying in the rain)
Blue eyes crying in the rain blue eyes crying in the rain
**********
4.
DANNY BOY
(Fred Weatherly)
« © '53 Boosey & Hawkes Music, ASCAP »
Oh Danny Boy the pipes the pipes are calling
From glen to glen and down the mountain side
The summer's gone and all the roses dying
It's you it's you must go and I must bide
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valleys hushed and white with snow
And I'll be here in sunshine or in shadows
Oh Danny Boy oh Danny Boy I love you so
And if you come and all the flowers are dying
And I am dead as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an Ave there for me
And I shall fear though soft you tread above me
And then my grave will richer sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me
And I shall rest in peace until you come to me
(I love you so)
**********
5.
LAST FAREWELL
(Roger Whittaker - Ronald A. Webster)
« © '74 BMG Songs, ASCAP »
There's a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbor
Tomorrow for old England she sails
Far away from your land of endless sunshine
To my land full of rainy skies and gales
And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow
Though my heart is full of tears at this farewell
For you are beautiful I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
For you are beautiful I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
I've heard there's a wicked war a blazing
And the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a raising
Their guns on fire as we sail into hell
I have no fear of death it brings no sorrow
But how bitter will be this last farewell
For you are beautiful I have loved you dearly...
Though death and darkness gather all about me
My ship be torn apart upon the sea
I shall smell again the fragrance of these islands
And the heaving waves that brought me once to Thee
And should I return home safe again to England
I shall watch the English mist roll through the dale
For you are beautiful I have loved you dearly...
**********
6.
FOR THE HEART
(Dennis Linde)
« © '75 Combine Music, BMI »
Had a dream about you baby had a dream bout me and you
Had a dream and I woke up crying
Well I roll but I just can't rock and the time's draggin' by tick tock
For the heart that just can't love no one but you
Well I'm high and dry and lonely I'm as lonely as can be
And I stare out of my window
Well I can play but I just can't win and the weather's looking mighty grin
For the heart that just can't love no one but you
For the heart for the heart for the heart
That just can't love no one but you
For the heart for the heart for the heart
That just can't love no one but you
Had a dream about you baby...
For the heart for the heart for the heart...
For the heart for the heart for the heart...
**********
7.
BITTER THEY ARE HARDER THEY FALL
(Larry Gatlin)
« © '73 Parker Lou Music, BMI / Tree Publishing, BMI »
I told her to leave me alone that's what she's done just what she's done
And a house built for two ain't a home when it's lived in by one one lonely one
And I can no longer hear footsteps come right down the hall
Here come the teardrops bitter they are harder they fall
She caught me lying then she caught a train
And I caught a fever walking home in the rain oh yeah
But it's over and I'm done she left me once and for all
Here come the teardrops bitter they are harder they fall
Here come the teardrops bitter they are harder they fall
**********
8.
SOLITAIRE
(Neil Sedaka - Phil Cody)
« © '76 Jamaxal Music, ASCAP / Welbeck Music, ASCAP »
There was a man a lonely man who lost his love through his indifference
A heart that cared and went unshared until it died within his silence
And solitaire's the only game in town
And every road that takes him takes him down
While life goes on around him everywhere he's playing solitaire
And keeping to himself begins to deal and still the King of Hearts is well concealed
Another losing game comes to an end and deals him out again
A little hope goes up in smoke just how it goes goes without saying
There was a man a lonely man who would command the hand he's playing
And solitaire's the only game in town...
**********
9.
LOVE COMING DOWN
(Jerry Chesnut)
« © '76 Tree Publishing, BMI »
I remeber how your eyes used to light up all the promises I made
But for the first time in my life I know now how it feels to be afraid
I don't know what I do if you go away this would sure be one lonely old town
For a man that's so busy going up in the world
He couldn't see love coming down love coming down
I remember all the times you told me love's all that mattered to you
And looking back now wonderin' how I believe I had things more important to do
I can see how I must have looked to you like some fool on a merry go round
Another man so busy going up in the world
He couldn't see love going down love going down
Can't you see how everything I've learned would just be wasted if you leave me
You'll just give it one more try I swear I'll always be here when you need me
If you can find in your heart to firgive me I'll try to keep my feet on the ground
Forgive a man so busy going up in the world
He couldn't see love coming down love coming down
**********
10.
I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN
(Lonnie Donegan - Jimmy Currie)
« © '62 Hollis Music, BMI »
I've been in love so many times I thought I knew the score
Now you've treated me so wrong I can't take anymore
And it looks like I'm never gonna fall in love again
Fall in love I'm never gonna fall in love
I mean it I mean it fall in love again
I gave my heart so easily cast aside my pride
When I saw you in his arms baby I broke up and cried
And it looks like I'm never gonna fall in love again
That's what I'm sayin' (fall in love) no I'm never gonna (fall in love)
Please don't make me fall in love again
That's what I'm (fall in love) no I'm never gonna (fall in love)
Please don't make me fall in love again
**********
**********