The last Elvis Presley album released in the singer's lifetime, Moody Blue has a somewhat checkered history, especially among fans. Issued two months before Presley died, the album sold moderately well until Presley died — then it soared up the charts to number three, as his most current album, and it ultimately sold two million copies. As to the music, the original ten-song album was a mixed bag of live recordings, interspersed with new studio work from the previous fall at Graceland. For all of its slapped-together feel, however, Moody Blue held up. The title song, authored by Mark James (who'd previously written "Suspicious Minds"), was just about as good a single as Elvis released in the 1970s, topping the country charts earlier in 1977; additionally, he did a superb reinterpretation of the George Jones hit "She Thinks I Still Care." "Little Darlin'" was almost more of a burlesque of the '50s rock & roll standard than a real performance, but it is more than made up for by the presence of the Johnny Ace classic "Pledging My Love," done with depth and sincerity.
ELVIS PRESLEY
MOODY BLUE
RCA Victor APL1-2428June/1977
Produced by Felton Jarvis
Vocals:Sherrill Nielsen, Myrna Smith, Kathy Westmoreland,
J.D. Sumner & The Stamps, The Sweet Inspirations
Arrangements by Bergen White
Recorded:
Feb 2-4/1976, Graceland, Memphis (8,9)
Oct 29/1976, Graceland, Memphis (4,6,7,10)
Apr 24-25/1977, Civic Center, Saginaw (1,2,3,5) live
1.
UNCHAINED MELODY
(Hy Zaret - Alex North) « © '55 Frank Music, ASCAP »Oh my love my darling I've hungered for your touch alone lonely time
Time goes by so slowly and time can do so much are you still mine
I need your love I need your love God speed your love to me
Lonely rivers flow to the sea to the sea to the open arms of the sea
Lonely riverside wait for me wait for me I'll be coming home wait for me
Oh my love my darling I've hungered for your touch alone lonely time
I need your love I need your love God speed your love to me
**********
2.
IF YOU LOVE ME (LET ME KNOW)
(John Rostill) « © '74 Al Gallico Music, BMI »You came when I was happy in your sunshine
I grew to love you more each passing day
Before too long I built my world around you
And I prayed you'd love enough of me to stay
If you love me let me know if you don't then let me go
I can't take another minute of a day without you in it
If you love me let it be if you don't set me free
Oh take these chains away that keep me loving you
[ guitar ] The arms that open wide to hold me closer
The hands that run their fingers through my hair
The smile that says hello it's good to see you
Anytime I turn around to find you there
It's this and so much more that makes me love you
What else can I do to make you see Lord Lord
You know you have whatever's mine to give you
Yeah but a love affair for one can never be
If you love me let me know...
Oh take these chains away that keep me loving you
**********
3.
LITTLE DARLIN'
(Maurice Williams) « © '57 Cherio Corp, BMI »Little darlin' little darlin' oh where are you
Walla walla chipa mocka mogga oh my lover oh just for you only you
My darling I need you darling I need you to call my own
To hold your life your little foot your hand
I knew someone would understand that hold my hand
My dear I would run to find without you ooh
That my love was just for you and only you
**********
4.
HE'LL HAVE TO GO
(Joe Allison - Audrey Allison) « © '59 Central Songs, BMI »Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone
Just pretend that we're together all alone
Tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low
You can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go
You can't say the words I want to hear while you're with another man
If you love me answer yes or no darling I will understand
Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone...
[ guitar ] You can't say the words I want to hear...
Just put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone...
Yes you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go
**********
5.
LET ME BE THERE
(John Rostill) « © '73 Al Gallico Music, BMI »Wherever you go wherever you may wander in your life
Surely you know I'll always wanna be there
Holding your hand and standing by to catch you when you fall
Seeing you through in everything you do
I said let me be there in your morning let me be there in your night
Let me change whatever's wrong and make it right
Let me take you through that wonder land that only two can share
All I ask you is let me be there
[ guitar ] Watching you grow and going through the changes in your life
That's how I know I'll always wanna be there
Whenever you feel you need a friend to lean on here I am
Whenever you call you know I'll be there
I said let me be there in your morning...
Let me be there in your morning...
I said let me be there in your morning...
**********
6.
WAY DOWN
(Laying Martine) « © '76 Ray Stevens Music, BMI »Babe you're gettin' closer the lights are goin' dim
The sound of your breathin' has made the mood I'm in
All of my resistance is lying on the floor
Taking me to places I've never been before
Oh and I can feel it feel it feel it feel it
Way down where the music plays way down like a tidal wave
Way down where the fires blaze way down (down way way on down)
Ooh my head is spinnin' you got me in your spell
A hundred magic fingers on a whirling carousel
The medicine within me no doctor could prescribe
Your love is doing something that I just can't describe
Oh and I can feel it feel it feel it feel it...
Hold me again tight as you can I need you so baby let's go
Way down where it feels so good way down where I hoped it would
Way down where I never could way down (down way way on down)
**********
7.
PLEDGING MY LOVE
(Don Robey - Fats Washington) « © '54 Songs Of Universal, BMI / Wemar Music, BMI »Forever my darling my love will be true
Always and forever I'll love only you
Just promise me darling your love in return
Make this fire in my soul dear forever burn
My heart's at your command dear to keep love and to hold
Making you happy is my desire loving you is my goal
I'll forever love you for the rest of my days
I'll never part from you and your loving way
Just promise me darling your love in return
Make this fire in my soul dear forever burn
[ guitar ] My heart's at your command dear...
**********
8.
MOODY BLUE
(Mark James) « © '75 Screen Gems Music, BMI »Well it's hard to be a gambler bettin' on the number that changes every time
Well you think you're gonna win think she' s givin' in a stranger's all you find
Yeah it's hard to figure out what she's all about
That she's a woman through and through
She's a complicated lady so color my baby moody blue
Oh moody blue tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on tryin' to learn the song but I never do
Oh moody blue tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like night and day and it's hard to say which one is you
Well when Monday comes she's Tuesday
When Tuesday comes she's Wednesday into another day again
Her personality unwinds just like a ball of twine on a spool that never ends
Just when I think I know her well
Her emotions reveal she's not the person that I thought I knew
Cause she's a complicated lady so color my baby moody blue
Oh moody blue tell me am I gettin' through...
[ guitar ] oody blue tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like night and day and it's hard to say which one is you
Oh moody blue tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on tryin' to learn the song but I never do
**********
9.
SHE THINKS I STILL CARE
(Dickey Lee - Steve Duffy) « © '62 Glad Music, BMI / Pappy Daily Music, BMI / Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »Oh just because I asked a friend about her
Just because I spoke her name somewhere
Just because I rang her number by mistake today
You know she thinks I I still care
And just because I haunt the same old places
Where the mem'ry of her lingers everywhere
Just because I'm not the happy guy I used to be
Oh you know she thinks I still care
Well if she's happy thinking I still need her
Yeah let that silly notion bring her cheer
Oh how could she ever be so foolish
Tell me where did she get such an idea
Oh Lord just because I asked a friend about her
You know it's just because I spoke her name somewhere
Just bacause oh I saw her then went all to pieces
Lord you know she thinks I still care
You know she thinks I I still care
Oh she thinks I still care
**********
10.
IT'S EASY FOR YOU
(Andrew Weber Lloyd - Timothy Rice) « © '76 Alley Music, BMI / Trio Music, BMI »You may not mind that it's over but I've a different point of view
Even though I am shattered it's easy for you
You don't have to face the music you don't have to face the crowd
Just go back where you came from you ain't even proud
I had a wife and I had children I threw them all away
And now you tell me you dare to tell me
I should go back to them what do you think I should say
I found it hard to leave them saddest thing I ever had to do
My problems haven't started and it's easy for you
I had a wife and I had children...
If you ever tire of the good life call me in a year or two
I've got no choice I'll forgive you cause it's easy for you
You only have to call me it's easy for you
You only have to call me it's easy for you
**********
