Best track on "Love letters from Elvis" LP 1971

#473464

Hi again!

This time i suspect that there´ll be a few discussions about this album. Is it a good album or is it average or even a bad one?

We all know that Elvis´ singing in june 1970 was top notch, but there´s no question about that this is the bottom drawer from those sessions.

Problem number two for me, is that overdubs on some of the tracks (read "If I were you", "Heart of Rome", "This is our dance" (that is a horríble track anyway), "I´ll never know" and "Life") are so heavily done. The only album that comes to my mind by Elvis that can match regarding overdubs is "From Elvis Presley Boulevard...".

The re-recording of the title track doesn´t match the 1966 master. I don´t think that Elvis had done it again if it wasn´t for David Briggs desire to improve the electric piano parts.

So what´s left? "Only believe" is plain boring.
Normally we would be very thankful for every try to rock out in the 70´s, but someway the band doesn´t succeed in making "Cindy, Cindy" fly, like they did with "Whole lotta shakin´goin on". Elvis does what he can, but somethings missing. But have you noticed the similarities between the brass arrangement here and the concert opening/See see rider brass riff?

Then were have the two country-flavoured songs "When I´m over you" and "It ain´t no big thing (but it´s growing"). Those two are ok. The last one could be very good in a Viagra commercial...

But it´s the almost hysterical jam of "Got my mojo working" that saves the day and the laughing in the ending makes feel good the rest of the day. It will get my vote any day.

There´s a few tracks that could be re-moved because of the 10 track limit and normally I would have scrapped "This is our dance" (but some of you guys have praised this track on other topics). So wise of the "Snowbird" incident I will let "Love letters" go, just because it was possible to vote on it on the "Gold records vol. 4" poll.

Some of you may feel that I ate rattlesnake for breakfast, but those are my feelings for this album. Sorry!

Vote on!

Regards Björn

JerryNodak · #473524

It's a given that "Mojo" will win. So, I voted for another fave of mine, " Heart Of Rome." Might have voted for "Love Letters" if I could have. Actually, I quite enjoy this album. If it had been up to me I would have saved "Mojo" and "Cindy. Cindy" for another album and made this an all ballad project.
And I like the overdubs. Can't wait for the expanded FTD version coming in July. Even more to enjoy.

#473905

I voted "It Ain't No Big Thing"...I like this song, it`s a little bit different and the music really catches me every time I hear it....

#474275

I actually like the new Love Letters as I think Elvis never sang better then in 1970. Mojo wins easily, it's full of life. I tend to like all the 70's LP's but this one a lesser one. Most songs are kind of generic,if not outright bad like some of the soundtracks. I think the problem was that with so many songs recorded at once you are bound to get some lesser tracks. It was mistake to put this out in some ways, especally since Elvis was still recording so many new songs.

#474298

Mike Eder wrote:I actually like the new Love Letters as I think Elvis never sang better then in 1970. Mojo wins easily, it's full of life. I tend to like all the 70's LP's but this one a lesser one. Most songs are kind of generic,if not outright bad like some of the soundtracks. I think the problem was that with so many songs recorded at once you are bound to get some lesser tracks. It was mistake to put this out in some ways, especally since Elvis was still recording so many new songs.

They could have used some tracks on budget releases (Camden) instead of top notch tracls like "Burning love" or "Always on my mind". Single B-sides could have been an another option.

//Björn

#474318

I was thinking the same thing, it would have been an out of sight budget LP, but a real album....again I like basically every other studio album of the seventies better.

#474336

Mike Eder wrote:I was thinking the same thing, it would have been an out of sight budget LP, but a real album....again I like basically every other studio album of the seventies better.

I agree! Even albums like "Now" (with very different songs from different sessions") had their merits, especially the production. I love the low key sounds of "Early morning rain" or "Don´t think twice".

//Björn

#474597

Voted for Cindy Cindy! It was the song I liked the best back in 1975 when I bought the album!
The undubbed version of "mojo" is the best of all songs from this album but since it was alot of overdubbing (choir and brass) on the original album I´ll stick with Cindy!
They could have skipped the brass section on Cindy Cindy aswell but it don´t disturb
me as much as on "Mojo".

Why James Burton didn´t overdubb his solos on "Mojo" is a mystery to me!

Lennart

#474721

Lennart wrote:Voted for Cindy Cindy! It was the song I liked the best back in 1975 when I bought the album!
The undubbed version of "mojo" is the best of all songs from this album but since it was alot of overdubbing (choir and brass) on the original album I´ll stick with Cindy!
They could have skipped the brass section on Cindy Cindy aswell but it don´t disturb
me as much as on "Mojo".

Why James Burton didn´t overdubb his solos on "Mojo" is a mystery to me!

Lennart

Maybe because the song wasn´t intended for release. And maybe because it was hard to remove the old guitar parts from James. Just theories. Anyway, I remembering bying this album in 1980 or 1981 in the big mega store "Ge-Kås" in Ullared, Sweden (they have more visitors/customers than Harrod´s" in London!!!) They used to sell a lot of Elvis low budget LP´s, international versions of some of the movie soundtracks and a few regular like "For everyone" and "Love letters from Elvis". The label on the vinyl had green colour. Oh, those memories!

//Björn

#475950

I thought Cindy, Cindy was one of his best rockers in the 70's. Even better than Burning Love.

#476022

Voted for : I'LL NEVER KNOW ! great track ! cant be found in other LPs
Lior

#476031

Mojo Working's OK for a jam, but I prefer some of the properly arranged songs.

I'll Never Know is my absolute favourite. What a deeply beautiful song sung exquisitely.

Jules

#476032

GIRL HAPPY BOY wrote:Voted for : I'LL NEVER KNOW ! great track ! cant be found in other LPs
Lior

Isn't it a bonus cut on the 3 CD version of That's The Way It Is?

Jules

#476043

Yeah , you are right JULES aprt from the LOVE LETTERS Lp this is another place you can find the song
there is another Lp this song included but this is the Undubbed version that is even better , pure recording!
Rough cut diamonds - cant remember vol.1 or vol.2 .
sincerely
Lior

#476571

shanebrown wrote:I've done a lengthy review of this gem of an album (joke) in the past, so will keep it short this time. Mojo gets my vote, although Cindy Cindy is also a fair rocker I think. I'll Never Know is my favourite of the ballads.

By the way! I long for the next "re-visit". They are a pleasure to read!

Regards//Björn

#476826

I voted "LIFE"
I really did like that single record in the 70's
this is different than all the other songs, other music, strange in a good way.

#485351

Every track got at least one single vote, so this is an album that splits the fans. But it was no question about the winner here: "Got my mojo working".

Thanks for voting!

Regards//Björn

#485379

Someone voted for This Is Our Dance!!!!

Jules

Rob · #485437

It's not that alarming. I'm betting that the voter was a woman. I've heard women on here mention that they like it.

#485465

shanebrown wrote:I don't find that as alarming as votes for Only Believe and Life!

Someone voted for Only Believe!!!!!!!

Uh...I'm actually one of those "don't mind Life" kinda guys. <shrugs>

Jules

Matthew · #485729

familyjules wrote:
shanebrown wrote:I don't find that as alarming as votes for Only Believe and Life!
Someone voted for Only Believe!!!!!!!

Why not? It's a better selection than about half of the rest of the album - a credible gospel recording, and the only one that featured on this LP that Elvis' saw fit to perform live on stage ("Love Letters" doesn't count).

Matthew · #485771

shanebrown wrote:
Matthew wrote:
familyjules wrote:
shanebrown wrote:I don't find that as alarming as votes for Only Believe and Life!
Someone voted for Only Believe!!!!!!!
Why not? It's a better selection than about half of the rest of the album - a credible gospel recording, and the only one that featured on this LP that Elvis' saw fit to perform live on stage ("Love Letters" doesn't count).
He performed it just once! Imagine going to one of those Jan 71 shows. How p***ed off would you be getting just a 40 minute show and one of those songs being Only Believe????

That's one more time than the other 9 unique selections on the album. "Only Believe" is a gospel recording first released as a single prior to "Love Letters from Elvis" hitting the streets. As material it smokes "This is Our Dance", "If I Were You", "Life", "I'll Never Know", "Heart of Rome", and "When I'm Over You".

Don't get me wrong, it's not great by any means but considering the competition its a credible selection.

#485922

Matthew wrote:
familyjules wrote:
shanebrown wrote:I don't find that as alarming as votes for Only Believe and Life!
Someone voted for Only Believe!!!!!!!
Why not? It's a better selection than about half of the rest of the album - a credible gospel recording, and the only one that featured on this LP that Elvis' saw fit to perform live on stage ("Love Letters" doesn't count).

I disagree, I think it may well be the joint worst track on the record, with This Is our Dance. I like a good gospel number, but Only Believe isn't one. The major fault being that the title phrase is repeated a tiresome amount of times. The song just can't recover from that.

Jules

#485923

Matthew wrote:As material it smokes "This is Our Dance", "If I Were You", "Life", "I'll Never Know", "Heart of Rome", and "When I'm Over You".

Don't get me wrong, it's not great by any means but considering the competition its a credible selection.

Again, I disagree. I'll Never Know is a beautiful ballad and quite possibly the album's best song. If I Were You is also very strong - a playful number that could have fitted well on Elvis Country. Life is...odd, but it's still an engaging listen. Heart Of Rome, well sure, it's a little corny, but it's still a strong, hook-y pop song. When I'm Over You badly needs another verse, but is melodically very strong.

But I do have to agree that This Is Our Dance has almost no redeeming features.

Jules

JerryNodak · #486816

It's a pleasant song in waltz time. I enjoy it. In fact at any one point in time I could vote for any track as a favorite. Depends on my mood.

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