Review by David Tinson - Elvis Information Network
There's a great moment on CD2 of the FTD Classic Album Moody Blue release - two fabulous rehearsals of the funky 'Way Down' start the disc - with Elvis and his band joking amid jamming and a throbbing bass guitar. Take 1 is reminiscent in feel to the funky jam intro to 'I Got A Feelin’ In My Body'. After the first breakdown, Elvis says: “When Briggs’ fingers start bleeding, see, we know we've got it”. Ronnie Tutt's thumping drums herald Take 2a, followed by David Briggs’ electric piano, and Norbert Putnam's supercool bass - fabulous!
By the summer of 1977, the train was coming off the tracks and drugs and excess had sadly taken their toll - but Moody Blue, sourced in main from the King's 1976 Jungle Room home recordings extravaganza - is quite possibly the V8 engine of his late 1970s albums. Anchored by two fabulous hit singles 'Moody Blue', and Elvis' posthumous, back-on-form 1977 single release 'Way Down', the album’s breadth and infinite wealth of musical treasures remain undiminished.
Its enduring appeal lies in a pool of selections from the cream of country's songbook, besides a sprinkling of additional live tracks sourced from live multi-track concert recordings from 1977. What's more, there's hot rhythm and blues with the Johnny Ace cover, 'Pledging My Love'.
Now expanded, we have the FTD release Moody Blue 2xCD in their classic album series, complete with sixteen unreleased outtakes and a few interesting surprises.
Mastered by Jean-Marc Juilland, the original album tracks sound fabulous. However, let's take a closer look at the “Alternate Album”:
An undubbed 'Unchained Melody' (live 1977) starts with new additional dialogue as Elvis and band ready themselves. Elvis says: “I love you too honey” - in response to an excited crowd member, and it is warmly received by the audience. Olivia Newton John's Grammy winning 'If You Love Me (Let Me Know)’ gets the live treatment (Kalamazoo, 1977). Why were the live tracks included? Presumably Felton Jarvis formed the Moody Blue album from all the available resources, and in need of additional tracks to flesh out the release, chose the tracks from a pool of additional live recordings made in the Spring of 1977.
More standouts: A fabulous, bluesy, honky-tonk version of 'She Thinks I Still Care' (Take 2b) which positively swings. Elvis ad-libs: “Poor old son-of-bitch thinks...”. A fine version. Next a surprise: 'My Way' - and wow! A superb version. Some may question its inclusion but the song from Saginaw (1977) is a perfect fit among the eclectic mix and emotional flavour of the album. Elvis connects on a superb version which is never overblown.
Adding a rockin' flavour, 'Way Down' and 'Little Darlin' are the undubbed master versions. (Only a few days after Elvis' passing, 'Way Down' reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, staying there for one week.) The Jim Reeves classic, 'He'll Have To Go' ( rough mix) - and the composite of rhythm and blues blaster, 'Pledging My Love' follow (and, according to the excellently presented booklet, a song Elvis first performed on stage as early as 1955). Additionally, the song was among a roster of his favourite rhythm and blues songs from the said era. He performed songs by The Clovers ('Fool, Fool, Fool'), the Drifters ('Money Honey') - and in the 1960s - 'Little Egypt' by the Coasters.
The beautiful Take 1 of 'It's 'Easy For You', and Takes 1 and 2a of 'She Thinks I Still Care', with delectable intro, add more intimate flavour and are Jungle Room duplicates - both are to die for. Elvis sings on the latter: “Just because, I asked a friend about her. Just because, I spoke her name somewhere”. Listening on headphones, the song’s despair and gentle arrangement floor the listener. He's trying to fool everyone he's over her. No such luck! Left high and dry he's shattered.
There’s patriotic fervour on 'America' and the initially surprising inclusion, 'Softly As I Leave You', closes disc one. With only three selections from the popular The Jungle Room Sessions, Follow That Dream have also included various selections from: Platinum: A Life In Music, Elvis Aron Presley, Essential 70s Masters, Spring Tours '77 FTD, and Made In Memphis FTD, to form the classic FTD Moody Blue album.
Stripped of overdubs, the outtakes on disc two offer a fresh look at songs which run a rich gamut of feelings and emotions - and yet display an infectious sense of fun.
The aforementioned 'Way Down' is followed by 'She Thinks I Still Care' (Takes 3 and 4) first heard on FTD’s Made In Memphis release.
'Moody Blue' first heard on the Platinum collection follows. Elvis refers to himself as “an emotional son-of-a bitch” during 'It's Easy For You' (disc 1) - and there's simply no doubt Elvis' unabashed heart-on-his sleeve musings deliver a huge wallop. Case in point: Summoning all his powers, 'It's Easy For You' (undubbed) defies belief. Almost autobiographical, his passionate storytelling is staggering. Elvis sings: “I had a wife, I had children. I threw them all away!”
There is no denying he was drawn to emotional matters with divorce looming ever large in his life! Love, and lost love, IS the theme throughout the Jungle Room sessions - and maybe the album’s strength is its sincerity. That said, there's a huge sense of fun throughout with many examples of Elvis' humour - the two previous laughter-filled, fruity unreleased takes (3 and 4) are a highlight!
Willie Nelson's classic 'Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain', and the towering ballad, 'Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall' are included here. Surprising yes! Out of place - no!
Fascinatingly, there are fourteen unreleased takes spread across the sparkling sounding disc, and only one duplicate from The Jungle Room Session ('Moody Blue' - the Italian mother****** version 7 and 5). One wonders if Ernst and Co have any more in the can from the Jungle Room sessions?
More standouts: The thrilling stop start, feel of 'Pledging My Love' (Takes 4 and 5). Elvis says after the Take 5 breakdown: “Woah! Woah! Wait for me. The ship’s sinking!” There's more joking with comments after the penultimate breakdown before the undubbed master (Take 6) kicks in: “By the time it gets to the truck, you fellas - It'll be 'Amazing Grace!'” And more laughter ensues. Elvis then hums along during James Burton's stinging lead breaks on the undubbed master.
There's more unreleased 'Way Down' thrills with Elvis singing a snatch of 'Steamroller Blues' during Take 2b, and he's sounding like it's 1973-74 - just listen @11 secs: “I'm a napalm bomb!”. The rough mix follows. These versions are taken at a slight faster pace than the rehearsals and form a definite highlight.
'She Thinks I Still Care' (Take 15), is a poignant gem full of bluesy heart and soul. Country music's rich legacy is well served here, in particular by the George Jones’ cover.
Finally, a live / studio spliced version of 'America' makes for a fine ending to a stunning disc, which greatly benefits from Vic Anesini's sensitive mastering.
Booklet
Crammed with info and unseen photos it's well appointed. There's a photo of Elvis wearing what looks like a denim style jacket and wearing glasses (a familiar Graceland image from February 1976). To the right there's three different 45rpm single sleeves for ‘Moody Blue’ - one from Germany, the USA, and Canada. Also included is the original artwork for the cover of the album, which is of interest. More interestingly, are single and album covers from Japan, Holland, Columbia, and Spain, along with a green US 45rpm single test pressing.
The CDs are black with the RCA logo in white outline. Moody Blue is written in grey, very cool! Furthermore, it's chock full of artefacts and interesting photos. There's also Joan Deary's memos regarding the recording sessions and artwork. A highlight is the double page photo spread - 1976 captured poignantly - which includes various shots of Elvis riding his motorcycle with passengers, Elvis and Ginger Alden, and a radiant looking Elvis with fans at the hotel in Shreveport on July 1. The booklet finishes with photos of Elvis in concert wearing an assortment of jumpsuits from 1976 - 77. There’s also a neat touch on the back cover, which features a picture of the blue vinyl Moody Blue LP.
Again Ernst Jørgensen, Roger Semon and the Follow That Dream team deserve credit for this magnum opus - Moody Blue is the sound of the mature Elvis. This is the music he loved. He sings with a seasoned voice, carrying all the weight and timbre of his extraordinary forty-one plus years. All things considered, Elvis was in great shape vocally, despite his reluctance to leave Graceland to record, as these captivating recordings testify. And he was still in control! It was one last throw of the dice - sadly, it didn't last.
A most highly recommended FTD release.
