From Elvis In Memphis

His popularity is warranted. The sound on a lot of these is so unique I can't tell if it's rock, gospel, or country, but it's definitely Elvis. I know there's some controversy about him appropriating black music, but from what I understand, he always showed respect for the black artists who came before him and gave credit where credit was due. At one point I was going to watch that movie about his corrupt manager, but I watched the Billie Holiday one instead. I might have to revisit it though. I bet it would be interesting.

Of course

Suspicious Minds might be the best song of all time, and everything else is ... I mean it's Elvis.

What can you say .. its Elvis! great album. I did a little research on this one and didnt realize this was another one of the turning points for him... for such a 50's rocker it sure showed he could bring his talent to a new era.

Still slaps. Crazy vocal range

[The following review was written October 2024, after I finished reading the 33⅓ book on this album. Some turns of phrase may have been taken from it. Otherwise, it's all my own thoughts. Only minor modifications have been made to this review, the day it was published.] 'From Elvis In Memphis' is freedom and potential. What I mean is, you hafta imagine Elvis recording this. He'd spent nearly a decade trapped in purgatory, having his dream of becoming a movie star cruelly perverted. He'd dreamed of becoming a serious, respected actor like James Dean — and, sure, early on, he **did** get to flex his chops. However, by the time '68 rolled around, it was a seemingly never-ending nightmare of making basically the same shitty, cash grab musical romcom over and over again. Sure, every now and then there was a 'Viva Las Vegas', but that was more the exception to something like, I'unno, 'Spinout' being the rule. Over and over again, the same tired, campy formula, like an Escher staircase down to Hell — and for what? Just so his label could sell shitty, cash grab soundtrack albums. It's so simple: the films promote the albums, the albums promote the films. You couldn't get a better deal than that. Too bad Elvis had to suffer through the ordeal of actually making them.  All the while, the 60's were happening. The British Invasion. The folk movement. Psychedelia. Vietnam. Woodstock. JFK's assassination. Any other 60's touchpoint you can think of. To quote the movie 'Walk Hard': "The 60's are an important and exciting time!" So much was going on in America, let alone the world — and what was Elvis doing? Sitting in the back of a truck and singing "Old MacDonald" for the camera. Having to star in all of these terrible movies was bad enough, but combined with missing a time like this, and you probably couldn't drive him any further off the edge. Besides the occasional bonus track, the only creative reprieve he managed to get during this period was a single gospel album — the music he loved that comforted him so much, which actually won him a Grammy — and then it was right back to singing to a bull to convince him to be fertile. Something had to change. Elvis couldn't be shackled here forever. In 1967, The Colonel proposed a Christmas special to NBC. Originally, it was planned to be a very formal affair where Elvis would sing shit like "Here Comes Santa Claus". However, very quickly, thanks to Bob Finkel and Steve Binder, it grew into something more — much more. After nearly a decade of stagnation, this would be a chance to remind everyone why Elvis was called The King in the first place. He'd get to play all his old hits, jam with his old band, dress in leather, sing gospel, do kung-fu... The whole works. One great, big show to pull Elvis out of the rut he'd been in. But there **was** a tinge of doubt. He **had** been away for a pretty long time. He hadn't performed live at **all* during his Hollywood days, and in the meantime he'd been stuck with material like "No Room To Rhumba In A Sports Car". Would he be able to recapture magic? Was it even still there anymore? It was Oh, lordy, it most certainly was. There's a reason, after all, why everyone remembers this as the '68 Comeback Special and not 'Singer Presents... Elvis'. It's coming off of that where we find Elvis, recording in American Sound in Memphis (despite The Colonel having booked him for RCA). This was actually the first time since his Sun days in the '50's that he'd recorded in his hometown — and on top of that, it was the first time in forever that Elvis had gotten to choose his own material. Backing him was The Memphis Boys, who'd played on all sorts of hits, such as Dusty Springfield's "Son Of A Preacher Man". And with a producer like Chip Morman willing to push them all, Elvis especially, to do the best they could do... Simply put: Elvis recorded the single greatest album of his career. Elvis had never been an album artist. That's not his fault, really; it was more a result of how rock n' roll albums were generally built in the 50's. You'd have a hit single or two, and then you'd have a buncha shit thrown around it. This wasn't serious music for adults like classical and jazz, and teen-agers were more interested in the 45s anyway, so who cares? Like, as good and as important to music as his debut is, I find it hard to recommend to people as a complete album experience. Even the albums released in his name after this in the 70's were thrown together in much the same way as his 50's discs. There's maybe only one exception to this, 'Elvis Country', where I wouldn't be surprised if whoever built the album stumbled on the cohesion by accident. On both ends, I really feel like you'd be better off with compilations of his work, especially for the 50's. And I'm not saying that 'From Elvis In Memphis' wasn't somewhat thrown together, either; between what was put on here, on the singles, and on 'Back In Memphis', **anything** could have ended up in this track listing. That's just how Elvis rolled. But I'm so grateful these songs in particular did, 'coz, ahh, seriously, again, Elvis never made better music than he did at American Sound, I swear. "Wearin' That Loved On Look" is such a great opener. Even if it wasn't written specifically for him (like nearly everything else he sang), I can't help but read it as an "I'm back, bitch" kind of song, announcing his return — as if the Special hadn't already done that. "Long Black Limousine" is a powerful bit of tragic soul, and I've always loved how it builds. "I'll Hold You In My Heart" was an impromptu, live-in-the-studio performance, and it demonstrates so well how good this band and how good Elvis gelled with them. "Power Of My Love" promises to shake you, among other things, and by goodness it **does**. As the only blues rocker on the album, it lives up to the "power" in its title, even decades before Jack White went and did his own distortion-filled take on it. "Gentle On My Mind" is an incredibly lovely slice of country goings-on. "Any Day Now" absolutely **soars**, even before Elvis begs his beautiful bird not to not fly away. And "In The Ghetto", so unique in his catalog for being a specific, pointed protest song, unlike "If I Can Dream" (and that's one of my top 5 Elvis songs, so don't get it twisted)... Gosh. I don't even know where to begin with that one. Like, it's not my favorite-favorite on this album, but it's up there, believe you me. Just an incredible song to end an incredible album. Elvis's voice never sounded better than it did right here. Sure, there's never a period where I don't love Elvis's voice, from his youthful Sun days, to even his schmaltzy, bloated Vegas days right before he croaked. It's just that good. But here, on these songs, with the **power** he can throw behind some of these lines... Oh, wow. **Wow**. Just check out that "YOU KNOW THEY SHINE" on "I'll Hold You In My heart". Or the "DON'T FLY AWAY" on "Any Day Now". Or the... Shoot, everything about "Long Black Limousine". Seriously, that's the best song here by a longshot, and it's not even close, my goodness. The only way it could have been beaten is if "Suspicious" gawddamn "Minds" had been included, and even then... And it's just amazing that Elvis had chosen to return to the 60's on his own terms. Like, he didn't try to chase any trends he'd missed out on; he simply just recorded the music he wanted to do. And like I said about "Wearin' That Loved On Look", even if a majority of these songs are covers, done long after The Beatles caused people to expect musicians to perform their own self-written music, he still manages to imbue them with so much unique meaning simply by him being himself. Like, it's absolutely never been a problem to me that Elvis has the Sinatra approach to things. Elvis being Elvis is enough. (Also, 'coz I didn't find the place to mention this before, I love how Elvis sings "BOY" on "Only The Strong Survive". That's another blue-eyed album highlight, and I really love its chorus, but it always stands out in my mind just for that "BOY". Seriously, the way he says it, I should be spelling it "BWOY," goodness.) After this album, of course, Elvis began his stay in Vegas and, ultimately, the long, slow road to his death. The International Hotel would be his Rock Of Eternity: forever trapped inside with no hope of escape. You can only wonder what could've happened if The Colonel had allowed Elvis to tour the world — or, heck, what could've happened if Elvis had just kept recording at American Sound, with this band and this producer. He'd even tried to take the band with him to Vegas, but it wasn't meant to be. So, when I say this album is potential, it's more like... Missed potential. The first step towards a future that, ultimately, wouldn't come to pass. But I'm not sad about it. For one, I actually like a lot of the stuff Elvis recorded in his Vegas days — just listen to "Hurt", my goodness. And even if this album isn't entirely potential, it's still freedom. As best as I can tell, this album was the last time he'd managed to get out from under The Colonel and be free. It was the last time he was able to escape one of his many cages, spread his wings, and simply soar. A bird, streaking across the sky to the air it knew best. It'd never known how long any of this would last — and of course, it didn't: not just this flight, but its time on this Earth in general. But for one moment, this final moment... It was absolutely beautiful. And I'll always treasure that moment.

A friend of mine said that this album is peak Elvis, and I gotta say, they certainly weren't lying. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

Would you believe I’m at a 10? It’s been 555 days since we last got Elvis Presley, which is crazy to say. I remember his debut decently well, & given the 13-year gap here between albums, I was hoping his musicianship would’ve jumped leaps & bounds. For as much media as there is out there about Elvis, trying to create the definitive narrative around his life, I’ve just never really engaged with it. To my mind, he did some pelvic thrusts that made teenagers swoon & made parents furious, he parlayed it into a big movie career, and then he lost control of himself before dying in 1977. Roughly, I think that’s how most people know Elvis. I didn’t know this album though, and my goodness, it’s a real delight to hear Elvis with what could sincerely be called “modern” production for the time. Sure, it’s no “Abbey Road” or anything, but the Memphis soundscape & the percussive grooves that underline this album & guide Elvis’s vocals along the way certainly feel far better to listen to than the stuff from 1956. Elvis himself just delivers these tracks like he wrote them all along, & while there’s not a single thing he penned here, he’s taken ownership over all of them. It also helps that, for the most part, he’s covering white artists on this album. My earliest nitpicks here were simply that tracks were fading out, but I got more used to it as the album went along. There are some tracks that I think might service themselves better with a definitive ending (especially so on “After Loving You”), but it’s a nitpick. My other one is that “I’ll Hold You in My Heart” is a little long, but it’s whatever. Once this album hits “I’m Movin’ On”, and the extent of the Memphis soundscape starts to REALLY integrate itself into the album, it never once looks back. It was already pretty good before that point, but afterwards, it just absolutely soars to the finish. Elvis’s charisma & charm just elevates as high as the instrumentation takes him, & with every track being really well-written, the overall musicianship just feels like listening to a guy at his peak, & “In The Ghetto” feels like a perfect closer to the whole package. Even though this album doesn’t technically include “Suspicious Minds”, I’d be remiss to not talk about it – it only takes one listen to hear the acclaim on that track, and while I’d never paid closer attention to it until now, something about Elvis’s delivery throughout just oozes confidence, even on a track centered around the pain of doubt. It’s a great track, and the fact that it’s not even part of the main track list here just kinda proves how good the album is overall. Hence, a 10. I’m surprised I’m at a 10, but there’s really not a single miss here & I enjoyed the hell out of the whole thing. Sure, others might dismiss it as cheap country fare that occasionally gets a cool drum beat behind it, but for my tastes, it just feels like Elvis modernizing his sound in a way that feels natural. At the very least, it’s probably an attempt to prove he can still hang in there even while four dudes in England were revolutionizing the world, and I think he hung in there pretty damn well. Sure, it’s no “Abbey Road”, but it’s not trying to be. It’s just Elvis in Memphis, and he sounds great. It’s a 10.

Not sure what to say about this one except that it's basically all bangers. I feel like I know Elvis's hits but haven't done a lot of deep listening to get a real feel for his work. His singing comes across as really soulful in this album and there's energy throughout that's just infectious. It's also wild to me that this was a live album when there's basically no audience audio, which is a start contrast to the dubbed-in audience noise from the Janis Joplin album.

The King at his best!

Surprise discovery. Reading the wikipedia on the history add a new layer to the Elvis mystique. "Long Black Limousine" is haunting. Would love to see footage of Elvis recording this album at the studio in Memphis.

5 * just for his voice but maybe that’s because I grew up listening to him

What a voice , could make any song sound great , and does

Just when I thought I was more of a Sinatra guy, this Elvis guy keeps bringing me back. Everyone on this record was TCB.

muy bueeeeeeeno

I love listening to Elvis, there is something so soothing to listening to a classic like this. From the fuzzy record feel to the lovely voice, I can't help but tap my toe along to this album.

I think I might get Elvis now...

This might be my favorite Elvis. A bit more mature and sliding into that Southern Soul with style.

Elvis at his best.

A lot of songs I haven't heard. What a treat!

The King of Rock n' Roll had a classic here.

Fantastic

cried

I think I like Elvis

Love it

This is probably where Elvis was at his peak from a vocal perspective. From the get-go, he is front and centre stage belting it out. I didn't actually know any songs from this record apart from In the Ghetto, but every one just runs so smoothly with hints of soul, country, gospel and blues.

A great version of Elvis live and intimate. Great quality recording

Supergut

What happens when you get a "briefly" rejuvinated Elvis with a world class band. Probably the best Elvis album. If for now other reason then Elvis was really a singles guy. But there are other reasons.

Elvis! Loved it!

Bear skin rugs. Twirling a rotary phone. Yearning. Aching. Green velvet. Floating in a motel pool. Ashtray

Wearing that loved on look is a new fav

This guy's got a great voice, he's gonna go places

I know people love early Elvis (I do too), but late Elvis really evokes a feeling that was missing before. He’s experienced. He’s got real topics to sing about. In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds are two of his best songs (along with Burning Love on Fool, another late-stage song) and they’re placed back to back here. Much of this album could be seen as fluff until the second act, sure, but it’s really nice fluff to just have on in the background as you go about your day. The king knows what he’s doing, man. Speaking of Suspicious Minds, my favorite part of any song in music history is when they fade out and then fade back in. They make you think the song is over, just like the relationship referenced in the song, but when it comes back, I’m hit with just how killer this song is. It doesn’t matter how many times I hear this song. He can’t walk out, he loves her too much. The song is made better, more precious, when you know what you’re about to lose. Long live the king.

I feel closer to lilo and stitch

Need this on rotation!

Des morceaux incroyables, mais quelques uns un peu trop ressemblants.

Vaya, que cabrón era Elva

I remember when I was about 18, having my curiosity piqued about this album after seeing some of Elvis’ comeback special in ‘68…everyone knows the impression and the hips and the myth, but this is Elvis as musician first. On this album, he is singing great songs, recording in his hometown, musically and creatively inspired, mixing genres, and backed by beast musicians, and predictably the result is awesome. This is essentially like Elvis doing a Stax record, and recorded almost entirely live in the studio (no overdubs). I love it. The two sequel albums “Back in Memphis” and “Elvis Country” are approaching the same level of quality, and I so wish Elvis had gotten to explore more musically and have more control, but under the thumb of Colonel Parker we got 30 versions of “Clambake!” instead. But when he was inspired and singing the right songs, his reputation is earned. He was the King.

Немного грустный, но при этом очень теплый альбом! Идеальный саундтрек Рождества

Lots of filler, but the good stuff is killer.

Actually, this is the first Elvis album I’ve listened to all the way through and I really enjoyed it. Zak pointed out the bass, and I completely agree. The engineering and musicianship on this record are superb. So smooth… like butter.

Long live the king.

Never listened to much Elvis besides the big hits. This album definitely changed my opinion of him - in the best way. So many different genre's represented here.

Elvis doing standards... and being surprisingly great at them. Deservedly one of the biggest comebacks in music history

Some fans draw a line between the gritty, Sun Records Elvis and the polished, soulful Elvis of this era — but I don’t think it has to be an either/or. Both versions show what made him special. From Elvis in Memphis captures an artist who’d lived more, lost more, and found a deeper kind of power in his voice. The production is lush and full of swagger — those horns, the backing vocals, the groove — but it never feels hollow. Songs like “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto” are undeniable, the kind of tracks where you can hear his conviction cutting through every measure. There’s joy here, and maturity too. This is Elvis rediscovering his magic, not by going back to the beginning, but by proving he could still evolve — and sound just as vital doing it.

It’s my wife who is the Elvis fan in our house. I brought her it to play in her card and consequently I have got to love this album

Biased as it reminds me of childhood, but an absolute lovely album

Slow start, but great finish.

Æ kjenne jo til stemmen til Elvis, men æ har kanskje aldri hørt et helt album med stemmen til Elvis, og når du høre et helt album med stemmen til Elvis skjønne du definitivt ka greia med Elvis e, for fy fader.

What can I say about elvis that hasn't been said a million times. Great album. Suspicious minds is one of my favorites of all time.

Elvis is not my jam, but this is a solid record. "Suspicious Minds" is a fantastic song. My first encounter with "In The Ghetto" was Eric Cartman's version, which is a timeless classic in its own right.

Elvis doing deep soul? Count me the fuck in. This rules.

This album was excellent. I loved it. Could be the way I’m feeling today, but it was just great and I’ll come back to it.

Had mommy issues but made good music.

I have not listened to much Elvis, and I may have been missing out. He production on these (he was very involved along with the credited producer) is really noticeable and really good. Mad respect.

почему же я не слушала это раньше?!!! потрясающая светлая целительная музыка. восторг!

Perfect instrumentation is great

King! 16.08.1977. c

After years in the movie studio wilderness, becoming obsolete as the music scene passed him by, Elvis decided enough was enough and started making his way back to what got him to the dance. The result was perhaps the best and most well rounded album of his career. Memphis was the perfect backdrop for his comeback, as the King of Rock & Roll set out to remind everyone of why they were enamored with him and wanted to be him in the first place, albeit with a more contemporary flair. What became of him after has been subjected to intense debate, whether it's been ongoing or otherwise, but if there was ever a moment in time in which Elvis were to be remembered for, it shall be this; the King coming back to his throne without having missed a beat.

Great intro to Elvis. Had only a couple of songs I knew (“In the Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds”). Gives you a good idea of Elvis as an entertainer. His “Elvisisms” are much more subtle than the impersonators would have you believe.

Tolles Album, und was für fantastische Songs. Der King wird seiner Rolle gerecht und liefert hier ein Spitzenwerk ab

Behövs inte skrivas något Själva den Platonska arketypen för en femma. Lyssna... inte på något annat

Kan man ge full pott till ett skiva som till största delen är et coveralbum? Ja, när leveransen är så här total fokuserad och innerlig. Elvis är bättre än någon annan gång under sin fantastiska karriär och han äger varenda låt. Och bandet… BANDET! Helt fantastiskt. Lyssna på basen och trummorna, starkt mixade, som lägger den grund som Elvis kan luta hela sin enorma kraft emot. Och trots ett 30-tal musiker krediterade blir det aldrig överlastat. Alla vet precis sin plats. Lyssna på gitarrerna som aldrig tar över, de bara fyller i med små geniala och effektiva licks. Och förstås den soul- och gospelosande körsektionen. Klockren femma.

Tror att det var efter en Lennart Persson-recension i något av Pops sista nummer som jag införskaffade Suspicious minds 1969  anthology (utgiven 1999). Visst hade man lyssnat på Elvis tidigare men det var nog först här jag förstod hans storhet till fullo. Denna fullmatade dubbel-cd slog total knock-out på mig. Det tog ytterligare en tid innan jag förstod att de inledande 12 låtarna på utgåvan utgör From Elvis in Memphis, från början till slut, i den ordningen. Hur bra än Elvis varit före eller kom att vara efter är detta hans absoluta höjdpunkt. Han sjunger som en gud, bandet är så sjukt tajt det bara går (att vända sig till Chips Moman och hans American studio måste vara ett av de bästa besluten någonsin i musikhistorien). Rytmsektionen är utomjordisk, blåsten sitter där de ska, änglakörer och så Elvis stämma på det. Ibland pratar man om ”inte ett dåligt spår” på ett riktigt bra album. Här vill jag gå längre. Inte ett spår som inte uppbringar gåshud. Visst skulle man kunna ha invändningar om att det främst handlar om covers, men missar då att dessa covers i regel är de bästa versioner som någonsin gjorts av respektive låt. När Mars Volta skulle betygsättas efterfrågade jag den överkryssade getingen men fick hålla tillgodo med ettan. Här efterfrågas istället den klassisk Hysén-skalan, men i brist på den för vi nöja oss en 5a så självklar som den någonsin kan bli.

sometimes treacly, mostly rocks. can definitely hear the blues influence.

5 star album from The King, hands down 🙌

The King

Elvis. Listen to the fucking music not the get hung up on the icon shtick. Real music, Chip Moman at Memphis sound, raw, emotional fusion of rock, gospel, country and rnb. 5 Star

Rock, with good ballads and strings mixed in

que chabon

Had a couple of my favorite Elvis somgs on it, great album!

Gloria eterna a la voz.

Tout le monde pense que le prime d'Elvis c'est 54-58. C'est pas faux, mais les gens savent pas qu'il a un 2eme prime : 68-72. Album sublime.

Favorite Song: Kentucky Rain

Lots of good Elvis albums, only a handful of truly great ones. This album is great.

Highkey one of better elvis albums here. I added so many to playlists as i listened. 6/7

Incredible

I see why Nana loved him… NO MORE FOURS - FIVE!

Superbe cet album, un grand Monsieur

Incredible voice, perfect for this genre. The album flowed really well and every song felt like a hit

Classic Elvis. Gospel influence, powerful vocals, sad songs about lost love.

The King for a reason

Sigue la ola polar en buenos aires pero nunca va a durar tanto como el reinado de Elvis en el rock and roll, larga vida al rey!!!

I love how much soul Elvis sings with on this album. Even though these aren't his songs, he really pays homage to them, and the backing vocals and richness of instrumentation just makes this whole thing very beautiful.

Love the comeback special and this album features my favourites, 'in the ghetto', gently on my mind and any day now. The King is back!

Yeah a great Elvis album. A few songs I knew but most I didn’t and it was still lovely.

This seems like a rebirth for Elvis after several tears in the wilderness, and after slowly losing his edge. He comes bursting back here with a change of tack from his unchallenging movie soundtracks, full of swagger and sex. This has a raw sound, probably not captured since his early rock n roll years - he's evolved into southern soul extraordinaire. The mix here of live feel, gospel backing, fantastic band, Memphis horn overdubs, and song selection make this a winner. It covers some country, soul, rnb, blues, pop absolutely seamlessly. A comeback established, an iconic cover to boot. I like his eponymous album, although deeply rooted in rock n roll. This is a full-on maturation to something else entirely. The era of Suspicious Minds, he is surely at a peak. Knowing Elvis as a singles guy with a place in history this helps me understand what the fuss is about.

He started getting fat after he stopped using the toilet, that being said, one of the best pre-fat albums.

The murder mystery is one of the best songs of all time

Really great

HOLY SHIT WEARING THAT LOVED ON LOOK IS SO SICK. I love the organ. I have to cover that with my band. Really good album almost gave me doors vibes

Suspicious Minds is one of the best songs ever.

GOAT. King of rock n roll. Enough said.

A lot of these were a first for me, thankyou very much !!

## In-Depth Review: *From Elvis In Memphis* by Elvis Presley *From Elvis In Memphis*, released in 1969, is widely regarded as one of Elvis Presley’s most significant and artistically revitalizing albums. Recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis, this record marked Elvis’s return to non-soundtrack material after years of formulaic movie albums, and it stands as a testament to his versatility, emotional depth, and enduring influence in popular music. --- ## Lyrics **Personal and Social Themes** The album’s lyrics traverse a wide emotional and thematic range, making it arguably the most personal record of Elvis’s career. While Presley did not write the songs, his interpretive power imbues them with autobiographical resonance. The tracks explore: - **Fame and Loss:** “Long Black Limousine” is a meditation on the cost of celebrity and the emptiness that can follow success, with lyrics that evoke both public adulation and private sorrow[7]. - **Motherhood and Family:** “Only the Strong Survive” touches on resilience, while “I’ll Hold You in My Heart” and “True Love Travels on a Gravel Road” reflect on faith, love, and familial bonds[7]. - **Poverty and Social Issues:** “In the Ghetto” stands out as a stark narrative about cycles of poverty and violence, with Presley’s delivery lending the story a sense of empathy and urgency[7][9]. - **Romance and Sexuality:** Tracks like “Power of My Love” and “After Loving You” are infused with sensuality and longing, revealing a rawer, more mature Elvis than the sanitized movie star image of the early ’60s[7]. Presley’s ability to inhabit these songs-making them feel as if they were drawn from his own life-elevates the album beyond a mere collection of covers. His vocal ad-libs and subtle lyric changes, such as those in “It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin’,” further personalize the material[9]. --- ## Music **Genre Fusion and Arrangements** *From Elvis In Memphis* is a masterclass in genre blending, fusing elements of soul, country, blues, gospel, and pop into a cohesive whole. The musicians, known as the “Memphis Boys,” were adept at moving fluidly between styles, often within a single track[6]. - **Soul and R&B:** Tracks like “Only the Strong Survive” and “Any Day Now” showcase deep soul grooves, with punchy horns, syncopated basslines, and gospel-inspired backing vocals[6][8]. - **Country and Blues:** “I’m Movin’ On” begins with a country motif but quickly morphs into a funky, horn-driven jam, while “Gentle on My Mind” and “True Love Travels on a Gravel Road” highlight Elvis’s country roots[6][8]. - **Pop and Rock:** The opener “Wearin’ That Loved On Look” signals a departure from Elvis’s earlier crooner style, introducing a grittier, more urgent vocal approach[10]. The arrangements are dynamic, with frequent tempo and key changes that test both Elvis and the band’s technical prowess. Instrumental highlights include Bobby Emmons’s Hammond organ, Bobby Wood’s expressive piano, and Reggie Young’s guitar work, which ranges from twangy country licks to soulful riffs[8][10]. --- ## Production **Chips Moman’s Vision** Producer Chips Moman’s approach was both innovative and organic. He encouraged the musicians to move beyond simply reading charts, fostering an environment where spontaneity and emotional expression were paramount[6]. The production is characterized by: - **Vocal Prominence:** Elvis’s vocals are placed front and center, often with added reverb to enhance their power and intimacy[5]. - **Instrumental Balance:** The mix is rich and full, with the rhythm section (drums and bass) given a strong presence. The organ, piano, and horns are layered to create a “Memphis stew” that is both soulful and immediate[5][8]. - **Stereo Imaging:** The album features creative stereo placement, with instruments and backing vocals shifting across the soundstage, adding depth and movement to the listening experience[8]. Later remasters and audiophile editions have further clarified the mix, sometimes emphasizing different elements (e.g., louder vocals or a “cleaner” overall sound), but the original production remains a benchmark for its warmth and vitality[8]. --- ## Themes **A Return to Roots and Relevance** Thematically, the album is a statement of artistic rebirth. After years of stagnation and irrelevance during the British Invasion and the rise of soul music, Elvis reasserted himself as a vital force in American music[6]. - **Redemption and Renewal:** The album’s narrative arc moves from heartbreak and regret to hope and self-realization, mirroring Elvis’s own journey back to creative prominence[10]. - **Social Commentary:** “In the Ghetto” is a rare foray into explicit social criticism for Elvis, addressing systemic poverty and its consequences with empathy and directness[7][9]. - **Intimacy and Vulnerability:** Many tracks reveal a more vulnerable Elvis, unafraid to expose his insecurities and longing-a marked contrast to the bravado of his early rock ’n’ roll hits[9][10]. --- ## Influence **Legacy and Impact** *From Elvis In Memphis* is frequently cited as one of Elvis’s greatest achievements and a landmark in late-1960s pop and soul music[6][9]. Its influence can be traced in several areas: - **Revitalization of Elvis’s Career:** The album, along with the “’68 Comeback Special,” reestablished Presley as a contemporary artist, not merely a nostalgia act[10]. - **Genre Cross-Pollination:** The seamless blend of soul, country, and pop set a template for future artists seeking to transcend genre boundaries[6]. - **Vocal Performance:** Elvis’s impassioned, nuanced singing on this album has been lauded as some of his finest work, inspiring generations of vocalists across genres[9]. - **Critical Reassessment:** The album’s success prompted critics to reevaluate Elvis’s artistry, recognizing his interpretive genius and emotional depth[6]. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |---------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | Elvis’s vocals are at their most powerful and emotionally nuanced | Some tracks have production choices (e.g., heavy reverb, loud bass) that may not appeal to all listeners[8] | | Innovative fusion of soul, country, blues, and pop | The album is a collection of covers, not original compositions by Elvis[9] | | Strong, cohesive backing band and arrangements | A few songs are less memorable or feel like filler compared to the highlights | | Thoughtful, often autobiographical song selection | Later remasters sometimes alter the original mix, which may divide purists[8] | | Standout tracks (“In the Ghetto,” “Long Black Limousine,” “Only the Strong Survive”) | Some listeners may prefer the rawness of Elvis’s earlier Sun recordings | | Socially conscious themes, especially in “In the Ghetto” | The album’s stylistic diversity, while a strength, can also feel uneven to some | --- ## Conclusion *From Elvis In Memphis* is not just a comeback record; it is a bold artistic statement that redefined Elvis Presley’s legacy. Through its compelling lyrics, genre-defying music, inspired production, and deeply personal themes, the album stands as a testament to Presley’s enduring artistry and relevance. Its influence continues to be felt, both in the world of pop and soul music and in the broader landscape of American popular culture. For any serious music fan, it remains essential listening-an album where the King reclaimed his throne with passion, vulnerability, and undeniable talent.

There’s a reason why he’s called the King.

I'd give this 4.5 stars, as it is my favorite Elvis release, though 2 of my favorite songs from this era are only on the reissue from 2000 (Kentucky Rain and Suspicious Minds). Overall, I just think it sounds amazing, the music is both epic and just a top-notch country-tinged rock album.

I have always thought “In the Ghetto” and especially “Suspicious Minds” to be among Elvis’s best and most interesting hits, so i was intrigued to see the context of the album that they both came from. I have to say, i was pretty blown away by this album. The accusation is often made—I’d argue it is trendy to do so—that Elvis simply stole what black musicians were already doing and repackaged it for white audiences. He certainly was a major catalyst for bridging the two in popular culture, but i think this album makes it abundantly clear that his feeling for soul and blues music is as genuine as anyone’s. (I also think his actions throughout his life showed a lot of respect and acknowledgment towards the black musicians he worked alongside and drew inspiration from but this is not material to discussing this album.) It’s really fitting that Memphis was the place to record this album that is both so country and so bluesy and so soulful throughout. And the effect is a much more mature, interesting, captivating Elvis than at any other point in his career, in my opinion. Something that struck me as interesting is that the earliest stages of Elvis’s career were extremely provocative and boundary-pushing. On this album, he instead turns back the clock, with several arrangements sounding closer to 1964 or even 1959 than 1969. Artistically, though, it is not a step backwards at all. I’m not sure how to pick out favorite tracks on this record as there isn’t a single one I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. Some clear picks are “Long Black Limousine”, “Power of My Love”, “True Love Travels on a Gravel Road”, “Suspicious Minds”, “Don’t Cry Daddy” and “Kentucky Rain”. His renditions of “Gentle On My Mind” and “Any Day Now”, while not my favorite versions, are very good and I’m happy to know they exist. This is a fantastic album that elicits more feeling from me than I expected. 5 ⭐️

Long Live The King (I hope he's happy on the alien toilet)

This doesn’t sound live, like at all. Well, this is Elvis. You know what you’re going to get. Can you dig it? There are haters but I don’t know why. The only knocks against Elvis are his hankering for younger girls and the fact that he didn’t write a single song. Like ever. EVER. It blows my mind that someone so musically talented did not ever pick up a pen and write a complete song. Even just words. Mind blown. Anyways. Ya You know what you’re getting with this album. You don’t need me to talk about it. Choice cut: After Loving You

Elvis in Memphis is like watching your rock ‘n’ roll hero try to break free from a straightjacket—equal parts surprising brilliance and playful defiance. While the King still wears that trademark swagger, this album shows him trading his leather jacket for a soulful, grown-up vibe. It’s as if he took a detour from the predictable and said, “Hey, let’s shake things up a bit,” delivering tracks that are both swaggering and subtly self-aware. Sure, he might still be the King, but here he’s not afraid to laugh at himself while belting out some truly irresistible tunes. A delightfully cheeky detour from his usual antics that proves even royalty can reinvent themselves with a wink and a nod.

EXCELLENT album, Elvis' voice is at its peak, the songs have interesting vocal melodies and the backing vocals add a lot to this gospel/folk/rock aesthetic, I loved it.

A classic, though I hadn't heard a few as far as I can remember. Great sound and range. Don't Cry Daddy pulled at my heartstrings a bit! So did Mama Liked the Roses.

okay iconic.

The King. That’s all.

Yeah I would loop this

Altogether, this strong collection showed that a middle-aged Elvis Presley still had what it takes to make great music. For me, these songs are more enjoyable than his early hits. Copy/paste the link to read more: https://tinyurl.com/55mdvay6

Why have I never heard this album??? Wonderful!

The king for a reason

Great musician. Some great arrangements

The king! His voice sounds at his best. His country roots are strong at this point yet his voice elevates it to pop/rock. Truly a game changer. No notes. 5/5

Somehow, I grew up never listening to Elvis. Experiencing this was FUN. He is in a old Vegas mood and I don't mind the higher production on the album. It was a fun and entertaining album with some good tunes.

Not much to say here, very introspective, beautiful album

10.000.000 fans can"t be wrong. Elvis vorever!

awesome. I get why it was it different

The soundtrack of my childhood. Dad loved Elvis. He's growing on me, too LOL

great albumbwith several clasic songs

THE KING!

It is easy for me to see why Elvis captured people's attention. His charisma shines bright in each track on this album. Makes me wish I would have been old enough to appreciate him at the peak of his career. Loved listening to this album.

Loved this one great tracks

Surprisingly emotional, really good music. First time I ever listened to Elvis

Grande

Wearin' That Loved On Look was a good one that i hadn't heard before.

Always though I wouldn't be a fan of Elvis - his vocal style always felt a bit forced to me. No matter, this record is lit.

Great love album, love the vocals, fav songs are only the strong survive and true love travels on a gravel road

Classic rock-and-roll with elements of blues, gospel, and country.

5/5

Classic Elvis and a real peak for him.

GREAT

Leí bastantes comentarios que decían que Elvis ya había "perdido su magia" para 1969, sin embargo, tras escuchar este diría que todo lo contrario. Con canciones como "In the Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds", el "Rey" siguió demostrando hasta el día de su muerte su vigencia, influencia e ímpetu al mantenerse fuerte como un poderoso bastión de la industria de la entretención norteamericana. En retrospectiva, sin embargo, se puede disfrutar como un gran LP de "retro-pop". Recomendable, pero no indispensable.

Better than expected

I didn’t think I’d enjoy this one as much as I did. Apparently, this was a comeback album after years of mediocre releases, and it really worked for me. I’m not much of an Elvis guy, but this album was fantastic. It’s a great balance of rock, soul, and country, and you can tell that Elvis was older and more experienced by the time he recorded it. The album has a mature and sophisticated feel, and his voice is deeper, delivered with so much confidence and presence. You can tell he was fully committed to this project, and it shows in every track. I’ve finally found an Elvis album I’m going to keep in rotation for future listens.

Horn

Elvis accompanied by a big production! What’s not to love? The arrangements are gorgeous and Elvis sounds incredible.

Classic. I think I listened to this 5 times since it was suggested

Hadn’t heard this and it was pretty great

chunky score down to suspicious minds alone

wooo mama 10/10

Cool

I never knew I loved Elvis. This sound has not aged much at all. Catchy and soulful, rocks harder than modern music by far. I love the combo of the acoustic guitar, powerful voice, with occasional horns and female backing vocals. Also, I know he didn’t write the songs, but I love this style of story songwriting that seems not done any more.

Elvis loomed large in my childhood. In third grade music class, we spent an entire month on an Elvis module. Mrs. M believed he had faked his death to escape his celebrity status, and she made a bunch of nine year olds sit cross legged on the floor and watch a documentary about how it was actually a wax body in the casket. My first encounter with a good conspiracy theory. Later in high school, Brian would regularly perform Elvis songs with a pretty great Elvis impression at all-school assemblies. And at Sunday mass with my family, there was always an off-duty Elvis impersonator in the congregation, doing his best to blend in with jeans and a t-shirt, but given away by his huge black-dyed pompadour. To the music, I always thought Elvis was incredibly corny - an over the top personality who doesn’t even write his own songs. But I really enjoyed going through this album. I love his voice, even the silly Elvis vibrato, and his arrangements (which I believe he had a bigger part in) really bring to life some rather simple songs. Long Black Limousine, True Love, and Suspicious Minds stand out. Somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for this album, with an extra bump for nostalgia. As Mrs. M said, the king is alive.

There’s some really good tracks on here.

Love this 4.5 stars

You know what, this holds up pretty well. Elvis rightfully holds his place in the canon of modern music.

I think I like old fat sad Elvis the most just for the pathos, but hot young stud Elvis at the height of his powers is pretty great too

Really good. I get the Elvis hype, makes me wanna get married in Vegas w an Elvis impersonator officiating

Overall this is more a 4.5 because I don't love the direction the second half takes but it really impressed me and I Must Give It 5 Stars. Who knew!! Elvis! Wearin' That Loved On Look: Such a great start to a great album Only the Strong Survive: Fun! I'll Hold You In My Heart: Soooooooo Elvis Long Black Limousine: Really well done and sounds like something off of Let It Bleed. It Keeps Right On a Hurtin: Elvis does a great job singing this one. I'm Movin' On: Fun little bass here. Explosion into the gospel chorus, the guitar and piano bits and the horns.... So so good. Power of My Love: Bluesy in the best way. A full body listening experience! "No baby you can't lick it" and the little laugh... yeah. Gentle on My Mind: Fun bass! Otherwise fine After Loving You: Simple but well done, fun build up! True Love Travels on a Gravel Road: love his singing here Any Day Now: heroic! In the Ghetto: Already knew this one, not my personal favorite but not bad Suspicious Minds: Very well executed Don't Cry Daddy: not bad but not my favorite.. Kentucky Rain and Mama Liked the Roses: a little TOO heroic for me but still has a nice driving motion

Great album actually. 8/10. It is such a great album, masterpiece actually. Very slow and sorting, perfect for a long road trip. His voice is anything but annoying, I could listen to him sing for a long time. Anyway, would definitely listen again!

Such a beautiful, soulful singer. The powerful emotion in his voice and lyrics. He deserves the title of king.

Excellent

SHUTUPSHUTUP!!! This performance of “Suspicious Minds” did something to me. This album is part of the Elvis come back…. Post ‘68 comeback, the return of THEE Elvis. I’m so sorry Sofia Coppola you can’t make me hate Elvis. I love the choral singers; I especially noticed it on “Long Black Limousine.” And the cover of “Gentle on My Mind” got to me… I didn’t know he did that! It’s slower and I kinda like it. Glenn’s is still the best, though. Oh also “In the Ghetto” is on here. This album just makes me think of Memphis… which obviously it would but y’know it just does. Even “Kentucky Rain” sounds like Memphis.

Look, I had an Elvis wedding. I can't fairly evaluate his work. 5

The king

Later Elvis truly is the best Elvis 🔥 Kentucky Rain, In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, True Love Travels Down A Gravel Road and Burt Bacharach’s lovely Any Day Now are superb.

Rock, soul, country, blues. Varios megahits. Venga, vinilo.

In the Ghetto. Suspicious Mind.

🤴

In the ghetto

I stand corrected. Elvis did actually made a good album. The production, the choir, his delivery of the songs... it's perfect, despite the usual lack of singles ("In the Ghetto" is its only single, while his masterpiece "Suspicious Minds" is actually a bonus track).

A surprisingly enjorable listen, a bit more digging revealed that the backing band is the same as the Dusty Springfield album from monday, both were recorded at the same studio. I really like his voice and the instrumentals are very good and soulful. Great backing vocals throughout. 4.5/5

When I was coming up, Elvis was already a nostalgia act. Tacky velvet posters. The crazy jumpsuits. The "karate." The hair. I couldn't get it. Why was this guy the "King of Rock and Roll" when there was so much *better* rock and roll out there. I basically ignored Elvis and the myth around him for the better part of my life, minus a trip to Graceland where I thought, "Damn. This is tacky as hell." Fast forward to me in my 40's, drinking and getting high with my best friend. I have no idea how the conversation got to where it did, but he asked me "Have you ever seen Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii?" which is the christmas special he recorded in 1973 at the beginning of his long fade. For the first few songs of the set, he's dope-addled and bleary -- and I'm like "this is embarassing for him." And then lightning strikes. The pharmaceuticals either balance themselves out, or Elvis just decided, "You know, I'm going to kick some ass tonight." And like a switch was thrown, there he was -- one of the great showmen and voices to grace a stage. He just had so much power in his vocals. His version of "Steamroller" is still one of my favorite rock and roll moments. So when this came up -- this big-band album from 1969, I was determined to approach it with an open mind -- and I'm sure glad that I did. Everyone's heard In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds, but the whole album is Elvis just going for it. The back-to-back of "I'm Movin' On" and "Power of My Love" is just sexy blue energy. A great listen. Unexpected bangers: Long Black Limousine, Kentucky Rain, Mama Liked the Roses.

Great album will listen again.

God damn, man. So good. Just in awe.

Um, it's Elvis. So. Ten outta ten.

Not his well-known songs but still good. There were a few songs I knew towards the end of the album.

First off: Elvis is King. Elvis had 4x number 1 albums (and a #2) before the Beatles recorded their first single (“My Bonnie” with Tony Sheridan singing). Elvis had 149 Top 40 hits (in USA) including 18x #1s. But by 1969, when this album was released, his musical star had faded a bit. He had been more focused on movies, with 15 movies in the previous 5 years. And at 35 years old, the girls who swooned over him in the 50’s, were (probably) Moms. This was his first non-soundtrack in over 2 years, and only second since 1962, and reflected his return to a focus on music. This is a very solid album, the start of Elvis’s later stage. The arrangements are bigger, it is all very polished. You can see the Vegas version of Elvis starting to emerge. There was only 1 single on this album, “In The Ghetto”, which only made #3 in USA, but is a brilliant song. And everything is solid, it is a good listen. The version of the album includes some great bonus tracks recorded at the same sessions, but only released as singles. This includes the hits “Suspicious Minds” and “Kentucky Rain”, which are both brilliant. I’ll come back to this one for sure. I was torn between 4 and 5, leaning towards 4 until I got to the bonus tracks. That sealed the 5.

Best album to sand a table to.

Good! Weird…

Really enjoyed this one but my enjoyment was slightly clouded by having recently watched the Priscilla biopic. Elvis seemed like a kinda scummy dude who loved to gaslight. Despite that, this album is a certified banger. Enter age-old discussion of "separation of art from artist, yada, yada, yada..." Still really liked this album and would listen again. 5/5 in my book.

Such a great album. Made me realize I need to listen to more Elvis.

It’s easy to forget how good Elvis really was. There’s a nice range here. Anyone else would bungle this. But he really managed to strike a sense of sincerity in his music. This is unironic authenticity. Wearing That Loved On Look, I’m Moving On, Power of My Love, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road, Any Day Now, all solid AF. And then along comes In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds. It’s a pretty great record.

Nice

Proof that Elvis was the best friend a song could ever have. You need no further proof than what he does at the end of "Any Day Now", repeating,"Don't fly away,my beautiful bird" like it's a goddamn firework show. Is this, the King's "Dusty In Memphis", an overall classic album? It's got enough gems, 7 by my count, to deserve that brand. Plus it has Elvis's all time greatest moment on vinyl, Suspicious Minds. This is comeback era Elvis, when he could take songs like Any Day Now, Kentucky Rain and Gentle On My Mind to a whole new level. The original release wouldn't quite merit a 5 rating, since it foolishly omitted Suspicious Minds, Don't Cry Daddy and Kentucky Rain, which was corrected years later (ironically enough, after the Colonel was dead and gone, which suggests that bastard was behind leaving off those 3 classics). As always, fuck the Colonel. And long live The King!

I like Elvis a lot, and some of his most famous songs are here. My favorites are “Only The Strong Survive,” “In The Ghetto,” and “Gentle On My Mind.” A solid album from top to bottom. But can we talk about “Don’t Cry Daddy?” It’s this kind of batshit songwriting I’m glad we left in the past. I cringed so hard I almost removed a star.

My 11th birthday was Elvis themed… Elvis may be the king of rock’n’roll, but to me, his voice was made for the soul feel of this album.

Context: Having just confronted my own ambivalent torpor that was The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and previously declared my own bias toward Rockabilly Elvis, there is true magic in Elvis with a big band, and this collection punctuates this point sublimely. Utterly soulful. Human. Problematic as he is culturally, this is as stone cold awesome as Elvis the artist would ever produce.

bluesy, chill, interesting panning, simple bass,good bass tone, panned orchestra/brass,

Great album. Listening to Elvis is always a treat.

Hermoso.

Elvis with so much flavor. Could listen to it all day, every day. Long live the King!

By the end of the sixties, a decade that went so fast that it's even hard to keep track of it *today*, Elvis was already outdated, out of touch, and even a little ridiculous. Only a miracle could have made him relevant again. This album is that miracle. Drawing from a southern soul / country-soul genre that was as enticing and vital as the best rhythm and blues still hitting the charts in 1969, using warm soul background singers to support Elvis' stellar vocal performance, and displaying a near-spotless catalogue of tunes from great songwriters (some of them unsung or unknown at the time), *From Elvis In Memphis* marks a great come back for Elvis Presley--more so than the one formerly orchestrated by impresario / agent Colonel Parker when Presley returned from the army around 1960: here it was mostly a marketing ploy. But with that other "return", you also have a real, pivotal album to celebrate. And since it's one of the best LPs ever recorded by the "King", it comes as no surprise that it's still fondly remembered today. I'm gonna be honest, the first time I *really* listened to this album, I expected to react derisively to it. 1969 seemed so far from Presley's heyday that I thought it would be impossible for me *not* to compare it to what was going on elsewhere in that year. But the quaint yet decisive charm of *From Elvis In Memphis* is actually that it's both of its time somehow, and yet also timeless. If there's admittedly a minor share of filler songs to be found in the record's tracklist, most of the cuts are still irresistible. Cuts such as "Wearin' That Loved On Look", "Only The Strong Survive" or "Long Black Limousine" (whose only flaw stems from the lyrics--it would have been much more impactful if the fact that the song is about a funeral had been revealed *at the end*, instead of spilling the beans at the very start). Plus "I'm Moving On" (the lively groove on that one is infectious!), "Any Day Now", and of course "In The Ghetto", a surprisingly socially-aware tune, but most of all, a moving--even a *devastating*--capper for the original LP. Please don't miss the bonus tracks added to the CD / digital version of this LP (singles and leftover cuts recorded for the same sessions), as each one of them is worth the price of admission here. Among them is the memorable "Suspicious Minds", made famous again when Fine Young Cannibals released their own cover version of it, and also the incredible "Kentucky Rain" with its lush orchestral flourishes, unexpected chord and rhythm changes, and catchy three-note staccato pattern--played on an hammond organ, I think, and then echoed by the string section. Like the songs from the original album, those tracks are cinematic and evocative. They could be played in the background of a scene of a film taking place in the deep south, and be a perfect musical illustration for whatever drama was occuring onscreen. 4.5/5, rounded up to 5. Number of albums left to review: 279 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 319 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 175 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 232

In the Ghetto. Suspicious Mind.

I still think the movie wasn’t that great

Elvis don't miss. This album was thoroughly enjoyable. Not much else to say; just listen and let the King of RnR do the talking.

Kentucky Rain is one of my favorite Elvis songs. This is a perfect example of why even 50 years after this album was made, Elvis is still beloved

Elvis had to die so this glorious music could live on.

Standouts- "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'," "Power of My Love," "Gentle on My Mind," "Any Day Now," Lyrics/Vocals- 5/5 Instrumentals- 4/5 Vibes- 5/5 Overall- 5/5

Ik vind dit gewoon een ijzersterk album van iemand die al afgeschreven was. Je hoort dat hij alles geeft. En hij bewaart het beste voor het eind, met In The Ghetto en Suspicious Minds twee absolute klassiekers.

amazing album, no bad songs, great voice, great instrumentals

I've listened to a decent amount of Elvis but had never heard this album. It jammed way harder than I expected, especially for a live version

Classic Elvis.

Such a great album, Elvis at his best. Elvis is perfect voice, leaning into the country and soul and leaving behind the silliness of the movie phase in his career. His charisma is palpable in these songs, with a rock solid group of musicians behind him. Production is tight and flawless. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Gentle on My Mind, Any Day Now, In the Ghetto, I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms), After Loving You, I'm Movin' On, Long Black Limousine, Only the Strong Survive, Wearin' That Loved On Look, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road, It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'

I'm sure it's great, if you like Elvis. :)

Honestly haven’t listened to Elvis much but it is a bop. Can see why he was so popular. The whole album is beautiful actually, and I’m glad it’s been recommended.

Best album thus far!

Mi tre ŝatis ĉi tiun albumon. Mi ĝojas, ke ĝi estas en la listo. 5/5

Pristine

A classic album with some truly great songs.

Super! In the ghetto, suspicious minds

Краљ! Suspicious minds ремек дело. 9/10

Very solid album. First half of the album is fire. The back half is pretty good. Even "In The Ghetto" doesn't sound as bad as it should. The singing and the arrangement are all tops.

Almost all Elvis is good Elvis to me. I remember hearing he died on the radio on my way to school. I think I was in 1st grade. I've always dug his music and his movies. The back up band really nails it on this album. Solid.

Love Elvis. Good mix of soul, blues, and country on this one.

Elvis singing over The Memphis Boys, apple pie, baseball, mass shootings, and credit card debt

In the Ghetto. Suspicious Mind.

I’m not even going to try to be “pretentious music critic” about this album and just give it the rating I think it deserves.

Loved it

Classic

Elvis à mi-chemin. Quelle voix, quelle interpretation. Et on sent que derrière il avait le top des musiciens de studio, des choristes... "Only the strong survive", "Long black limousine", "In the ghetto"... Je m'arrête à ce titre et ne compte pas les ajouts postérieurs genre "Suspicious mind", ce serait tricher, mais c'est 5 étoiles quand même.

Anything by Elvis is great!

Hands down the best Elvis album. There are so many excellent tracks on this one, but it also captures a comeback that was years in the making and that’s fascinating in itself. Elvis was a force and this shows him at what was the final peak of his powers. Every song on this is great, but a few of my favorites are Gentle on My Mind, Any Day Now, and True Love Travels on a Gravel Road. Also, not part of the original release, but Suspicious Minds is a stone cold classic.

the man can sing. team Priscilla tho.

I grew up on Elvis thanks to my mom. This album hit the nice spot between his early career and strung out Vegas Elvis of the '70's. It showcases the Blues and Soul that were such an inspiration to him.

I didn't get around to listening to this Friday, so I'll put it on now. Oh man I imediately fell in love with I'll Hold You In My Heart. Man I like this album. I love his voice, and the lyrics of loss and heart ache and love.. OH! In The Ghetto is on this album. I guess I have also heard Suspicious Minds. What a great album. Almost cried several times.

It's always a pleasure to listen do Elvis' voice. I'll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms) is such a lovely song.

Fundamental. A ver si el algoritmo va aprendiendo lo que me gusta.

probably his best vocal era.

#1 #10 #11

Classic

Did u know Elvis Presley is good at music?

Heard before: yes One generation’s idols become the next generation’s joke. So it continuously goes, and Elvis was always kind of a novelty item for me, a kitsch indicator of “rock and roll” more than something I enjoyed. It didn’t help that he didn’t really make albums; everything I listened to was a random collection of singles. Then I found this record, and Elvis made sense. His voice is singular, and the music is a perfect mix of country, gospel, soul, blues, pop, ballads - all of the classic American roots musics blended together. And it all holds together as a cohesive volume - same session players, same vision - that builds as it proceeds. Side two is almost flawless. Great great record. Top tracks: Kentucky Rain, Wearin’ That Loved On Look, Suspicious Minds

This was brilliant, I enjoyed it v much. The soul vibe!

Elvis’s very best. This one is a keeper.

For my money the definitive Elvis

I love be this album. Elvis turning gospel into love songs. Just beautiful.

Good

Hell yeahhhhhh. Already know this is going to be a five stars for me. Such a stunning voice, such good genuine pop music. Seeing the tracklist it's definitely fewer hits than I expected. Again, such a powerful voice and love the gospel influence.

Classic sound, still works today

Nice vibe!

There's good reason why they call him the King.

idk yet

Straight up 5* fire

Love this man

Whoa, I guess I never knew that Elvis could do solid studio albums. Where have I been!? This is a no skip banger factory AND it includes two SCCs (stone cold classics)!? How could a girl give this any less than five stars!?

"In the ghetto"!

Incredible album, nothing else to say, it is truly almost perfect. I could speak in lengths, it would not do this album justice. Favorites: Almost all of them

Rock, soul, country, blues. Varios megahits. Venga, vinilo.

This is a really fun listen. Right out of the gate, with the groovin' "Wearin' That Loved On Look", you know you're in for a good time. At this point in his career, Elvis was moving away from his more traditional country, gospel, and rock sounds to a soul-infused fusion of the lot. Even the songs here that are pretty straight country -- like "I'm Movin' On" -- have some stank added to the affair. Turns out Funky Elvis is cool as hell. His backing band here, The Memphis Boys, add a swagger that his usual band, the Jordanaires, just don't have. The rhythm section on this thing just has such a warmth and a groove that compliment "the King"'s persona perfectly. The whole thing just comes together beautifully, and I'd argue might just present Elvis at his very best. 9/10.

9/10 probably as good as it gets for Elvis’ discography amazing stuff here, my personal favorite would be Suspicious Minds

"From Elvis in Memphis" is the tenth studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. The album was recorded in Memphis following the success of Presley's TV show and soundtrack and it marked his return to non-soundtrack albums after his MGM film contract completion. Presley was convinced to incorporate a Memphis sound (soul, country, gospel and blues). Backed by the Memphis Boys, the music is heavier on the rhythm section and less so from strings and horns. The album reached #1 in the UK and #13 in the US. Elvis comes roaring right off the bat in "Wearin' That Loved On Look" accusing a woman of cheatin' on him. Electric bass lead. Organ. Piano. Blues, soul and rockin.' "Long Black Limousine" slows is it down into more of the soulful ballad area. Elvis was fighting a cold and he sounds weary which adds to the tone. A country-western song "Movin' On" is turned into a more driving song with bass and drums. A moving guitar solo. "Your true-lovin' daddy ain't comin' back." The second side rolls out the blues and harmonica with "Power of My Love." A brass section, drums, guitar and organ. Presley does go back to the 50's sound in "After Loving You." Elvis on guitar and the groove sounding a lot like Fats Domino. The album ends with the Mac Davis song "In The Ghetto." A controversial song for Elvis as the lyrics deal with poverty and inner city youth. Elvis whispering than going loud and back soft. A absolute Elvis song highlight for me. Speaking of Elvis song highlights, two songs recorded during these sessions but not making the initial album cut (on later compilations) were "Suspicious Minds" and "Kentucky Rain." "Suspicious Minds" did not make it for copyright issues and I have no idea why "Kentucy Rain" did not. Elvis is aggressive and obviously reinvigorated on this album. The variety is here with blues, country and soul and combining all three. The band is strong. A must listen for everyone.

Great sounding and feeling record. I really love his live recordings from this period. Very enjoyable.

Loved this. The arrangements are cool and the band sounds fantastic. Really great sounding record. Rhythm section is killer.

I actually found this underwhelming for an Elvis record but I love him all the same. <3<3<3

Wow I was pleasantly surprised with this album. Of course Elvis is a classic, with a voice like no other, but I thought I would be bored but it was totally the opposite! Even though the album is 54 years old, it still sounds awesome and pulls you in. Listen again: Yes Purchase for my collection: I think I may have this already? Will have to double check! Favourite Song: Wearin that loved on look Worst Song:

Amazing songs and amazing energy throughout the whole album

Backing band and mix are awesome, love how up front the bass is on most of these. Good mix gospel and southern rock. Love how front and center the bass is throughout. Never really liked Elvis’s voice but it really shown through at parts. Production is impeccable. Overall a real treat to listen to

It is tough to evaluate Elvis in objective terms. The legend looms large. But here goes - this is the best Elvis album. There may be more influential albums (his first), but Elvis in Memphis has top notch material is a broad range of styles that showcase the still magnificent voice. The great production and backing musicians is icing on the cake. His first album gives a glimpse of greatness. On this album he displays it track after track.

The MF King of Rock and Roll shows why he earned his title here. A great group of rock, soul, and country influenced tracks with a band that’s on absolute fire. It would have been awesome to see Elvis live in 1969 before everything went downhill. “Power of My Love” was epic and “Suspicious Minds” is a great song too.

very very good 10/10 :0

Very good

Comeback album van Elvis Presley na jaren van soundtracks opnemen. Bevat vooral covers (o.a. "Gentle On My Mind") met een sound die een mengeling van country en Memphis soul & blues. Zo mogelijk het beste album dat de "King" heeft gemaakt. leukste nummer: In the Ghetto "Only the Strong Survive" moest 29 keer overgedaan worden.

amazing!!! suspicious minds is my fave.

After leaving his deteriorating acting career, and staging the successful comeback special, Elvis vowed to never sing another song he didn’t believe in. This is the album that follows that up, and you can feel that sentiment throughout. He puts every ounce of himself into these songs, and they sore because of the emotions he’s bringing to the table as he sings them. The melding of country, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll are what made Elvis so special to begin with, and it’s all on display here with the help of the equally talented and in step Memphis Boys. Can’t think of a better studio representation of what Elvis was capable of than this album, especially this late into his short lived career.

🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

This is a great big heapin' helpin' of genuine American corn. It's fantastic.

I loved this album! I mean, sure, it’s Elvis! It had me groovin’ and just put me in the greatest mood…like, giddy… for the rest of the day.

Well, my stars. You're gonna have to gimme a minute to recover from all this...charisma. This album is deep, soulful, sexy. I enjoyed the pants off it.

I enjoyed every minute of this album. Elvis shines over incredible arrangements that manage to wrap country and soul sounds together with strings and French horns. Amazing. The backup singers are perfection. It is jam-packed with incredible songs. “Suspicious Minds” (from the CD reissue) and “In The Ghetto” are likely my favorite Elvis songs ever, with “Kentucky Rain” (also from the reissue) right on their heels. But the real surprise were how many great songs there are on this that I hadn't heard or had forgotten. I love his renditions of “Only The Strong Survive”, “Any Day Now”, and “Gentle on my Mind”. And "Power of My Love" is a sexy, swaggering new favorite. "True Love Travels On A Gravel Road" brings the country romance, while “I’ll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms)” cranks up the soul. Elvis’ voice is incredible on “Long Black Limousine” with its strong gospel tones (performed with a cold no less!). “It Keeps Right On-A Hurtin’” and “I’m Movin’ On” bring on the country. "Wearin' That Loved On Look" combines both and is such a great opening to the album. If I haven't mentioned any songs on this album it is not because I didn't love them. I loved every second of this album. The production quality, the performances, the arrangements, the songs - it's all perfect. I’ve listened to this over and over for most of the day - I can’t seem to get too much of “From Elvis in Memphis.” This is Elvis at the very top of his game as he testifies, croons, wails and rocks his way through one of the best albums I've had the fortune to experience.

damn!

This album is exceptional, order, flow, vibe and showcasing of a folky Elvis that is full of heart and soul. Great classics like In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds. But quality of all the tracks are great and a relisten is worth it

What a great listen. This is my first Elvis album and prolly first time listening through one. Such relatable, beautiful stories in each song. It started out kinda slow but the music was so catching and enjoyable, you can’t help but lose yourself in it, then the hits started raining down like Kentucky rain. I was feeling a 4 at first then the album as a whole presented itself. What a perfect album. 5! 1. Suspicious Minds 2. Kentucky Rain 3. Any Day Now 4. In the Ghetto 5. Wearin’ That Loved On Look

Classic Elvis. I always have loved his live version of In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds.

Vid Sarons alla liljor!

Ja det är ju förskräckligt bra. Om man sen har lyssnat sönder det från förr och känner lite gäsp bör det ju ändå inte sätta ner betyget tänker jag.

Classic Elvis. Mellow. Nostalgic and romantic.

I don't care about any outside things, this is bloody brilliant

So, in my youth, I was a strictly Sun years Elvis fan. The fat. bloated, besequinned jumpsuit Elvis karate chopping his way across the stage, sweating out 'ludes and benzedrine did not do it for me. And then I met my wife, who was quite insistent that Vegas Elvis was the most glorious incarnation of Elvis. And she won me over. I mean, he is still fat and bloated, the jumpsuits are covered in sequins, and the karate moves are ridiculous, and he is still befuddled with the drugs... but it is also glorious in its overblown . He finds the real power in his voice. he is sentimental as all hell, and he wrings every drop of melodrama out of every note. And he kept doing some truly dreadful material right up until the end. But there are moments of real magnificence, such as his gospel material... and this. How he ended up recording some decent material with a decent band in a decent material seems like a glorious accident that his manager and minders (and his own terrible instincts) didn't manage to stuff up, for once. The cornerstone of the really great material from the last decade of his life basically these sessions. It's super cheesy, and somewhat overdone (which prevents it from being quite a funky as it might be), but this is, to my mind, probably the greatest individual Elvis album, especially when the bonus tracks are included. I used to hate it, then I liked it ironically, and now I just love it.

Nice

Elvis at his best

Elvis... There's some of his greatest songs here when he was still able to weave some kind of spell. It's always going to be about the man himself with his people around him. It's a very stylised 70's production as you might expect. No-one did it like the man.

Amazing album, so powerful and completely holds up

Watched Elvis movie, then listened to this album. If movie is to be believed, a very sad story of evil and tragedy.

Legendary album power of my love is such a banger

I am far from an Elvis Presley expert but this probably has some of my favourite Elvis Pressley standards....In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, (though the Allmusic reviewed version does not include this cut so not sure that I should consider it), Gentle on My Mind (not really familiar with Elvis' rendition but he absolutely kills it!). Plus there are some others that I had not heard previously that are great as well (Wearin' That Loved On Look, It Keeps Right on Hurtin', Only The Strong Survive, I'm Movin' On and others). Throughout the plaing, production, back-up vocals and production are quite simply outstanding. Even if I don't include the stellar Suspicious Minds This is still a no-brainer 5 star album.

I dig it, and I never thought I'd enjoy Elvis. I can see myself revisiting this often now that I've given it a chance.

The horns make late ‘60s Elvis sound cheesy and fun.

I really like Elvis. But these are the Elvis songs that I love.

I have never been a huge Elvis fan, mostly due to lack of exposure, but this album has changed that. It is truly captivating. The passionate emotion present in the songs, the theatricality, and the crooning tone make the performances and performer both larger than life and almost painfully intimate. Standout songs are Long Black Limousine and Suspicious Minds.

Great album, solid performance by the king, no weak tracks with great ones scattered through

Classically awesome

Who doesn't love some live Elvis?!?!

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Wearin that loved on look, Only the strong survive, In the ghetto, Suspicious minds, Don’t cry daddy, Kentucky rain

A very wistful album in my mind. Early Elvis feels sexy and cutting edge. This era is reaching back to grab his childhood, and I can tell that he is basically sitting in the corner of the bar of America, weeping and playing a guitar as the bar is being renovated.

Great Album

I couldn't love the sound of Elvis's voice more than I do. He could sing whatever he wanted and I would listen.

Fabulous

Elvis joengee lekker schijfje hoor! In the ghetto certified banger

Dælme lækkert album og en fed soul stil. Helt sikkert en man skal have på vinyl

really liked this album. I never considered myself an Elvis lover but he is a great musician.

Amazing - track 3 gave me goosebumps

Very good thank you Elvis

Crazy that maybe the most famous musician in our western civilization isn't even overrated at all.

The king. Period.

Always a Classic. I runned listenning it.

You can hear that Elvis is tired in this album and his voice is not what it used to be but my goodness you can ferl the emotion in these songs. Great arrangements, superb gospel vibes in the album and great Hammond organ solos. Really loved this. Elvis is arguably the most influential popular music icon of the 20th century and he certainly reigns as The King here.

Probablement le meilleur j'ai entendu de Elvis. Et hé ne suis pas fan des albums live 5

Elvis is good

Suspicious Minds has always been my favourite Elvis song but I had never really realized that he'd done more countrysoul like that. And that it's this great. I mean, it's Elvis so there is quite a bit of unnecessary cheese here and I often find his voice a bit to smarmy but yes I will definitely come back to this one. 9/10

As with anyone who grew up in North America, I've heard Elvis songs off and on my whole life, but this is the first time I've ever listened to a full album. This is very much 'Blues-y'/slower Elvis, rather than his rock n' roll approach in the 1950's, but it's just so damn good. There's nothing quite like Elvis' soulful voice, and all of these songs are just so delightfully melodic and well-written, both musically and lyrically.