The last
Elvis Presley
album released in the singer's lifetime,
Moody Blue
has a somewhat checkered history, especially among fans. Issued two months before
Presley
died, the album sold moderately well until
died -- then it soared up the charts to number three, as his most current album, and it ultimately sold two million copies. As to the music, the original ten-song album was a mixed bag of live recordings, interspersed with new studio work from the previous fall at
Graceland
. For all of its slapped-together feel, however,
held up. The title song, authored by
Mark James
(who'd previously written
"Suspicious Minds"
), was just about as good a single as
Elvis
released in the 1970s, topping the country charts earlier in 1977; additionally, he did a superb re-interpretation of the
George Jones
hit
"She Thinks I Still Care."
"Little Darlin'"
was almost more of a burlesque of the '50s rock & roll standard than a real performance, but it is more than made up for by the presence of the
Johnny Ace
classic
"Pledging My Love,"
done with depth and sincerity. At the time,
"Let Me Be There"
was also on the album, drawn from the 1974 Memphis live album, but it has been removed from the spring 2000 CD remastering, with nine songs from a series of early February 1976 session substituting for it. Some of the 1976 material doesn't hold up as well, but the bonus tracks end this CD on a high note with
's rendition of the
Tom Jones
"I'll Never Fall in Love Again."
The 24-bit remastering has added a good deal of luster to the 19 songs here, making this the first proper way to hear this material. ~ Bruce Eder