
That's not to say the fella didn't have songs that I liked as he did - Can't Help Falling in Love, She's Not You, A Little Less Conversation, and my all-time favorite - Suspicious Minds. Leave it to me to be enamored of a song about being trapped in a mistrusting and dysfunctional relationship!
Suspicious Minds, written by Houston songwriter Mark James, aka Frank Zambon, was widely regarded as the single that jump-started Presley's career after that comeback special that I mentioned above. Elvis hadn't been doing live stage performances during most of the 60's as he was concentrating mostly on Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums but in 1968 he re-energized his career with the help of the Singer Sewing Machine Company who sponsored his '68 Comeback Special on NBC. The show led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of profitable tours including the first concert broadcast globally via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii, which was seen by approximately 1.5 billion viewers - I was not one.
Elvis recorded Suspicious Minds along with at least another two hit singles that are on my "List of Elvis Songs I Like" - In the Ghetto and Kentucky Rain - during the 13-day recording span (the so-called "Memphis Sessions") in February of 1969 at American Sound Studio in Tennessee. The song was first performed at the Las Vegas Hilton on July 31st, 1969 and the 45-rpm single was released that fall. It reached number one in the United States the week of November 1st and stayed there for just that one week before it was booted off the top spot by The Fifth Dimension's Wedding Bell Blues on November 8th. Ah yes, another song right up my alley with dual themes of adoring love and frustrated lament. ... sigh ... Anyhow, Suspicious Minds would be Presley's final number-one single in the U.S. before his death in August of 1977 due to a compromised health system from prescription drug abuse - talk about being caught in a trap and can't walk out.
Ah well, as the song goes "If there's a rock and roll heaven, you know they've got a hell of a band" ...

A very long time I came to the conclusion that 'this boy just ain't right'. Lots of weird stuff went on in his life - his strange relationship with his mother, Priscilla, his friends. A strange enigma was he.
ReplyDeleteI loved his gospel music more than any of the rest.
Big hugs xo
Some great shots of Elvis, Linda! I have a post up for Take This Tune too! Wasn't the 68 concert on TV just the best? :)
ReplyDeletehe was so incredibly handsome!
ReplyDeleteI love the Black Velvet single by Alannah, she never did a lot did she? she has a great voice
Whee you and the Queen doing the same meme in the same week. Who says Elvis has left the building?
ReplyDeleteJust for the record as printed on the Take This Tune page, while the official day is Monday, you may sign in and post any day up until the next Friday when the song changes.
I hope lots and lots more folks will join in because everyone's take on a song is completely different.
Of the later songs, I think Suspicious Minds and Kentucky Rain are my favorites ... must be the songs to be dysfunctional and deserted by aspect. :-)
My mother loved Elvis. She was devastated when he died.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day Linda. Big hug. :)
Oh be still my heart! I've been a huge Elvis fan ever since I was a little girl and have quite the collection on him that spans 40 years:-) That video really showed him at his best, he was so very handsome. Suspicious Minds is also one of my favourite songs of his!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteKentucky Rain is my fav..maybe cause an old beau used to sing it to me. You can have the rest.
ReplyDeleteYou always do such a great job of packing so much information in your essays. I really enjoy that!
ReplyDeleteMy Mom loved Elvis.
ReplyDeleteAnd I learned something new, I never knew that Black Velvet was about Elvis. Really interesting :)
Yep, I'll go along with bletter blate than blever. I'm here late..It's Saturday.
ReplyDeleteHe was a good lookin' guy. What a sad ending to his llfe.
Ralph always says he never should have gone in the Army..that's where his drug addiction started. He left way too young.
Yep, I'll go along with bletter blate than blever. I'm here late..It's Saturday.
ReplyDeleteHe was a good lookin' guy. What a sad ending to his llfe.
Ralph always says he never should have gone in the Army..that's where his drug addiction started. He left way too young.