![]() ![]() ![]() Here we have the closest we will ever get to a duet between the two of them – though it’s been reduced to more of a “group sing” in the final mix. If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side (1966)Įlvis had many musical mentors, none more so than the Statesmen Quartet’s lead singer, Jake Hess. It is the perfect definition of Sun founder Sam Phillips’ counter-perfect credo of “perfect imperfection.” Just listen to the trailing laugh at the end for its note of pure spontaneity and joyfulness. Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, it is like a dream sequence out of a Gene Kelly film plunked into the middle of Viva Las Vegas. Elvis would continue singing it (and singing it well) right up till the end of his life. ![]() The last song he recorded at Sun, a transformative song, a spiritual song despite its secular nature. I hope it will surprise listeners who may not be familiar with all these recordings and may lead them in turn to explore new directions of their own. It’s not a “Best Of” – though it could in one sense reflect that. I put this together to try to reflect all the things that Elvis was capable of. ![]()
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