HIS MIDDLE
NAME WAS AARON.
a pick six
by Hunter Jon
The Beatles. That’s my answer to the age-old question: Elvis or The Beatles?
However, I’m still a casual fan of the former. Enough to know that his middle name was Aaron, which I think sufficiently sums up my level of fandom. It begins and ends at those depths. And, as a hair-above-average fan of the guy, I naturally have a very specific list of favourite tunes.
Liking Elvis is tricky business. For one, the rabbit hole has no finish line if you decide to descend down it. To step into the ring as a true Elvis fan is a big, overwhelming commitment (his Wikipedia page alone is exhausting). Lots of people literally dedicate their lives to loving and/or celebrating the man. So one must tread lightly when saying the words, “I’m a big Elvis fan” or “Yeah, I love Elvis”. You better be able to back it up by whipping out your commemorative snow-globe… or, at the very least, know his middle name.
Then there’s the whole “Elvis stole Black music” argument, which is both an oversimplification and rooted in truth. In no way do I disregard the facts (and that’s indeed what they are - facts) but there’s another one that can’t be ignored: the fact that Elvis was an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime performer. He was exceptionally talented. This in no way excuses his behaviour, but should be acknowledged.
Also, full disclosure: I haven’t even come close to hearing everything this man released during his prolific career. Understand that going into this list. I know what I know and nothing more. Having said that…
Here are my favourite songs sung by Elvis Aaron Presley.
(I’ve included the appropriate amount of honourable mentions)
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written (mostly) by Thomas A. Dorsey and found on Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957)
Sure, better versions of this song are out there. But, if you ask me, Presley’s is pretty darn great. And you don’t have to believe in God to be moved by his rendition, I find. He has enough faith for the both of you. A lot of popular singers are impatient when it comes to these kinds of covers and speed through them. Elvis wisely takes his time, feeling the meaning of every word. It’s a fine example of his versatility. |
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written by Billy Hayes & Jay W. Johnson and found on Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957)
Now, here’s an example of Elvis doing it better than anybody. This is the definitive version in my books. His wavy vocal delivery (backed by The Jordanaires and Millie Kirkham) is especially fun here, making it easy to gleefully tap your toes along with what is actually a very sad song. |
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written by Dennis Linde and found on Good Times (1974)
Welcome to the 70s, baby. Elvis covered a lot of genre ground in this decade, even dabbling in disco. This is by far my favourite track to come out of that dalliance. It gets a grooviness going in my bones. Perhaps the funkiest song about the Lord ever recorded? While listening, you can’t help but picture the King performing it in a cape that would make Liberace blush. |
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written by Sid Tepper & Roy C. Bennett and found on the Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) soundtrack
Elvis sings this delightful tune as he tangos around a living room with Laurel Goodwin in “Girls! Girls! Girls!” - which also starred the great Stella Stevens! This is the first song appearing on my list from this soundtrack but not the last, meaning it must be my favourite that the Elvis flicks offered. Which is ironic, ‘cause I don’t care for the actual movie much. |
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written by Baker Knight and found on On Stage (1970)
Recored live in Vegas on February 19th, 1970, this encapsulates that whole period of his career splendidly. The back-up singers, the big band sound and rousing finish followed by applause - just classic. Someone once said something to the effect of, “The only thing extraordinary about Elvis’ music is Elvis himself.” If that’s true, let this be exhibit A. What is this song? What’s it even about? It is profound? Beautifully written? Who cares! Elvis performs it perfectly, leaving you wholly satisfied. He even outshines the brief guitar solo by merely going “ah ha ha ha” in the background. |
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written by Otis Blackwell & Winfield Scott and found on the Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) soundtrack
This track from “Girls! Girls! Girls!” is too much fun. I think it’s actually best enjoyed on its own though, as the accompanying scene in the movie is pretty flat and uninspired. Still, Elvis sings it with gusto and his gaiety is infectious. He’s leaning into being Elvis here, using the swagger of his persona to his advantage. It’s short but sweet, sweet, sweet. And that tapping that starts off the song (mimicking the chug of a boat motor) is so unique - I love it! Further proof that Presley can make the most out of any little thing. |
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written by Otis Blackwell & Winfield Scott and found on the Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) soundtrack
Another “Girls! Girls! Girls!” tune. Elvis sings it in a nightclub scene sporting the greatest thing he ever wore on screen: a super simple, jet-black-as-his-hair suit, which was designed by Edith Head (she outdoes herself with the matching black dress Stella Stevens wears in the same scene). Yes, the lyrics tell a cute, little story. But it’s awfully mundane. Y’know what’s not mundane? Elvis’ delivery. He makes the plain phrase “address unknown” sound epic. |
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written by Mac Davis & Billy Strange and found on the Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) soundtrack
For a long time I thought I liked Junkie XL’s remix of this better than the original and therefore favoured it for years. Then I revisited the original and realized you just can’t beat it, no matter how fun “Elvis vs. JXL” is. Here’s an example of a song that’s fantastic to begin with and then heighten to the stratosphere by Elvis’ abilities. It’s originally from the movie “Live a Little, Love a Little”, which I’ve never seen, but was also famously used to perfection in Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s Eleven”. |
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written by Bob Dylan and found on the Spinout (1966) soundtrack
Elvis may not have been a songwriter himself, but he sure knew a well written song when he heard one. There’s a twangy-ness to this that makes me wanna be atop a horse as it wanders the West in a montage full of dissolves. It’s slow and long, which is unusual for Elvis. Yet he calmly steps up to the plate with his usual confidence and knocks it out of the park. It’s great to hear him do so on such a ‘singer/songwriter’ track. Apparently Dylan himself was as big a fan of this cover as I am, deeming it “the one recording I treasure the most”. |
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written by Gordon Lightfoot and found on Elvis Now (1972)
This is likely one of the greatest songs ever written and nearly everyone and their brother has taken a crack at it. But leave it to Presley to do it better than everyone except ol’ Gord himself. Maybe it’s because he could relate to it better than anyone. You can tell when he connects with a song. He covers “Hey Jude” on this same album and it’s awful. But this tune fits the King like a glove. There are a few of his recordings of it out there. Some alternate takes and a live one. But I like this best. It’s a prime example of how clean and steady he was vocally. Even during this later era, when he himself was anything but. |
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written by Mark James and initially released as a single in 1969
Growing up, this was easily my number one favourite. It’s just too good. It’s got everything you could ever ask for in an Elvis song. Or in any song. It’s a marriage of fabulous music and lyrics and then brought to life by a man with maybe more charisma than anyone else on the planet. For anyone who wonders, “Why Elvis?” and is generally perplexed by the phenomenon that is his legacy… well, simply listen to this a few times in a row and you begin to understand. Even people who don’t care for the guy bob their heads along to this one. Sure, credit needs to go to Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis (I didn’t make those names up) for the perfect production of this song. But, c’mon - do you want to listen to an instrumental version of this? I don’t. What the fuck would be the point of that? With this, Elvis continued to prove that it’s not just about having a good voice. It’s about having heart. That’s what makes a star… and things like this song so very special. |
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written by Fred Wise & Ben Weisman and found on the King Creole (1958) soundtrack
First of all: Kitty White. Now that you’ve Googled her and that’s out of the way - this song… boy, do I love this song! It opens the movie “King Creole”, which is directed by Michael Curtiz, co-stars Carolyn Jones and is by far my favourite Elvis picture. It sounds like no other song of his I’ve heard. Yet it’s the only one that sounds as cool as Elvis was, if that makes sense. And its call-and-response structure allows him a rare chance to display some pretty playful chemistry. I could get all didactic and claim this song is a profound metaphor - maybe even a racial one. But I honestly think it’s just about crawfish. Which is even better. The fact that something this incredible is celebrating something that random and petty puts a big goofy grin on my face. “Craaaaaaawfish!”
Fun fact: Joe Strummer and I have the same favourite Elvis song. |
