I'd like to write a short appreciation of the album “Hits of the Seventies.” This album functioned as Gold Records vol 5 for me. The policy on the Gold Record albums was to release those songs that were single releases but had not appeared on studio or soundtrack albums. The policy became somewhat redundant in the late sixties, so a volume five was never released until long after Elvis' death. The late sixties and seventies hits were missed by the discontinued series (and volume five when it did come really grouped a lot of tracks together that came from different periods. The problem is that most of the 1966-69 singles were not big enough hits to warrant Gold Records treatment. Likewise the seventies hits. Elvis charted big in 1969 and 1970 and then faded again, with the glorious exception of “Burning Love.” For all these reasons the Gold Records series ended with volume 4.
“Elvis – Hits of the Seventies” is a UK album released in 1977. I have fond memories of the album, having received it as a gift along with “Elvis in Concert” Christmas 1977. I had been brought up on Elvis the ballad singer and actor in light-hearted films rather than Elvis the rocker, and the “Hits of the Seventies” album showcased Elvis the mature ballad singer perfectly. At the time I considered it a third album following the hugely popular “40 Greatest” set of 1974 (itself another cherished present from Christmas 1974 – there are a lot of warm family memories bound up with my Elvis collection). As good as the “40 Greatest” double album undoubtedly was, I couldn't help but notice that the song selection was heavily in favour of the fifties and early sixties, with nineteen tracks from 1956-1958 and sixteen from 1960-63. That meant that there were just five tracks covering the last decade of Elvis' career from 1964 to 1974, with only one track from the seventies. That didn't seem right at all. My first ever Elvis album was “Separate Ways,” a beautiful ballad in its own right. The album was packed with beautiful ballads, including “Always on my Mind.” The Elvis I grew up with was Elvis the ballad singer. Where were the ballads? Where were the seventies hits?
“Hits of the Seventies” hit the spot perfectly. With the duplication of “There Goes My Everything” and the removal of the weakest track (“You Don't Have to Say You Love Me” perhaps), I added “Hits of the Seventies” to the “40 Greatest” to form an “Elvis' 50 Greatest” triple album.
I loved the album from the very first. Of course, much is a matter of personal taste, and given that my tastes had been formed by Elvis in the seventies and Elvis' ballads generally this album could have been made for me as my own personal playlist. It should be remembered that I was still very young at this stage and didn't have anything like the money that allowed me to have anything more than a very patchy Elvis collection. My Elvis staples were the 'budget' albums, the cream of the soundtrack albums, and the odd compilation. So, in the main, I didn't have the songs contained on the “Hits of the Seventies” album. And, becoming a big time Elvis fan only around 1972-1973, I had 'missed' many of the singles from just before that period, especially those which were merely minor hits receiving little if any airplay. I was hearing some of these songs for the first time and the effect was overwhelming. It was Elvis the ballad singer who had won my affection and allegiance in the first place, and that mainly with respect to the slight ballads of the movies. “Hits of the Seventies” was packed to the brim with substantial material revealing Elvis as a ballad singer without peer. I was swept away, playing the album over and again. In listening to albums I tended to hone in on favourite tracks and brush past the weaker material. Buying Elvis 'product,' you quickly learned to identify throwaway tracks and lesser material padding the albums out. A lot of the Elvis albums were of uneven quality, so you developed a tendency to focus on the killer and ignore the filler. “Hits of the Seventies” was all killer. Every track here had been selected for single release and you could hear why. Flicking through the old Elvis magazines and reviews it is now apparent that Elvis' single releases caused controversy at the time, with many people considering that there had been too great an emphasis on ballads, moving Elvis prematurely into an 'adult' market, and resulting in diminished public interest owing to repetition. The trend continued throughout the seventies, with releases like 'Fool,' 'My Boy,' 'Green Green Grass of Home' and such like. But “Hits of the Seventies” distils and concentrates the essence of Elvis the ballad singer perfectly. The material is of the highest quality and receiving commanding performances from Elvis. This is peak Elvis, the man who had regained his crown and now surveyed the world from the commanding heights. Listening to these performances it is hard to imagine how quickly the decline set in, but maybe not – the move into big, dramatic ballads left limited scope for further artistic development. But for a while, punched his considerable weight and the effect was impressive.
I shall take each song in turn. I can honestly say that nearly every track on this album had a massive emotional impact on me, moving me deeply (and the odd one that didn't did in time).
01) The Wonder Of You (2.42) (Baker Knight)
The huge UK #1 hit from 1970. I have read some criticism from Elvis fans at the time that Elvis had come to record such 'old fashioned,' 'sentimental,' and 'mum and dad' material as this, claiming that Elvis would never have sung it a decade earlier. That claim is easily refuted by the fact that Elvis had recorded sad and sentimental ballads from the first. Elvis also added a rhythmic element which is not present on previous versions of said ballads. He did it on “It's Now or Never” (“There's No Tomorrow”) and he did it here. It is impossible to imagine Perry Como singing it the same way (I recall that Perry Como had turned down the song in the 1950s). “The Wonder of You” is an Elvis classic, a staple of any Elvis tribute, and Elvis sings it powerfully with a warm and gushing 'swept away' romanticism. It made for a great album opener.
02) I'm Leavin' (3.53) (Michael Jarrett/Sonny Charles)
Given that this album contained Elvis “hits” from the early seventies, the material should have been familiar to Elvis fans (and most other people). But that wasn't the case. Many great songs were selected for single release in anticipation of being huge smash hits. The fact is that a number of these selections bombed relative to expectations, and “I'm Leavin'” was one such song. It seems that Elvis himself pushed hard for this song to be the single release. He found it tough to sing but said it was “worth it,” which in Elvis language means that he rated the song very highly indeed. The song more than merits that high estimation. It was a 'new' song to me in 1977, and I was immediately gripped by its haunting words and sounds, its complex dynamics, its refrain, everything. It was the track that made the most enduring impression on me. I wasn't so much bowled over as possessed, as if 'sensing' the song's underlying quality. The song had something that drew you in and pulled you under. I listened to the track over and again. I now consider it one of the best ten Elvis songs.
As far as the song's 'hit' status goes, the single had nothing like the impact Elvis thought the song merited, peaking at a meagre US #36 on Billboard Hot 100 and a little better UK #23. Such lowly chart positions are a travesty. It is worth making the point here that Elvis is often criticised for not being more proactive in the selection and release of material, acquiescing in some incredibly poor decisions. But he did take charge at times and attempt to exercise quality control. This was one such instance and his artistic boldness was not rewarded by the world of commerce. To repeat, “I'm Leavin'” is one of the great Elvis tracks and really ought to be better known. The fact that I, as an Elvis fan, was not aware of it some six years after its release is a sad commentary on the state of radio and pop music.
03) Burning Love (2.51) (Dennis Linde)
“Burning Love” was a smash hit from 1972, known and loved by one and all. It was a US #2 on Billboard (#1 on Cashbox) and UK #7. It was Elvis' last US top ten hit. It has elements of Swamp Rock and Credence, but is beefed up and turbo-charged, a real powerhouse of a song and a performance and a genuine Elvis classic, any genre, any period.
04) Always On My Mind (3.41) (Wayne Carson/Johnny Christopher/Mark James)
“Always on My Mind” is another well-known and well-loved Elvis classic, one of the great Elvis ballads and a radio staple. It had been on the very first Elvis album I owned (“Separate Ways”) so I knew it well. It remains one of the greatest Elvis songs. It's worth pointing out, though, that in the US the song was issued as the B-side to “Separate Ways,” so its qualities were not immediately appreciated. In time, as “Always on My Mind” has come to loom large, the just as good ballad “Separate Ways” has faded from view. They are both excellent songs, very similar in style and emotional pull. “Always on my Mind” was a UK #9, although you always seem to remember it as having been a much greater hit than that. It was ranked #1 in “The Nation's Favourite Elvis Songs” in 2013, a poll conducted by ITV. I suppose it depends on who you ask and when and what mood they are in at the time. I wonder how many of those polled have even heard “I'm Leavin'”.
05) I Just Can't Help Believin' (4.41) (Cynthia Weil/Barry Mann)
Irresistibly warm and romantic rendition of the B.J. Thomas classic, a live performance from the “That's the Way It Is” album. Since “That's the Way It Is” is my favourite Elvis album (along with “Separate Ways”) it shouldn't be difficult to understand why hearing “Hits of the Seventies” should have swept me away in the first instance – great songs new to my ears set alongside songs I already knew and loved. A UK #6, the song was not released as a single in the US.
06) You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (2.32) (Wickham/Napier-Bell/Donaggio/Pallovicine)
A big voiced, emotionally charged performance of a dramatic ballad of Italian origin. Dusty Springfield had had the hit with this. She was noted for never oversinging. Elvis went so far over the top here that the top no longer existed. He went all in, taking the emotions by storm. It 'worked,' I have to say. But it's a trick that suffers diminishing returns. The first impacts are the best. It's a performance to pep up the live concerts. It's exciting, a thrilling emotional rollercoaster. It is perhaps the weakest track of this collection, but was a fair sized hit record at the time, reaching US #11 on Billboard, #1 on the Easy Listening chart, and twice a hit in the UK, peaking at #9. The single was also the best-selling record of 1971 in Japan, with sales of 225,000 copies reported, making Elvis the first foreign artist to earn the accolade until Michael Jackson with Thriller in 1984. Which makes the point that the 'weakest' track of the collection packs one mighty punch, indicating that this is a collection of some substance.
07) There Goes My Everything (3.00) (Dallas Frazier)
I knew this song as the only 1970s song contained on the acclaimed “40 Greatest” double album. I have to admit that it was one of my least favourite tracks on that album (beaten only by “Old Shep” and “Crying in the Chapel”) and it was my least favourite here. I thought the song a little pedestrian and dull. In time, though, I came to appreciate its qualities (as I did with “Crying in the Chapel” - I'm still agnostic on “Old Shep,” although can appreciate it as the greatest “dead dog” song in history). What swung me round to the charms of “Everything” was seeing and hearing Elvis in live performance, exposing the emotional warmth and depth of the song. It's a beautiful song, and all the better for its slow and restrained delivery. It's another of those loss and separation songs that Elvis sung so well with his keening voice. Elvis had a top ten Country hit with the song in the US and a UK #6.
08) Rags To Riches (1.57) (Richard Adler)
This one made a huge impression on me at the time; it didn't so much sweep me away as blow me away. Elvis came in at full-force and never let up. I thought he would take off into the stratasphere such is the emotional rage of his vocal. Of all the tracks on the album, I played this one most of all. The sheer force, aggression, and passion of the delivery was an irresistible thrill. This was Elvis returning to his “It's Now or Never” and “Surrender” operatics and I felt sure that this must have owned the #1 slot as those songs had done. The feeling that Elvis was aiming at some such thing seems to be confirmed by the remarkably similar “Heart of Rome,” also recorded in 1970 and which was released as the B-side of “I'm Leavin'”. Tony Bennett's more restrained, more sedate, version of the song was #1 for eight weeks in 1953. Elvis' version reached only US #33, although it was a #9 UK hit. One of those instances where chart positions don't reflect the immensity of the vocal performance. Elvis would try something similar later in 1976 with “Hurt.” On both occasions, it is clear that Elvis is channelling the spirit of Roy Hamilton and Jackie Wilson.
09) Until It's Time For You To Go (4.00) (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
A beauty, simple as that. This is Buffy Sainte-Marie's fragile folk ballad, with the sentimentality ratcheted up to impossible levels. I have a feeling that this is properly a woman's song. But I have read Buffy Sainte-Marie's biographer Andrea Warner rate this the best, or saddest and most memorable, version of the song, and that's good enough for me. I would have been twelve when I heard Elvis' rendition of this song for the first time, too impossibly young an age to be able to appreciate its harrowing, desolate beauty. But appreciate it I did. It was an age of punk, but my emotions were always in the depths rather than the shallows and surfaces. At that age, this was something of a guilty secret, the kind of song you could never own up to loving. But love it I did.
This is another song that Elvis clearly loved and committed all his interpretive skill and artistry to. There was a fair bit of criticism of Elvis at the time from certain Elvis fans, for having selected such a well-known and overly recorded song. Released in 1965, the song had already been recorded by many artists, including many big artists like Neil Diamond and Glenn Campbell. No one had ever had much of a hit with it, with Diamond himself peaking at a miserable US #53. Elvis clearly felt the song had much greater potential than that, and that he could also do a fine job. He did, but fared little better chart wise, reaching US #40 and #9 Easy Listening, although he did hit a very creditable UK #5 in 1972. The song is another contender for my all time top ten Elvis songs. (It made my final selection of sixteen, but just missed out).
10) Kentucky Rain (3.17) (E. Rabbitt/D. Heard)
A musically, lyrically, and emotionally complex song, in the manner of those great Glenn Campbell / Jimmy Webb songs, this is a hugely impressive track. Recorded at the American Sound sessions of 1969, it was, like “Suspicious Minds,” kept from album release and identified as smash hit single material. “Suspicious Minds” hit US #1 and UK #2, “Kentucky Rain” stalled at US #16 and UK #21. It really belongs with “Suspicious Minds,” “In the Ghetto” and “Don't Cry Daddy,” massive hits from the Memphis '69 sessions. At this point we simply have to remember that some material is of such quality and complexity as to evade proper pop appreciation. “Kentucky Rain” makes my Elvis top ten. I heard it first on “Hits of the Seventies” and played it over and again.
11) I've Lost You (3.32) (Howard/Blaikley)
A beautiful ballad, full of mature emotions, receiving a more restrained and sorrowful treatment in the studio compared to the live performance on “That's the Way It Is.” It might be me, but I thought I detected classical influences in the melody and instrumentation, a suspicion I believe confirmed by listening to the alternate undubbed takes. Musically, the song is very beautiful. It also has an interesting history. It was written by Alan Blaikley and Ken Howard (under the pen name 'Steve Barlby') for Iain Matthews and originally recorded in 1969 and released on Matthews' first solo album after leaving Fairport Convention, Matthews' “Matthews' Southern Comfort.” The classical and folk origins are more apparent on Elvis' studio version, with the dramatics of live performance and instrumentation toned down (more so on the undubbed alternate takes).
12) An American Trilogy (4.29) (Mickey Newbury)
Heavens! What a way to end a collection of steller songs! It was a showstopper in concert and brought the house down many times back home. I was once observed, unknown to me, not merely miming but performing my entire way through this song. I nearly died of embarrassment when a friend, peering through the letter box having tried and failed to make himself heard over the sound, said my every movement had been watched. I was so impressive a sight, it seems, that I lost embarrassment. “An American Trilogy” is actually a strange old song indeed. It's so BIG and so GOOD that you tend to presume it was a huge Elvis success. Chart-wise, however, it was merely average, meaning a whole lot more outside of the US than it did inside. Which is to say that much of what we think of the song is bound up with what we think of the US, which may well differ from what US citizens themselves think. Elvis was performing the act of union at a time of division, and perhaps only Elvis could have attempted such a conceit with hopes of pulling it off. He united North and South, black and white, and that unity is what we like to hear. No one did it better and no one could have done it better. This was Elvis' American Dream, and the song sums up exactly what he and his music stood for, if they stood for anything. Division remains and Elvis is identified as a cultural appropriator, even a racist. Elvis' Dream is much the healthier, much truer to a deeper reality, you just need the courage to look further than the shadows and the shallows.
A two disc version of “Hits of the Seventies” has since been released by the Follow that Dream label, adding the B-sides and bonus A sides and their B sides to the original album. It's a substantial collection, but lacks the punch of the original album. Limited to just 12 sides, “Hits of the Seventies” punches with a musical and emotional power that is well above its weight, which is quite some power when one considers the strength of the material.
There have been many Elvis compilations, many too many in fact. It's the very rare album that is coherent, concise, distills the essence and concentrates the force of the music. “Hits of the Seventies” does precisely that. I am sure that I am right in saying that this is my favourite Elvis compilation, (and I should know if anyone does).