Elvis - "Unchained Melody"

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

The song title as commentary on the structure of the song. The way Elvis sings it, it would be very difficult to hum. The melody runs wild in the streets. Does his vocal performance on this song, which he played in concert only during the last 10 months of his life (always alone at the piano) give anyone else shivers? Forget the "cool" Elvis -- this is the best thing he ever did!

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 15:18 (twenty-three years ago)

As I've not heard this, I'll insist that "A Change of Habit" is a close second.

― JS Williams (js williams), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 15:27 (twenty-three years ago)

I feel as lonely as the King on that final tour here...

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 17:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Is it on the 70's box set (I have it but I'm at work)? If so I'll play it and get back to you.

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 17:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Honestly, I do non-ironically adore & value Elvis, but I am unfamiliar with most of his 70s stuff. And most of the albums I have are at my parents' house, along with tons of other good music. Packing music on a whim for a long-term move = most terrible idea of all time.

― JS Williams (js williams), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 17:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, it's on the '70s box. Must be some whoppers on there if you have it but can't remember "Unchained Melody"! But tx.

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 17:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Elvis was incredible during the first couple years of the 70s. Search: That's the Way it Is, both album and film, although both contain substantially different music. 1970, his first year in Vegas, and wow.

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 17:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Must be some whoppers on there if you have it but can't remember "Unchained Melody"!

Oh, there's some whoppers, alright! If it's on one of the later discs as one of the last things he recorded I don't play those so much, they're a little disturbing. The first couple discs pin me to the wall with star power. I thought I hated "Bridge Over Troubled Water"! You've gotta see That's the Way it Is, too.

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 17:41 (twenty-three years ago)

The '70s box is indeed full of great things. Mercifully they don't include too many of the live tracks from that era where Elvis interrupts himself to show off his kung-fu moves and talk incoherently about his managers overworking him.

When did he record this particular song? I always put 1975 as the cut-off date past which Elvis was just too off the rails to record anything of interest.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 18:18 (twenty-three years ago)

The "official" release of "Unchained Melody" was recorded in the Spring of 1977 & included (with orchestral overdubs) on the Moody Blue album. There are also clean versions w/ just him and piano (from other dates). I just found one on Win MX. But he didn't add the song until December, 1976, so they all date after that.

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 19:16 (twenty-three years ago)

I remember seeing the video of him playing that song about two weeks before he died, I think. God, he was sweating profusely -- I swear he looked as if he was about to drop dead right there. Depressing as all hell...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 31 December 2002 22:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Did you listen to this SeanSF?

― Mark (MarkR), Saturday, 11 January 2003 19:25 (twenty-three years ago)

I was thinking about this recently... no. I'll do so today.

― Sean (Sean), Saturday, 11 January 2003 19:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Ok,I just listened to it (twice). My idea of Elvis is one of extreme emotional expressivenss matched with supreme technical skill. In this recording, near the end of his life, Elvis is clearly physically weakened, and his coherence/sobriety was certainly in question. I've heard worse performances from him at this point in time; I mean he sounds ok. And of course the song it self is pure melodrama; the "shiver" factor is built-in. But I have to wonder if the breathless way he phrases the song is improvisation, or just rushing to get through it. And it's so clear, so painful, that so much of his power is spent... and that's not the kind of feeling I want when listening to the King. All it is is a reminder of what happened to him. And of course a reminder of how great he used to be, which brings me back to what I said upthread...

Search: "That's The Way It Is"

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 05:45 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

it makes me sad that lots of people make sour faces when this song comes on, owing to overexposure or whathaveyou. it's such a beautiful song and has been subject to so many inviting interpretations, from the righteous bros to willie nelson to al green....

i feel about the elvis version much as sean does, and likewise because i adore elvis so much, i find it difficult to listen to most of the things he recorded in his last year.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 08:37 (twenty-two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.