Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley (1956)
This was Elvis’ first album. It was put out in 1956. I will go through the album in track order and I will rate each song on a scale from 1 to 10. I will also rate the album on a scale from 1 to 10.
(Side 1) Track 1: Blue Suede Shoes - This song was originally performed by Carl Perkins, so this is a cover. I think this is a nice cover of the song with the faster beat. This was recorded during the time between the end of the Rockabilly period and the beginning of the Rock ‘n’ Roll period, so I think Elvis made the song more popular for this time. This is also a popular Elvis song, so 9/10.
Track 2: I’m Counting on You - I don’t know if I like this song very much, due to the vocals, I don’t know what Elvis was trying to achieve while recording, but I guess that makes it kind of good. So I guess I’ll give it a 6/10.
Track 3: I Got a Woman - This is a cover of a song that Ray Charles originally recorded. I like this version of the song and I like the Ray Charles version, too. I think Elvis turned this song into a great Rock ‘n’ Roll Song. 8/10.
Track 4: One-Sided Love Affair - I’m not sure if I’m a fan of the bouncing effect Elvis was doing with voice in this song. He tends to do this in the early 50’s songs a lot, but this song is not one that he did the effect and it sounded good. The piano in this song is pretty great though, so I will give it 6/10.
Track 5: I Love You Because - I don’t have much to say about this song. I think this is a good love song. I think this is kind of one of those love songs that the main character would sing to the love interest in a typical 50’s movie, so it is a 7/10.
Track 6: Just Because - I like this song, because this is one of the songs where the bouncing effect Elvis is doing with his voice actually works. I also like how Elvis basically mocks the Girl he is singing to and I find that quite funny. I also like the Guitar solo that Scotty Moore does during the song too. 8.5/10.
(Side 2) Track 7: Tutti Frutti - This is a song that Little Richard originally sang, but I don’t really like the Little Richard version, I don’t really like this version either, I guess I just don’t like the song in general. I guess I just don’t like the theme of this song. I don’t think singing about the many women you are dating is something you should do ever, so no matter who sings this, I will give it a 6.5/10.
Track 8: Tryin’ To Get To You - This is a great song. The concept is kind of weird and Elvis’ Squealing is weird, but in all of that, Elvis shows how much and how well he can sing. I also like the instrumental background of Scotty Moore (Guitar) and Bill Black (Bass). 9/10.
Track 9: I’m Gonna Sit Right Down (and Cry Over You) - This is one of my favorite Elvis songs, just because of how funny it is. There are a couple of songs Elvis sang which involved him basically protesting! I would put this in that category. 10/10.
Track 10: I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) - I don’t really like this song. It’s because Elvis is just apologizing for making a girl cry. I also don’t like the fact that it has a very echoey effect that makes Elvis sound like he is in a cave. It’s not even a stereo record. If you didn’t know, stereo records sound very echoey. Little known fact, but what Elvis did to achieve that cave effect was he recorded his vocals in the most echoey stairway he could find. I also didn’t like how he sped the song up at the end, he did it in some other songs, but I thought this was one song that it didn’t work with. Anyway, 4.5/10, because I just didn’t like it, basically!
Track 11: Blue Moon - This is a cover of a song that The Marcels originally recorded. Elvis slowed down the tempo and replaced most of the lyrics with falsetto woahs, if that makes sense. This also has the same effect that Track 10 had and it also sounds very echoey. I don’t like this version, so 5/10.
Track 12: Money Honey - This is a nice Elvis song. I kind of don’t like the bouncing effect Elvis did with his voice, but it kind of worked. I also like the Guitar solo from Scotty Moore. 7/10.
This is a very classic album. I will rate this album 9/10, because it did live up to it’s legendary standards. This was the first album Elvis put out with RCA, but Elvis never put out an album with SUN Studios, he only did singles (45’s if you want to be fancy) with SUN Studios, because I think SUN was just plain poor, so this was basically a compilation of some of the best songs from his recordings at SUN Studios and some new recordings from early RCA, so I think RCA made a very good first album with Elvis.
(Side 1) Track 1: Blue Suede Shoes - This song was originally performed by Carl Perkins, so this is a cover. I think this is a nice cover of the song with the faster beat. This was recorded during the time between the end of the Rockabilly period and the beginning of the Rock ‘n’ Roll period, so I think Elvis made the song more popular for this time. This is also a popular Elvis song, so 9/10.
Track 2: I’m Counting on You - I don’t know if I like this song very much, due to the vocals, I don’t know what Elvis was trying to achieve while recording, but I guess that makes it kind of good. So I guess I’ll give it a 6/10.
Track 3: I Got a Woman - This is a cover of a song that Ray Charles originally recorded. I like this version of the song and I like the Ray Charles version, too. I think Elvis turned this song into a great Rock ‘n’ Roll Song. 8/10.
Track 4: One-Sided Love Affair - I’m not sure if I’m a fan of the bouncing effect Elvis was doing with voice in this song. He tends to do this in the early 50’s songs a lot, but this song is not one that he did the effect and it sounded good. The piano in this song is pretty great though, so I will give it 6/10.
Track 5: I Love You Because - I don’t have much to say about this song. I think this is a good love song. I think this is kind of one of those love songs that the main character would sing to the love interest in a typical 50’s movie, so it is a 7/10.
Track 6: Just Because - I like this song, because this is one of the songs where the bouncing effect Elvis is doing with his voice actually works. I also like how Elvis basically mocks the Girl he is singing to and I find that quite funny. I also like the Guitar solo that Scotty Moore does during the song too. 8.5/10.
(Side 2) Track 7: Tutti Frutti - This is a song that Little Richard originally sang, but I don’t really like the Little Richard version, I don’t really like this version either, I guess I just don’t like the song in general. I guess I just don’t like the theme of this song. I don’t think singing about the many women you are dating is something you should do ever, so no matter who sings this, I will give it a 6.5/10.
Track 8: Tryin’ To Get To You - This is a great song. The concept is kind of weird and Elvis’ Squealing is weird, but in all of that, Elvis shows how much and how well he can sing. I also like the instrumental background of Scotty Moore (Guitar) and Bill Black (Bass). 9/10.
Track 9: I’m Gonna Sit Right Down (and Cry Over You) - This is one of my favorite Elvis songs, just because of how funny it is. There are a couple of songs Elvis sang which involved him basically protesting! I would put this in that category. 10/10.
Track 10: I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) - I don’t really like this song. It’s because Elvis is just apologizing for making a girl cry. I also don’t like the fact that it has a very echoey effect that makes Elvis sound like he is in a cave. It’s not even a stereo record. If you didn’t know, stereo records sound very echoey. Little known fact, but what Elvis did to achieve that cave effect was he recorded his vocals in the most echoey stairway he could find. I also didn’t like how he sped the song up at the end, he did it in some other songs, but I thought this was one song that it didn’t work with. Anyway, 4.5/10, because I just didn’t like it, basically!
Track 11: Blue Moon - This is a cover of a song that The Marcels originally recorded. Elvis slowed down the tempo and replaced most of the lyrics with falsetto woahs, if that makes sense. This also has the same effect that Track 10 had and it also sounds very echoey. I don’t like this version, so 5/10.
Track 12: Money Honey - This is a nice Elvis song. I kind of don’t like the bouncing effect Elvis did with his voice, but it kind of worked. I also like the Guitar solo from Scotty Moore. 7/10.
This is a very classic album. I will rate this album 9/10, because it did live up to it’s legendary standards. This was the first album Elvis put out with RCA, but Elvis never put out an album with SUN Studios, he only did singles (45’s if you want to be fancy) with SUN Studios, because I think SUN was just plain poor, so this was basically a compilation of some of the best songs from his recordings at SUN Studios and some new recordings from early RCA, so I think RCA made a very good first album with Elvis.
