Your LEAST favorite Elvis song and why

[Boy With A Problem]

I like Kojak Variety, and always think it should be viewed in the context of its creation-- Warners gave EC the budget to record a b-side in the wake of Veronica's success, and instead of just doing a song or two, he flew to a cheap studio in Barbados and recorded a whole album.

KV is a hell of a bonus. And the reissue is doubly great.

I wish he would follow it up with the long-promised second volume and more with The Imposters and Marc Ribot. There's almost no reason why he couldn't/shouldn't do a new KV volume every year. It would be super fun, he'd get to play tons of songs he loves... It would be amazing.

But do you think he adds anything to these songs? I think I have most of the original versions - and I just think the KV takes pale in comparision. Check this out:

[Kevin Davis]

He adds his voice to them, which is enough for me. Sometimes that familiar voice is enough to give a song meaning it wouldn't otherwise have, even if it doesn't "better" the original necessarily.

[cwr]

I think the uptempo numbers are less essential, just him having some fun. But I think the ballads are strong-- I think "Remove This Doubt" and "I've Been Wrong Before", for instance, are really terrific. His version of "Days" is a strong and different take on that song. Personally, I love his "I Threw It All Away", especially the mistake he left in "So if you find someone... who gives her all of your love [???]" It's just him flubbing the lyric, but it has the unintended effect of making it like the early songs he wrote in code to disguise the personal stuff he was writing about.

"Must You Throw Dirt In My Face" is another strong and different interpretation. At its worst, it's a bit of fun, but I think all the tracks I've mentioned are good versions that have his own personal stamp on them. Costello would be the first to deny that this is an effort to "top" the originals, these are just some of his "favourite" songs that he wanted to play with some musicians he likes playing with. And I'd agree that it is sometimes enough to simply hear a singer you like sing a straightforward cover of a song that they like. And it's not like this album came at the expense of any other new record of original material or something, it's a pure bonus.

[Boy With A Problem]

He adds his voice to them, which is enough for me. Sometimes that familiar voice is enough to give a song meaning it wouldn't otherwise have, even if it doesn't "better" the original necessarily.

I wouldn't disagree with that; but in smaller doses....I just think it lands "flat" - as Otis said - far an entire long player. Plus he had a previous track record (pun intended) of outstanding covers and none of the KV stuff really equals most of that output for me. I will admit to not owning the bonus disc edition and based on this thread; I will hunt it down.

[cwr]

Oddly enough, the bonus disc contains an album that is technically a "lost album"-- his "George Jones" demos-- that is more of an ambitious covers album than KV.

While KV is a fun but sometimes slight effort, the GJ demos are the kind of weird concept covers album I wish he'd do more of-- Elvis Costello sings non-country covers In The Style Of Another Famous Singer. He used to a do a bit in concert where he'd sing the songs he thinks Elvis Presley would cover if he was still alive. It's kind of a parlor trick, but it's also legitimately cool.

Costello's cover of "Brilliant Disguise" arrives at a place that is uniquely Costello even though he's pitching it to George Jones as a song he could sing. I'd love him to try some more covers "in the style of..."

[Dr. Luther]

Yeah -- the George Jones demos are very interesting, in that it's really the only instance (to any great degree) that Costello has sung songs in another's "voice".
I love that stuff. Particularly Brilliant Disguise.

[cwr]

Yes-- and it's quite a similar effect to when he has occasionally written a song with a certain singer or style in mind, but it ends up being a blend with his own personal voice and style.

[when i was cruel]

I know this isn't what my post was for but it's been bugging me, is Elvis bald underneath of his lid ?

[Kevin Davis]

Playing through some of the Rhino reissues this weekend a song that repeatedly didn't work for me was "Stranger in the House." Seemed like it never really worked for Elvis, either--it feels like one of those songs he tinkered with for years but never really got quite right.