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Moody Blue

Rating:
4.1 / 5

Words & Music: Mark James

Well, it's hard to be a gambler
Bettin' on the number
That changes ev'ry time
Well, you think you're gonna win
Think she's givin' in
A stranger's all you find
Yeah, it's hard to figure out
What she's all about
That she's a woman through and through
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue,

Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on
Try to learn the song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue,
Tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like the night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you.

Well, when Monday comes she's Tuesday,
When Tuesday comes she's Wednesday,
Into another day again
Her personality unwinds
Just like a ball of twine
On a spool that never ends
Just when I think I know her well
Her emotions reveal,
She's not the person that
I though I knew
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue,

Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on
Try to learn the song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue,
Tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like the night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you.

Recordingdate: 1976/02/04, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Moody Blue:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(electric piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Others*

(guitar)
(bass)
(moog)
(congas)
(french horn)
(french horn)
(oboe)
(trombone)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(harp)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with Moody Blue.

old shep wrote on May 12, 2008
Elvis sang this really well, and it's not an easy one to sing.A great 70s favourite and deservedly a big hit.
Deano1 wrote on February 27, 2010
A song that never seemed to be a favorite of Elvis' that became a big country and easy listening hit and a decent sized pop hit. Elvis' singing is a little lethargic in places (especially on the chorus) on this one, but the track is very well produced and has a natural hook to it. Elvis seldomly performed this in concert even as the song was climbing the charts and one wonders if he would have done the same thing to "Way Down" in the August tour. Overall a 3 1/2 to 4 star track. It is actually along with "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" the worst of the songs recorded at Graceland in Feb and Oct of '76.
tigerpawl wrote on July 01, 2010
Describes my wife perfectly. I relate very well to what Elvis is singing to the audience.
Tony C wrote on November 15, 2010
I remember the single release very well. In the UK, we had a few familiar singles just prior to "Moody Blue". "Hurt" had been released in 1976, followed by "The Girl of My Best Friend" and "Suspicion". Although "Hurt" was a new recording, it was an old song and the other two were from the sixties. I had somewhat got used to a new single not being 100% new. When I saw an advert for "Moody Blue", I can remember wondering how that one would go! Was it fast, slow, I had no idea. How exciting, a brand new song by Elvis. I bought it the next day and loved it from the first play.
Rob Wanders wrote on July 22, 2011
fantastic song. one of the many highlights of the Graceland recordings of 1976.
sugartummy wrote on February 22, 2013
Nothing special really, but why do I like it a lot then? Mark James has a special talent in writing songs that are great and simultaniously bland. I have an Mark James album that contains songs that would have been perfect for Elvis.
Gorse wrote on December 20, 2014
I always couple this track with Way Down as the songs heralding a new direction for the following years, but sadly not to be. A song unlike others well performed and structured, not quite as impressive as Way Down but easily worth 4+ stars.
Cruiser621 wrote on January 05, 2018
Not one of his better efforts. Rather bland tune to be honest. Boring.
atomic powered poste wrote on February 19, 2018
If you like the song or not, elvis performance isn't exactly good. He struggles with the notes, it should have sounded "smooth" but he clearly is unable to deliver a proper performance. The production itself is lacking the punch that a disco flavoured tune needs. An overrated recording.
JerryNodak wrote on October 25, 2018
Elvis' singing doesn't always hit the mark here, but that doesn't put me off of enjoying the song. Overall, Moody Blue/She Thinks I Still Care was a fine single release.
Steve V wrote on October 25, 2018
The singles of 75-77 were getting better than the prior few years. This one was never a favorite of mine because of the strained vocals and the subpar production sound. Jarvis wasnt a master to me, but he also had little to work with as Elvis's vocals kept deteriorating. That said, its pleasant enough and sounds commercially modern for the time period as opposed to say the awful Take Good Care Of Her.
TheMemphisFan wrote on August 28, 2020
~ The Pittsburgh concert on New Year's Eve of December 31, 1976 would've been the perfect opportunity for Elvis to sing his latest single release, "Moody Blue", immediately after "Auld Lang Syne" as the concert carried over into 1977. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be as Elvis decided to sing the old worn out "Blue Suede Shoes" to kick off the new year.
Miknik7077 wrote on December 04, 2020
Good solid tune. It does sound different than what he was doing prior. Sounded more commercial than his previous efforts.
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