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Pieces of My Life

Rating:
4.3 / 5

Words & Music: Troy Seals

A water glass full of whiskey
And women that I never knew too well
Lord, the things I've seen and done
Most of which I'd be ashamed to tell

I don't know how it started
But that's what makes a man a man, I guess
Now I'm holdin' on to nothing'
Tryin' to forget the rest

I'm lookin' back on my life
To see if I can find the pieces
I know that some were stolen
And some just blew away
Well, I found the bad parts
Found all the sad parts
But I guess I threw the best part away

Lord, the pieces of my life,
They're everywhere, they're everywhere
And the one I think I miss most of all
Is you and you know who

Recordingdate: 1975/03/12, first released on: Today (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Pieces of My Life:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(clavinet)

Others*

(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with Pieces of My Life.

old shep wrote on April 16, 2008
I really like the Today album and this ballad and Elvis' performance have both stood the test of time over 30years on.
Rob Wanders wrote on November 14, 2008
for years this song has been my number 1 Elvissong, and maybe it still is, but it has to share its first place with a few others now. This song is so autobiographic for Elvis and he knew it and we feel it. One of the reasons why it's such a masterpiece.
Pedro Nuno wrote on November 14, 2008
Pieces of My Life, it's, unfortunately, a typical Elvis ballad from the late 70's, made in a pre-depressive mood that would caught him one year and a half latter in the Jungle Room Sessions. It’s too overproduced for me, and doesn’t ring my bell at all.
lvisfan wrote on November 14, 2008
This is one of my favorite Elvis ballads too. Love the "Today" album, not only for the material but for the mix as well. Heavy drums (especially on this song and "T-R-O-U-B-L-E") that you don't hear on any other Elvis album. Very underrated album too, if you ask me.
BigRedGG wrote on November 14, 2008
This is a latter day classic from Elvis. Just awesome. Great lyrics and ultra sincere performance. How can anyone not dig this ??
Marty_TCE wrote on November 14, 2008
Certainly one of my fave Elvis songs, you can hear the emotion and regret in the lyrics. TCB xxx
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on November 14, 2008
Good song, lyrics could have been better in some spots, but a nice song off of one of my fav albums, the other being raised on rock, yes i said raised on rock! lol
Ruthie wrote on November 15, 2008
Although not one of my favorite songs, everytime I hear it I get very emotional. It's depressing & a cry for help. I think that's why Elvis sang it & there is no way you cannot pick up on the emotion he put into this song. To me, it is one of his worst performances, yet one of his best.
ElvisSacramento wrote on November 06, 2012
This is easily one of my most favorite songs that Elvis ever recorded and Elvis has the best renditions of it by far. Elvis' only concert performance of this song occurred on July 24, 1975 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Gorse wrote on December 24, 2012
A song that we can all identify with to varying degrees, so not always the best one to play when in a vulnerable mood. Wonderfully sung by Elvis, seeming to feel every word. it is just magnificent.
sugartummy wrote on April 21, 2013
One off his most moving songs and therefore one off his best.
Uncle Scooby wrote on December 07, 2013
I love this song, and it is typical of his output at the time. He was sad, regretful and depressed, with no hope or new challenges to break him free. Thing is, the key to the situation was with himself. What a shame. If I remember correctly this was his last studio recording.
Cruiser621 wrote on October 14, 2015
Not one of his better attempts; rather maudlin and depressing. Wow! What a surprise.
Jim Davidson wrote on October 14, 2015
I first became aware of Elvis Today at the Canadian National Exhibition in August 1977. There was an Elvis display, featuring Moody Blue, to commemorate 100 years of recorded sound. After Elvis' death, Elvis Today was only available in Canada as a U.S. import. I loved the entire LP on the first spin. "Pieces of My Life" seemed very introspective given his mortal demise two years after the recording session.
Great Dane wrote on October 14, 2015
One of my favorite song and album from Elvis. And indeed the mix of this album is very good, very upfront bass, drums i love it. 5 stars.
Deano1 wrote on October 15, 2015
Charlie Rich's version was very good, but Elvis takes it to another level. He truly makes you feel the lyrics in a way that no other recording artist has ever been able to. It actually found some success as the B-side of "Bringin' It Back" in the Fall of 1975. It reached #33 on the country chart (10 weeks on the charts) would have climbed higher if it had been pushed by RCA and if Elvis had been on tour at the time and sang it. RCA pushed BIB and it stalled way down the chart at #65 (pop chart). Oddly it stopped his string of easy listening chart hits that started back in 1969. Every non-Christmas/sacred single from "Memories" in 1969 to "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" hit the top 50 on the EL chart and only five of those singles failed to hit the top 20. This included 3 #1's and two songs that peaked at #2..
bajo wrote on October 15, 2015
It may not be on the top of my spin list, but when it comes on I always listen. I actually like it, well sung as the other ballads on the Today album. Elvis was in great voice when he made the album, imo!
JerryNodak wrote on June 08, 2019
Yes, it's depressing. Life isn't all sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. Nevertheless, I like this song very much. Elvis' cry for help. I feel his emotion. 4 stars.
Miknik7077 wrote on September 15, 2020
Just a haunting almost autobiographical type tune. Very sad and you can hear the emotion in his voice. A masterpiece in storytelling.
Stevekimb1 wrote on April 06, 2021
An outstanding performance. Heartfelt to the extreme. Certainly more intense than Charlie Rich’s pedestrian performance. At times, Elvis’ rendition is almost painful to hear, it’s that intense. A maudlin masterpiece from the final years.
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