Moody Blue

Do not understand it ! If EPE Graceland has sold rights (contra fee) of this album to Friday Music Co., then FTD should release this --his last-- album with outtakes AND "bonus"" songs like songs of Elvis' last single hit while alive? America/ My way as well, I hope, with songs he sung during his last concerts...I really don't want to know, Hurt, You're reason I'm living, maybe other live versions of songs like Kentucky rain, It's impossible, Impossible dream, Moody blue, Prom Land etc What do other friends think of such a great (more commercial !) idea ? The same should have been done (meaning adding bonus songs) on Back in Memphis and/or From Elvis in Memphis. Now, it seems we can expect another new Memphis FTD...with all those recorded songs of those AmStudios sessions....(smells to another official rip-off...doesn't it ?)

I already bought the album in 1977, thanks.

Steve, so did I, so I won't buy it again, but for those who still love vinyl (and I'm one of 'em) and don't have the original RCA , I would say: "go ahead". Always El.

The first posting does obviously not understand that EPE are not a record company, they never have been. Sony are the owners of Elvis' catalogue and it would be them who license, as opposed to sell, the rights for this release. I do not understand why anybody would think that this would stop FTD including it in their classic album series, I'm sure they will at some stage. As for the thorny subject of the other Memphis tracks not being included on the two releases so far, Sony can't win. If they had been included, it would have meant that out-takes from songs that were actually on both albums would have been excluded. People would then have been complaining about their omission, using this stupid rip-off term which they fail to actually use in it's proper context.

Tony, if the word "marketing" had been used I bet you would have guessed who wrote the first posting.

In an indirect way, I am glad there is a market for this. That means people still want to own a physical album, something they can hold in their hand, and not just something in a "cloud" somewhere. If vinyl is still around, then CD's will be around that much longer. As for this release, I do not have an opinion about it's merits. I am confident that Sony Legacy or FTD will get around to releasing an upgrade, but as much as i love this album, and I do, I would rather see more never before released material, not just another re-do with outtakes.

this is a must have because the sound in this 180 grams are amazing i got all other 180 grams that has been released with elvis and i will buy this one too

If I ever buy this album again it will be when FTD releases their 'Classic' CD version. Yes, FTD will release it. Either that, or SONY will release it as part of their "Legacy" series in some form.

This is great news! A nice frisbee for this summer at the beach!...

Very interesting...not ! :)

Actually these vinyls sound pretty good. But if you feel ripped off, or they don`t fit your cd-player = don`t buy them ;-) BUT I know I will. Again....

If these people were smart, they could have achieved so many more sales. Only think that makes the difference would have been to ADD bonus songs to this LP like You're the reason, It's impossible, Impossible dream, America & My way; all live performances of Elvis' last years concerts. Sony's junior manager of the EP catalogue should know better and so should have done FTD. But that is of course too much to ask for, ain't it ?! Elvis was creative; they're not ! I'd like to see one day the sales figures of Back in M, Raised on rock, Fool & Now & Standing albums... I bet you, they haven't even covered their production costs, having sold only 2.000 copies of each (worldwide) , I hear!!!

I can fully understand why people still buy vinyl with the 'live' sound and something tangible to hold, but I want something with 20-25 songs to make the outlay worthwhile. I know it is not the same, and I faithfully hold on to his albums of 50+ years ago, but making my own cd's for car and home with these tracks suffices.

Perhaps our marketing expert can educate us all by letting us know exactly at which 1977 concerts Elvis sang "You're The Reason I'm Living", "It's Impossible" and "The Impossible Dream". Go ahead, make my day! As for an FTD version of "Moody Blue", the assumption again is that this vinyl re-issue of the original LP is instead of a "Classic Album" edition. When did Ernst (or Ernie to you) say that they would not be producing one as part of the series in due course?

TonyC, your argument would make more sense if "Let me Be There' wasn't from 1974. Applying that logic that saw that included, Sony could include any live track they wanted regardless of whether it fitted with the album - certainly "Let Me Be There" didn't, it was a ridiculous decision to include it. So, the original comment isn't as stupid as your dismissal suggests!

I think what Tony meant was, why compound one ridiculous decision with even more. (If it was left to me, I would omit this '74 track altogether regardless of maintaining the integrity of the original album)

We must remember that in 1977, Felton Jarvis was desperately looking for material to complete the album. Elvis was supposed to do another recording session in early 1977 but backed off, and then went on tour again. All he had left were the few ‘Jungle Room session’ songs (only 6 of them). He even tried on several occasions to have Elvis put vocals on ‘Fire down below’ to no avail. He had to struggle to get 4 extra songs, and I guess he finally had to settle for the 1974 recording. Since Elvis was still alive back then, he had final say on what was released (not how, or on what album), so there were many recordings still in RCA’s vault that they probably could not use. It would have made more sense to include an unreleased live song, such as ‘You’re the reason I’m living’, ‘Rags to riches’, or ‘Where no one stands alone’. But again, did RCA have these recordings at that time? The rehearsal of ‘The twelfth of never’ would have been a nice addition as well, even if it was from 1974. When it’s finally released on FTD, I would include ‘Let me be there’ on it since it was on the original album. - TCB

I never really understood the hate against Let me be there, I always found it to be a fun song and never skip it when listening to Moody Blue or other albums. Is it a trend that started with the bad review it got from Robert Hilborne in L.A.Times back in 74 or is it because O.N.J. is considered a singer way too far under Elvis league (most singers are), didn't it get a grammy for best song or something in 73 (I know that the grammys are not always fair, because then Elvis would have gotten more than 3, but anyway) ?

It's got nothing to do with hating LMBT, it's the inclusion of an already released '74 track that's so wrong. Even having one less track on the album would have been preferable.

Instead of the 74' song they could put You'll the reason I m living. Or they had studio My way and For the good times that we had to wait for till 90's... I love this album. Pledging my Love is my personal Elvis #1 song ever. I do not see a reson to issue the LP again...

The song, "Let me be there" was from the album "Elvis-as recorded Live on Stage in Memphis". And if my memory is correct, the "Live Memphis" album, had been deleted from the RCA (american) catalog, by 1977 So "Let me be There" was re-used to round out the "Moody Blue" album, and bring the song total to 10 Tracks. I thought "Let me be there" was a nice addition to the album.

As a song on an original album rather than a historic document or anthology, "Let Me Be There" did flow with the rest of the songs. To add even earlier songs to an expanded FTD edition would be just too stupid for words, which is why they won't be, even if that is thought to be a poor marketing decision by our expert on such matters. The reason for this particular vinyl issue is one of money, making profit for a record company. If I had the choice as the whether it were released or not, I would prefer it was as it keeps it on catalogue.

Tony, I couldn't agree more ! As for our 'expert' (???), he indeed even doesn't seem to know EPE is NOT a record company. Always El.

What is it with all the abuse to the original poster? Yes, everyone knows he posts under a dozen names, so what? None of the attacks make any sense. I've already mentioned the "Let Me Be There' debacle - and no, the Live On Stage In Memphis album hadn't been deleted by 1977 - which again makes no sense as an argument anyway given there was no precedent for this and was never repeated again - as it wasn't deleted until 1979 at the same time as a cull occurred on rushed released albums following Elvis death. LOSIM was a number 1 country album, so it wouldn't have been deleted so quickly. RCA had access to several soundboards of Le Me Be There eg Cincinnatti in 76, so could have used that. As for the rest of the original post. Obviously, EPE is not a record company, but they still own the performing rights to anything recorded from 73 onwards (and a share of the publishing rights to much of Elvis' catalogue), so they (ie Priscilla's brother-in-law, Gary Hovey) would have to agree the licensing deal - Hovey runs the publishing and licensing of music - as EPE retains management and distribution rights to the songs they directly control ie Sony Music Entertainment ("despite all our resident experts" invariably describing "Sony" as a "record label', it's nothing of the kind) does not control distribution and has no rights to license such material without approval. So the abuse and criticism is way off the mark. If you want to abuse and criticise anyone, if you have a desperate need to put others down, a little understanding of the subject is normally useful first.

Much to do about an album that was just thrown together in the first place.

Even though LMBT had been previously released it fit well on this LP. The live Memphis LP had sound around 250,000 copies so a lot of Elvis fans did not have this song and many people heard this for the first time on Moody Blue. Yes, the LP was a "thrown together", but many artists have LP's thrown together. Dean Martin often had LP's rounded out with previously released material (Welcome To My World, In The Chapel Moonlight and even Everybody Loves Somebody were used on multiple releases from Reprise). I really love the original LP and kind of view it as "That's The Way It Is, vol 2" with its mix of studio and live material. Side B is outstanding and side A is enjoyable (even "Little Darlin" is fun). I do feel RCA could have rounded out the LP with a couple more live tracks. "America(The Beautiful)" and maybe "Softly As I Leave You" would have been nice additions.

I also first had the "Moody Blue" album and later on the live Memphis album.So this song was new for me on moody blue and fits well. And people who think vinyl is like a frisbee should go hearing a vinyl record on a good sound system, on a good record player like an Technics 1200 series or a VPI Aries 3 and than come back and talk about it. I am sure they will throw with their CD's on the beach and buy vinyl again.

I stand by my statement, I am 70% positive the "Live in Memphis (mid South Coliseum) album had been deleted from the RCA catalog by early 1977. The album was re-released later.

Nice to see this one re-released on vinyl again. IMO LMBT was the best track they could have included in 1977....since they didnt have any additional new recordings at the time.The public that bought this LP after Elvis` death.....and there were many....most likely didnt know 1 track was a re-issue and also didnt care.The suggestions on including soundboard tracks instead are silly (You're reason I'm living,America,The twelfth of never). Also in 1977 the studio master of For The Good times and My Way was most likely lost....Ernst found them in the early 90s). Besides they have a total different feel to them compared to the other 76 studio tracks. Adding bonus tracks to this new edition is also pointless,unless only 2-3 tracks.....it would then be a 2_LP set and more expensive. We will most likely get classic 2 disc release from FTD later this year.....or in 2014. Looking forward to that as I have always liked this release :)

I think this one is already out......saw earlier on a web site that had info changed from pre-order to just order option.