Elvis Presley - Moody Blue (1977)

“Moody Blue” by Elvis Presley (1977)

Release Date: July 1977
Produced by Felton Jarvis
Genre: Pop, Country, Soft-Rock
Label: RCA

Chart Positions: #1 (New Zealand), #2 (Spain, Sweden, Canada), #3 (US, UK, Netherlands, Norway, Australia), #4 (France), #7 (Italy), #19 (Germany), #20 (Austria), #1 (US Country Albums Chart)
Certifications: 2xPlatinum (US, Canada), Gold (France)

Singles and Chart Positions: 
“Moody Blue” #4 (Belgium), #5 (New Zealand), #6 (UK, Norway), #9 (South Africa), #10 (Netherlands), #17 (Australia) #31 (US), #57 (Canada), #1 (US Country Songs), #2 (US Adult Contemporary, Canadian Adult Contemporary), #3 (Canadian Country Songs)
“Way Down” #1 (Ireland, UK), #5 (France), #7 (New Zealand), #9 (Netherlands), #11 (Norway), #12 (Sweden, Spain), #13 (South Africa), #14 (Belgium), #15 (Canada, Germany), #18 (US), #94 (Switzerland), #1 (US Country Songs, Canadian Country Songs), #15 (US Adult Contemporary), #23 (Canadian Adult Contemporary)
Singles Certifications: “Moody Blue” Gold (US), “Way Down” Gold (UK), Platinum (US)
Other Charting Tracks: “She Thinks I Still Care” (#1 US Country Songs), “Pledging My Love” (#1 US Country Songs)
Best Tracks: “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)”, “Let Me Be There,” “Way Down,” “Pledging My Love,” “Moody Blue,” “She Thinks I Still Care”

“Moody Blue” by Elvis Presley (Click Here) 

“Moody Blue” is a historical album. It has the distinction of being Elvis’ last completed and released album during his lifetime.

Moody Blue is the 43rd and final studio album by Elvis Presley (this is including his soundtrack albums), released by RCA Records the month before his death in August 1977. The album was a mixture of live and studio work, and included the four tracks from Presley's final studio recording sessions in October 1976 and two tracks left over from the previous Graceland session in February 1976. "Moody Blue" was a previously published hit song recorded at the earlier Graceland session and held over for this album. Also recorded at the February session was "She Thinks I Still Care". "Way Down" became a hit after Presley's death less than one month after this album's publication. The album was certified Gold and Platinum on September 12, 1977 and 2x Platinum on March 27, 1992 by the RIAA.

The album was originally released on blue vinyl. During this time period colored vinyl was very rare and it was assumed that the blue vinyl edition of this album would be a collectors item. However it is the first pressings of the black vinyl that have become collectible as these were pressed for a short time immediately before Presley's death. After his death RCA shifted back to the blue vinyl.

The album made it into the Top 40 before his passing and then made it to US #3 after his untimely death in August 1977.

The recording also featured J.D. Sumner singing the words "way on down" at the end of each chorus down to the note low C (C2). According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is the lowest recorded note ever produced by the human voice, first accomplished by Sumner in a 1966 recording of the hymn "Blessed Assurance."

"Moody Blue" was written by Mark James who also penned Elvis' "Suspicious Minds". "Moody Blue" was Presley's last No. 1 hit in his lifetime, topping the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in February 1977. “Way Down” also topped the Country chart but didn’t reach #1 until after Presley’s death.

RCA issued a very limited quantity of blue vinyl pressings of the 7" single "Moody Blue." I have seen mint copies of this issue going for as much as $400 US currency.

The guitar heavy “Way Down” was released as a single in June 1977 and initially reached #31 on the US chart just ten days before Elvis’ death (the same peak position of the single “Moody Blue” a few months earlier). After his passing the song immediately rose to #18 and stayed there for two weeks. The song was released Platinum and was his biggest selling hit since 1972’s “Burning Love.”

"Way Down" (1977)

Elvis Presley (1977)

Link to “Moody Blue” (Click Here)

ELVIS PRESLEY

Supertramp - Crime Of The Century (1974)

“Crime of the Century” by Supertramp (1974)

Release Date: September 1974
Produced by Ken Scott, Supertramp
Genre: Art-Rock, Progressive Rock, Symphonic Rock, Classic Rock
Label: A&M

Chart Positions: #4 (UK, Canada), #5 (Germany), #12 (New Zealand), #15 (Australia), #19 (France), #21 (Spain), #25 (Netherlands), #38 (US)
Certifications: Diamond (Canada), Platinum (France), Gold (US, UK, Germany, Switzerland)

Singles and Chart Positions: 
“Dreamer” (#10 France, #13 UK, #34 New Zealand, #47 Australia)
“Bloody Well Right” #34 New Zealand, 335 US, #49 Canada)
“School” (#27 Netherlands, #1 France)
Singles Certifications: N/A
Other Charting Tracks: N/A
Best Tracks: All tracks – Entire album excels

“Crime Of The Century” by Supertramp (Click Here)

“Crime of the Century” is the third studio album released by Supertramp. It spawned three hit singles “Dreamer,” “Bloody Well Right” and “School.” “School” was released as a single ten years after the album’s release in 1984 throughout Europe. “Crime of the Century” was Supertramp's commercial breakthrough in both the US and UK, aided by the UK hit "Dreamer" and the U.S. hit "Bloody Well Right."

Crime of the Century is a concept album that tells the story of Rudy. In "School," Rudy has lamented that the education system in England is teaching conformity above education (boy, Rudy, you should see America).

The album's dedication reads "To Sam", which is a nickname for Stanley August Miesegaes, the Dutch millionaire who supported the band financially from 1969–72.

After the failure of their first two albums and an unsuccessful tour, the band broke up, and Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson recruited new members, drummer Bob C. Benberg, woodwinds player John Helliwell, and bassist Dougie Thomson. This new line-up were sent by their record label, A&M, in particular A&R man Dave Margereson (who would become their manager for the next ten years) to a seventeenth-century farm in West Dorset in order to rehearse together and prepare the album. While recording the album, Davies and Hodgson recorded approximately 42 demo songs, from which only 8 were chosen to appear on the album. Several other tracks appeared on later albums (Crisis? What Crisis?, ...Famous Last Words...).

This new lineup recorded "Crime of the Century" with in a three and a half month period. Upon it's release the album became Supertramp's breakthrough album giving them their first hit singles and their first album to reach the Top 40 (and higher) throughout the world.

"Bloody Well Right" was Supertramp's first charting hit in the US, while it failed to chart in the UK. One theory on why the song didn't chart in their UK homeland has it that Brits were still offended by the adjective "bloody" in 1975. These days it is considered a mild expletive throughout the UK. Written by Supertramp leaders Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, Davies sings lead on this one. The song deals with youthful confusion, class warfare, and forced conformity in the British school system (kind of like Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall (part II)"). This anti-establishment take was a theme of the album. "Bloody Well Right" is actually an answer song to the previous song on the album, "School."

“Dreamer” is about a guy with big dreams who is incapable of acting on them, so they never come true. As was custom with Supertramp, it was credited to their founding members Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, who wrote separately but shared composer credits. "Dreamer" was written by Hodgson, who also sang lead.

The following is a review which appeared in the December 7, 1974 issue of Billboard Magazine:
Rather old mix of rock in the more traditional vein, strong electronic and horn sounds and some humorous moments from British quintet who can rock with the best or move through quiet harmonies. Best material seems to be the up-tempo things that allow the band a chance to rock, but it all works well. Not really an AM group in the "singles" sense of the word, but one that should find a quick home on any station willing to play some LP cuts. One would also imagine that this kind of band would benefit greatly from a tour. Fairly unique in material and sound, which is worth a listen to itself these days. 
Best Cuts: "Bloody Well Right," "Hide In Your Shell," "Dreamer," "Crime of the Century"

Bloody Well Right (1974)

Supertramp (1975)

Link to “Crime Of The Century” (Click Here)

SUPERTRAMP