Friday, February 23, 2018

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” 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)






ELVIS PRESLEY