ELVIS PRESLEY CRUCIAL CUTS
It all started, at least so far as the broad American public was concerned, in 1956.
Soon, scenes of momentous fandom could be seen at Elvis' gigs, as for example in this silent but eloquent footage from Tupelo in September, 1957:
But before this, there were the 1954-55 Sun Sessions:
The sound on "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" is the same as the Beatles' '64-'65 country style.
Elvis' first national television appearance:
The Ray Charles influence:
The first RCA single was Heartbreak Hotel:
The birth of "The Pelvis" was on live TV, on The Milton Berle Show on 5 June, 1956:
Live in Tupelo, Mississippi:
A great '56 single was the McCartney-like "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You". The studio version has excellent vocal hooks
I Want You I Need You I Love You (live)
And also from 1956:
Gospel was an important music for Elvis, and "Peace In The Valley" was an early sign:
Full live performance on The Ed Sullivan Show
Edited version
Studio version
Following his army drafting, he spent time in the rockabilly, Nashville line of sound. By 1970, he was making more great (live) versions of some of these early '60s tracks, such as "Little Sister". Here, the song is complete with a reference to the new Beatle song "Get Back":
But new hits were there in 1970 too:
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
Another early '60s classic was "Always On My Mind", here sung in the studio in 1972: