PAGES

▼

Sunday, December 12, 2010

(346) ELVIS PRESLEY BLUE CHRISTMAS




Here's what we said on post 96:

Elvis' recording of "Blue Christmas," that came out on his Christmas album in 1957 brought forth the Memphis sound he was known for with masculine background vocals and soul.

Elvis would sing this song hundreds of times in his life, and good thing, because he loved it personally.

Now, we've got the hang of posting YouTube video presentations to help illustrate the history of my story, but choosing which one, so you could listen to Elvis' rich baratone in the original version wasn't easy. The one we chose doesn't have any pictures of Elvis and it wasn't made as a "cover" by an Elvis interpreter or impersonator.

... This one is like a living Christmas card though, a real work of art, and with it we say "Merry Christmas," to all of you.
at

4 comments:

  1. Daniel AsuncionDecember 13, 2010 at 7:52 PM

    Merry Christmas!
    _____________________

    So, Wes, you actually knew Elvis? Wow...I read somewhere that when recording "If I Can Dream", he actually laid down, on his back, on the studio floor; put the headphones on and recorded. He also asked that the lights be turned down.
    _________

    Did you hear of this? If this is true, it's quite brilliant and shows just how well he knew his voice...how to use it most effectively.



    Dan Asuncion
    Nova Scotia

    ReplyDelete
  2. WES BRYAN and CHRISTINE TRZYNADecember 16, 2010 at 5:22 PM

    Elvis was very aware of his voice, how to use it, and also had some insight into how other singers were misusing their voices, how they were breathing wrong. He admired Mario Lanza the opera singer. Elvis was a great friend of mine from the time we met in 1957 and until his death; we had a lot in common.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Daniel AsuncionDecember 16, 2010 at 7:46 PM

    Fascinating answer...
    ______________________

    Yes, breathing [during singing] would be different depending on whether the artist is standing or sitting or on their back.
    ______________________

    Elvis Presley's voice is like no other. When I heard Norah Jones sing "Are You Lonesome Tonight", I
    realized one reason why:

    It is a masculine voice, with a female range...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Daniel AsuncionDecember 19, 2010 at 7:42 PM

    Just recently listened to some of Elvis' work from the NBC Television special, which features a more mature voice than when he did "Blue Christmas."
    __________________

    The agility of his voice here is remarkable. If his voice was an animal, it would be a jaguar. A rare, solitary jaguar that prowls by night.

    ReplyDelete