Gillian Welch - Elvis Presley Blues
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- Gillian Welch and partner/Producer David Rawlings perform at St Lukes for the BBC Four Sessions in 2007.
This song was written by Welch/Rawlings for their 2001 album Time (The Relevator).
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First time I heard this it felt like a miracle - like all that stuff, all that history of race and music, all that tender comprehension and compassion- somebody who can sing packed all of that into one short song ? So deft and swift and the harmonies so sweet & blue? You could build a class around the fit of language to story. A jewel.
Packing your experience into a short , perfectly phrased comment is a miracle . Listening to them and reading this - perfect . Thankyou
Nailed it. Never heard a song about an icon that gets it like this
that is beautifully put, thank you... I love the word "miracle"
Perfection. All my feelings about Elvis seemed complicated until that August 16 when he died. I heard it on the radio as I was driving home in Memphis, and I had to pull my car over to the side of the road. I was 23, and I couldn’t breathe. This song is everything real about Elvis, beyond any of the stories that are told. I play it without fail on the day of his death and his birthday.
Made some tears fall with this song
The best song written about Elvis. Ever. Don’t argue with me.
Probably right, but Carl Perkins' Cadillac has got to be up there too
I contend that any song Gilliam Welch lends her voice too, immediately becomes the best song ever written on that topic, my God there is no one who sings like her.
I ain’t gonna argue with you …. But I WILL argue for you!
Warren Zevon' "Jesus Mentioned" is right in there! But no argument.
just a country boy, combed his hair, put on the shirt that his mother made and he went on the air. such a great line.
what blows my mind is that someone pressed the dislike button...go figure, this is one of the best songs that Gillian and David do, a work of genius
The sync among these two humans and their instruments absolutely mesmerizes and transports.
Just a country boy,
who combed his hair,
Put on a shirt that his mother made,
And went on the air…Just sublime, the lyrics, the harmonies, the beautiful guitars…
I was working as a lighting guy on the movie Grease when I heard Elvis died. My heart still is in pain. I love him and all the joy he gave me in my life. I am so glad and proud to have lived in the era of Elvis.
Music never gets any better than these two...and it never will.
it does not get any better then this, incredible vocals which harmonize perfectly together, guitar playing is nothing short of genius. The song itself is a Masterpiece. A wonderful tribute to Elvis, very well written. I also love the tone David gets from that vintage 1935 epiphone arch top guitar.
Derogatory comments here really mystify me; these two are sublime…subtle and perfectly cohesive
Yeah, I don't understand it either.
This is a profound song , it' expresses the grist of what Elvis did . Stripped down to the shining glorious bones . If you love Elvis you cannot be moved by this cutting deep beautiful tribute .
It's the hook that catches in your throat . Sublime , does not diminish after many listens . Thankyou Dankie
Beyond perfect, this is a work of art.
Launched me right into the ozone , absolutly incredable!
They are so good live. If they're playing nearby, don't miss it.
Perfection is rarely achieved. And live too. This does.
I'm in love with Gillian she's the perfect woman. ❣️‼️👑
Me too. That look in her eye is indescribable.
That makes three of us
I keep coming back to this. So, thank you.
What a gift to be able to share. Such talent in songwriting and performance.
Such a beautiful song.
Wow! This gives goosebumps! It amazing, so much love in that song even though it's very sad.
I must say, this is a perfect song!
2022.....Awesome perfection.....Elvis Presley....Gillian Welch
that man changed the world from bnw to colour.the king for a reason.
Thank you very much for posting this. I've been looking for it since i saw it about a year ago.
The timing and harmony between these two is fantastic. Undoubtedly one of the best parnerships of all time.
If you ever get a chance to see these two (they'll be at HSB in Oct!), do yourself a favor! God they're excellent!
Simply beyond praise.
The best homage to Elvis Presley ever. He DID shake it like a chorus girl.
I never thought about how he wanted to make his exit. Not getting wider and wider polyester suits and playing in seedier Vegas clubs for years certainly. He probably did wish he'd gone out like a legend, in his prime... connecting it with John Henry is genius.
Don't know what the man in the fuzzy tree stuff is about though.
Hauntingly beautiful song.
Brilliant lyrics, conveys the great affection for Elvis. Of course - as I'm sure someone else has mentioned - the song and guitar part are based on Mississippi John Hurt's version of 'Spike Driver Blues.' That song was about John Henry, the railroad spike driver, but Elvis is more relevant to us today, so a nice update on the tradition. I wonder what both Elvis and John Hurt would have thought about this.
I am slain every time by that sublime breakdown into “I’m shaking like a man in a fuzzy tree”.
it's beautiful
Beautiful. Chills every time i listen
Gold.
Very well done song from stellar artists. It has a tragic undertone, bittersweet. Beautiful but painful to listen to, if you really loved him. They captured all the emotions, a haunting view into the history of the King. Whoever wrote this song was a genius.
Gillian Welch is also the songwriter. Tom Jones' recent version is noteworthy.
Spike Driver Blues - Mississippi John Hurt (the inspiration is undeniable. Not a direct steal, but an obvious borrow.)
excellent. i love her voice.
The choice to start the chorus on the minor chord is what really makes this song interesting to me... it would have been easy to make this a two-chord song and return to familiar territory on the chorus, but the inclusion of the VI makes it so sweet and melancholy. Beautiful song.
Love that musician minded discussion.
100%
@@peterwilliamson4296 Look into it a little bit , it’s simple. Pick up a guitar, learn how keys work. You will never hear music the same again.
@@dougcameron6609 Thanks Doug, I really think I will do that at some point. Take care and best wishes to you from down in New Zealand.
thank you
RIP Elvis. 0 BC - August 16, 1977.
Simply a perfect emotionally imbued song..beings me to tears, and I'm not sure why. Art at its finest.
Just gorgeous harmonies, wonderful sound on the guitar. I love the song and the honor bestowed upon the Greatest Interpreter of the World's Songs. Thank you for this.
great song
love it...brings out Gillian's blues
A little bit of heaven in a crazy world humbling !
...And the crowd's like,
"Just another world-class performance. Ho-hum."
They're the ones who ring like silver & shine like gold!!!
I think I'll listen again.
:)
I love this live version!
Since the first time I saw David Rawlings playing that little Epiphone I have been in love with it. The archtop is the way a guitar should be made and that one has a voice like an angel. 75 or 80 years old and still singing in the hands of a master, wow. The song is amazing as is Ms Welch but man that guitar.
And thankfully, he and Gillian do not put those damn pickups in their acoustic guitars, but play them directly into microphones so we can actually hear what they sound like.
(INTRO) Gillian: "I wanted to see if the sun was down yet - We don't dip into the dark and pitiful numbers until - We got a little while to go..."
Hmmmm hmmm mmm...
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
Just a country boy, he combed his hair
And put on a shirt his mother made and went on the air
Well he shook it like a chorus girl
And he shook it like a Harlem queen
He shook it like a midnight rambler, baby
Like you never seen, never seen, like you never seen
I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died, the day that he died
Cause he took it all out of black and white
Grabbed it one in the other hand and he held on tight
And he shook it like a hurricane
And he shook it like to make it break
And he shook it like a holy roller, baby
With his soul at stake, with his soul at stake, with his soul at stake
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
He was all alone in a long decline
Thinking how lucky John Henry was that he fell down and died
When he shook it and he rang like silver
He shook it and he shine like gold
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul, bless my soul
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul, what's a wrong with me?
I'm itchin' like a man on a fuzzy tree, on a fuzzy tree, a fuzzy tree
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
Just a country boy, he combed his hair
Put on a shirt his mother made and he went on the air
And he shook it like a chorus girl
And he shook it like a Harlem queen
And he shook it like a midnight rebel, baby
Like you never seen, never seen, like you never seen, never seen
Awesome. The King would love this. Reminds me of Lover by Lilium.
Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile play this every night in the encore and let me tell you I thought it was the best song of the night when I saw the show.
"... an he shook it like to beat that steam drill, baby, well bless my soul, bless my soul!"
Gillian & David make their own brand of music perfectly unique sounding rythms, very ear-gasmic.
I sould have told you before how you and David have brightened up my life and how you wrote the best tribute song to Elvis Presley .....and I know we all have our faults , but as long as we have people like you and your beautiful songs..I guess we're gonna be okay....
I just heard someone use an AI program to beautifully and instantaneously reproduce a popular song, and this song has never been more meaningful to me.
Bless your soul.
So good!
Does anyone else listen to this and WONDER at the beauty and uniqueness of the song? I understand Elvis isn't as much of a "thing" as he was a few years ago, but the vibe is so different. It's also fun to listen to Joan Baez's version - slower and much darker.
Outstanding!
Damn, I think this must be the most polite thread I've ever seen on youtube. Thanks for keeping it classy guys!
Dave is a fcking genius, and Gill is too
Wow. What a perfect duo. Rawlings' harmonies are so beautiful. Thanks for putting this up, I'd love to see more.
Friggin killer song.
these two together are simply amazing,
Lovers who make magic. What a Gift. Brings to mind Byl & Roach Carruthers
pure magic
I would guess that there are not too many around who could do a blues about Elvis in the style of Mississippi John Hurt and pull it off. Bold and brilliant.
That time that this song was introduced to the folks outside of Big Lots….
Parking lot epiphanies xoxoxo
Very moving song about Elvis, great!
"On a fuzzy tree"! What a great tribute to the King of rock 'n roll!
Absolutely beautiful, great subject matter also. Your on my list.
Lovely.
Gillian and Daves' voices together... I can only think of one duo that can be up to their standard: Simon and Garfunkel
"Tip of the day" The Milk Carton Kids.
Try the Louvin Brothers, Everly Brothers, Glaser Brothers and many more. Gillian and Dave are as good as anyone. But blood harmony is hard to top. Just my humble opinion.
the way she says that line at the beginning, with that calm southern tune that she adopted from her years in Nashville... sounds like a melody to me
so beautiful
realy like this song
What an incredible talent
Love this Lp. thanks so much for posting. right on!!
RIP Elvis
He's still alive
@michaelpenman they're also incredible because they push the boundaries of the genre while still staying true too its roots. Some of david rawling's guitar work bends the genre in really interesting and amazing ways.
Freakin' FANTASTIC song!
Magical.
Thanks God for super talented ladies like Gillian, Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris. Their music is as good is as good live, if not better! (-:
This song was the first time I encountered Gillian Welch. I have valued her recordings ever since. On rewatching this I was reminded that I have thought their "Act" should have a Name, and have two members, for surely there is a great contribution by David?
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
Just a country boy that combed his hair
And put on a shirt his mother made and went on the air
And he shook it like a chorus girl
And he shook it like a Harlem Queen
He shook it like a midnight rambler, baby
Like you never seen, like you never seen, never seen
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
How he took it all out of black and white
Grabbed his wand in the other hand and he held on tight
And he shook it like a hurricane
He shook it like to make it break
And he shook it like a holy roller, baby
With his soul at stake, with his soul at stake, soul at stake
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
He was all alone in a long decline
Thinking how happy John Henry was that he fell down and died
When he shook it and he rang like silver
He shook it and he shine like gold
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul, well bless my soul
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul, what's wrong with me?
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
Just a country boy that combed his hair
Put on a shirt his mother made and he went on the air
And he shook it like a chorus girl
He shook it like a Harlem Queen
He shook it like a midnight rambler, baby
Like he never seen, never seen, like he never seen, never seen
+ha he
Thanks, simple, great, simply great.
It has its origin in the blues, the main vocal and the G chord are take from 'Spike Driver Blues' by mississipi john hurt near as i can tell there is so many versions knocking about its hard to tell.
Great music....i also love Eric Clapton and Lady Gaga :)
3rd fave song from you kids...Love it! (Wrecking Ball & Miss Ohio 1&2)
Brilliant!
Love those gold tops.
Thank you, and have a great weekend. :-)
"....Took it all outa black and white...."
@michaelpenman I agree. Great performers! I sometimes wonder about people who post that they don't like performances such as Gillian Welch and David Rawlings always seem to do. We all at different taste, but God you have to reconize talent even if it isn't for you!
Perfect
Some years back, I followed the Mississippi to Memphis to see Graceland. What struck me about Elvis' home was that he was just a regular guy-bored out of his skull much of the time that he was home, always trying to find something to do.
My sister lives about 1-1/2 hours south of Memphis. There is NOTHING to do in Lyon, MS so I’ve visited Graceland twice. My first wife took a photo of a much younger me sitting on Elvis’ snowmobile. Apparently he didn’t realize it doesn’t snow much in Memphis until after he bought it, so he had someone cut the front skis off and replace them with go kart wheels. 🤣
This is such a wonderful tribute to Elvis Presley the person. Thanks guys!
You rock
awesome!
There is a blues tradition that the music was somethiing when you didn't have much else. It;s not that some real sad people made some great music, but people that should have been sad, well Elvis was not the only performer to shine like silver or glow like gold.
Brilliant, of course.
Mississippi John
god bless & namaste
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
Just a country boy that combed his hair
And put on a shirt his mother made and went on the air
And he shook it like a chorus girl
And he shook it like a Harlem queen
He shook it like a midnight rambler, baby
Like you never seen
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
How he took it all out of black and white
Grabbed his wand in the other hand and he held on tight
And he shook it like a hurricane
He shook it like to make it break
And he shook it like a holy roller, baby
With his soul at stake
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
He was all alone in a long decline
Thinking how happy John Henry was that he fell down and died
When he shook it and he rang like silver
He shook it and he shine like gold
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul, what's wrong with me?
I'm itchin' like a man on a fuzzy tree
On a fuzzy tree
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
Day that he died, day that he died
Just a country boy that combed his hair
Put on a shirt his mother made and he went on the air
And he shook it like a chorus girl
He shook it like a Harlem queen
He shook it like a midnight rambler, baby
Like you never seen
This is a perfect song! The minor key, the lyricism and the marvelous harmonies all fit in a complete frame!! Thank from the bottom of my heart. Blessings and safety to you both. A truly inimitable perfect performance 👏 👌
Maynard James Kennan turned me on to this. Very good!
superb x
This song turned my scorn over Elvis' death into empathy. (he was all alone in a long decline)
+Tomm Gundal The man had everything a man could possibly want, but he had nothing. I say that with respect.
Make sure to check out Caleb Meyer by these two. It looks like it's from the same concert. You're gonna want to get up and dance!