Elvis Presley provided a lot of wanna-be future rock and roll artists with big desires, and those included using a guitar in their work. He turned his 6-string into a key part of his songs. It’s heard definitively in his initial recording at Sun Records in Memphis, That’s All Right.
Let’s look back at five guitar-centric songs in the Presley songbook. He might have played a little on these tracks. But the heavy lifting here was done by legends Scotty Moore and James Burton. Their steady-handed efforts made Presley’s songs sound that much better.
Elvis Presley Starts Out On ‘Mystery Train’
NEW YORK – JANUARY 6: Rock and roll musician Elvis Presley performs on stage on the Ed Sullivan Show in New York City, NY on January 6, 1957. (Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)This song originally was released by Junior Parker. Here, though, Elvis Presley plays rhythm guitar. Mystery Train has a haunting echo sound to it. Moore is on lead guitar here while Bill Black handles the bass.
Moore leaned back on his country music experience. It has a little bit of a rockabilly sound, which adds an extra touch. “The King” adds his vocals, mixed with the guitar work, to provide a haunting melody.
Mystery Train also reflects where Presley’s records were at the time, recording-wise. This bluesy type of sound lent him to get the attention of country music fans. That’s alongside the growing rock music fanbase.
‘Hound Dog’ Gets Its Beat From Scotty Moore’s Work
What a great song Hound Dog has been to not only Presley fans but music ones in general. By now, most Elvis fans know that “Big Mama” Thornton recorded the original version. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who were called upon to do it by Johnny Otis.
Her version came out in 1953. Presley didn’t release his version until 1956. Thornton sold more than 500,000 copies. Presley topped that by selling nearly 10 million copies worldwide. Its fast-paced guitar work is heard quite clearly in a song break, thanks to Scotty Moore.
It’s been noted that Presley heard a version from Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. He supposedly was influenced by hearing them do Hound Dog. Initially, he performed this as a slow version…a little bit reflective of the Bellboys’ Las Vegas-style version.
All that went out the door, though. Presley reportedly was ticked off when being forced to sing Hound Dog to a real basset hound. That happened on live television on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Steve Allen as host. After this appearance, Presley recorded the song. Just by listening to his vocals and this version’s gritty guitar sound reflects a lot of angst.
‘Guitar Man’ Receives Big Lift From Jerry Reed
If you have heard Elvis Presley’s version of Guitar Man, then you can’t help but tap your toes or hands on your steering wheel. Elvis loved it when he first heard it. Jerry Reed, a guitar legend, came on board to play with Presley’s band. It was Elvis who reached out and asked Reed to join.
Reed initially recorded Guitar Man, having a moderate country hit with it. Presley’s version was released on Jan. 3, 1968. While this song wasn’t one of Elvis’ monster hits, the song did note a decisive change. The upbeat, guitar-heavy rhythm hit listeners’ ears from the get-go.
Guitar Man happened to be the first song Presley performed in his 1968 comeback special on NBC. Presley wanted to get viewers’ attention, proving he could still rock out with the best of them.
‘Jailhouse Rock’ Showcases A Raw Elvis Voice
Elvis fans love Jailhouse Rock and why not? In 1957, before the movie’s release, this Leiber-Stoller songwriting piece of work was released as a single. Listening to Jailhouse Rock over the years lets newer fans hear “The King” in a raw, untamed voice.
Yes, his voice has not been tamed or gone under a formal change. Presley sounds like he’s just hopping off that truck he drove from Tupelo to Memphis. Young, uncontrolled, and filled with an urge to sing and play.
What about the guitar work? Moore’s electric guitar work, alongside Black’s bass, keeps it on track. D.J. Fontana on drums makes the Jailhouse Rock beat strong and firm. The song sold 2 million copies and has reached double-platinum status.
‘Burning Love’ Becomes Final Big Hit For ‘The King’
As the early 1970s rolled around, Presley started seeing his hit record influence begin to wane. Other rock music acts like the Beatles had taken over Presley’s spotlight.
Yet Presley wasn’t quite done putting out quality music. Burning Love was released in 1972 and got as far as No. 2 on the Billboard charts. Chuck Berry and his tune My Ding-a-Ling sat at No. 1 and didn’t move for a bit.
Listening to the song’s opening, one can hear a definite guitar influence. Dennis Linde dubbed in the opening strums and riffs. James Burton also had a spot in this song’s production. John Wilkinson was on rhythm guitar here. It’s a tight 2-plus-minute song, showcasing Presley at this time in his life. This would be Elvis’ last Top 10 hit.
Presley’s last album Moody Blue was released in June 1977, two months from his death in August. Burton and Wilkinson were leading the guitar charge here, too. The guitar, from Elvis’ early beginning to his death, stayed front and center in his musical history.
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