'He rarely over-sang when recording, delivering a vocal to suit the song. So, he can loudly accuse in 'Hound Dog' (1956), rasp and rage for 'Jailhouse Rock' (1957), bare his soul and beg on 'Any Day Now' (1969) and sound quietly, sadly, worldly-wise on 'Funny How Time Slips Away'. (1970). This gift may explain why his music endures so powerfully and why his performances remain so easy to hear'
MusicElvisPerformanceVocalsInterpretationAdaptabilityEndurance
Overemphasis on versatility may overlook lyrical or instrumental quality.
'With the way he was marketed, he didn't even need to be able to sing the way he could. But Elvis had talent, plain and simple. The guy had a thousandth-octave…
'Sam Phillips used what we call 'slapback' or 'tape delay', which lent an otherworldly patina to Presley's voice. And I don't know if Sam was really conscious …
'A great, obscure, bluesy ballad that builds in intensity to a powerful ending, the song remains a hidden treasure in Presley's vast catalog; in 1968, while pr…
'I hope my recordings of my own works won't inhibit other people's performances. The brutal fact is that one doesn't always get the exact tempo one wants, alth…
'I always wondered how Tom Waits would sing 'Greensleeves'....' --Loreena McKennitt, 'The Visit'
The works of Mozart may be easy to read, but they are very difficult to interpret. The least speck of dust spoils them. They are clear, transparent, and joyful…