Elvis Presley: "A Big Hunk o' Love" / "My Wish Came True"

July 20, 1959 (4 weeks)

I was born in May, 1977, just a few months before Elvis Presley's death so naturally I don't have any memories of him; I don't really have any to speak of of John Lennon either but I am aware that he had died recently. As far as I was concerned, Elvis had always been gone. Because of this, my initial encounters with The King were based on how others remembered him. (The differentiation between Presley and Lennon may have also been down to being from a Beatles family, one that had next to nothing to do with Elvis)

The chief image that seemed to last the longest was more than a little curious. The images on TV of Elvis performing at his famed 1973 Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite shows had him in his trademark white jumpsuit, not quite as bloated as he would soon become but no longer the svelte sex demon of his youth either. If you were going by how he appeared just four years earlier at his Comeback Special, then you'd probably say he looked awful; judging by how he'd balloon in his last years, he doesn't look so bad. Either way, he's not looking his best. Yet, this is the look that seemed to have the tightest grip on his fanbase and the public in general. You don't tend to see Elvis impersonators and animatronic lions at Chuck E. Cheese franchises in fifties' Hillbilly Cat gear.

"A Big Hunk o' Love" is a song that I tend to associate with this caricature of Presley. I suppose this is down in large part to the song's distinctive "hunk-a, hunk-a" which Elvis wannabes the world over have tried (and failed) to perfect in the years since his death. (A charming aspect of the Elvis impersonator phenomenon is that they're universally bad at it) They have exaggerated the emphasis placed on the "hunk-a's" that it's actually startling to hear the original being so, well, normal and, seemingly, so unlike Elvis. (I don't know if this is something these guys hear on a regular basis but if they're ever told that they "sound more Elvis than Elvis" they shouldn't take it as a compliment)

It's quite refreshing hearing it in its original context of The King still clinging to rock 'n' roll while he still had the chance. While earlier singles since his induction into the United States Military had been recorded well in advance of being posted to Germany, this one was made during a brief leave of absence back in the States at a studio in Nashville. The process was so hasty that his regular guitarist and bassist — Scotty Moore and Bill Black — aren't even on it. Nevertheless, the ace sessioners, led by Chet Atkins and Hank Garland, were more than up to the task, handing in a thrilling performance that easily puts it well above recent standards.

The weak link may well be Elvis himself who, in the words of Tom Breihan, "seems to be coasting more on persona than on actual vocals", a trait that would become all-too familiar in the years ahead. In places he sounds like he's straining, as if a year of soldiering had set him back, which it no doubt did. At other times, he's veering into Elvis impersonator territory — though not on the "hunk-a's" — with a few too many vocal gimmicks. This all makes perfect sense: the musicians backing him were all on their game but he clearly wasn't. Pretty simple really.

Having the best of the best alongside him was something Elvis only sometimes enjoyed. It's no wonder, then, that he chose to revive "A Big Hunk o' Love" while dawning that silly jumpsuit in the early seventies as a showcase for his outstanding TCB Band featuring James Burton and Glen Hardin. Thirtysomething housewives may have been there to see him do "My Way" and "Always on My Mind" but hopefully they got to have a glimpse of The King of old when they got round to this one. The only thing was, they were there to see Elvis who plays to the audience and doesn't appear to take what he's doing too seriously. Too bad no one paid any attention to the people in the background.

Oh, and as for "My Wish Came True", I think I'll offer up one more nugget of advice to his nibs that I wish someone had given him.

9) Cease and Desist with the Ballads, They Suck. You've got a rock 'n' roll voice, you're not a crooner like Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra. You know how the pairing of "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog" made for such a great single? It's because they're both done at a brisk pace which suits you. I'd love to listen to one of your A side rockers, flip it over (or click on the YouTube link since I don't actually own anything of yours on vinyl) and find myself hearing something equally frenetic. Trot out "Love Me Tender" and maybe one or two more for your jumpsuit shows but keep the setlist tilted towards the livelier stuff. What do you think you're paying Burton and Hardin for anyway?

Score: 6