The King’s Greatest

Elvis the “King” Presley was more than just a musician or an actor he was a performer, and a performer like no other. No once since and none after him have been able to come anyway to close to having the stage presence or the magnetic pull of his aura. Here is a countdown to the greatest Elvis Presley tracks.

(8) Teddy Bear

Elvis maintained the sweet innocence of this Bernie Lowe track and took it to the top of the charts. Elvis’s third number one single for 1957. It’s hard to get a song more cuddly than this.

(7) All Shook Up

The simplicity of Elvis’s music was perhaps the most charming aspect of his music. Otis Blackwell composed this song with Elvis lending his tongue to make it one of the most cherished Elvis tracks of all time.

(6) Guitar Man

Guitar Man was Jerry Reed’s ace country number with some of the best country picking ever recorded. So when Elvis wanted to cover the song who better to record the guitar parts than Jerry Reed. Apparently, Elvis could not get anyone who could nail Guitar Man’s intricate guitar lines to the wire. So Jerry volunteered to lend his skills to match Elvis’s vocals. It was the perfect marriage of two of the most talented and charismatic personalities of their time.

(5) Return To Sender

Another one of Otis’s many contributions to Elvis’s repertoire. The subject of the song deals with a man’s failing attempts to send a letter to his girlfriend and mend their broken relationship. The song transcends the barrier of time; a song written in the era of post cards and postal letter is still appealing in today’s sms generation.

(4) Hound Dog

Very few people actually know that Hound Dog was actually a cover and not an Elvis original. Elvis made sure that he put as much shaking and rolling in this song as the Big Momma Thornton original.

(3) Heartbreak Hotel

Heartbreak Hotel holds an iconic status held by few songs or even albums for that matter. First, there is an actual hotel named after the song. Second, there was a motion picture made baring the same title of the song, Third, Bruce Springsteen, Van Halen, Paul McCartney, Chet Atkins are among the dozen other stars of music who paid homage to the song by rendering their own cover versions.

(2) Jailhouse Rock

Think Elvis think Jailhouse Rock. The song has most indefinitely become attached with the man. The prison back drop of the song does little to confine the exuberance of the Rock and Roller.

(1) Burning Love

Finally Elvis’s most polished diamond, and not surprisingly again a cover. The song proves that love songs don’t have to be all mushy and soft. Burning Love is a fine example of how one can mix love and rock music without sacrificing on the essentialities of either. Easily his greatest till date.

*Elvis has left the building*