That's All Right, Elvis!

It's funny how you sometimes rediscover an Elvis song. That's what happened to me a couple of days ago when I picked up an Elvis album on vinyl. Here's that story:

Now and then I like to visit a record store close to where I live. Granted, I buy most of my records on the Internet nowadays, but it's a good feeling looking through the racks. Remember when this was the only way to obtain an album?

Anyhow, this time around I noticed some newly produced LP's for sale, among them Elvis At Sun. I already have that one on CD but I bought it nevertheless. I guess I just welcomed the chance to buy a new Elvis' record on vinyl. After all, that's a thing that doesn't happen very often.

At home I placed it on the turntable and laid down on the couch in the living room. And there was Elvis singing "Harbour Lights" followed by "I Love You Because." Not bad, but not very exciting, either.

But then came the familiar slap of Bill Black's bass, accompanied by Scotty Moore on lead guitar and Elvis providing rhythm guitar and the vocals I know so well: "Well, that's all right, mama. That's all right for you." And in that moment I caught a glimpse of what Sam Phillips must have thought when he heard it for the first time, the "something different" he'd been looking for.

It must have been months since I listened to "That's All Right" from July 5, 1954, but in that moment I felt it, too. After the uneventful "I Love You Because" it sounded so fresh and exciting, with Elvis singing full of confidence.

I spent a pleasant 48 minutes on the couch, listening at Elvis at Sun and rediscovering not only "That's All Right" but also the rest of Elvis' sun catalogue. I wonder what Elvis song or album I will get reacquainted with next?