Elvis Presley
“He Touched Me”
Song BMG Music
40 songs/2 disks

It seems weird but this music icon won the only Grammys of his career for his gospel recordings. On the other hand, that seems very appropriate, given the role of gospel music in his life. A very nice summary of this influence can be found in the February/March, 2005 issue of American Heritage magazine (your local library should have it-this article is not on-line, I checked) and in the linear notes of this set.

With this compilation, you get recordings that would be classic in any era; “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho,” “Working on the Building,” “Swing Down Sweet Chariot.” But you also get production values that are dated and border on schlock; “Somebody Bigger Than You and I,” “I Believe in the Man in the Sky.”

The first ten tracks on disk two are performed as a vocal quartet with perhaps, at most, a piano as the accompanying instrument. Those are among the most satisfying songs in this set.

Over the years, I have been a member in a couple of churches that wanted to launch a contemporary service. One of the arguments against doing so was that the “old people” would be against it. Let’s not forget that we are now at a point in our history where “grandpa and grandma” may very well have grown up listening to Elvis.

- Rob S.