1977 Elvis Presley: Way Down

'Way Down' had been skulking around outside the top 40 until Presley's untimely death catapulted it to number one on a wave of sentiment. No surprises there, and it's hard to criticise because if anybody deserved such an open manifestation of public grief then it's Presley. The only real surprise in all this is that RCA didn't glut the charts with an avalanche of cash-in reissues

Neither a rocker or ballad (two of Presley's staple fall backs) 'Way Down' powers along on an electronic gallop, an ever forward drive of purpose that even Status Quo felt comfortable in covering, but this is not Presley's entry into the dance/disco craze. Rather, 'Way Down' has more in common with 1972's 'Burning Love' than anything in his recent output. It's a big sounding song designed to fill those big Vegas showrooms and in that respect it's a means to an end more than anything substantial in itself. What it does show though is that Presley's voice was on form right to the end. Throughout, he sounds huge, totally in command of the song without barely breaking sweat and his growing entreating on "Ooh, and I can feel it, Feel it, FEEL it, FEEL it" is volcanic. What is he feeling exactly? "Way down where it feels so good. Way down where I hoped it would. Way down where I never could" - surely not?

Had he lived, 'Way Down' would have been a lesser song in Presley's canon but instead its been given undeserved prominence through unfortunate circumstance. It's decent enough, but totally outshone and outsparkled by Presley's real crown jewels. Up until 2002 it was only noteworthy as being a cracking pub quiz question ('name Presley's last UK number one'), but it seems somehow fitting that subsequent events should deny it even this status because 'Way Down' doesn't really deserve any kind of podium of its own.