Earth Angel

Just heard this recently, and it's beautiful. At last, the missing link between 50's rocker and 60's balladeer. Don't understand the current low rating (2.5 stars?!). The quality is good enough to enjoy this great, heartfelt performance. Elvis was surely at his prime during these (formative) years. I guess that with Elvis, his first recordings (at age 19/20 with Sun Records) are considered to be among the best in the field of popular music, and his acting ability (in King Creole) which was so dependent on instinct, he had nothing left to learn, even at 19 years old. He set such high standards as a teenager, it's not surprising to find that at times he failed to meet them, through the years. That's not the case here though. If only he'd stayed with Sun and recorded this (and Danny Boy) with Mr. Phillips!!

This is a beautiful song, tenderly sung by Elvis - it's a real shame that he never recorded this in the studio.

A doowoop classic? Wothout a doubt a perfect ballad for Presley. Regarding the private recordings and session during his army service quite a few of these songs surfaced in years to come on studio records. "Earth Angel" in its setting is quite similar to Soldier Boy. Would have fit in the Elvis is Back album very well. So the army years were formative concerning the singers later repertoire, unfortunately "Earth Angel" wasn't to be part of it. Along with "Little Darling" I would have warmly welcomed as a nostalgic 50's moment during his mid seventies show!

It was good to here Elvis singing songs that must have inspired him in the early days of his career like this 1954 Doo-Wop classic originally recorded by the Penguins. A great shame that he didn't record this song in the studio but I really like this raw version anyhow.

Indeed he was very good at singing blues,he should have covered more.Wasn't it Joe Cocker who said the EP was the greatest ever blues singer in the country today ! I'll drink to that !

I love this song, but mostly because of the Penguins' version. I very much enjoy hearing the informal recording Elvis did, but I really don't think it especially suited him. Though maybe, with an arrangement meant for a solo singer, he could have really done something new with it. But either way, I'm thrilled that something like this surfaced at all!

Could have been as good as Soldier Boy in the studio. Elvis could sing group style doo-wop. I think it suited him very well. Think , I Was The One, I Want You, I Need You, etc. These were doo-wop style songs that Elvis excelled in.

These recordings are really for the dyed in the wool fan such as people like me, but apart from It's A Sin To Tell A Lie, which somehow grabs me, I never give any of them more than 3 stars. This track with Elvis totally dominated by a heavy piano sound, is pleasant enough and worth the occasional spin, but at the end of the day, it is someone just having a sing song in his front room.

Great song, which he (like many other songs) should have recorded properly, as it is I give it 3 stars. And Elvis wasn't only in his prime in the 50', and thank God he moved on and gave us Burning Love, Hurt, The wonder of you etc., etc. If Elvis had retired in 59, I doubt that I would be a fan today. EVERYTHING that Elvis sang brings me some joy, if not for anything else, then for his voice.To see his entire career as one declining slope is an insult to his taste in music and his talent as a singer.

This is such a beautiful ballad and it's such a shame that Elvis didn't record it in the studio. Elvis' home recorded performance of it was excellent though.

As an informal recording it already quite impressive. Let alone if he had done this song prperly! If he had done this either in the fifties or the seventies this would have been a great hit. I'm sure of that. It would have fit into the live shows too, much better than "little darlin'", which got a funny treatment (already inate due to the original recording). Both as a young singer and as an accomplished singer he would have lifted this song far above the original (though that is enjoyable too, mind you).

Ive only heard this a few times, it's not bad, better than some others. 3 stars