I Feel So Bad

I read where this is David Bowie's fave Elvis song. When Elvis sang this kind of material no one bettered him, not even the original. One of his best produced and best vocals, this is also inmy Elvis top 5! The band really cooked too. Super record.

A great track that would have been a big hit had he recorded it in the 50's and a song that would have fit right in on the album "Elvis Is Back" along side "Reconsider Baby", "Like A Baby" and "Such A Night" had it been recorded the previous year. A Bluesy rock number that no one could sing as well as Elvid did. Unfortunately this was released in 1961 as a single when Elvis' three previous singles had been "It's Now Or Never", "Are You Lonesome Tonight" and "Surrender". All #1 smashes and signs that rock and roll had given way to much softer sounds. A lot changed in 1959 in popular music. Buddy Holly died, Frankie Avalon and Paul Anka were the new threats to Elvis' reign. Gone was "At The Hop", now we had "Mack The Knife". Gone was Little Richard, now there was Fabian. If you look at the #1 songs from 1959-60 only Elvis hit the top with true rock and roll tunes ("A Big Hunk O' Love" and "Stuck On You", maybe "Stay" could be considered rock too, but it is marginal), the rest was pop, country, instrumentals and weepers. When "I Feel So Bad" peaked at a disappointing #5 (for Elvis) and spent only nine weeks on the chart and the follow up single "Little Sister" (another rocker) did only slightly better (same peak, 13 weeks on the chart). The natural course to take was ballads and soundtracks. We would still see glimpses of the old rocker in "Devil In Disguise", "Witchcraft" and "Bossa Nova Baby", but from '62 until the late 60's, it would be slightly more tame. Not saying that is bad, or that it is good, but "I Feel So Bad" was one of the last of it's kind.

This is such a stellar and fun blues song and Elvis' rendition of it should definitely be way better known than it actually is. It's one of Elvis' very finest songs and recordings.

A hard driving blues rocker that did not get the full recognition on its release back in 1961 but nevertheless still became a million seller. We were in the era of softer ballads but thankfully it has now been recognised as a fantastic recording although it is often sacrificed in hits compilations.

Elvis screaming early on in the saxophone solo is pure magic. The master is the best take.

Feel so good when I play this song! This should have been the path of the 60's.How GREAT Elvis was when he sang the Blues. How masterful! Brutal recording and rendition! Just The KING, my King!

Absolute magic. Elvis at his very best. Love the early 60s with recordings such as this one, but also Little Sister, His Latest Flame and Reconsider Baby.

Should have been the A side in the UK instead of the boring Wild in the Country

It's on my take it or leave it list. If I'm in the mood I listen to it. If not, I hit the skip button.

Love it. Great sax, great bass and of course great voice.5 stars period.

Great great song, never hear on the radio or even Wild In The Country...which is a nice song but "bad" is sensational and certainly NOT on my take it or leave it list...I TAKE IT ALL THE TIME. ........and of course..Homer "Boots" Randolf's great Sax solo. 10 Stars.

I Feel So Bad is a cracker of a performance from Elvis and the band. Lively recording with great sax by Boots. I think it might have fared better cw a better side than Wild In The Country. WITC is a nice tune on it's own, but..... The record did well on the charts. Still, I would have used another side cw I Feel So Bad. But, at the time single sides would normally not be taken form albums. Lonely Man had been used with Surrender, so there were not much to choose from. At the time it would have had to be something catchy! Flaming Star maybe. But, the Col. needed something to promote the movie too! Still, I Feel So Bad is so good on it's own today, that we'll leave history behind. Play the song.....

Arguably one of the 5 greatest studio recordings he ever made

Fantastic song, fantastic performance, fantastic sound. Elvis at his finest. 5 stars.

In my younger days I used to think this song was "the cats meow"; in my advanced time on planet earth, no so anymore. 2-stars.