My Way

The live version performed in Rapid City on June 21, 1977, is a masterpiece ! Amazing !

Incomparable. Far beyond any other version. Elvis' rendition of this great song is so full of expression of the emotional content that bleakens all other versions (how wonderful those may be). One of those songs in which the listener may observe the full range and depth of Elvis' voice.

Definitely one of my favorites. Frank Sinatra sang it good, but Elvis´ version is outstanding. I agree with Marco that the version from Rapid City is awesome. That one was powerful and dramatic and shows that Elvis still had it, no matter how sick or tired he was

A lounge song that everyone covered including Joe Frazier! Elvis should have stayed far away from this. Elvis sang it well ,but I wish he had never done it. His Aloha version is the best, but Sinatra had the best studio version of anyone.

Elvis's version from Aloha is a beauty. It was written in the stars that he would cut that one !

Paul Anka made a mistake by giving this song to Frank Sinatra. This song is appropriate only for Elvis, cause it is about Elvis. I find the Aloha version rather superfacial, while that of Rapid City is indeed a masterpiece.

I heard Sinatra's version and it was pretty good. I couldn't decide which version of Elvis' I like (the Aloha from Hawaii or from Elvis In Concert), but I'd have to say the version he did in 1977 was by far the best.

To me sinatra made it sound like a lounge song and Elvis gave the song more emotion,i love the version from june 77 also,proof that he could still be him old self at times even in 77!

Elvis blew away all other versions when he did this in 1977, including his own earlier version. It is impossible to watch him sing it and not shed a tear, especially the montage in the movie "This Is Elvis". Elvis had a great way with very dramatic songs like this one, "The Impossible Dream" and "American Trilogy". I've always loved that Elvis never boxed himself in. A lot of "rock and roll" singers wouldn't have attempted something like this (good thing too--they'd mostly fail) but Elvis was so far beyond just a rock singer.

Man, it really hurts to see Elvis sing this song in 77 in This is Elvis! Great performance, though, which matches some of actor Marlon Brandons best movie-scenes in the fifties! Goes straight to your heart!

A song that got itself banned at our local WMC in the late 60s and early 70s as everyone and his dog had the urge to end their set it zzzzzzz. That was before they had heard the better version which Elvis obliged us with.

The sheer emotional power of the EIC version blows the Aloha version away.

A song I dont like at all, but if I had to pick one, the Aloha version by 10 miles. Elvis was a much better singer in 1973 than 1977, his breath control was better and the fluidness of his voice was still intact. Listen to the ending on both. On Aloha, his voice flows right into the ending , never missing the tempo. On EIC, he has to stop catch his breath, then comes in late on the last note which he doesnt even hold like he does in ALoha. No comparison.

Sinatra's version was very good until I heard Elvis. He put so much emotion into the song & made you pay attention to the lyrics. And that was the one point that Sinatra had been so famous for in the past - emphasizing the lyrics. Elvis did a beautiful job. He has the talent & technique to sing just about anything. I have a few singers that I truly love today but none of them can cross over like Elvis did.

The Aloha version is technically superior. But for emotional power (and that's what the song requires) it's EIC by 20 miles. Elvis wasn't into technical prefection. For him it was if it felt right. To me the EIC version feels right even though it's not technically prefect.

the sadenning aspect with this song to me is, seeing a person at 42, hardly able to breath, that's truly sad and to see him so deterioriated and terribly unhealthy, he had but half a summer to go at the time he sang the song the last time ever...

Elvis in Concert.... Full of emotion.. nearly perfection. HE OWNS THIS SONG NO MATTER WHAT.

the 1977 versions are the most dramatic ones ofcourse one of the reasons they are so beautiful. the aloha version (1973) i love so much because of the solo-violin on the backgrouend. never know which one to prefer between these versions. the studioversion from 1971 is ok but i prefer the live-versions.

By 1977, he had lived and breathed this song. For the emotion and feeling, I prefer the 1977 Tour versions of this song.

Perfection.I am glad he didn't stick to only rock(abilly)and moved on. 5 stars.

Elvis' versions are the ones that I remember. While Sinatra made it a lounge song Elvis made it into a classic. The version by Sid Vicious sucks! Sid had no business attempting this song at all. He should've left it to the real singers like Elvis and Sinatra.

Boy I wish this was one song Elvis never sang. Lounge 101 by every lizard out there. He did it very well live, but when I compare his 1969 shows to when he started doing this stuff, I cringe. He was Elvis for goodness sakes! Despite it all, this song will always be more identified with Sinatra than Elvis. Ask any average person on the street. It's always Frank's song and I'm glad of it. Dont want this associated with Elvis.

Regardless of the version or concert, Elvis always took care of this song. The studio version is interesting and has a dark, almost mystic feel to the opening (it is a shame it did not surface until the 70's box set). It features Elvis in great voice and it is deserving of 4 1/2 stars. The "Aloha" version is very well performed and a song I never skip when listening to this LP/CD. It too, gets 4 1/2 stars from me. BUT, the live version from Rapid City, is the best. Those who question his breathing or technical flaws are missing what Elvis was all about. He was the best singer / stylist at making you feel a song and with this version of "My Way", you can almost hear him saying goodbye to his fans (even before the ending where he says "until we see you again, may God bless you, adios", which still brings me chills). Forget about who sang the song before, forget what a passing person says of who is more identified with the song, Elvis owns this one. I love that Elvis matured and sang songs like this one, "My Boy" and "What Now My Love" (among others). This song / recording is as vital as the 50's and 60's classics in the Elvis Presley story.

the rapid city version sends shivers down my spine it's that good,that's without seeing the this is elvis clip,but with the clip....well enough said.sinatra did a good version and had another 30-40 years left,elvis had 2 months and put everything he had into the song.makes you wonder if he had an inner sense.5 stars.

Didn't like Sinatra's version and certainly didn't like Elvis' version. Actually, I don't rate the song at all. Yep, he should have left it alone and done some of his own songs, other than his standard JHR, LM, ASU DBC etc etc. Elvis had a huge repetoire of songs he could have sung live, but in the end he couldn't be bothered. Filled his shows with junk ballards such as this and ONJ tracks. Listening to a live concert the other day, someone in the audience shoulted out 'Lonesome Cowboy' He responded Lonesome cowboy? in such a tone as if he was puzzled why anyone would have wanted to hear it... I think that sums our guy up, he really was out of touch with his audience and fans. He learned a batch of songs and rarely changed them, what a waste of his talent. Even on this he sometimes had to have the words written down so he could sing them....I always hit the skip button on this, audio or video.

I think Elvis always sang for himself primarily and if the audience liked it then even better. That's probably why he and other truly great singers can inspire such a following. The music moves them and that in turn moves their audience so if he wanted to sing ONJ songs (which he even described as fun songs to do on stage) it's cos they made him feel good. In the fifities he sang blues, gospel and country and made it sound like rock and roll cos that's how he felt. By the seventies he'd spent ten years singing movie turns he was contractually strong armed into singing but had also matured as a person and as a singer. He didn't want to keep doing the same uptempo stuff he'd always done. So I don't have a problem with him doing My Way because he should do this type of song or that type of song instead. To him music was music and a good song was a good song and the musical taste that influenced him into singing Love Me and All Shook Up in the fifties was the same basic taste in music that moved him to sing ONJ and What Now My Love. The 77 version is almost too emotional to listen to but I'm not sure if it would have the same impact if you didn't know what was going on in Elvis's life at this stage. I've always been a fan of Elvis's power singing so I prefer the Aloha version, not least because in that particular concert this song marked the point the uppers kicked in and he finally seemed to wake up. The first part of the concert is very tame and sluggish with Elvis not really at the races. From My Way on it finally kicks off and becomes a good concert with Elvis' personality coming more to the fore.

Elvis' studio version has no emotional impact. Only on stage could he pour his heart out into the song. Sinatra thought is was an awful pop song, and it sounds like it. The person who shouted Lonesome cowboy to Elvis, should be locked away. That song is one off his worst. Elvis singing My way on stage gives me thrills down my spine and my eyes get watery. There are many kinds off Elvis fans and that's fine. I'm just glad I can enjoy this with all my heart.

Great song that will last a long time in one form or another with Frank making a great fist oof it, and so did Elvis with the later versions in 1977. Never liked the early Elvis attempts but agree the live versions were inspiring. I never tire of seeing and listening to the Rapid City performance and rate that alone, 5 stars.

This is such a spectacular, classic and iconic song and Elvis' version from June 21, 1977 in Rapid City, South Dakota is a masterpiece with a lot of emotional power. That's my favorite rendition of that song for sure.

Love all his live versions, and I'm glad that many of them are somewhat different from each other. To say that he was out of touch with his audience is almost silly (not to offend anyone), but he sold out all his concerts, and many times during the last 3 years he often had to play op to 5 times in a row on the same tour ! And if you listen to his concerts (I have heard around 250 of them), then you will hear his fans shouting out his old hits (Jailhouse rock, Love me tender, Teddy Bear)for him to sing, and you will also hear people saying "YES" and the like of it , when he annonces that he will sing "My way", and hear BIG applause when it is over. That most of us fans today wish that he had sung more different songs (because we buy so many concerts , both audience, soundboard and multitrack), is a totally different matter all together, but for many fans , who saw only 1 - 5 concerts, he sang exactly what they wanted to hear.

It's a tie as far as I'm concerned.... Both Frank Sinatra & the Elvis version! One wonders as to the fact Elvis litterly "stole" it right from Sinatra. I think so.

This song is one of my favorites. I like all the versions that have ever made. For me the best of Elvis is 77

The song itself is totally worn out. So beside the versions of sinatra and sid vicious, elvis is only one of three singers who recorded a version that's worth listening to today. In my opinion, the Aloha version is his best recording of the song, the violin is great. The emotional impact the 77 version has to a lot of fans results more from the circumstances then from the actual performance i guess.

Just a masterpiece. Especially the live versions but nothing beats the Rapid City performance. So emotional and riveting. Tremendous.

I believe both versions were done well. The Aloha was a masterpiece as far as technically the way he sang it and the notes he sang. Of course the one in Rapid City was so near his death I’m not sure how it could not emotionally impact one. Even the reactors on U tube tear up & they don’t even know him or what’s going on in the 1977 version. He’s so emotive that he can just reach your soul. That was his great gift along with his voice. He acts and seems more emotional in that version. Perhaps he knew the changes in himself weren’t good and if he didn’t do something soon, his career or health would deteriorate. It’s definitely done with passion behind it and a little sadness it seemed.

This song was the reason for me to meet Elvis at the age of ten in 1991. Elvis is the best one to own this song emotionally. PERIOD !