Elvis Presley - He Touched Me

Elvis At His Best

I am a huge fan of Elvis Presley, as a singer, actor, and man. Some believe that in 1954 Elvis recorded the first rock song with his debut single "That's All Right". Whether or not he invented rock and roll is up for debate- facts support that Fats Domino as well as Bill Haley & His Comets were recording before Elvis graduated from high school- but it can not be debated that he was the one who brought rock into virtually every home in America. As a result of his fiery performances, some critics called Elvis the devil and rock & roll was deemed the devil's music.

So, in 1957 Elvis cut 4 gospel songs and put them on the EP Peace In The Valley. Elvis would record the gospel albums His In Mine in 1960 and How Great Thou Art in 1966. He won a Grammy for the latter. In 1972, Elvis released his third gospel album, which is why I am writing this review.

This album truly has something for everybody, whether they are Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, or even atheists. All you have to do is listen to the beautiful vocal performances by Elvis and the wonderful musical backing to appreciate this music. Every track on here has something to offer.

He Touched Me- A beautiful song written by Bill Gaither. You can tell that Elvis believes every word he is singing, especially at the almost operatic ending.

I've Got Confidence- A great rocker. This may be one of the first Christian rock songs. It's all about having faith in God, and contains the classic lyric "Job said honey, that's all right."

Amazing Grace- Maybe the finest song ever written. It is given a blues-soul makeover with the addition of the updated piano intro and the vocals of the Sweet Inspirations, who originally were the background vocalists for Aretha Franklin.

Seeing Is Believing- Another great rocker. This one is about knowing that God is real by seeing the beautiful world he made. This song also has probably the best guitar solo ever to be featured in a religious song.

He Is My Everything- Musically this song is a re-write of the country classic There Goes My Everything (which Elvis also recorded). In fact, the chorus is the same except that "There goes" has been changed to "He is". Nevertheless, this is a great song of worship, given a great performance.

Bosom Of Abraham- A great spiritual with a rockin' beat. The highlight of the song is when Elvis and J.D. Sumner are both singing the bass part and are trying to beat each other by going lower.

An Evening Prayer- A beautiful track featuring Elvis at the piano and featuring one of his best vocal performances anywhere. The best song on the album.

Lead Me, Guide Me- This is a great song performed very much in the style of an old-fashioned hymn. Elvis and the Stamps Quartet once again display great vocals.

There Is No God But God- This is an odd track musically. It sounds like Frank Sinatra being backed up by the Beatles. This is what you get when you cross standards, rock, and gospel. Great stuff, though.

A Thing Called Love- A great song that had previously been recorded by Johnny Cash. Elvis puts his own arrangment on it, adding background vocalists and horns.

I, John- Another rockin' spirtual, this one deals with the Book of Revalations. Once again highlighted by the bass vocals of J.D. Sumner.

Reach Out To Jesus- One of my favorites from the album and a perfect closer. This song is worth the price of the disc. You have to hear the note Elvis hits near the end.

Elvis won a Grammy for this album. It is by far Elvis' best gospel album, and is one of his top five albums in any genre. This is great music for anyone, religious or not. Do yourself a favor and order it now.
August 12, 2006

He Touched Me

Elvis Presley won an Grammy for He Touched Me Album.This is far the best Gospel album that Elvis ever did,Elvis Presley is also the best selling Gospel arist in history, I also recommend Amazing Grace.I'm so glag that I have this one in my collection. August 2, 2006

I, John, wrote this review.

This was Elvis Presley's third, and last, gospel album. It is not as good as the previous two, but is still excellent. Gospel music was Elvis' favorite kind of music, and he always put his heart into a gospel song. This album features a satisfying mix of old and new, black and white, gospel music. The only complaint I have is that at 30 minutes, this CD is too short. There were two other gospel songs, "Miracle of the Rosary" and "Put Your Hand in the Hand", recorded at these sessions, and it would have been nice if they had been included as bonus tracks. Still, a great CD. January 12, 2006

Elvis at his best!

Elvis really shines when singing gospel music, and this album is no exception. He sings the songs with passion & depth. It is evident that he has love for God. I recommend his other gospel albums as well. October 17, 2005

Love of God in His Heart

Being a Christian and Loving Elvis, after hearing this
CD, I am convinced that Elvis had the love of God in his heart
I don't think he could sing these songs as well as he does without it. December 26, 2003

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