When Elvis Presley was gathering material for what would become his final studio release, Moody Blue, he drew inspiration from the top of the contemporary music charts.
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was a genuine fan of Olivia Newton-John, and during his final recording era, he reimagined two of the country-pop sweetheart’s biggest hits. He ultimately put his signature, soulful spin on two of her best-known hits for his 1977 album.
Their unexpected music connection came during a period when the King of Rock and Roll was leaning heavily into country-soul ballads. Among the tracks selected for Moody Blue were his live recording of Newton-John’s 1974 breakthrough hit “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” and his take on “Let Me Be There.”
Presley didn’t just record the tracks; he regularly performed them during his mid-’70s concert tours. By including those recordings on Moody Blue, Elvis permanently linked his final chapter with Newton-John’s early country-pop reign.
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The website Elvis Australia reprinted an excerpt from Newton-John’s book, Don’t Stop Believin’ where she revealed she missed out on meeting the King of Rock and Roll.
She explained, “I was really excited to be invited to see the King at the Hilton in Las Vegas. It was a celebrity-packed row, with Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber sitting next to me on either side.”
Newton-John continued, “During the show, Elvis shocked me and sang my song ‘Let Me Be There’. It blew me away to hear him say my name, because I was such a big fan. After the show, I went backstage to meet him and got another big surprise. Doris Day was there, too. I’ve always adored her. Doris was warm and welcoming, but sadly I never met Elvis up close and personal. His road manager said there was an emergency and Elvis had to leave the building.”
“If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” marked a massive milestone for Newton-John, skyrocketing to No. 2 on the Billboard country chart, the highest rank of her career. Proving her crossover appeal, the hit also broke into the top five on the pop chart while securing the No. 2 spot on the Easy Listening charts.
Although neither of Elvis’ covers hit the Billboard Hot 100, Moody Blue reached No. 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart in 1977, one month after his death in August 1977 at the age of 42.
Related: EPiC: Elvis Presley Project Lands a Massive Industry Honor
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