Elvis Songs: A Mess of Blues

Written by: Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman

Recorded: March 21, 1960, RCA Nashville Studios

Single: w/ "It's Now Or Never", 47-7777, July , 1960 (Million Seller)
Also re-released as Gold Standard Series, 447-0628, February 1962

Highest U.S. Charts Position:
#32 on Billboard Hot 100

1st LP release: Elvis Gold Records, Volume 4 - February 1968

Songwriting team Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman had written a handful of hits before submitting their first for Elvis, "A Mess Of Blues". They would eventually write some of Elvis' great 60s classics like "Little Sister", "His Latest Flame", "Gonna Get Back Home Somehow", "Viva Las Vegas" and quite a few others. Elvis recorded "A Mess Of Blues" during his first set of post-army sessions in March of 1960. These were also Elvis' first true stereo recordings. "A Mess Of Blues" is a pure upbeat blues song, and Elvis gives it the full treatment! The melody in the middle section has Elvis soaring and diving...



Oops, there goes a teardrop rolling down my face
If you cry when you're in love, it sure ain't no disgrace

...and the ending builds to a nice finale, Elvis repeating the title phrase, "Since you're gone I've got a mess o' blues", and slipping into a smoothe falsetto at the very end, something the Beatles would make their trademark in a few years.




As the flip-side of Elvis' huge international hit, "It's Now Or Never", "A Mess Of Blues" was a bit overlooked on the U.S. charts, and peaked at #32. It may also be the case that the pop music charts weren't as receptive to a pure blues song as they were to a pure Italian pop song. After all, this was 1960. Although its hit flip-side showed up on Elvis' Golden Records, Vol. 3 in 1963, "A Mess Of Blues" wouldn't show up on an album until 1968's Elvis' Gold Records, Vol. 4.

"A Mess Of Blues" is a classic Presley recording: curiously his voice sounds different from other numbers at the same session. He sings with his tongue further back in his mouth. But Presley is fully in front, giving each word its due; he drives the song forwards, matching the lyrics and giving urgent shape to the number. The final falsetto is a master-touch.

Robert Matthew-Walker, Elvis Presley - A Study in Music, 1979

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I just got your letter baby
Too bad you can't come home
I swear I'm goin' crazy
Sittin' here all alone
Since you're gone
I got a mess of blues

I ain't slept a wink since Sunday
I can't eat a thing all day
Every day is just blue Monday
Since you've been away
Since you're gone
I got a mess of blues

Whoops there goes a teardrop
Rollin' down my face
If you cry when you're in love
It sure ain't no disgrace

I gotta get myself together
Before I lose my mind
I'm gonna catch the next train goin'
And leave my blues behind
Since you're gone
I got a mess of blues

Whoops there goes a teardrop
Rollin' down my face
If you cry when you're in love
It sure ain't no disgrace

I gotta get myself together
Before I lose my mind
I'm gonna catch the next train goin'
And leave my blues behind
Since you're gone
I got a mess of blues

Since you're gone I got a mess of blues
Since you're gone I got a mess of blues