This song was written and recorded by Mark James in 1974. Elvis recorded it in
the den (a.k.a. the "jungle room") at his home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee
on February 4, 1976. Ernst Jorgensen in his book ELVIS PRESLEY - A LIFE IN
MUSIC, tells of how Elvis had been disinterested in going to the studio in
Nashville for sessions and RCA's offer to truck in recording equipment to him at
home. Home sessions were scheduled. The aging and infrequently used, big red RCA
equipment truck broke down 150 miles outside of Memphis and had to be towed to
town and up through the gates of Graceland to "what was probably its most
prestigious gig," as Jorgensen put it. Muscians for the February Graceland
recordings were: James Burton, Bill Sanford, John Wilkinson and Charlie Hodge
(all on guitar); Jerry Scheff and Norbert Putnam (both on bass); Glen D. Hardin
and David Briggs (both on piano); Bobby Emmons (piano); and Ronnie Tutt (drums).
Backing vocals were by: Kathy Westmoreland, Myrna Smith, and J.D. Sumner and The
Stamps Quartet. Later overdubs included strings, horns, additional percussion
and synthesizer. The "Moody Blue" single was released in December 1976 with "She
Thinks I Still Care" on the other side. In the U.S. it peaked at #31 on the pop
chart and, in its 17-week run on the country chart, it peaked at #1. In the U.K.
it peaked at #6 in a 9-week run on the pop chart.