Mickey Newbury - An American Trilogy

[ImaLanger]

I was going to play this - I have spent a few weeks arranging it for my Keyboard - BUT - after hearing this beautiful performance, I realise I can not do justice to it, so out of deep respect, I have put it to one side, never to be played on YT.

This performance is so full of emotion, it is perfect.

Mike

[studiodudeio]

What a soul stirring, touching creation performed flawlessly.

[melodyl52]

Oh my goodness! What an awesome song and what an awesome performance. This is SO beautiful!

[Marakesh7]

Like both versions but Elvis' is the definitive one. Elvis will always be the one who is remembered for singing it.

[tlcity]

A simple tune just vocals and guitar

This is the best!!!

[budrakerz]

 He started "outlaw country". Listen to Waylon&Willie's Luckenbach texas, Hank Williams pain songs,NEWBURY'S train songs and blue eyes crying in the rain. Awesome singer/songwriter!!

[Shagrat65]

Beyond incredible

[written12]

A remarkable performance, as everyone here has said. But also look at that face. I can only imagine his family and close friends must be moved to tears when they watch this. There is such dignity and soul in his face. Even those of us who never knew him can't help but be transfixed by it as we watch and listen.

[cliftongal51]

Hey, I'm just a gal from Arizona who heard Mickey Newbury in about 1974 and bought the only album of his I could find. This song was on it and I've loved it (and Mr. Newbury's music) ever since. It's brought me comfort in trying times. So if his child reads this, know how much your father contributed to the lives of others.

[joekiddone]

This man could sing! God Bless you, Mickey!

[heehawluck1]

This is the ultimate rendition of this song.....this guy's song. This will never be surpasses. Magnificent..... truly magnificent.

from a guy from Scotland with a lump in his throat. Thanks

[heehawluck1]

@heehawluck1 typo.... *surpassed* (oops)

[thomascocovenant]

@heehawluck1 To say that is a terrible shame, for he did not capture it like Elvis did coming from the area..and with the emotion that only a true southern could..Elvis OWNES this song

[heehawluck1]

@thomascocovenant Thomas ....... I couldn't disagree with you more. I heard Elvis's version of this man's creation away back in the 70s and I thought it was fantastic. I stumbled onto this rendition a few months back and was blown away. For me Mickey Newbury has more sympathy, feeling and passion than I ever evidenced in Elvis's versions. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, bearing that in mind, I would have to suggest that you my friend.....are blind. Peace.

[Deltoid71]

@thomascocovenant One flaw in your argument.........Newbury is from Texas, also a true Southerner....Elvis' version was a good commercial effort, but Newbury's is a work of art. Hard to beat the original.

[charles43110]

@thomascocovenant ... a singer who met Elvis once, & sings some of his ballads, I cannot agree. Trilogy & Sweet Memories have never be sung by anyone better than Newbury. I listen every couple weeks just to be humbled. Elvis was a Vegas style showman first & foremost. Newbury could make a whole room including men weep.

I sang "it" like Elvis for years. The day I sang it like Mickey friends afterwards asked "Ronnie. whats come over you? You made me weep" Mickey Newbury I quietly replied.

[mannynapakapogi]

MOST OF THE TIMES, ELVIS NOT ONLY GIVES JUSTICE TO THE SONGS HE COVERS, HE EVEN MADE IT BETTER. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

[MickeyNewburyMusic]

@mannynapakapogi

"MOST OF THE TIMES" would be the key-phrase there. Sorry, he was my father so I have quite a bias. In my biased opinion, as great as the king was, he can't touch Mickey Newbury.

[ogdroadsong]

@MickeyNewburyMusic was he really your dad? I only heard this the other day on BBC 4, I'm a huge Elvis fan and this is my fave and my karaoke speciality (!) but this is on a totally different level. Much as I love Elvis's version it doesn't have the heart of Mickey Newbury's original rendition. I'm amazed it's not better known, at least this side of the pond it isn't. Makes me cry and I'm English!

[MickeyNewburyMusic]

@ogdroadsong Yep, really really ;)

Hopefully you'll be hearing more about him across the pond. A boxset titled "American Trilogy" will be released at the start of new year, by a British record-label.

[silentbrew]

Sweet and poignant yet epic and powerful in many ways. Every time I listen to Mickey's American Trilogy, I get yearning images of the great American nation of hope, before it sold itself off to consumerism and foreign policy.

[WOODYSKYM]

Mickey Newbury One Of The Greatest Songwriters Of All Time, God Rest His Soul.

[teeger66]

Has anyone else noticed....how extremely good looking he is? A great musician....and singer too!

[uscguy1282]

such a great song by an amazing artist and hero in the music world. thanks for posting!

[Nicronon]

Beautiful, phenomenal, amazing... I bet that man never lip synced a single note in his life. Mickey Newbury was music incarnate. He wrote, he played, he sang, and every fiber of his being exuded soul. You can feel his pain in songs like "What Will I Do" and "Good Morning Dear". Even the other greats like Don Gibson and Elvis recognized his talent and recorded their versions of his songs. There will never be another Mickey Newbury and I wish he hadn't left us so soon. Rest in peace, MIck.

[thefeepy]

A stunning and very sincere performance. Thank you for posting!!!

[stevedmuk]

Superb performance,....none better

[geener11]

Elvis? Mickey? - We are so blessed to hear and see such great entertainers-- knock off the petty stuff-- Nobody singing? todays music? can compare to these two, well, maybe Neil Diamond and Helmut Lotti can hang with them-

[Scout4Me1]

Beautiful video! "American Trilogy" is in my top ten favorites of all time! We miss you Mickey.

[bishopaz]

the album that this was included on. mabel frisco joy,i believe, is just magical. god i miss mickey newberry

[PJQ1946]

you may be missing the point. Newbury was the creative genius but Presley never officially recorded the song in a studio. Rather he used this creation as a show stopper in his live performances. And in so doing Elvis infused his version with drama. Drama which lifted his audiences

right out of their seats and into some other dimension.  You can if you want prefer one version over the other and/or one artist over the other but no matter they were both extremely talented artists.

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@PJQ1946 You expressed it SO WELL. It's a sad time in my life right now and I really shouldn't be listening to this song. My ex and I saw Elvis at The International (Hilton now) in Vegas in 1970 or 71 and I had a sad situation then in my life. When he did the Am Trig everyone about cried. It showed his gospel side.

[fietsvriend]

It's remarkable that songwriters for other artists are such a good singers themselves, like Mr. Newbury and Graham Gouldman, Carol King, Joe South, Albert Hammond,Neil Diamond, to name a few

[fietsvriend]

Excuses, Carole King

[guijam94]

Mickey said Presley made it accepted. It is beautiful music. Its OK for each to prefer one artist's version. The charts dont grade voices. Just because Mickey arranged it does not = best version for some. Hard to argue against 1977 Elivs Live. He objectively hits lower and much higher notes with exceptional strength and volume. His voice was never better; Odd isnt it.. such aweful deteriorating health and his voice peaked. Thanks for Mickey info. he's a Houstonian!

[Coleboe1]

so sad to see such a beautiful piece of music could create such a stupid argument!! Shame on you!!

[009patch]

where can i get albums

[MickeyNewburyMusic]

All of Mickey Newbury's albums can be found on his official website.

As biased as my opinion may be, I prefer Mickey Newbury's version ;-)

[SalsaQueen21]

You idiots who keep arguing about which artist is better than whom - Wikipedia says "The original Mickey Newbury version reached #26 in 1972, and #9 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. Later in 1972, Elvis Presley's version reached #66, and peaked at #31 on the Easy Listening chart" so although Elvis made it popular, Mickey did better in the charts. Anyway, none of this matters, Elvis version is fantastic but this version is outstandingly beautiful !!

[golftrainer]

Who gives a shit! Both were amazing ,talented artist and arguing over who sings better is absurd.

[tjsece]

idslmm

Thanx for pointing out the spelling mistake, have you nothing better to do with your time? you really should get out more. Sad really, but if it makes you happy.

[tjsece]

Fair comment barrfmen, both versions are good, but in different ways. It was a brilliant idea by Newbury to merge the 3 pieces of music into An American trilogy, and for that alone he deserves respect.

[tjsece]

MrFarmerbee: Just because this is the original version, doesn`t make it the best version. You can`t honestly believe Mickey had a better singing voice than Elvis? Have you listened to the Elvis version recently. there are plenty versions of the Elvis performance on you tube, i dare you to listen both versions and to HONESTLY compare the vocals. And remember if Elvis hadn`t covered this (earning Mickey a lot of cash ) no one, would have ever heard of M.r Newberry.

[barrfmen]

With all due respect to Elvis fans everywhere, Mickey Newbury created "An American Trilogy". It was his Idea. His version was a big hit, and got a lot of air play. To say that he owes Elvis is kind of silly. I think that Elvis sang it because he respected Mickey, and thought it was a great song. I'm not saying that Elvis's version is bad, not by any means, but I do not think that Mickey Newbury's own version has ever been equaled.

[ldslmm]

tjsece

First off the name is Newbury. Also Mickey said that if Presley didn't do it , it wouldn't have been accepted. The whole thing was put together on stage at the bitter inn, when Dixie was the only song planned. and Presly's wife was there and told Elvis about it. As far as nobody knowing Mickey. He was a God to other song writers. Ask Krisstofferson, Nelson, etc. there is a gathering every year in his honor where writers from around the world come. This year it's June in Houston

[justmusicandme]

It is a privilege to hear a composition or arrangement of this kind, performed by the artist who created it.

[christer6788]

of course the many Elvis nuts would say that Elvis' version is superior but I think that is total shyte!!!!Rest in Sweet peace Mickey!!!!

[tomthefunky]

Mickey may not have gotten the recognition he deserved, but at least all the covers done of this must have put a nice chunk of change in his pocket.

[tjsece]

Very pleasant, in a whistly, folky sort of way. But the version by Elvis is superior in every aspect. (i know Newberry created the medely) But the Elvis vocal, and the sheer power, emotion, and arangement of the Presley performance, blows this version out of the water. This performance is nice all the same.

[MrFarmerbee]

Yeah, and we all know what happened to Elvis, eh?

[oliasdoug]

As I mentioned in the other performance clip of this, there are some songs that are such works of art that they should never be capitalized on by other artists...even Elvis. Nobody could do this justice on equal par with Mickey Newbury. This song blew me away the first time I heard it on the radio 37 years ago, & it--along with the FRISCO MABEL JOY album--still sounds great today. Mickey was one of a kind and irreplaceable.

[mannyrod7]

I respect Mickey creating this idea and writing the song, but Elvis smokes him in the live performance...not even close. Elvis' was blessed with just an amazing voice.

[Shhteve]

@oliasdoug Go listen to the Brian Bode version of this song and I bet you would appreciate it too. :)

[barrfmen]

Mickey Newbury's American Trilogy, is one of the most beautiful and powerful works of music ever recorded. It captures the "American" spirit in a way that I have never heard, before or since.

[cannitb]

Some people think this was an Elvis song.He only borrowed it !!. Like all things borrowed,they have to be returned sometime.

Now it's back where it belongs, forever with the 'Mick', who sings like a dream. where in ours he will always be.

[jimincairns]

Rarely does a talent like Mickey Newbury come along. A superb song-writer, poet and singer who never received the recognition he so richly deserved, but his musical legacy lives on in our hearts.

[auke104]

Just wonderfull!