Live Performances by Elvis of Songs Written by Mac Davis
Mac Davis died on Tuesday due to complications following heart surgery. Davis was born in Lubbock, Texas and rose to become one of the most admired entertainers in country music.
Mac Davis had a very successful solo career winning Entertainer of the Year by the Academy of Country Music in 1974. He was an actor and from 1974-1976 had his own television variety series, "The Mac Davis Show". He was also a prolific songwriter. Davis wrote four chart-topping hits for Elvis Presley.
"A Little Less Conversation" was originally recorded by Elvis in 1968 for the film Live a Little, Love a Little. In 2002, Junkie XL remixed "A Little Less Conversation" and that version topped the Billboard charts in over 20 countries by 2003.
"Memories" was written in about 24 hours by Mac Davis for Elvis Presley to perform on what has become known as the " Elvis '68 Comeback Special" which aired on NBC. The song was supposed to air in two parts, half at the opening of the show and other half at the end. NBC decided to air a shorter version of the song in its entirety editing out some of the original lyrics.
"Don't Cry Daddy" was recorded by Elvis at American Sound Studio in Memphis in January of 1969 and released in November of that same year. The B-side of the single was "Rubberneckin". Presley took both to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1970.
Elvis Presley was not a performer out to make a statement but in 1969 he did record Mac Davis' "In the Ghetto" which was somewhat of a message song. It was originally titled "The Vicious Circle". The song depicts a child born in the ghettos of Chicago, the struggles, and how the tough streets of the city ended his life way too early.
Mac Davis died in Nashville, Tennesse at the age of 78.