Introduction:
Elvis Presley’s “Baby, What You Want Me To Do”. Now that’s a song that takes you back, a veritable time capsule of a track that crackles with raw energy and reminds us of the King’s undeniable influence on the course of music history. Released in 1968 on the back of his electrifying ’68 Comeback Special, “Baby” wasn’t a new Presley composition by any means. Originally a blues stomper penned and performed by the legendary Jimmy Reed in 1959, Elvis took the song and infused it with his own brand of rock and roll magic.
The context of “Baby” is particularly interesting. The mid-60s saw Elvis straying somewhat from his rock and roll roots, venturing into movie soundtracks and a more pop-oriented sound. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but for many fans, it felt like a departure from the electrifying performer who’d taken the world by storm a decade earlier. The ’68 Comeback Special was a pivotal moment, a return to the stripped-down, R&B-infused sound that made Elvis a star. And “Baby, What You Want Me To Do” perfectly encapsulates that raw energy.
There’s a looseness, a playful urgency to the performance. The band, fueled by the infectious rhythm section of bassist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana, lays down a bluesy groove that’s impossible not to tap your foot to. Elvis’s vocals are phenomenal here. He’s not afraid to growl, to plead, to infuse every line with an undeniable passion. You can practically feel the sweat dripping off him in the studio as he throws himself into the performance. Producers Felton Jarvis and Steve Binder deserve credit for capturing this lightning-in-a-bottle moment. There’s a rawness, an immediacy to the recording that perfectly captures the essence of a live performance.
“Baby” wasn’t a chart-topping megahit, but its influence is undeniable. It stands as a testament to Elvis’s deep connection to the blues, a genre that would forever inform his music. It’s a reminder of the raw talent and charisma that made him a star, and a powerful example of how an artist can take a well-worn song and make it entirely their own. So, put on your blue suede shoes, crank up the volume, and let Elvis Presley take you back to a time when rock and roll ruled the airwaves, and “Baby, What You Want Me To Do” was the sound of a king reclaiming his throne.