Way Down
Encyclopedia
"Way Down" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley
. Recorded in October 1976, it was the last single
released before his death on August 16, 1977. The song was written by Layng Martine, Jr.
and was later covered by Status Quo and Cliffhanger
.
Released as a single (with "Pledging My Love
" on the B-side) on June 6, 1977, it was his current single when he died. It was racing up the top 40 when news of his death broke. It reached #1 in the American Country and British Pop charts, just days after his death, and almost seven years after his previous British Number 1 single, "The Wonder of You", 1970. His previous single, "Moody Blue", was a #1 hit, on the US Country Charts, in early 1977. "Way Down" was reissued in April 2005 and reached #2 on the UK singles chart.
The recording also features gospel bass singing legend J.D. Sumner singing the words "Way on down" at the end of each chorus, repeating the phrase at the end of the song while hitting a double low C note (three octaves below middle C). According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is the lowest recorded note ever produced by the human voice, first accomplished by Sumner in a 1966 recording of the hymn "Blessed Assurance."
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Recorded in October 1976, it was the last single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
released before his death on August 16, 1977. The song was written by Layng Martine, Jr.
Layng Martine, Jr.
Layng Martine, Jr. is a singer and songwriter. He is notable for writing several songs, including "Rub It In", a Number One hit for Billy "Crash" Craddock in 1974, which became the long-running TV commercial "Plug It In" for Johnson & Johnson's Glade Plug-ins air freshening product...
and was later covered by Status Quo and Cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
.
Released as a single (with "Pledging My Love
Pledging My Love
"Pledging My Love" is a blues ballad. It was written by Ferdinand Washington and Don Robey and published in 1954.The song's theme is captured in the title and the opening lines:-Johnny Ace:The most popular recording of the song was done by Johnny Ace...
" on the B-side) on June 6, 1977, it was his current single when he died. It was racing up the top 40 when news of his death broke. It reached #1 in the American Country and British Pop charts, just days after his death, and almost seven years after his previous British Number 1 single, "The Wonder of You", 1970. His previous single, "Moody Blue", was a #1 hit, on the US Country Charts, in early 1977. "Way Down" was reissued in April 2005 and reached #2 on the UK singles chart.
The recording also features gospel bass singing legend J.D. Sumner singing the words "Way on down" at the end of each chorus, repeating the phrase at the end of the song while hitting a double low C note (three octaves below middle C). According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is the lowest recorded note ever produced by the human voice, first accomplished by Sumner in a 1966 recording of the hymn "Blessed Assurance."
Chart performance
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 18 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 14 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 15 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 23 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |