On This Day in 1977, Elvis Presley Topped the Charts for the Last Time in His Life With a Song He Only Performed Once

On this day (February 19) in 1977, Elvis Presley reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “Moody Blue.” It would be the King’s final trip to the top of the chart before his death less than six months later. The song was penned by Mark James, who also wrote “Suspicious Minds” and other songs recorded by Presley.

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Presley released “Moody Blue” as the lead single from the album of the same name on November 29, 1976. It debuted on the Hot Country Songs chart on Christmas Day and began climbing. It reached the top in mid-February and occupied the No. 1 spot for a single week.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1958, Elvis Presley Recorded a Cover That Would Become a Signature Track After a Harrowing Near-Tragedy]

Interestingly, “Moody Blue” was Presley’s first single to top the country chart. Previously, he topped the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts seven times. He started consistently finding favorable placements on the country chart in 1974 with “Take Good Care of Her,” which peaked at No. 4. After three more top 10 hits, he finally reached No. 1. His two posthumous No. 1 singles, “Way Down” and “Guitar Man,” would also be country hits.

Elvis Presley Only Performed “Mood Blue” Once in Concert

“Moody Blue” was a new addition to Elvis Presley’s ever-growing repertoire. As a result, it didn’t have time to become a staple of his setlists. In fact, he only performed the entire song in concert once.

He played an excerpt of “Moody Blue” during his February 20 show in Charlotte, North Carolina. The next night, Presley performed at the same venue and sang the entire song.

Presley cut several songs penned by Mark James, the songwriter behind “Moody Blue.” For instance, James wrote “Always on My Mind,” “It’s Only Love,” “Raised on Rock,” and “Suspicious Minds.” All of those were top 40 hits.

Elvis Presley would only release one more single before his tragic death on August 16. “Way Down,” his second country No. 1, dropped on June 6 and reached the top of the tally on August 20, just four days after he passed.

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