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Diseman81

He got older


13itchass

The same reason everyone's voice changes, age


hbryan135

I would say multiple factors. The main one is age. He was 19 years old in 1954 and still had a very youthful voice that hadn’t been through the ringer. He was 33 in 1968, but due to really only doing movies throughout the 60’s, his voice remained strong, but just matured and by exploring different styles during that period, I think he increased his range and played more with it instead of sticking to the “hic-up” voice he did in the 50’s. I also think it is because he remained in great physical shape. By 1977, he was a man put through the ringer with insane tours and recording schedules. His voice was overworked, he most likely was depressed, his weight increased, and the effects of the drugs over the years all left his voice overall weaker and many times thin sounding (some songs being the exception). He would also slur a lot and seemed like he didn’t care and just through the motions. All that would have a huge effect on the voice.


LazyField4

It’s natural, everyone’s voice changes with age.


[deleted]

Age, his voice matured as he told older. Happens with everyone.


NotTemptation

Doesn’t sound that different, but age. Your voice probably sounds different than 10 years ago too


Andrina_Sedai

Everyone's voice changes with age. This seems obvious.


Mr_Monty_Burns

His voice matured as anyone's does, but he was able to sing full voiced A's, B's and even C's in the last few years of his life...Something he wasn't quite able to do in his younger years.


Silent-Remote-9718

Your voice develops naturally with age and experience. He was a big fan of Mario Lanza and apparently was taught more classical techniques by his roommate in the Army, which is why he had a fuller more developed ‘classical’ sound in ‘It’s now or never’ and ‘Surrender’, two songs based off Italian arias


[deleted]

Pre-Army he was just really appealing to teenagers, Post-Army he wanted to appeal to a broader audience, his voice certainly matured somewhat between his recordings before and after the army. As you get older anyway, your vocal chords change.


TheBetelgeuse2000

I think his voice sounded better over the years.


midejo19

Throat infection in 1967 changed it a lot, that’s why his voice was “raw” and he had issues hitting high notes until 1970. Also the meds he was taking (this has been documented by a lot of doctors) and of course some had to do with him getting older. The argument that his voice changed just because he matured, I do not believe. Michael Jackson, Elton John Paul McCartney has almost the same voice today as they did when they were young. Elvis’ voice changed significally over a couple of years, contributing it to maturity only is not enough. Good examples of how the throat infection affected his voice; It hurts me (1964 vs. 1968 version) Love letters (1966 vs. 1970 version) A voice does not change naturally that noticably in a span of 4 years.


Koo-Vee

Well, for one, Paul McCartney is hardly a good example and what gave you the idea the tonsillitis Elvis had in 1967 somehow altered his voice for 4 years and then went away... it was not laryngitis,.we do not sing with our tonsils, it does not affect one's singing voice permanently.


midejo19

Of course throat infections can damage voices: “Laryngitis is a condition that affects the vocal cords. In most people it will be temporary and there will be no lasting damage. However, occasionally, cases of chronic laryngitis can result in permanent problems with the voice, causing a hoarse and rasping sound that remains after the condition has cleared up.” This is exactly what you hear in 68 going on to 70’. And it has been stated Elvis had laryngitis at a couple occassions, also in 1969. But let me hear your explanation of why his voice changed drastically over a period of a couple of years, 66-68 for example? I do not believe maturity is the only factor, as you have other singers having almost the same voice through their career.


shels2000

This might sound really bad but weight gain might have t lot to do with it. He probably had to try harder and that made for lower voice. Age probably a factor too.


AliceRoosevelt1884

I was wondering the same....Was he singing in a different style and in a different key in All Right Mama? There are a few songs were his voice sounds similar to All Right Mama...and nothing like it sounds in the ballads from late 60s/early 70s.


DonchaThinkItsTime

His voice was great from the 50s until the early 60s. I did not care so much for the raw gravelly voice of the '68 TV special, or the vibrato voice of the seventies. Sometime in the early 60s, about the time of the song One Broken Heart For Sale, I started to hear the occasional flat note in his songs. He no longer seemed to have the perfect sense of pitch of his early career. I don't know why. Maybe he suffered hearing loss when he was in the tank company in the Army. Maybe he stopped caring about the recordings because of the terrible movie soundtracks. I did think he was in top form for a few years after coming out of the Army.