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Elvis Presley‘s songs made an indelible impact on rock ‘n’ roll music. Because he made so many great songs across different genres, it can be difficult to pick out the best. Despite this, we are counting down his five best songs, regardless of how popular or obscure they are.

Elvis Presley with a guitar
Elvis Presley | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

5. ‘Love Me’

Because of its title, it’s easy to mistake “Love Me” for “Love Me Tender.” While they both came out around the same time, the two songs are very different. “Love Me Tender” is a folk ballad while “Love Me” is more of a doo-wop song. “Love Me” might be one of the greatest odes to masochism of all time, and the singer’s voice sounds immaculate.

4. ‘Little Sister’

Some fans and critics feel Elvis’ music was out of step with the 1960s. There’s a lot of truth to that. After all, while acts such as The Beatles and Bob Dylan were changing the musical landscape, the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer was releasing kitschy songs with titles like “Do the Clam” and “Rock-a-Hula Baby.”

“Little Sister” is one of the counterpoints to this idea. Thanks to the likes of James Bond, The Beach Boys, and Dick Dale, surf rock swept up the nation during the decade. The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll took a stab at it here, with glorious results. The song is a lot closer to hard rock than his usual material, and his voice works well with the genre.

3. ‘(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame’

With its pulsating rhythm, it’s a wonder “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” doesn’t get more attention. It hasn’t inspired as many covers as some of the singer’s other hits and it didn’t appear in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Here, we are setting the record straight: “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” combined elements of rock ‘n’ roll with bossa nova to make what is probably the singer’s most underrated song.

2. ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’

It can be difficult to look at this song with fresh eyes. It’s been covered to death. Ultimately, that doesn’t detract from its lyrical power.

The delicate tune describes falling in love almost like a force of nature. In a few succinct lines, it manages to capture the joy, the helplessness, and the sacrifice that comes with finding that special someone. Because the song has proven so easy to translate into other genres, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” might be relevant for another century or two.

1. ‘Suspicious Minds’

The only Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single from the singer’s comeback era, “Suspicious Minds” is probably the pinnacle of this style of pop music. Las Vegas-style horns aren’t always given respect, but here they become both a shot of adrenaline and a wail of grief. In addition, the backing vocals are some of the best in the history of popular music.

Luhrmann’s Elvis uses the song extensively. While it’s not as much of a standard as “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” the spooky a capella redux of the song from the film’s soundtrack is a masterpiece unto itself.

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