He Touched Me

Elvis was serious about his religion, but he was enough of a performer to know that straightforward readings of gospel songs, like you’d actually hear in church, wouldn’t go over. So tracks like “I’ve Got Confidence” and “Seeing is Believing” have as much raw rock ’n’ roll energy as anything in his catalog, with loud and stinging guitars, and “Bosom of Abraham” and “I, John,” sung with a male gospel quartet over a driving beat, are equally breathtaking. The best gospel music has enough transcendent power to thrill even the grumpiest unbeliever, and Elvis’s charisma and passion ensures that this album belongs on that list.