Mark James - Suspicious Minds (The Original Version)

This is one of those soul-influenced, hyper-produced, and horn-driven pop ballads that were prevalent on the radio in the early ’70s, the sort that were hits for B.J. Thomas, the Hollies, Neil Diamond, etc. In fact, it was Mark James, a childhood friend of Thomas from Houston, who wrote “Suspicious Minds“ as well as Thomas’ “Hooked on a Feeling.“ Thomas also released a version of “Suspicious Minds“ in 1972, but it is Elvis Presley’s 1969 recording that will remain forever embedded in the public’s consciousness. The recording was produced by legendary Memphis soul producer Chips Moman at the down-home American studio, which had -- according to Peter Guralnick’s Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (1999) -- produced “an unprecedented string“ of 64 chart records over 18 months (1968-1969) for a variety of out-of-town labels. The track marked a return to form as well as a literal return to the singer’s hometown. After years of wasting his ta