About the song
There’s a particular kind of magic that surrounds the music of **Elvis Presley**, a magnetism that’s as potent today as it was when he first burst onto the scene in the 1950s. Among the many gems in his extensive catalog, **Elvis Presley – (Marie’s The Name) His Latest Flame** holds a special place—not necessarily because it was his most famous hit, but because it encapsulates the charisma, storytelling, and rhythmic vitality that defined so much of his early-’60s work.
Released in 1961, this song showcases Elvis at a time when he was transitioning from the raw rockabilly edge of his early years into a smoother, more polished pop-rock sound. Written by the formidable songwriting duo Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, **(Marie’s The Name) His Latest Flame** is deceptively simple at first glance. But listen a little more closely, and you’ll find a layered narrative wrapped in brisk, urgent rhythms and a flamenco-tinged beat that was unusual for pop music at the time.
The lyrics tell a story of romantic rivalry—but not in the way you might expect. Instead of bitterness, there’s an almost bemused resignation in Elvis’s delivery, a kind of awe at the woman who once was his and is now someone else’s. That emotional nuance is part of what makes **Elvis Presley – (Marie’s The Name) His Latest Flame** so compelling. Elvis doesn’t belt or wail—he delivers the lines with restrained intensity, letting the rhythm section do much of the driving while his voice simmers with understated emotion.
It’s also worth noting the song’s unusual structure. The verses are rhythmically sharp, driven by a percussive acoustic guitar and that insistent, almost galloping beat. There’s no chorus in the traditional sense—just a cyclical return to the title line, which reinforces the song’s theme of emotional circularity and unresolved longing.
In many ways, this track is a perfect microcosm of what made Elvis such an enduring figure in popular music. **Elvis Presley – (Marie’s The Name) His Latest Flame** is catchy without being cloying, emotional without being melodramatic, and utterly timeless in its appeal. It’s a reminder of how even a two-and-a-half-minute pop song can capture the depth of human feeling—and why Elvis, all these years later, still matters.
Video
Lyrics
A very old friend came by today
‘Cause he was telling everyone in town
Of the love that he just found
And Marie’s the name of his latest flame
He talked and talked and I heard him say
That she had the longest, blackest hair
The prettiest green eyes anywhere
And Marie’s the name of his latest flame
Though I smiled, the tears inside were burning
I wished him luck and then he said goodbye
He was gone but still his words kept returning
What else was there for me to do but cry?
Would you believe that yesterday
This girl was in my arms and swore to me
She’d be mine eternally
And Marie’s the name of his latest flame
Though I smiled, the tears inside were a-burning
I wished him luck and then he said goodbye
He was gone but still his words kept returning
What else was there for me to do but cry?
Would you believe that yesterday
This girl was in my arms and swore to me
She’d be mine eternally
And Marie’s the name of his latest flame
Yeah, Marie’s the name of his latest flame
Oh, Marie’s the name of his latest flame
And Marie’s the name of his latest flame
