Memphis Recording Service: The Ascension Begins

Although originally from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948. It was there that he finished his studies, worked as a truck driver, and acquired electrical skills. Always supported by his parents, Gladys and Vernon, Elvis had a lot of admiration and zeal for them, especially his mother.

In late May 1953, on the occasion of his graduation, Elvis decided to do something special for Gladys' birthday: cut a record.

Elvis and Rosemary Barracco at their graduation picnic; may 1953

With money in hand and living in the music city, the 18-year-old headed to the Memphis Recording Service on July 18, 1953* to record two tracks much appreciated by his mother, "My Hapinness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin". The session fee**, $3.98, was high for Elvis' salary, but that wouldn't stop him from honoring the woman he most revered in the world. At first, no potential was perceived in that young man's thin voice, something we know from history that would soon change.

The record provided an excellent gift for Gladys, although it is a fact that Elvis' family did not have any record player to play it, which raises in many researchers of the King of Rock's history the question of what would be the real reason for that recording. Maybe Elvis just wanted to give his mother a gift, but maybe he also knew his potential and wanted to show it to the studio experts. The birthday present version makes even less sense when you know that the recording took place in July and Gladys' birthday was in April. Either way, the Memphis Recording Service would pass up the opportunity on this occasion.

But Elvis would return to record two more songs¹ on January 4, 1954, showing that he hadn't given up on showing his talent despite assuring everyone that he just wanted to know how his voice sounded on a record and if it would sound the same as before. This time the session would cost even more, $8.25 USD***, but even so Elvis was determined to record and probably had the certainty that he would be noticed. It wouldn't be the time yet, but the singer was a mere 5 months away from fame.

Session note from January 4, 1954
("The Rock And Roll Years Volume 1",  Ger Rijff, Elvis Unlimited, 1998) 

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RECORDING SESSIONS

Dates: 

July 18, 1953 and January 4, 1954

Studio:

Memphis Recording Service

Location:

Memphis, Tennessee

Musicians:

Voice: Elvis Presley

Guitar: Elvis Presley

Sound enginner  / Recording engineer: Marion Keisker / Sam Phillips

JULY 18, 1953
                              My Happiness Take NA
                              That's When Your Heartaches Begin Take NA

JANUARY 4, 1954
                               I'll Never Stand In Your Way - Take NA M (2:04)
                               It Wouldn't Be the Same (Without You) - Take NA M (2:09)

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NOTES

*Lee Cotten arrived at a likely date (July 18, 1953) through a story about a hot summer Saturday afternoon. On July 14, Elvis reportedly received an advance that would have helped him pay for the July 18 session. ("All Shook Up", Popular Culture, Ink., 1985)

**According to the book "Memphis Recording Service Volume 1", the date of this session is August 22, 1953.

***The receipt for the January 4, 1954 session in Ger Rijff's book is probably false because of the price charged (US$8.25). The correct would be only US$ 3.98.

¹This acetate was always thought to be composed of "I'll Never Stand in Your Way / Casual Love", but when it was rediscovered a few years ago it turned out that the person who cataloged it had been wrong. The song "Casual Love" has in its lyrics two phrases exactly the same as "It Wouldn't Be the Same Without You", which would have caused the confusion.

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