The Complete Louisiana Hayride Archives 1954 - 1956
Label:
Memphis Recording Service [MRS30001256]
Format:
Book + CD
Number of tracks:
36
Running time:
90:00
Type of album:
Concert
Linked to:
Unofficial discography
Year:
2011
Recording date:
October 16, 1954 - December 15, 1956
Release date:
November 21, 2011
Singles:
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The Complete Louisiana Hayride Archives 1954 - 1956 is a book-CD box set released by Memphis Recording Service (MRS) in 2011. It contains previously unreleased recordings of most Elvis performances on The Louisiana Hayride between 1954 and 1956. The work is out of print.
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| Elvis and his trio on stage at The Louisiana Hayride; 1956 (©Shreveport Louisiana Hayride Co.) |
Beginning on October 16, 1954, Elvis spent 14 months performing regularly on The Louisiana Hayride, the premier concert and radio/television show in the US South from 1948 to 1960, broadcast live from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Managed by Scotty Moore, Elvis made biweekly appearances on the attraction and the result was always a packed house. When Colonel Parker took over as his agent in January 1955, Elvis was cast weekly on the show and soon gained top star status. Parker, always thinking about making money, was already preparing the ground for his protégé to fly high.
From January 8, 1955, on his 20th birthday, Elvis Presley's name headlined 56 Louisiana Hayride shows until December 16, 1956, already an RCA household name. Presley fever was already high by this time, with tickets for every show the young singer appeared in selling out well in advance. His name was enough to seat 2816 people in the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium, a record for the time.
When the Louisiana Hayride toured the South, as many as 6000 tickets were sold per performance. In his last performance at the attraction, nearly 10,000 people gathered to see Elvis say goodbye to the southern circuit and reach new national and world horizons.
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| Elvis, Scotty, Bill and host Frank Page on stage at The Louisiana Hayride during the trio's first performance at the show; October 16, 1954 |
Unfortunately, the resourceful Colonel Parker hadn't yet thought of the idea of capitalizing on everything about Elvis and the shows weren't professionally recorded, later existing only on tapes held by The Louisiana Hayride's official broadcaster, KWKH Radio. The television broadcasts of the event, which began on March 3, 1955 and had Elvis in the spotlight 35 times, were also not used for posterity, with very few images surviving the time. The records that still exist are in the hands of RCA and other competent companies in the business of preserving important archives of world history.
Together with Sony, RCA extensively reworked these files to make them available in the "Young Man With The Big Beat" box set, released on September 27, 2011, with the best possible quality. Despite this, the record companies failed in some respects and forgot to clean up and correct the speed of some tapes, mainly releasing the last show on The Louisiana Hayride incomplete and with Elvis' pitch sounding much higher than he actually sang.
It fell to the then relatively new label Memphis Recording Service to deliver excellent material to fans on the CD "The Complete Louisiana Hayride Archives 1954-1956" upon release on November 21, 2011. In addition to making all known concert excerpts available with high sound quality and total speed correction, MRS also put together a booklet with 100 pages of information and rare photos of the presentations.
Below is the CD review.
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| Elvis and Scotty Moore with The Jordanaires on stage at The Louisiana Hayride; circa 1955 |
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FIRST SHOW - OCTOBER 16, 1954
- 1. The Louisiana Hayride Begins: Musical opening of The Louisiana Hayride.
- 2. Introduction / That's All Right: Host Frank Page introduces Elvis and his band. A little nervous, the young singer identifies himself and says he is happy to participate in the attraction. The audience really likes Scotty Moore's guitar. It can be noticed that Elvis still sang and spoke with a very Southern accent.
- 3. Blue Moon of Kentucky:Frank Page asks Elvis how he invented that style called Rhythm & Blues and the future King of Rock replies: "We just stumbled upon it." "Stumbled upon it... you were mighty lucky, you know? They've been looking for something new in the folk music field for a long time, and I think you've got it,"says Page. Elvis' version of the song is almost identical to the one heard on the single released three months earlier, on July 17, 1954.
JANUARY 15, 1955
- 4. Hearts of Stone: Scholars believe this to be one of the rarest songs Elvis ever sang, appearing in just five shows on The Louisiana Hayride and never officially recorded. Note that the song is not very Elvis style at the time, but it is performed with a certain charm. Despite all the work done by MRS to recover this rarity, the audio is still quite precarious.
- 5. That's All Right: A looser and more relaxed version, with more screams from the audience and the addition of at least one guitar and piano to the instruments. The audio issue continues.
- 6. Tweedle Dee: Another one of Elvis' rares and never recorded professionally, it seems to be quite the crowd pleaser. The piano is more present in the mix and makes a great solo with Scotty's guitar. The audio suddenly improves towards the end of the track.
JANUARY 22, 1955
- 7. Money Honey: The song that would be recorded at RCA in 1956 is presented here for the first time in a more bluesy rhythm than the later single. Elvis' melodious voice fits perfectly with the piano and guitar, drawing screams from the women in the audience.
- 8. Blue Moon of Kentucky: A slightly faster version of the original, it is quite different for the addition of the piano. During Scotty's solo, Elvis was probably doing what was considered sexy at the time, due to the audience's response.
- 9. I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine: The show has a very fast pace and Elvis doesn't waste time between songs. The song is heard with a bit of silence from the audience, caused by not appreciating the music or simply by the poor range of the microphones.
- 10. That's All Right: Not much different from the original recording, but the piano adds a special touch.
MARCH 5, 1955
- 11. Tweedle Dee: For many years, no record company could confirm some recording dates at the Louisiana. After much study, it was concluded that some songs had been recorded on the March 5, 1955 show, despite Sun Studio records indicating that Elvis was at a recording session that day - now known to be wrong.
The version heard here is similar to the one on January 15th, albeit with slightly better audio.
- 12. Money Honey: Either because of problems with the tape or because of the occasion of its recording, the version heard here is much slower than usual. The crowd likes it and the band enjoys it, though.
- 13. Hearts of Stone: With much better audio than the one on January 15th, it is now possible to hear Scotty Moore's excellent work in his solo and Elvis' voice sounds very clear.
- 14. Shake, Rattle & Roll: It was still some time before Elvis released his studio version of the song, but it was clearly already a crowd favorite. The audio limitations are a little disappointing.
- 15. Little Mama: Perhaps the rarest song Elvis ever sang, it's a roots rock that harks back to some of Chucky Berry's classics. The women in the audience go wild when Elvis dances through Scotty's solo.
- 16. You're a Heartbreaker: One of Elvis' hits at Sun, it was one of the most requested in the presentations.
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| One of the rarest photos of Elvis at The Louisiana Hayride; March 10, 1956 |
APRIL 30, 1955
- 17. Tweedle Dee: Elvis arrives late to the show due to unknown factors and is the last to perform. The Louisiana Hayride is exceptionally presented from a high school gym in Gladewater, Texas to radio and TV. Frank Page tells Elvis he has two minutes to sing a version of "Tweedle Dee" and that's what he does. Despite this, there is no rush and the song is masterfully performed.
JULY 2, 1955
- 18. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone: Frank Page opens the show and introduces Elvis: "Few months ago, a young fella first made his appearance here on the stage of The Louisiana Hayride, who may well have changed the complexion of folk music - his show put a beam in it, no question about that. Become real popular all over the Southern and the Southwestern and Southeastern region of the United States. Hs name is Elvis Presley!". Promoting his newest recording, the King of Rock makes a standard version of the song and the audience approves.
- 17. Tweedle Dee: Elvis arrives late to the show due to unknown factors and is the last to perform. The Louisiana Hayride is exceptionally presented from a high school gym in Gladewater, Texas to radio and TV. Frank Page tells Elvis he has two minutes to sing a version of "Tweedle Dee" and that's what he does. Despite this, there is no rush and the song is masterfully performed.
JULY 2, 1955
- 18. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone: Frank Page opens the show and introduces Elvis: "Few months ago, a young fella first made his appearance here on the stage of The Louisiana Hayride, who may well have changed the complexion of folk music - his show put a beam in it, no question about that. Become real popular all over the Southern and the Southwestern and Southeastern region of the United States. Hs name is Elvis Presley!". Promoting his newest recording, the King of Rock makes a standard version of the song and the audience approves.
AUGUST 20, 1955
- 19. Baby Let's Play House: "We're gonna bring out the Memphis flash now, Elvis Presley is the name," says producer and host Horace Logan. After some announcements about his Texas tour, Elvis makes a version of the song that, due to its lyrics, caused a bit of controversy at the time. As usual, there were no problems and he was well received by the audience, especially the women, whose screams could be heard almost above the music and made Elvis laugh.
- 20. Maybellene: Elvis decides to sing the first hit of a singer who started his career, called Chuck Berry. The song had come out on a Berry single just a few days ago and was still largely unknown, so the audience remains quiet and rehearses a few boos. Another reason for this was the segregation of the time, especially in the Southern states. "Friends, we're too cool to pop," says Elvis at the end.
- 21. That's All Right: Elvis and the boys start a very funny version of the song, joking and making several stops due to a so-called problem with the instruments (which did not exist, of course). It's a pretty explosive version when it really kicks off, but unfortunately D.J. Fontana is barely heard.
OCTOBER 29, 1955
- 22. I Forgot to Remember to Forget: One of the last songs to be found, officially made available for the first time in 2012, was added to his repertoire to promote the single released about 20 days earlier in his last work for Sun. The version is no different from what you hear on the studio recording, and the audio is surprisingly clear.
LAST SHOW - DECEMBER 15, 1956
- 23. Heartbreak Hotel: Already enshrined as an RCA star, Elvis appears on The Louisiana Hayride for the last time. The audience's delirium is evident from the first moment he starts singing and the excitement makes Elvis laugh. When he does his pelvic thrusts during the guitar and drum solo, the room simply comes crashing down with the fans' crazed screams. Elvis barely manages to introduce himself to the audience after the song.
- 24. Long Tall Sally: "Here's a sad song," jokes Elvis. Borrowing Little Richard's hit, he once again drives the audience crazy. Elvis can barely be heard talking into the microphone before the fans calm down a bit.
- 25. I Was the One: The Jordanaires are called onstage to accompany him on the following songs. Elvis sings with romanticism and the fans are melted by his sensual movements. Walking from one side of the stage to the other, he manages to capture through his microphone the hysteria in the audience.
- 26. Love Me Tender: The title song of his first film, released a month earlier, is announced. "Now we'd like to do the song, uh, for the movie, uh, friends... in which I got blasted," says Elvis; the fans boo. The song has a sedative effect on the audience, which, with exceptions, now listen calmly. Elvis sings slightly different lyrics from the original and the alternate version at the end of the film.
- 27. Don't Be Cruel: "And now one of my biggest... Friends, we'll get to, uh, we'll get to all the songs you want to hear and everything, but... Right now I'd like to do one of my biggest wrecks... records for you, friends, it's a song called...", says Elvis before jumping straight into the song. The featured version is a little slower than the RCA single, but well received nonetheless.
- 28. Love Me: Realizing that the audience was getting out of control, Elvis calls the fans' attention and announces that he will sing one of the songs from his newest LP. The song makes the audience refocus on listening to him and forget whatever they were thinking of doing at the time of the riot. Elvis sings in a very sexy way and hypnotizes everyone.
- 29. I Got a Woman: "Weeeeellll...", as in the 1970s, announces the beginning of the song. D.J.'s drums are well heard and set the pace. Elvis does his pelvic thrusts to the beat and the crowd can't stop screaming. The end of the song is the same one heard in concerts in the following decades, a quick blues riff. Elvis would have sung it much earlier on the show were it not for the fact that his Sun recording was lost.
- 30. When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again: Elvis asks The Jordanaires' help on backing vocals again and sings a version identical to the one on his LP, moving closer to the audience and maybe even shaking hands. Here we hear Elvis trying to do one of his first dive bombs.
- 31. Paralyzed: The crowd goes out of control again and Elvis is forced to scream to get the show back on track. The song is standard for the time and doesn't elicit as much enthusiasm from the public, despite the fans still screaming for Elvis.
- 32. Hound Dog: "Here's a song we hope you like. This is a sad song, friends. As a great philosopher once said...." The wild audience follows Elvis' every step from the beginning of the song to the end. After seconds Elvis commands the reprise of the last chorus of the song in a slow and sensual way three times in a row. Elvis exits the stage quickly as an instrumental version of the song is played by his band.
- 33. Elvis Has Left the Building: The famous phrase is heard for the first time through Horace Logan's announcement at the end of the show: "Alright, Elvis has left the building. I told you absolutely straight up to this point, you know that, he has left the building. He left the stage and went out the back with the policemen, he is now gone from the bulding."
- 23. Heartbreak Hotel: Already enshrined as an RCA star, Elvis appears on The Louisiana Hayride for the last time. The audience's delirium is evident from the first moment he starts singing and the excitement makes Elvis laugh. When he does his pelvic thrusts during the guitar and drum solo, the room simply comes crashing down with the fans' crazed screams. Elvis barely manages to introduce himself to the audience after the song.
- 24. Long Tall Sally: "Here's a sad song," jokes Elvis. Borrowing Little Richard's hit, he once again drives the audience crazy. Elvis can barely be heard talking into the microphone before the fans calm down a bit.
- 25. I Was the One: The Jordanaires are called onstage to accompany him on the following songs. Elvis sings with romanticism and the fans are melted by his sensual movements. Walking from one side of the stage to the other, he manages to capture through his microphone the hysteria in the audience.
- 26. Love Me Tender: The title song of his first film, released a month earlier, is announced. "Now we'd like to do the song, uh, for the movie, uh, friends... in which I got blasted," says Elvis; the fans boo. The song has a sedative effect on the audience, which, with exceptions, now listen calmly. Elvis sings slightly different lyrics from the original and the alternate version at the end of the film.
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| Elvis, The Jordanaires and Scotty Moore during his last show at the Hayride; December 15, 1956 |
- 27. Don't Be Cruel: "And now one of my biggest... Friends, we'll get to, uh, we'll get to all the songs you want to hear and everything, but... Right now I'd like to do one of my biggest wrecks... records for you, friends, it's a song called...", says Elvis before jumping straight into the song. The featured version is a little slower than the RCA single, but well received nonetheless.
- 28. Love Me: Realizing that the audience was getting out of control, Elvis calls the fans' attention and announces that he will sing one of the songs from his newest LP. The song makes the audience refocus on listening to him and forget whatever they were thinking of doing at the time of the riot. Elvis sings in a very sexy way and hypnotizes everyone.
- 29. I Got a Woman: "Weeeeellll...", as in the 1970s, announces the beginning of the song. D.J.'s drums are well heard and set the pace. Elvis does his pelvic thrusts to the beat and the crowd can't stop screaming. The end of the song is the same one heard in concerts in the following decades, a quick blues riff. Elvis would have sung it much earlier on the show were it not for the fact that his Sun recording was lost.
- 30. When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again: Elvis asks The Jordanaires' help on backing vocals again and sings a version identical to the one on his LP, moving closer to the audience and maybe even shaking hands. Here we hear Elvis trying to do one of his first dive bombs.
- 31. Paralyzed: The crowd goes out of control again and Elvis is forced to scream to get the show back on track. The song is standard for the time and doesn't elicit as much enthusiasm from the public, despite the fans still screaming for Elvis.
- 32. Hound Dog: "Here's a song we hope you like. This is a sad song, friends. As a great philosopher once said...." The wild audience follows Elvis' every step from the beginning of the song to the end. After seconds Elvis commands the reprise of the last chorus of the song in a slow and sensual way three times in a row. Elvis exits the stage quickly as an instrumental version of the song is played by his band.
- 33. Elvis Has Left the Building: The famous phrase is heard for the first time through Horace Logan's announcement at the end of the show: "Alright, Elvis has left the building. I told you absolutely straight up to this point, you know that, he has left the building. He left the stage and went out the back with the policemen, he is now gone from the bulding."
- 34. Hayride End Jingle: Instrumental jingle at the end of the attraction.
BONUS
- 35. June Carter Talks about Elvis on the Hayride: The story revolves around Elvis and June Carter trying to ski while on tour in Florida.
- 36. Maybellene (Tunzi Remix): Track 20 remixed, with a clearer sound.
- 35. June Carter Talks about Elvis on the Hayride: The story revolves around Elvis and June Carter trying to ski while on tour in Florida.
- 36. Maybellene (Tunzi Remix): Track 20 remixed, with a clearer sound.
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