6363 Sunset (CD - FTD, 2001)

Title:

6363 Sunset

Label:

FTD [FTD 009] [74321 84214 2]

Format:

CD

Number of tracks:

19

Running time:

58:30

Type of album:

Recording session / Rehearsal

Linked to:

FTD discography

Year:

2001

Recording date:

March 27, 1972 - March 13, 1975

Release date:

March 2001

Singles:

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6363 Sunsetis the ninth album by the FTD label. It contains excerpts from rehearsals and alternate takes recorded during RCA's Hollywood studio sessions in 1972 and 1975, many of which have never before been officially released. The CD is currently out of print.

When Elvis returned to the stage in 1969, a routine of endless shows and recording sessions began. The singer frequently found himself in a studio or onstage from that year until early 1972, an unhealthy combination of non-stop work, sleepless nights and parties filled with food and drinks and women.

Between live and studio versions, Elvis recorded more songs from 1969 to 1972 than he had in the previous 15 years. This heavy routine began to have a high impact on his well-being and the singer began to consider whether all that was necessary. Not to mention the tiredness, the songs chosen by RCA were rarely to Elvis' liking - and that also placed an additional burden on his work. After an exhausting and tedious session in June 1971, the King of Rock decided that he would only enter the studio again if absolutely necessary.

Apart from 1959, when he was serving in the army in Germany, 1974 and 1977, years in which Elvis didn't record a single track, 1972 and 1975 were the least that saw the singer in the studio; there were only nine days - 5 in 1972 and the rest in 1975 - in which the King of Rock recorded something in the mentioned years. As a comparison, in 1976 alone, when he recorded in Graceland's Jungle Room, Elvis worked for nine days - six of them in February and three in October.

Although few, the 17 recordings of both years were of a much higher quality than what Elvis was used to doing in Hollywood. The songs spoke, without deviations, of love, hurt and feelings that the singer was experiencing in those moments, which allowed him to put a highly realistic and sad tone in his performances. All these songs recorded in 1972 and 1975 reached the public, but some alternative takes remained without seeing an official release until this FTD work.

Below is a review of the material available on the CD.

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- 1. Always On My Mind (Take 3) [March 29, 1972]: The classic of the year, which directly alluded to the facts of Elvis' life at that time, would become an extraordinary hit on its release as a single on October 31, 1972, would appear again the following year on the budget album "Separate Ways", and would open the album "Always On My Mind" in 1985.

In this take, Elvis tries to improve even more on the work he had done on the Master (Take 1), but such a perfect work could only be equaled, not surpassed.

- 2. Burning Love (Take 2) [March 28, 1972]: When Elvis performed this song live for the first time in Greensboro, North Carolina on April 14, 1972, the audience simply went wild. It was a new sound, a rocker ballad that took the King of Rock to new heights. It was no wonder that its single, released on August 1 of that year, reached No. 1 on the charts and ended up being the flagship of the budget LP "Burning Love and Hits From His Movies, Volume 2" on the 9th of the following month.

Here, in one full take (although for some reason FTD cut the last 11 seconds), Elvis works the song towards perfection and the Master would be obtained in Take 6.

- 3. For the Good Times (Take 3) [March 27, 1972]: Although Elvis performed it at several concerts, RCA never seemed to find a place for it on their records or singles. For that reason, it remained unreleased until it was included on the box set "Walk a Mile in My Shoes - The Essential 70's Masters" on September 12, 1995.

The rendition at this point in the session is already quite similar to what we are now used to hearing in the Master (Take 4).

- 4. Where Do I Go From Here (Take 6) [March 27, 1972]: An example of progression in the work, this take is very different from the Master (Take 8) in that it emphasizes some neglected instruments in the previous ones and is played slightly slower than the version released in 1973 on the LP "Elvis (The Fool)".

- 5. Fool (Take 1) [March 28, 1972]: Track that would open the album cited above, is another example of musical autobiography and, coincidentally or not, was recorded on the same day as "Burning Love", giving a great contrast to the session.

Again FTD cuts 11 seconds from the end of the take, but one can note that the song is already a work of art from the first recording attempt. What proves this is that the Master is Take 2.

- 6. It's a Matter of Time (Take 4) [March 29, 1972]: Although this is the fourth attempt to record the song, this is the first complete take. Elvis sings very similar to what we hear on the Master (Take 5) released as the B-side of the single "Burning Love" on August 1, 1972 and opening on the B-side of the budget LP "Burning Love and Hits From His Movies, Volume 2".

- 7. See See Rider (Take #2) [March 31, 1972]: On March 31, 1972, Elvis and his band performed a complete rehearsal of the standard setlist for the shows that would be recorded for the documentary "Elvis On Tour" during the national tour that would begin on April 5.

The song, which had only been used for two months as the opening of the shows, but which had appeared occasionally in the repertoire since 1970, having been released for the first time on the LP "On Stage - February 1970" of that same year, sounds especially strong in this second attempt.

- 8. Until It's Time For You to Go [March 31, 1972]: The song that would become quite common in that year's performances is still a relatively new addition to this rehearsal, having also arrived in January 1972 to the repertoire.

The rehearsed version is similar to the Studio Master (Take 8), recorded on May 18, 1971, which had been released as a single on January 4, 1972 and added to the "Elvis Now" LP in February.

- 9. A Big Hunk O' Love (Take #2) [March 31, 1972]: Recorded on June 10, 1958, this is one of the most successful singles of 1959, added in the same year to the compilation "Elvis' Gold Records, Volume 2", it was also new to the setlist and one of the ones that would open the medley of hits of the 1950s in concerts over the next two years.

- 10. All Shook Up [March 31, 1972]: Recorded on January 12, 1957 and released as a single on March 22 of the same year, being later added to the compilation "Elvis' Golden Records" of 1958, the song had already been performed live since 1969 and was used as the opening of the concerts of January/February 1970 season in Vegas and on tour from February 27 to March 1 of that year.

- 11. Heartbreak Hotel [March 31, 1972]: Continuing the medley of the 1950s, Elvis rehearses the recording of January 10, 1956 that would be released as a single on the 23rd of that same month and would have its own EP on April 20th. The song was consistently performed in concerts from 1969 to 1977.

- 12. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel [March 31, 1972]: Recorded on January 16, 1957, it was released as a single on June 11 and as part of the "Loving You" soundtrack on the 20th of the same month and year. Together with "Don't Be Cruel", recorded on July 2, 1956 and released as a single and on the EP "The Real Elvis" on the 13th of the same month and year, it became one of the most well-known and expected medleys by fans at concerts from 1970 to 1977. Both songs have also appeared individually and in full on several occasions.

- 13. Can't Help Falling in Love [March 31, 1972]: Recorded on March 23, 1961 and released on the "Blue Hawaii" soundtrack LP on October 20 of the same year, being redistributed as a single exactly one month later, it became a classic that - with the exception of a few occasions - heralded the end of Elvis' concerts from 1969 to 1977.

- 14. Green, Green Grass of Home (Takes 2 & 3) [March 11, 1975]: Back at the RCA studio in Hollywood after 3 years - and almost two without recording - Elvis now focuses on country and songs that he would like to work on or that in one way or another were autobiographical and represented the moment he was living.

The 1967 hit sung by his friend Tom Jones was one of the songs that Elvis had been wanting to record for some time, but was always stymied by his other contractual obligations. The King of Rock performed it live on March 18 and 22, 1975 in Las Vegas as a demonstration of his new recording, which ended up being added to the end of the "Today" LP on May 1 of that year without much fanfare.

Take 3 (number 2 is just a false start) already shows the qualities of the Master (Take 5) and differs a lot from take 1.

- 15. Susan When She Tried (Takes 1 & 2) [March 11, 1975]: A minor hit by The Statler Brothers in 1974, it is done by Elvis in much the same way.

After five takes, three with only false starts, the Master, released on the "Today" LP, is obtained on the sixth and demonstrates the excellent work of Elvis and his band.

- 16.  And I Love You So (Take 1) [March 11, 1975]: One of the most significant songs on the entire "Today" LP (apart, of course, from "Pieces of My Life" and "Fairytale"), appears here at the beginning of the process that would lead to the Master on Take 5.

Elvis sings directly to Sheila Ryan, announcing, "Come here, Sheila, let me sing it for you." Without the later overdubs, the song sounds even more powerful and, perhaps because of its strength, Elvis would add it to his shows for the next two years.

- 17. Bringin' It Back (Takes 2 & 3) [March 12, 1975]: Much more intimate than the Master (Take 4), this take highlights Elvis' voice and his backing vocals.

At first, Tony Brown misses keyes on the piano and Elvis jokes, "Next piano player!" Although it was placed as the penultimate track on the album "Today", it did not go unnoticed (mainly because Elvis had it performed by the Voice group in some shows in 1974) and won a single on September 24, 1975.

- 18. T-R-O-U-B-L-E (Take 1) [March 12, 1975]: The only rocker song on the entire album "Today", it was the one that Elvis most appreciated despite the speed with which he needed to pronounce the words.

Besides the Master (Take 4), this is the only complete take and differs greatly from what we hear on the LP and the single that featured it with "Mr. Songman" on March 22, 1975. The King of Rock sang it on several shows between March and August of that year, but abandoned it in favor of other favorites of his.

- 19. Shake a Hand (Take 2) [March 12, 1975]: Closing side A of the "Today" LP, this R&B was one of Elvis' favorites at the time. So much so that he completed the three takes that led to the Master in the last of them with great enthusiasm.