Memphis Sessions
Label:
FTD [FTD 013] [74321 89293 2]
Format:
CD
Number of tracks:
20
Running time:
76:00
Type of album:
Recording session
Linked to:
FTD discography
Year:
2001
Recording date:
January 13 - February 22, 1969
Release date:
October 7, 2001
Singles:
---
- 2. Stranger in My Own Hometown (Take 1 - Undubbed Master) [February 17, 1969]: One of many examples that Elvis could effortlessly achieve perfection when he wanted, this song was recorded in just one take. What we have here is the studio version before it became Master, without cuts or overdubs, never before officially released.
- 3. In the Ghetto (Take 11) [February 20, 1969]: Another hallmark of Elvis was to work on each song until it reached perfection or at least came close to what he considered perfect.
- 4. Suspicious Minds (Rehearsal + Take 6) [January 23, 1969]: The hit of the year is worked diligently by Elvis, who tests with his band the best harmony between his voice and the instruments.
- 5. Any Day Now (Take 2) [February 21, 1969]: After technical discussions, Elvis makes a version with a vocal quite different from what we heard on the Master (Take 6), perhaps still looking for the right keyes. In this take Bobby Emmons' organ is more present and the drums really command the performance.
- 6. Only the Strong Survive (Take 22) [February 20, 1969]: After 21 takes without achieving what he wanted, Elvis does another one and his work is incredible. With the help of just four instruments, he single-handedly fills in any unstable spots and demonstrates enormous vocal technique. Even so, the Master would only come on Take 29.
- 7. Wearin' That Loved On Look (Takes 3 & 10) [January 14, 1969]: From the beginning we can notice a much greater presence of the organ and piano, but Elvis is out of tune and bursts into laughter in the first few seconds. Amidst the relaxation, he sings excerpts from "A Little Less Conversation".
- 8. Do You Know Who I Am? (Take 1) [February 19, 1969]: A very soft first take, it has touches of romanticism that could have been maintained without prejudice in the Master (Take 7).
- 9. And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind (Take 6 - Undubbed Master) [February 18, 1969]: Although FTD edited some of the conversations before the false start, this is still an unreleased undubbed take in an official release.
- 10. You'll Think of Me (Take 14) [January 14, 1969]: A solid take, it features Elvis experimenting with different notes and approaches during the rendition. The sitar is much more present than in the Master (Take 23).
- 11. Power of My Love (Take 6) [February 18, 1969]: The harmony of the instruments as Elvis prepares sounds like the foreshadowing of a great take of a Gospel song, and perhaps that's why he hums an excerpt from "Amen". Some instruments appear more than in the Master (Take 7), but nothing very different, just fantastic.
- 12. This is the Story (Takes 1 & 2 - Undubbed Master) [January 13, 1969]: For some technical reason, the entire vocal track from take 2 was deleted and Elvis had to put his voice through an overdubbing session on January 21st. The result was excellent and the version, even without the instrumental overdubs, sounds very much like ita only live rendition on August 26, 1969.
- 13. True Love Travels On a Gravel Road (Takes 6 & 7) [February 17, 1969]: One of the most beautiful songs on the LP "From Elvis in Memphis", it has much more melodic instrumental touches here than the Master (Take 11), even in the two initial false starts and with Elvis kidding between them.
- 14. Long Black Limousine (Take 6) [January 13, 1969]: The first song on the first night of returning to the studios and serious recordings, it is driven by Gene Chrisman's drums. Tommy Cogbill and Mike Leech's basses duel wonderfully and the take is played as brilliantly as the Master (Take 9), with Elvis saying "woah!" out of happiness in the end.
- 15. Kentucky Rain (Take 9) [February 19, 1969]: After completing 7 takes and not being satisfied, Elvis decided to give his band a break before trying to finish working the song. It's on the way back that the magic happens with three more incredible takes to reach the Master (Take 10), this ninth being one of the most perfect.
- 16. Without Love (Takes 3 & 4) [January 23, 1969]: Tom Jones' hit gains depth in Elvis' voice after a small false start. The Master would come on Take 5, but an Alternate Master had already been achieved on Take 1.
- 17. Hey Jude (Takes 5 & 1) [January 21, 1969]: A hit for The Beatles, it was sung by Elvis only as a rehearsal as there was no intention of releasing it.
- 18. If I'm a Fool (For Loving You) (Take 3) [February 21, 1969]: A solid version, it features Elvis still getting his vocals right, but already on the way to what would be heard on the Master (Take 9).
- 19. From a Jack to a King (Takes 1, 2 & 3) [January 22, 1969]: After two false starts, Elvis launches into a mocking version in which he does a very funny voice and even gets some parts of the lyrics wrong. The relaxation technique seems to have worked, as the Master would come soon after (Take 5).
- 20. I'm Movin' On (Takes 1 & 2 - Undubbed Master) [January 14, 1969]: The most Country song on the entire album "From Elvis in Memphis" is another that has its Master obtained straight away, in Take 2, right after a false start.
Memphis Sessions is the thirteenth work from the record label Follow That Dream (FTD). It contains 20 previously unreleased takes recorded in January and February 1969 in the legendary sessions at the American Sound Studio in Memphis, which generated two LPs and several extremely successful singles. The CD is currently out of print.
When Elvis returned to the stage in the 1968 special, everything in his life was going from good to better. He had gotten married, had a beautiful daughter, his most recent recordings were well placed in the charts and his films had better scripts than practically all of his previous ones. This created a wave of optimism around him that led the Colonel to consider that it was time to let his "vault" return officially and exclusively to the environment that consacrated him in the 1950s.
Before that, Elvis embarked on a number of recording sessions in early 1969 at the American Sound Studio in Memphis, which defined once and for all his image and his new, more Country-oriented rhythm.
When the single "In the Ghetto" hit stores on April 15 of that year, its resounding success showed that the King of Rock was on the right path. The LP "From Elvis in Memphis" arrived 45 days later on the market and reached number 1 on the charts effortlessly, further consolidating the idea that Elvis' change had been very welcome.
The overwhelming success followed with singles such as "Suspicious Minds", "Don't Cry Daddy" and "Kentucky Rain", as well as the double album "From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis", which featured on the LP "Back in Memphis" virtually all of the remaining American Sound Studio recordings, with a few being saved for releases until the mid-1970s.
At that moment, there was nothing stopping the rise of the King of Rock.
Below is a review of the content available on the CD.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 1. After Loving You (Take 3) [February 18, 1969]: "Can someone else take leads? I cannot sing out and plain sitting my ass at the piano," says Elvis jokingly before settling down on his stool behind the microphone. He had actually played the piano on the previous two takes, but felt that his voice wasn't flowing as it should and passed the task on to Glen Hardin.
- 1. After Loving You (Take 3) [February 18, 1969]: "Can someone else take leads? I cannot sing out and plain sitting my ass at the piano," says Elvis jokingly before settling down on his stool behind the microphone. He had actually played the piano on the previous two takes, but felt that his voice wasn't flowing as it should and passed the task on to Glen Hardin.
After a false start, Elvis launches into a very solid version that is only hampered by some laughs - probably because of some joke - near the end of the take that is very similar to the Master (Take 4).
- 2. Stranger in My Own Hometown (Take 1 - Undubbed Master) [February 17, 1969]: One of many examples that Elvis could effortlessly achieve perfection when he wanted, this song was recorded in just one take. What we have here is the studio version before it became Master, without cuts or overdubs, never before officially released.
- 3. In the Ghetto (Take 11) [February 20, 1969]: Another hallmark of Elvis was to work on each song until it reached perfection or at least came close to what he considered perfect.
"In the Ghetto" has an incredible 22 takes until it reaches the Master and here we hear Elvis halfway through his work, trying to perfect his vocals. Due to its message and good reception, the song was part of Elvis' live repertoire from 1969 to 1971, sometimes in a medley with "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" or "Don't Cry Daddy".
- 4. Suspicious Minds (Rehearsal + Take 6) [January 23, 1969]: The hit of the year is worked diligently by Elvis, who tests with his band the best harmony between his voice and the instruments.
Two false starts prove the concern for excellence and launch the musicians into an incredible take 6 that already has touches of what would be the Master (Take 8), only surpassed by the live versions from 1969 to 1975.
- 5. Any Day Now (Take 2) [February 21, 1969]: After technical discussions, Elvis makes a version with a vocal quite different from what we heard on the Master (Take 6), perhaps still looking for the right keyes. In this take Bobby Emmons' organ is more present and the drums really command the performance.
- 6. Only the Strong Survive (Take 22) [February 20, 1969]: After 21 takes without achieving what he wanted, Elvis does another one and his work is incredible. With the help of just four instruments, he single-handedly fills in any unstable spots and demonstrates enormous vocal technique. Even so, the Master would only come on Take 29.
- 7. Wearin' That Loved On Look (Takes 3 & 10) [January 14, 1969]: From the beginning we can notice a much greater presence of the organ and piano, but Elvis is out of tune and bursts into laughter in the first few seconds. Amidst the relaxation, he sings excerpts from "A Little Less Conversation".
In fact, the first serious take is the one that follows, number 10, as from the first to the ninth there were only false starts. Although Elvis is out of tune at times, the instrumental was perhaps even better than what is heard on the Master (Take 15).
- 8. Do You Know Who I Am? (Take 1) [February 19, 1969]: A very soft first take, it has touches of romanticism that could have been maintained without prejudice in the Master (Take 7).
Again, a slight out of tune Elvis puts the take among the unusable (it's important to remember that February is Winter in the US, which may have damaged his voice a little).
- 9. And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind (Take 6 - Undubbed Master) [February 18, 1969]: Although FTD edited some of the conversations before the false start, this is still an unreleased undubbed take in an official release.
- 10. You'll Think of Me (Take 14) [January 14, 1969]: A solid take, it features Elvis experimenting with different notes and approaches during the rendition. The sitar is much more present than in the Master (Take 23).
- 11. Power of My Love (Take 6) [February 18, 1969]: The harmony of the instruments as Elvis prepares sounds like the foreshadowing of a great take of a Gospel song, and perhaps that's why he hums an excerpt from "Amen". Some instruments appear more than in the Master (Take 7), but nothing very different, just fantastic.
- 12. This is the Story (Takes 1 & 2 - Undubbed Master) [January 13, 1969]: For some technical reason, the entire vocal track from take 2 was deleted and Elvis had to put his voice through an overdubbing session on January 21st. The result was excellent and the version, even without the instrumental overdubs, sounds very much like ita only live rendition on August 26, 1969.
- 13. True Love Travels On a Gravel Road (Takes 6 & 7) [February 17, 1969]: One of the most beautiful songs on the LP "From Elvis in Memphis", it has much more melodic instrumental touches here than the Master (Take 11), even in the two initial false starts and with Elvis kidding between them.
Elvis also tries a different vocal approach, closer to what we would hear in the only live version of the song on January 26, 1970.
- 14. Long Black Limousine (Take 6) [January 13, 1969]: The first song on the first night of returning to the studios and serious recordings, it is driven by Gene Chrisman's drums. Tommy Cogbill and Mike Leech's basses duel wonderfully and the take is played as brilliantly as the Master (Take 9), with Elvis saying "woah!" out of happiness in the end.
- 15. Kentucky Rain (Take 9) [February 19, 1969]: After completing 7 takes and not being satisfied, Elvis decided to give his band a break before trying to finish working the song. It's on the way back that the magic happens with three more incredible takes to reach the Master (Take 10), this ninth being one of the most perfect.
An immediate success since its single release on January 29, 1970, it was performed live regularly between January 26th and March 1st of the same year.
- 16. Without Love (Takes 3 & 4) [January 23, 1969]: Tom Jones' hit gains depth in Elvis' voice after a small false start. The Master would come on Take 5, but an Alternate Master had already been achieved on Take 1.
- 17. Hey Jude (Takes 5 & 1) [January 21, 1969]: A hit for The Beatles, it was sung by Elvis only as a rehearsal as there was no intention of releasing it.
Here, FTD makes a splice of the takes to show some of the best moments of this rehearsal, instead of just making the Master (Take 7) available, which was released on the 1972 LP "Elvis Now" and would be used for the record company's edition of that album.
The song, in a medley with "Yesterday", another hit by the British group, would be performed live throughout almost the entire August 1969 season.
- 18. If I'm a Fool (For Loving You) (Take 3) [February 21, 1969]: A solid version, it features Elvis still getting his vocals right, but already on the way to what would be heard on the Master (Take 9).
Officially released on the budget LP "Let's Be Friends", in April 1970, this is one of the songs that suffered the least overdubs on its Master.
- 19. From a Jack to a King (Takes 1, 2 & 3) [January 22, 1969]: After two false starts, Elvis launches into a mocking version in which he does a very funny voice and even gets some parts of the lyrics wrong. The relaxation technique seems to have worked, as the Master would come soon after (Take 5).
- 20. I'm Movin' On (Takes 1 & 2 - Undubbed Master) [January 14, 1969]: The most Country song on the entire album "From Elvis in Memphis" is another that has its Master obtained straight away, in Take 2, right after a false start.
Some portions of Elvis' vocals would be replaced by parts of a vocal take subsequently recorded for the Master composite.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment!
REMEMBER: We will not post messages with any kind of offense and/or profanity.