EAP Index World: How Great Thou Art (Single/LP

Title:
How Great Thou Art
Label:
RCA Victor [LSP/LPM 3758]
Format:
LP
Number of tracks:
13
Running time:
33:20
Tipe of album:
Studio
Linked to:
Official discography

Year:
1967

Recording date:
October 30, 1960 - May 28, 1966

Release date:
February 27, 1967

Singles:

"Hand in Mine/How Great Thou Art" (Mar. 25, 1969)

How Great Thou Art is Elvis's twenty-third LP, his 24th for RCA and 51st audiophonic work (including singles and EPs), in addition to being his second Gospel LP. The recording sessions took place at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, between May 25 and 28, 1966.

In the mid-1960s, Elvis' radio exposure was low and often non-existent, due to the fact that his contemporary music LPs were scarce at that time and soundtracks had never been welcomed on the stations. His previous Gospel album, "His Hand in Mine", from 1960, had been a sales success for RCA, which led the Colonel to realize that, since religious albums were played systematically on all stations during Easter and Christmas, there was nothing better than producing a record of this type to regain space.

Another turning point was the fact that radio stations were no longer interested in old rock, and Elvis had released his last non-soundtrack album of contemporary material almost five years earlier (not counting 1965's "Elvis For Everyone!", which was a compilation of his earlier hits). This, coupled with declining soundtrack sales, led the singer and his agent to embrace the idea fully.

How Great Thou Art would in fact be Presley's first non-soundtrack album since 1962's "Pot Luck With Elvis", and his first album not to include any soundtrack recordings since 1960's "His Hand in Mine". It also introduced the work of producer Felton Jarvis, who would remain with Elvis for the rest of his career.

As the recording sessions progressed, Elvis rejected many of the songs planned for the project, replacing them with songs of his own choosing or suggestions from his musicians. Five of the songs were in the public domain, which allowed them to be released by Elvis Presley Music and arranged by Elvis. Seven more songs were completed for the album, the final track being "Crying in the Chapel", recorded during the sessions for "His Hand in Mine" in 1960 and released as a single in 1965. The sessions also produced the single "Love Letters", two B-sides, and two additional songs that would be added to the "Spinout" LP in late 1966.

The album peaked at number 18 on the Top Pop Albums chart and was certified Gold on February 16, 1968, Platinum and 2x Platinum on March 27, 1992, and 3x Platinum on October 13, 2010 by the RIAA. The work won a Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance of 1967.

In 2008, Sony Music re-released the album in a remastered version with three bonus tracks ("You'll Never Walk Alone", "We Call On Him" and "Who Am I?"). The album was resold in 2010 by FTD, this time in a double CD and double LP full of outtakes. It's sessions were released in full by the label as a 5-CD box set titled "The How Great Thou Art Sessions" in 2023.

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RECORDING SESSIONS

Dates:

October 30, 1960 - May 28, 1966

Studio:

RCA Studio B

Location:

Nashville, Tennessee

Musicians:

Voice: Elvis Presley
Acoustic guitar: Elvis Presley
Electric guitar: Scotty Moore, Chip Young, Hank Garland, Charlie McCoy, Peter Drake
Bass: Bob Moore, Charlie McCoy
Drums: DJ Fontana, Murray "Buddy" Harman
Piano: Floyd Cramer, David Briggs, Henry Slaughter
Harmonica: George Fields, Charlie McCoy
Saxophone: Homer 'Boots' Randolph, Rufus Long
Organ: David Briggs
Tympani: Murray "Buddy" Harman
Backing Vocals: The Jordanaires, The Imperials, Millie Kirkham, June Page, Dolores Edgin, Charlie Hodge, Red West

Sound Engineer / Recording Engineer:

Bill Porter / Jim Malloy / Felton Jarvis

OCTOBER 30/31, 1960
Milky White Way L2WW 0373-07
His Hand In Mine L2WW 0374-SP
I Believe In The Man In The Sky L2WW 0375-04
He Knows Just What I Need L2WW 0376-10
Surrender L2WW 0377-04
Surrender (work part)
Surrender (composite) L2WW 0377-SP
Mansion Over The Hilltop L2WW 0378-03
In My Father's House L2WW 0379-08
In My Father's House (work part)
In My Father's House (composite) L2WW 0379-SP
Joshua Fit The Battle L2WW 0380-04
Swing Down, Sweet Chariot L2WW 0381-04
I'm Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs L2WW 0382-01
If We Never Meet Again L2WW 0383-01
Known Only To Him L2WW 0384-05
Crying In The Chapel L2WW 0385-03
Working On The Building L2WW 5001-05

MAY 25/26, 1966
Run On TPA4 0908-07
How Great Thou Art TPA4 0909-04
Stand By Me TPA4 0910-11
Where No One Stands Alone
Where No One Stands Alone (work part)
Where No One Stands Alone (composite) TPA4 0911-SP
Down In The Alley TPA4 0912-09
Tomorrow Is A Long Time TPA4 0913-03

MAY 26/27, 1966
Love Letters TPA4 0914-09
So High TPA4 0915-04
Farther Along TPA4 0916-SP
By And By TPA4 0917-10
In The Garden TPA4 0918-03
Beyond The Reef TPA4 0919-02

MAY 27/28, 1966
Somebody Bigger Than You And I
Somebody Bigger Than You And I (work part - ending)
Somebody Bigger Than You And I (composite) TPA4 0920-SP
Without Him TPA4 0921-12
If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side TPA4 0922-05
Where Could I Go But To The Lord? TPA4 0923-02

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SESSION LOGS

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RELATED LP AND SINGLE TRACKS (RCA, 1967 - 1969)

HOW GREAT THOU ART (LP)

February 27, 1967

1. How Great Thou Art

2. In the Garden

3. Somebody Bigger Than You and I

4. Farther Along
5. Stand By Me

6. Without Him

7. So High
8. Where Could I Go But to the Lord

9. By and By

10. If the Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side

11. Run On

12. Where No One Stands Alone

13. Crying In the Chapel

WE CALL ON HIM (SINGLE)

March 26, 1968

1. We Call On Him

2. You'll Never Walk Alone

HIS HAND IN MINE (SINGLE)

March 25, 1969

1. His Hand in Mine

2. How Great Thou Art

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FTD VERSIONS

Title:

How Great Thou Art

Label:

FTD [FTD 092] [506020 975014 2]

Format:

2x CD

Number of tracks:

Running time:

158:30

Type of album:

Studio / Recording session

Linked to:

FTD discography

Year:

2010

Recording date:

October 30, 1960 - September 11, 1967

Release date:
June 2010

Singles:

---

With enough material to work with, FTD wanted to present fans with a fully remastered album full of alternate takes covering recordings from May 1966 to September 1967, with the recordings included on RCA's 2008 reissue. To complete the CD, FTD provided a 12-page booklet full of information about the takes and the original LP, album covers from around the world, and general memorabilia.

The album features the following tracks:

CD 1

ORIGINAL ALBUM

1. How Great Thou Art
2. In the Garden
3. Somebody Bigger Than You and I
4. Farther Along
5. Stand by Me
6. Without Him
7. So High
8. By and By
9. Where Could I Go But to the Lord
10. If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side
11. Run On
12. Where No One Stands Alone
13. Crying in the Chapel
BONUS SONGS
14. You'll Never Walk Alone
15. We Call on Him
16. If Every Day Was Like Christmas
FIRST TAKES
17. How Great Thou Art (Takes 1, 2)
18. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Takes 1, 3, 11)
19. Stand by Me (Takes 1, 2)
20. Without Him (Take 1)
21. So High (Take 1)
22. By and By (Take 4)
23. If the Lord Wasn't Walking by My Side (Take 1)
24. Run On (Takes 1, 2)
25. Where No One Stands Alone (Spliced Takes 1 & 4)
26. You'll Never Walk Alone (Take 1)
27. We Call on Him (Takes 1, 2)

CD 2

OUTTAKES

MAY 1966 SESSIONS
1. Run On (Takes 3-6)
2. Stand By Me (Takes 5-7)
3. Stand By Me (Takes 9 & 10)
4. Where No One Stands Alone (Takes 2, 3 & WP 1)
5. Where No One Stands Alone (Workpart Takes 2, 3 & 5)
6. So High (Takes 2 & 3)
7. Farther Along (Takes 1& 2)
8. By And By (Takes1, 2, 3, 4 FS, 5 & 7)
9. By And By (Takes 8 & 9)
10. In The Garden (Takes 1-3)
11. Somebody Bigger Than You And I (Take 12)
12. Somebody Bigger Than You And I (Takes 14 FS, 15 & Workpart 5)
13. Without Him (Takes 4 & 8)
14. Without Him (Takes 11, 13 & 14)
15. If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side (Takes 2-4)
16. If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side (Take 6)
JUNE 1966 SESSIONS
17. If Every Day Was Like Christmas (Takes 1 & 2 [undubbed master])
SEPTEMBER 1967 SESSIONS
18. We Call On Him (Takes 4 & 5)
19. We Call On Him (Take 7)
20. We Call On Him (Take 8)
21. You'll Never Walk Alone (Take 2)
22. You'll Never Walk Alone (Takes 3, 4, 6 & 8)

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Title:

How Great Thou Art

Label:

FTD 294 [506020 975016 6]

Format:

2x LP

Number of tracks:

Running time:

85:00

Type of album:

Studio / Recording session

Linked to:

FTD discography

Year:

2011

Recording date:
October 30, 1960 - May 28, 1966

Release date:

May 2011

Singles:

---

A year later, the label released a double LP containing some of the best takes and outtakes from the 2010 CD.

The album features the following tracks:

LP 1

SIDE A

1. How Great Thou Art (Master)

2. In the Garden (Master)

3. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Master)

4. Farther Along (Master)

5. Stand By Me (Master)

6. Without Him (Master)

7. How Great Thou Art (Takes 1, 2)

SIDE B

8. So High (Master)

9. Where Could I Go But to the Lord (Master)

10. By and By (Master)

11. If the Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side (Master)

12. Run On (Master)

13. Where No One Stands Alone (Master)

14. Crying in the Chapel (Master)

15. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Takes 14, 15 & Workpart Take 5)

LP 2

SIDE A

1. Run On (Takes 1, 2)

2. Stand By Me (Takes 9, 10)

3. So High (Take 1)

4. By and By (Takes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7)

5. By and By (Takes 8, 9)

6. Beyond The Reef (Master)

SIDE B

7. If the Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side (Take 1)

8. Without Him (Take 1)

9. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Take 12)

10. In the Garden (Takes 1-3)

11. Run On (Takes 3-6)

12. Where No One Stands Alone (Takes 2, 3 & Workpart Take 5)

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Title:
The How Great Thou Art Sessions

Label:

FTD 231 [506020 975171]

Format:

5x CD

Number of tracks:

Running time:

385:00

Type of album:

Studio / Recording session

Linked to:

FTD discography

Year:

2023

Recording date:

October 30, 1960 - October 9, 1968

Release date:

August 2023

Singles:

---

Thirteen years after the album was first released by FTD, the label has finally released the complete recording sessions, complete with several bonuses.

The album features the following tracks:

CD 1

ORIGINAL ALBUM

1. How Great Thou Art

2. In the Garden

3. Somebody Bigger Than You and I

4. Farther Along

5. Stand By Me

6. Without Him

7. So High

8. Where Could I Go But to the Lord

. By and By

10. If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side

11. Run On

12. Where No One Stands Alone

BONUS MASTERS

13. Love Letters

14. Come What May

15. Tomorrow is a Long Time

16. Down in the Alley

17. I’ll Remember You

18. If Every Day Was Like Christmas

19. Indescribably Blue

20. Fools Fall in Love

21. Beyond the Reef (Original Overdubbed Master)

CD 2

RECORDING SESSIONS

MAY 25, 1966

1. Run On (Takes 1 & 2)

2. Run On (Takes 3-6)

3. Run On (Take 7 - Master)

4. How Great Thou Art (Takes 1 & 2)

5. How Great Thou Art (Takes 3 & 4 - Master)

MAY 26, 1966

6. Stand By Me (Takes 1 & 2)

7. Stand By Me (Takes 3-7)

8. Stand By Me (Takes 8-10)

9. Stand By Me (Take 11 - Master)

10. Where No One Stands Alone (Take 1)

11. Where No One Stands Alone (Takes 2 & 3)

12. Where No One Stands Alone (Take 4)

13. Where No One Stands Alone (Work Parts 1-4)

14. Where No One Stands Alone (Work Part 5)

15. Where No One Stands Alone (Work Part 6)

16. Where No One Stands Alone (Splice of Takes 4 & 1 - Master)

CD 3

RECORDING SESSIONS

MAY 26, 1966 (CONTINUED)

1. Down in the Alley (Take 1)

2. Down in the Alley (Takes 2-6)

3. Down in the Alley (Takes 7-9 - Master)

4. Tomorrow is a Long Time (Takes 1 & 2)

5. Tomorrow is a Long Time (Take 3 - Master)

6. Love Letters (Takes 1 & 2)

7. Love Letters (Takes 3-7)

8. Love Letters (Take 8)

9. Love Letters (Take 9 - Master)

MAY 27, 1966

10. So High (Take 1)

11. So High (Takes 2 & 3)

12. So High (Take 4 - Master)

13. Farther Along (Takes 1 & 2)

14. Farther Along (Splice of Takes 3 & 2 - Master)

15. By and By (Takes 1-4)

16. By and By (Takes 5-9)

17. By and By (Take 10 - Master)

CD 4

RECORDING SESSIONS

MAY 27, 1966 (CONTINUED)

1. In the Garden (Takes 1-3 - Master)

2. Beyond the Reef (Takes 1 & 2 - Undubbed Master)

3. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Takes 1-8)

4. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Takes 9-11)

5. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Take 12)

6. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Takes 13-15)

7. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Take 16)

8. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Work Parts 1-4)

9. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Work Part 5)

10. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Work Part 6)

11. Somebody Bigger Than You and I (Splice of Take 16 and Work Part 6 - Master)

12. Without Him (Take 1)

13. Without Him (Takes 2-8)

14. Without Him (Takes 9-14)

15. Without Him (Take 15 - Master)

MAY 28, 1966

16. If the Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side (Take 1)

17. If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side (Takes 2-4)

18. If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side (Take 5 - Master)

19. If the Lord Wasn’t Walking By My Side (Take 6)

20. Where Could I Go But to the Lord (Takes 1 & 2 - Master)

CD 5

RECORDING SESSIONS

MAY 28, 1966 (CONTINUED)

1. Come What May (Takes 1 & 2)

2. Come What May (Takes 3 & 4)

3. Come What May (Takes 5 & 6)

4. Come What May (Take 7)

5. Come What May (Take 8 - Master)

6. Fools Fall in Love (Takes 1-4)

7. Fools Fall in Love (Take 5 - Master)

JUNE 10, 1966

8. Indescribably Blue (Instrumental Track Take 7 & Work Parts 1 & 2)

9. I’ll Remember You (Instrumental Track Takes 17-19 - Master)

10. If Every Day Was Like Christmas (Instrumental Track Takes 8 & 9 - Master)

JUNE 12, 1966

11. Indescribably Blue (Vocal Overdub Take 1 to instrumental track 7 & Work Part 1)

12. Indescribably Blue (Vocal Overdub Take 2 to instrumental track 7 & Work Part 1 - Master)

13. I’ll Remember You (Vocal Overdub Take 1 to instrumental track 19)

14. I’ll Remember You (Vocal Overdub Take 2 to instrumental track 19)

15. I’ll Remember You (Vocal Overdub Take 3 to instrumental track 19)

16. I’ll Remember You (Splice of Vocal Overdub Takes 1 & 3 to instrumental track 19 - Unedited Master)

17. If Every Day Was Like Christmas (Vocal Overdub Takes 1 & 2 - Master to Instrumental Track 9 - Undubbed Master)

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COMPLEMENTARY VERSION

Title:
His Songs of Praise, Volume 1

Label:

FTD 216 [506020 975103 2]

Format:

Book + CD

Number of tracks:

Running time:

75:00

Type of album:

Live / Studio / Recording session

Linked to:

FTD discography

Year:

2016

Recording date:

January 12, 1957 - February 8, 1976

Release date:

September 2016

Singles:

---

In 2016, FTD released a book about Elvis' connection to Gospel and detailing the 100 best songs of the style recorded by him. The work included a CD with 30 tracks of the genre, among them the complete program of Palm Sunday of 1967, March 19, broadcast by KVIO Radio in Sedona, Arizona, with the promotion of the album "How Great Thou Art" through the reproduction of 8 of its 13 tracks.

The work includes the following tracks:

GOSPEL TAKES AND OUTTAKES

1. Introduction by Elvis & Amazing Grace (Take 2)

2. America the Beautiful (Composite)

3. Amen (Live in Memphis - March 20th, 1974)

4. An American Trilogy (Live in Honolulu, Hawaii - January 14th, 1973)

5. An Evening Prayer (Take 8)

6. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Unedited/Undubbed Master)

7. He Touched Me (Take 1)

8. Help Me (Undubbed Master)

9. I Believe (March of Dimes Master Edit)

10. If That isn't Love (Take 4)