EAP Index World: Singer Presents Elvis Singing Flaming Star and Others (LP

Title:

Singer Presents Elvis Singing Flaming Star & Others

Label:

RCA Victor (1968) / RCA Camden (1969)

Format:

Number of tracks:

Running time:

20:30

Type of album:

Studio / Compilation / Budget

Linked to:

Official discography; Change of Habit, 1969

Year:

1968-69

Recording date:

October 7, 1960 - June 27, 1968

Release date:

October 18, 1968 / March 28, 1969 (official)

Singles:

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Elvis Sings Flaming Star is Elvis' 58th LP, his first budget album, and his 151st audiophonic work (including EPs and singles). Apart from "Flaming Star", which gives the album its title and opens it, it compiles neglected songs from separate studio sessions and soundtracks recorded between 1960 and 1968.

When Elvis committed to filming the "'68 Comeback Special", NBC-TV and the sewing machine manufacturer Singer had reached an agreement with the Colonel to also produce a feature film (Change of Habit, 1969) and an LP. The album was called "Singer Presents Elvis Singing Flaming Star and Others" and, from its release on October 18, 1968, it spent five months on promotional sale only in Singer stores.

On March 28, 1969, RCA Camden released the album nationally, now renamed Elvis Sings Flaming Star. The album had some strong points, such as the opening track, Chuck Berry's 1956 hit "Too Much Monkey Business", and "Wonderful World", which would be used in the opening credits of his next film, "Live a Little, Love a Little". "Tiger Man", recorded on June 27, 1968 during the filming of the '68 Comeback Special, closed the album and received the honor of being the first live song by Elvis to be released in his entire career.

1969 re-release cover

The album peaked at #96 on the new Billboard 200 chart (which replaced the more restrictive Billboard 100) and came as a surprise to RCA. With this feat, Elvis Sings Flaming Star was the first of 17 budget albums released between 1969 and 1976. The formula, which aimed to sell LPs with fewer tracks and at a more affordable price, proved to be a success because it also required less production costs on the part of RCA.

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RECORDING SESSIONS

Date:
October 7, 1960 - June 27, 1968

Studio:
Radio Recorders Studio B
Paramount Studio Recording Stage
RCA Studio B
Western Recorders Studio 1
NBC Studio 4

Location:
Hollywood, California
Nashville, Tennessee
Burbank, California

Musicians:
Voice: Elvis Presley, George McFadden
Acoustic guitar: Elvis Presley
Lead guitar: Scotty Moore, Billy Strange, Howard Roberts, Hilmer J. 'Tiny' Timbrell, Charlie McCoy, Chip Young, Jerry Reed, Peter Drake, Charles Britz, Neil Levang, Joseph 'Bobby' Gibbons, Al Casey
Bass: Michael 'Myer' Rubin, Bob Moore, Charles Berghofer, Larry Knechtal
Drums: D.J. Fontana, Bernie Mattinson, Frank Carlson, Murray 'Buddy' Harman, Hal Blaine, Curry Tjader, Larry Bunker
Piano: Dudley Brooks, Floyd Cramer, Calvin Jackson, Don Randy
Saxophone: Homer 'Boots' Randolph, William Green, Jerry Scheff, Meredith Flory, William Hood, James Horn
Trumpet: Oliver Mitchell, James Zito, Mike Henderson, Anthony Terran, Roy Caton
Trombone: Herb Taylor, Randall Miller, Wyman 'Butch' Parker, Lew McCreary, Thomas Shepard, Richard Leith, Dick Hyde
Percussion: Hal Rees, Roy Harte, Larry Bunker, Frank Flynn, Michael Sylva, Gary Coleman, Alan Fortas
Organ: Charlie McCoy
Harmonica: Charlie McCoy
Accordion: Jimmie Haskell
Tambourine: Lance Legault
Violin: Gordon Terry, Lou Raderman, Sidney Sharp, Leonard Malarsky, Ralph Schaeffer, William Kurasch, Tibor Zelig, Jerome Reisler, James Getzoff, Harry Bluestone, Arnold Belnick, Bernard Kundell, Stanley Plummer
Viola: Harry Hyams, Joe DiFiore, Leonard Selic, Louis Kievman, David Burke, Gareth Nuttycombe
Cello: Jesse Ehrlich, Armand Kaproff, Joseph DiTullio, Victor Sazer, Frederick Seykora, H.G. Bemko
Backing Vocals: The Jordanaires, Elvis Presley, B.J. Baker, Sally Stevens, Bob Tebow, John Bahler

Sound Engineer / Recording Engineer:
Thorne Nogar, David Wiechman, James Wright

OCTOBER 7, 1960
Flaming Star M2PB 1987-06
Flaming Star (End Title Version) WPA5 2547-SP

JULY 9, 1963
Night Life WPA1 8023-14
C'mon Everybody (Record Version) RPA3 0389-05
If You Think I Don't Need You RPA3 0387-13
Viva Las Vegas (Tryout)

JULY 10, 1963
I Need Somebody To Lean On RPA3 0386-20
Do The Vega WPA1 8025-07
Santa Lucia (Track)
Viva Las Vegas RPA3 0234-07
The Climb (George McFadden) HRA1 8687-09
Yellow Rose Of Texas / The Eyes Of Texas WPA1 8024-09
C'mon Everybody (Movie Version)

SEPTEMBER 29, 1966
She's A Machine (Movie Version)
She's A Machine (Record Version) WPA1 8027-15
She's A Machine (Dubdown to Track)
The Love Machine (Record Version) UPA3 3806-12
The Love Machine (Movie Version)
Yoga Is As Yoga Does UPA3 3807-12
You Gotta Stop (Track)
Leave My Woman Alone (Track) WPA3 1039-05

OCTOBER 1, 1967
Stay Away, Joe (Movie Version)
Stay Away, Joe (Record Version) (Track)
Stay Away, Joe (Record Version) (Track - Intro)
Stay Away, Joe (Record Version) (Track - Composite)
All I Needed Was The Rain (Track)
Stay Away, Joe (Record Version - Vocal Overdub) ZPA4 1054-NA
All I Needed Was The Rain (Vocal Overdub) WPA1 8026-NA
Dominick WPA5 2503-05

JANUARY 15, 1968
Too Much Monkey Business
Too Much Monkey Business (Overdub) WPA4 1800-05
Goin' Home WPA1 1001-30

MARCH 7, 1968
Wonderful World (Movie Version)
Wonderful World (Record Version) WPA1 5768-17
Wonderful World (Unused Movie Version)
Edge Of Reality WPA1 5769-08
A Little Less Conversation (Record / Album Version) WPA1 5767-10
A Little Less Conversation (Movie / Single Version) WPA1 5767-16
A Little Less Conversation (Dubdown to track)
Almost In Love
Almost In Love (Low key - Track)
Almost In Love (High key - Track)

JUNE 27, 1968 (8:00 PM)
Heartbreak Hotel CPA5 5140
Baby, What You Want Me To Do (#1) CPA5 5141
Introductions CPA5 5142
That's All Right (OPA1 4832) WPA1 8115
Are You Lonesome Tonight? (OPA1 4837) WPA1 8116
Baby, What You Want Me To Do CPA5 5143
Blue Suede Shoes (OPA1 4833) WPA1 8117
One Night (CPA5 5144) WPA1 8043
Love Me (OPA1 4836) WPA1 8118
Tryin' To Get To You (OPA1 4842) WPA1 8119
Lawdy, Miss Clawdy (KPA5 9564) (OPA1 4834) WPA1 8031
Santa Claus Is Back In Town CPA5 5145
Blue Christmas (OPA1 4840) (CPA5 5178) WPA1 8042
Tiger Man (OPA1 4839) WPA1 8028
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again CPA5 5146
Memories (Vocal Overdub of June 23 Track) CPA5 5147

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SESSION LOGS