Music

Review: BACK IN MEMPHIS CD [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this review back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #4, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Back In Memphis (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, produced by Felton Jarvis and Chips Moman. Recorded January 13-23 and February 17-21, 1969, American Sound Studios (Memphis). Released: November 1970. Re-released: 1992 (CD).

Back In Memphis was the second album released from Elvis’ early 1969 Memphis sessions that produced some of his best studio work. The contents of Back In Memphis had been previously released in November 1969 as Record Two of the double album From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis.

As was typical of his entire career, Elvis performs a variety of musical styles on this album, and as usual, pulls it off with perfection. His best performances on Back In Memphis are “Inherit The Wind,” “Stranger In My Own Home Town,” and “You’ll Think Of Me.”

However, Elvis’ best recordings from the Memphis sessions had already been released either as singles or on the first album, From Elvis In Memphis, and when compared to those works, Back In Memphis is a slight disappointment.

Songs:

  1. “Inherit The Wind”
  2. “This Is The Story”
  3. “Stranger In My Own Home Town”
  4. “A Little Bit Of Green”
  5. “And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”
  6. “Do You Know Who I Am”
  7. “From A Jack To A King”
  8. “The Fair’s Moving On”
  9. “You’ll Think Of Me”
  10. “Without Love”

Rating: 7 out of 10

[The Elvis Beat newsletter] Coming Soon. . .

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this article back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #4, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Coming Soon. . .

Elvis In Hollywood: A documentary to be released on television and home video later this year. It will examine Elvis’ first four films and highlight his underrated acting talent. “With rare photographs, truly never-before-seen private film footage, and interviews with surviving crew members and co-stars, Elvis In Hollywood will take you on a wonderful, insightful journey behind the scenes of Love Me Tender, Loving You, Jailhouse Rock, and King Creole,” states Graceland Express. The documentary, produced by Jerry Schilling, will also include some previously unreleased Jailhouse Rock outtakes.

ELVIS: The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The 60s Sessions: A new CD boxed set to be released in August. This is the follow-up to last year’s ELVIS: The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50s Masters, which went platinum and received three Grammy nominations.

America Comes To Graceland: A syndicated documentary to be aired on television August 15. Although it will be hosted live from Graceland, the broadcast will primarily consist of footage shot during Elvis Week ’92.

The Life And Times Of Elvis Presley: A companion piece to America Comes To Graceland that is to air in syndication the same week. This is an updated version of a 1987 BBC documentary which aired in two parts as Cut Me And I Bleed and I Don’t Sing Like Nobody.

 

New Elvis movie CDs released [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this piece back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #4, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

A new Elvis compact disc series from RCA has begun. Each disc in the “Elvis Double Features” series contains two complete movie soundtracks.

The first four to be released are:

  • Kid Galahad/Girls, Girls, Girls
  • Viva Las Vegas/Roustabout
  • It Happened At The World’s Fair/Fun In Acapulco
  • Harum Scarum/Girl Happy

McCartney sees both sides of issue [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this article back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #4, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Paul McCartney, a former member of the Beatles who now has a successful solo career, appeared on a radio talk show in February during which he was asked about his feelings on bootleg recordings.

He replied that he had both positive and negative feelings towards them. Each time a bootleg is sold, it is as if the artist had went to work and not been paid, he stated.

On the other hand, McCartney said, “If I had been offered some sort of an Elvis Presley bootleg back in his early days, I probably would have snatched it right up since I was such a big, mad fan of his.”

Lisa Marie will pursue music career [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this article back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #4, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

[…]

A November press release from Graceland, which The Elvis Beat did not receive until January, stated that Lisa Marie Presley Keough was then working on her debut album.

A January magazine, ELVIS – Movie Screen Yearbook #42, stated that her album would be available in the spring.

However, a March issue of People magazine, which featured Lisa Marie on the cover, stated that she was only making “tentative moves towards a singing career.”

According to that article, Lisa Marie has recorded four demo tapes produced by her husband, musician Danny Keough, who is also her songwriting partner, but will not begin any serious work until her new baby, Benjamin, is a little older.

The People article said, “She leans towards rock and R&B” and noted that a friend said her voice was similar to Bonnie Raitt.

Review: ELVIS TODAY CD [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 17 when I wrote this review back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #3, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis Today (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, produced by Felton Jarvis. Executive Producer: Elvis Presley. Recorded March 10-13, 1975, RCA Studios (Hollywood). Released: May 1975. Re-released: 1992 (CD).

The country-flavored Elvis Today has a very sad tone which is probably a reflection of the impact Elvis’ personal life had on his selection of material to record. Two of the best songs on the album, “Pieces Of My Life,” and “Bringin’ It Back,” could be interpreted as messages aimed at Priscilla.

Despite the sad tones, or perhaps because of them, Elvis Today is an excellent album which stands as an example to disprove criticism that Elvis released no meaningful songs or albums after 1970.

This is one of several 1970s Elvis albums which unfortunately had been deleted from the RCA catalog. Thanks to the “Elvis In The 90’s” series, these albums are finally beginning to return, and Elvis Today is one of the first. Its superior sound quality stands a testament to RCA’s new commitment to Elvis releases.

Songs:

  1. “T-R-O-U-B-L-E”
  2. “And I Love You So”
  3. “Susan When She Tried”
  4. “Woman Without Love”
  5. “Shake A Hand”
  6. “Pieces Of My Life”
  7. “Fairytale”
  8. “I Can Help”
  9. “Bringin’ It Back”
  10. “Green, Green Grass Of Home”

Rating: 8 out of 10

New Elvis CDs released [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 17 when I wrote this item back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #3, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

The following new Elvis CDs have been spotted, in addition to the ones listed in our last issue, at local record stores as part of the “Elvis In The 90s” RCA series:

  • Elvis In Person
  • Back In Memphis
  • Love Letters From Elvis