Reviews

REVIEW: The Wonder of You CD (FTD)

/ TY

The Wonder of You CD (Follow That Dream Records, 2009)

Strangers No More

When MGM filmed the first few days of Elvis’ August 1970 engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, his third such series of appearances in a year, RCA tagged along and recorded six of the same concerts. RCA released just a few songs from these shows during Elvis’ lifetime, as part of the That’s The Way It Is album. In fact, it wasn’t until 2000’s That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD set that a nearly complete show became available.

The Wonder of You marks the fourth almost complete concert officially released from the August 1970 engagement. It contains several songs not featured in the other That’s The Way It Is concerts. Sit back and enjoy Elvis’ August 13 Dinner Show, the sixth and final show that RCA recorded for That’s The Way It Is.

Overview

This is a terrific concert, probably the second best of the That’s The Way It Is shows, behind only the August 12 Midnight Show. Highlights include “Don’t Cry Daddy”/”In the Ghetto,” “The Wonder of You,” “Stranger in the Crowd,” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The sound is about as pristine as can be for a nearly forty-year-old recording.

About half of these performances have been previously released on other official albums. I’ll mention which mixes I think are better in my song-by-song analysis below. I have fun doing these kinds of comparisons, but I would like to point out that, when taken as a whole, this concert sounds great! Don’t read too much into my nitpicks. I’m also aware of the recent bootleg releases of this show, but I’m not going to get into comparing professionally-mixed, official releases to bootlegs.

* * *

“That’s All Right” (previously unreleased)

  • You can feel the excitement build as things kick off with a jungle-like rhythm. Soon, Elvis takes the stage and delivers a solid version of his first record, “That’s All Right.” The horns are mixed a little loud in the left channel at times, but not enough to detract from this classic. “That’s All Right” was the best opening song for Elvis. It worked much better than “Blue Suede Shoes,” “All Shook Up,” “See See Rider,” or various others.

“I Got A Woman” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis quickly slides into Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman.” Elvis’ 1969 and 1970 versions of this song are usually fantastic, and this one is no exception. I prefer the mix on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition, however, where the horns are less pronounced and are in both channels, rather than overpowering the left channel as they continue to do here.

“Hound Dog” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis references the red snakeskin highlights of his jumpsuit prior to this song, leading to a brief ad-lib in a typical for this season break-neck-pace version of “Hound Dog.” After the song, Elvis goes into his Gatorade routine, and then jokes that he owns part of that company. A star these days would probably work some kind of endorsement deal to mention a product as much as Elvis did Gatorade.

“Love Me Tender” (previously unreleased)

  • Have you ever wondered how Elvis usually got away with kissing so many women in the audience without angering their husbands and boyfriends? “Only if the guy smiles, man, do I kiss her,” explains Elvis as he takes time out from kissing to occasionally sing “Love Me Tender.” The band sounds great and carries along quite well during the kissing interludes. Finally having this concert in a relatively complete form means that we can place his “That’s the most fun part of the whole show” line in context. First heard on the live compilation disc of That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition after “Make The World Go Away,” the comment actually follows the “Love Me Tender” kissing session here.

“Don’t Cry Daddy”/”In the Ghetto” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • I remember this medley blowing me away on the Elvis: The Lost Performances video back in 1992. To see Elvis singing two of my favorite songs for the first time, and together no less. For whatever reason, this CD splits the medley into two tracks, but it is actually a continuous performance. Mac Davis wrote both songs, and Elvis recorded them in his legendary 1969 American Sound Studio sessions in Memphis. Incidentally, these are complete versions, with only minimal fooling around by Elvis. This new mix is better than the previously released version. You can even hear Elvis yell, “Sing it, Charlie!” to Charlie Hodge early on in “Don’t Cry Daddy.”

“I Just Can’t Help Believing” (previously released on Writing For The King)

  • I have to be in the right mood to enjoy this sleepy song, but this is a fine performance. Elvis misses a word or two about halfway through and starts laughing a bit. I love that kind of stuff. If you are one of those people who insist on hearing the correct lyrics to every single song when listening to a live concert, then this isn’t the disc for you. Actually, I would say Elvis isn’t the artist for you, either. He played with or forgot lyrics all the time. Yet, somehow still made the songs sound so good. He really knew how to sell a performance. This mix feels very thin compared to the superior one on Writing For The King. I was hoping this whole disc would sound like this song did on Writing For The King.

“Stranger in the Crowd” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis jokes that this song, which he had recorded just two months earlier, wouldn’t be released until 1982. Every time I hear that line, it makes me a little sad, though, since Elvis would be gone five years by then. This is a great live rendition of “Stranger in the Crowd,” powered by Ronnie Tutt on drums. The studio version was one of the best numbers on the original That’s The Way It Is album, and it most certainly should have been a single. With a little more work on the arrangement (starting with getting rid of the Imperials’ “la la la la la la la” background vocals near the end), this live version also would have made a nice mainstay to his concert repertoire. Too bad it seems to have been abandoned after this. The mix of this same live version on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition has a fuller sound, packing more punch than the one here.

“Make The World Go Away” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis jokes that this song was “written before Roy Acuff was born, which is about 1800.” Just for fun, I decided to fact-check Elvis. Country music legend Acuff was born in 1903. Hank Cochran wrote “Make The World Go Away” in 1963, just seven years before this live recording. Sorry, E. This is a beautiful live rendition that I prefer to the studio cut recorded that June for Elvis Country. This also made its debut on the Elvis: The Lost Performances video, leading me back then to truly appreciate this song for the first time. If for nothing else than the toning down of a buzzing sound present through much of the song, the audio and mix quality here beats the previously released one.

“Sweet Caroline” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis cuts this Neil Diamond tune off nearly thirty seconds in when he forgets the words. He starts the song over and gets it right this time in a lively version. Every time I hear this song, I have to fight the urge to throw my arm back and forth like Elvis does when the horns go “dah-dah-daah.” I don’t always win that fight. Come on, you know you do it, too.

“You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis sounds distracted in this disappointing version of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” His extended performance of this same song from the night before (captured on Disc 2 of That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition) is the best rendition ever (yes, even topping the Righteous Brothers).

“Polk Salad Annie” (previously released on Elvis Aron Presley)

  • Elvis delivers a great version of Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie.” Who else but Elvis could pull off going from country to pop to soul to swamp rock in a matter of minutes? This performance was first released on the 1980 boxed set Elvis Aron Presley, the first release of any song from this show. Who would have thought it would take another 29 years before we were treated to the entire concert? Audio quality and mixing on this new release is much improved over the 1980 version.

Introductions (previously unreleased)

  • In a fun moment, Elvis first introduces guitarist James Burton as “Chuck Berry.” After introducing (most of) the rest of his crew, Elvis introduces television legend and audience member Art Carney (best known as Ed Norton on Jackie Gleason’s The Honeymooners). Carney gets a huge hand, probably the biggest reaction to a celebrity introduction I’ve ever heard at an Elvis show. Elvis goes on to talk briefly about his own appearances on Jackie Gleason’s Stage Show, and mentions his later appearances on the Milton Berle Show and the Ed Sullivan Show. Someone then reminds Elvis that he forgot to introduce background vocalist Millie Kirkham, and he apologetically does so.

“The Wonder of You” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • One of the many highlights of the Elvis: The Lost Performances video was this performance of “The Wonder of You.” This version is almost as good as the single version recorded earlier the same year. The mix on this new FTD release of the song is an improvement over the previous release. I had to play them both a few times to come to that conclusion, though. While somewhat softer, the sound has better separation here, so it is easier to pick out distinctive instruments.

“Heartbreak Hotel” (previously unreleased)

  • After the big ending on the previous song, Elvis starts this one off sounding a little weak. This is a typical 1970 version of “Heartbreak Hotel.”

“Blue Suede Shoes” (previously unreleased)

  • A quick version, likely only done to please the crowd, lacking the power of his 1969 versions.

“One Night” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • Elvis still sounds weak, or is it the mix playing tricks on us? Play the same song on The Way It Was and it sounds much better.

“All Shook Up” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • “All Shook Up” had not yet become a complete throwaway in 1970, and this is a decent version. Which mix is better this time? Too close to call. This isn’t one I can play a dozen times in a row to figure out.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” (previously unreleased)

  • A beautiful performance, possibly his best live version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though due more to the orchestra this time around than Elvis. Considering that they blow it on some other songs during the That’s The Way It Is concerts, I have to give the horns some credit on this performance. They really carry this one and help to make it so powerful. This track was a nice surprise.

“Suspicious Minds” (previously unreleased)

  • I always look forward to hearing new live versions of “Suspicious Minds.” This is a decent version, but not particularly memorable. As with the other That’s The Way It Is concert versions of this song, the trumpets sound awful at times, blowing out on many of the high notes. After hearing their superb work on “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though, I guess I can forgive them. Tutt gives the drums a real workout at the end.

“Can’t Help Falling In Love” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis sounds tired again after “Suspicious Minds,” but puts some effort into his “Can’t Help Falling In Love” closer. A fantastic show comes to an end.

* * *

I’m not going to say much about the cover and other album artwork, except to point out that cover art has never been FTD’s selling point. They can get away with it because the Elvis content within their releases pretty much sells itself. I’m also not going to bother complaining about the lack of a booklet or liner notes. I’m just glad to finally have this concert.

The Final Verdict

I was only two when Elvis passed away, so I never had the chance to see him live in concert. Experiencing relatively complete shows like this one, when Elvis was in top form, means a lot to me. This is FTD’s best concert release to date, and I’ll be enjoying this show for years to come.

Songs: 10 (out of 10)

Audio & Mix Quality: 9

Liner Notes: N/A

Cover Art: 5

Packaging: 5

Overall Experience: 10

REVIEW: Elvis In Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada CD Set (2008 FTD Edition)

/ TY

Elvis In Person At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada CD (Follow That Dream Records, 2008)

“I’ve appeared dead before, but this is my first live one.”

By the time RCA Records and producer Felton Jarvis arrived to start recording some of his shows on August 21, 1969, Elvis Presley had already conquered Las Vegas. As another piece of his comeback that started with the 1968 ELVIS television special and continued with his first Memphis recordings since the mid-1950s, Elvis had been performing to sold-out crowds in the newly-opened International Hotel’s main showroom since July 31.

With a grueling two-shows-a-night, seven-days-a-week, schedule, Elvis had performed over 40 triumphant concerts in just three weeks. He was starting the last week of an engagement that, outside of four shows for small studio audiences during his TV special, represented his first live concerts in nearly nine years.

Starting with the August 21 Midnight Show and running through the August 26 Midnight Show, RCA recorded eleven complete concerts. They also made test recordings during a rehearsal and the Dinner Show on August 21. From all of this material, RCA edited together twelve recordings from the August 24 & 25 Midnight Shows and the August 25 & 26 Dinner Shows to create Record 1 of that November’s From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis release, which was Elvis’ first double album. Record 2 consisted of additional material from his Memphis sessions, a follow-up of sorts to June’s From Elvis In Memphis album.

A year later, RCA re-released Record 1 by itself, as Elvis In Person At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada. Record 2 also earned a solo release, as Back In Memphis.

This 2008 2-CD edition of Elvis In Person is part of Follow That Dream Records’ Classic Albums series. Since the original Elvis In Person album was a re-release, you could say this FTD edition is actually a re-release of a re-release. However, if any re-release deserves the label “classic,” it is Elvis In Person.

Elvis In Person was actually the second Elvis record I ever owned. The first was Return of the Rocker, which I won on a radio call-in contest. My older sister gave Elvis In Person to me for my twelfth birthday in 1987. I loved this album so much that I later bought a cassette tape version that, incidentally, had the songs in a different sequence than the original album and a 1992 CD version. Just about the only versions I haven’t owned of this album are the 8-track version and the MP3 version. Though I rarely play the vinyl record she gave me anymore, I still associate this album, even on CD, with my sister. I’m sure this 2008 FTD version won’t be the last time I buy Elvis In Person, either. It’s just that kind of album.

Disc 1

The Original Album

Considering the space restrictions of the 1969 double album, the twelve tracks that make up the original album are well-chosen. Elvis’ between-song banter is also nicely edited to achieve an effective concert package. The only thing I would do differently would be to replace the August 26 Dinner Show version of “Suspicious Minds” with the August 26 Midnight Show version, which can be heard on FTD’s All Shook Up and may well be the best-ever performance of the song.

The sound quality of the original Elvis In Person tracks on this FTD release is about the same as on the main label’s 1992 CD edition. If you are hoping for a sound and mix upgrade along the lines of FTD’s Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis, you will be disappointed.

The CD tracks have been divided differently on this FTD version, though. Elvis’ spoken introductions to most songs now appear at the end of the previous track, rather than at the beginning of the relevant track. Oddly, FTD does not follow this convention on Disc 2, however, where most of the spoken introductions are at the beginning of the relevant track rather than at the end of the previous track. Attention to detail has never been FTD’s strong point, though. They rely instead on the power of the underlying Elvis content.

Bonus Songs & Rare Performances

Disc 1 is rounded out by seven other previously-released tracks from the 1969 concerts. Two first appeared on the misleadingly named On Stage – February, 1970 album. The others first appeared on 1991’s Collectors Gold, though the sound quality here is superior.

Unfortunately, these seven tracks are poorly edited together to form a mini-concert. It would have been cleaner to simply fade up and down each track during the applause and treat them separately, especially given the little care that was taken here to edit these songs together.

Disc 2

The Complete August 22, 1969, Dinner Show

Given that the original Elvis In Person album was compiled from the August 24 & 25 Midnight Shows and the August 25 & 26 Dinner Shows, one might logically expect Disc 2 of this release to feature the complete version of one of these source concerts with upgraded sound and mixing. Instead, FTD delivers up the August 22 Dinner Show, for which all tracks but two are previously unreleased.

While it’s always nice to have a new 1969 show, the relevance of this show to the Elvis In Person album is not entirely clear. It contributed in no way to the original album. Fortunately, FTD did not follow this rather bizarre methodology on 2004’s Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis, one of the first Classic Albums releases. If they had, Disc 1 would have been the 1994 CD release of the edited concert with original sound and Disc 2 would have been some other random but unreleased 1974 concert. Instead, they gave us the complete version of the same Memphis show with improved sound and mix, and did it with a single disc. They did not bother including the edited album and original mix, since they were aware back then that those who collect FTD CDs would already have this material.

With all that being said, the August 22 Dinner Show is fine. It is pretty much a standard 1969 show, similar to two or three of the other full-length releases that preceded it. Outside of a questionable mixing choice on a track or two, most of the sound is fantastic.

Like the other concerts in this series, Elvis tends to ramble on a lot between songs. The distracted nature of many of his quirky comments would be a real detriment to these concerts if the songs he eventually gets around to singing just weren’t so damned incredible.

When it comes to concerts, I definitely prefer a talkative, interactive Elvis (think the August 1970 That’s The Way It Is concert series) versus a quiet, distant one (think the January 1973 Aloha From Hawaii concert), but sometimes his talking on these 1969 shows is too much even for me. As I said, the fantastic performances more than make up for it, though.

Even now, it is hard to believe that a mere eight years after these dynamic shows, the Elvis world would be in mourning and this wonderful entertainer would be forever gone.

* * *

“Blue Suede Shoes”

  • Disc 1, Track 01, Live Master—8/25/1969 Midnight Show (MS) [2:05]: With trumpets blaring, the show begins with Elvis’ rockin’ take of this Carl Perkins classic. This is Elvis’ best live version of this song from the 1969-1977 era.
  • Disc 2, Track 01, Live—8/22/1969 Dinner Show (DS) [2:26]: There’s a bit of audio trickery going on, either in this release or Disc 2 of the 2007 Elvis: Viva Las Vegas release. Though the tracks are not completely identical, at least some of the audio from what was supposedly the August 21 Midnight Show appears on this supposedly August 22 Dinner Show track, or vice-versa. Presumably, the “Blue Suede Shoes” audio was damaged or missing for one show or the other. I am not expert enough to figure out to which show this song really belongs, and since Elvis isn’t kind enough to mention the date and time of the show he is performing during the song, I can’t tell you for sure. What I can say is that this is another great version of “Blue Suede Shoes,” no matter when it was recorded.

“Johnny B. Goode”

  • Disc 1, Track 02, Live Master—8/24/1969 MS [2:19]: Up next on the original Elvis In Person album is another rocker, this one originally by Chuck Berry. Again, Elvis’ best version. The 1972 version on Elvis On Tour: The Rehearsals is nearly as good, though.

“All Shook Up”

  • Disc 1, Track 03, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [2:07]: By 1972, this song had become a throw-away, but in 1969 Elvis still rocked his 1957 hit. At the end of this track, Elvis notes that “This is my first live appearance in nine years,” which led me to wrongly believe as a kid that Elvis In Person was a recording of his opening night in Vegas. Now we know that Elvis said a variation of this phrase in every 1969 concert released so far. There is even a famously mis-titled bootleg floating around out there due to this line, so I don’t feel so bad.
  • Disc 2, Track 03, Live—8/22/1969 DS [3:18]: Another great version, nearly the same as the Elvis In Person master from a few nights later except that overall sound quality is better on this 2008-mastered track.

“Are You Lonesome Tonight”

  • Disc 1, Track 04, Live Master—8/24/1969 MS [3:15]: As a kid, I used to float the balance on my stereo to the left to eliminate the soaring female vocal in the background on this track. As an adult, I appreciate the singer’s near-operatic approach and now consider this a beautiful arrangement. The end of this track contains part of Elvis’ introduction to “Hound Dog” from the August 24 Dinner Show, released in full on Live In Las Vegas, though the “Hound Dog” that follows on the next track here is actually from the August 25 Midnight Show. Those clever RCA people.
  • Disc 2, Track 13, Live—8/22/1969 DS [2:42]: “Where’re you goin’?” asks Elvis to someone early on in this song, ruining an otherwise decent version. The best “serious” version is from the August 24 Dinner Show, released on Live In Las Vegas. The “laughing” version from the August 26 Midnight Show trumps all others, though. I wonder if there was ever any consideration of using that one on Elvis In Person? Probably not.

“Hound Dog”

  • Disc 1, Track 05, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [1:53]: For the 1969-1977 phase of his career, this is the definitive live version of “Hound Dog.” Though this would also eventually become a throwaway, Elvis really kicks the song into high gear here. My all-time favorite “Hound Dog” released so far, though, is his June 5, 1956, live version from The Milton Berle Show, available on A Golden Celebration.
  • Disc 2, Track 07, Live—8/22/1969 DS [4:00]: Elvis rambles on for over two minutes to introduce his “message song” for the night. At least he doesn’t do the frog and lily pad bit this time. There is also some sad irony here, as Elvis correctly notes, “Man, I tell you, if this comes out on record, I’m dead, I tell you for sure, boy.” Sound quality on “Hound Dog” is again better than on the Elvis In Person track, but Elvis’ performance is not quite as good.

“I Can’t Stop Loving You”

  • Disc 1, Track 06, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [3:19]: This is a fine version of “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” though I prefer the August 24 Dinner Show. He performed this one better in 1970, anyway.

“My Babe”

  • Disc 1, Track 07, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [2:05]: Elvis really rocks this Willie Dixon blues classic. This is definitely one of the highlights of this album. This is easily the best of the three versions released thus far.

“Mystery Train/Tiger Man”

  • Disc 1, Track 08, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [3:43]: At the beginning of this track, FTD mixes Elvis’ introduction to “Mystery Train” from Side 2 of the original album over the “My Babe” applause fade out that ended Side 1. This makes for a sloppy transition. Even the 1992 CD release handled it better than this. Anyway, forget all of that, though. This is a fantastic version of the “Mystery Train” and “Tiger Man” medley that keeps the rocking spirit of this album moving. I prefer the excitement of the 1969 and 1970 live versions of “Tiger Man” over the version performed for the 1968 TV special.
  • Disc 2, Track 09, Live—8/22/1969 DS [4:23]: Elvis and the band are just not quite as hot here as on the superior Elvis In Person and August 22 Midnight Show (Collectors Gold) versions. This is a nice mix, though, emphasizing both the percussion and guitar, while other mixes of this medley tend to emphasize one or the other.

“Words”

  • Disc 1, Track 09, Live Master—8/25/1969 MS [2:45]: Elvis slows things down a bit with this beautiful cover of the 1968 hit by the Bee Gees. I prefer his August 1970 versions, but this is probably the best 1969 version.

“In The Ghetto”

  • Disc 1, Track 10, Live Master—8/25/1969 DS [2:55]: Next up, Elvis performs a great version of his then-current hit. At the February 1970 Vegas engagement, Elvis appropriately preceded “In The Ghetto” with Joe South’s “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” in a medley, though RCA edited “In The Ghetto” out of the original On Stage album.
  • Disc 2, Track 16, Live—8/22/1969 DS [2:51]: Elvis’ vocals on this track sound a bit muffled at times. Listen out for Jerry Scheff’s impressive bass work on this version, though.

“Suspicious Minds”

  • Disc 1, Track 11, Live Master—8/26/1969 DS [7:45]: As the show nears its end, Elvis next introduces his new single, “Suspicious Minds.” I remember being fascinated by the length of this live version as a kid. Most Elvis songs I had been exposed to up until that point were about two minutes long, so this felt like four songs in one to me. Though this version is okay, it is one of the weaker ones from this engagement. As noted above, I prefer the August 26 Midnight Show version. Perhaps RCA did not want a superior live version to overshadow the single, which became his biggest seller in years.
  • Disc 2, Track 17, Live—8/22/1969 DS [7:17]: This is one of many tracks that makes you wish these 1969 shows were professionally filmed. It must have been something to see. A great version, Elvis’ performance, the sound quality, and the mix are all top-notch. I love this song. I just hope the neighbors don’t mind hearing it, too.

“Can’t Help Falling In Love”

  • Disc 1, Track 12, Live Master—8/26/1969 DS [2:12]: Elvis closes out the show with a beautiful rendition of his 1961 hit, the best released thus far from 1969-1977.
  • Disc 2, Track 19, Live—8/22/1969 DS [2:11]: An unexceptional version. Elvis sounds tired out from “Suspicious Minds” and “What’d I Say.”

Other Songs (not on original album)

  • Disc 1, Track 13, “Runaway” (Live Master–8/25/1969 DS) [2:32]: Despite its recording date, this fantastic version of the 1961 Del Shannon hit was first released on On Stage – February 1970. My favorite “Runaway” version, though, is from the August 21 Midnight Show, released on Disc 2 of 2007’s Elvis: Viva Las Vegas.
  • Disc 1, Track 14, “Yesterday” (Live Master–8/25/1969 DS) [2:29]: As with “Runaway,” this cover of the 1965 Beatles song was first released on On Stage. In his 1969 performances of “Yesterday,” Elvis concluded the song with the repetitious ending of “Hey Jude.” RCA edited this out of the original On Stage version, though restored it for a 1999 re-release of that album. Oddly, this FTD track is the edited version without “Hey Jude.” I can’t say I miss it too much, though. This is one of the only cases where that kind of tampering actually results in a stronger track. I do like Elvis’ 1969 studio version of “Hey Jude,” though, as released on Elvis Now.
  • Disc 1, Track 15, “This Is The Story” (Live Master–8/26/1969 MS) [2:55]: This live version of “This Is The Story” was first released on 1991’s Collectors Gold, as were the next four tracks. It is a slow song that at first sounds like it has potential, but really doesn’t go anywhere. Elvis improves this live version a bit by clowning around. At least it’s better than the 1969 studio version, released on Back In Memphis. Sound quality is better here than 1991, about the same as on FTD’s All Shook Up release.
  • Disc 1, Track 16, “Inherit The Wind” (Live Master–8/26/1969 DS) [3:41]: There is a previously unreleased, longer spoken portion prior to the song, assuming it’s not editing trickery, and sound quality is much better here than 1991. It’s too bad Elvis did not keep this song in the show. With a little more tweaking, it could have been a great number. The 1969 studio version of this Eddie Rabbitt-penned song first appeared on Back In Memphis as well. Both the live and studio versions are not to be missed.
  • Disc 1, Track 17, “Rubberneckin'” (Live Master–8/26/1969 MS) [3:53]: The long false start of this song was first released on FTD’s All Shook Up, and sound quality here is about the same – an improvement over 1991. Again, with some tweaks, this could have made a fantastic permanent addition to the show. The studio version of “Rubberneckin'” actually appeared in Elvis’ 1969 film Change of Habit, his last movie as an actor.
  • Disc 1, Track 18, “Reconsider Baby” (Live Master–8/23/1969 MS) [3:17]: Though this is Elvis’ best live version of “Reconsider Baby” released so far, it is not in the same league as his studio performance of this Lowell Fulson blues song on 1960’s Elvis Is Back, one of the best recordings of his career.
  • Disc 1, Track 19, “Funny How Time Slips Away” (Live Master–8/25/1969 DS) [2:38]: This live version of “Funny How Time Slips Away” actually precedes Elvis’ June 1970 studio version of the Willie Nelson song. Though the Elvis Country studio version is superior, the 1969 live versions are much better than live versions from the 1970s released thus far.
  • Disc 2, Track 02, “I Got A Woman” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:54]: For many of his 1969-1977 shows, “I Got A Woman” was the standard second song. Elvis really rocked the 1969 and 1970 versions of this song, and this track is no exception.
  • Disc 2, Track 04, “Love Me Tender” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:40]: This is one of those versions of “Love Me Tender” where Elvis spends some of the time kissing women in the audience. The best version from this engagement is probably the August 23 Midnight Show, released on FTD’s Elvis At The International.
  • Disc 2, Track 05, “Jailhouse Rock/Don’t Be Cruel” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [3:21]: In my opinion, Elvis’ 1969-1977 performances of “Jailhouse Rock” cannot compare with his 1957 original and 1968 TV special versions. For whatever reason, despite Elvis excelling on some of the other rockers, this one did not work as well in 1969. On this version, Elvis falls a bit behind and seems unsure of some of the lyrics. This medley also contains one of the weaker 1969 versions of “Don’t Be Cruel.” The best version of this medley is the August 24 Dinner Show on Live In Las Vegas.
  • Disc 2, Track 06, “Heartbreak Hotel” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:37]: In 1969, Elvis introduced a slower, bluesier version of “Heartbreak Hotel,” which he continued to use in various live shows through 1977. I must admit, I much prefer the rocking versions from the ’68 special. This particular track is again one of the weaker 1969 versions released to date. The best 1969-1977 version of this song can also be found on the August 24 Dinner Show.
  • Disc 2, Track 08, “Memories” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:50]: An okay version, notable mostly for Elvis recognizing Gladys Tipler in the audience, who tells him that it’s her birthday. “I just blew my mind, man,” says Elvis when jumping back into the song. Mrs. Tipler co-owned Crown Electric, for whom Elvis was a truck driver before gaining fame. “Happy birthday, Miss Tippler,” he states after the song ends.
  • Disc 2, Track 10, Monologue (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [9:09]: After hearing a few of them, you might say that these monologues are interchangeable between the 1969 shows. The main label apparently takes that literally. That’s right, we now have more evidence of audio trickery. This monologue track is identical to one already released on the supposed August 21 Midnight Show, Disc 2 of 2007’s Elvis: Viva Las Vegas. This time, though, we can verify that it actually belongs with the August 22 Dinner Show, as Elvis mentions the Tiplers being in the audience and that it is Gladys Tipler’s birthday. It doesn’t bother me at all that they would splice shows together to create Disc 2 of Elvis: Viva Las Vegas. What does bother me is that they try to pass it off as the August 21 Midnight Show. How many other misplaced tracks are also thrown into that release? Why not just be up front about the source show for each song? Anyway, if you are not familiar with these ten-minute long monologues, Elvis tells a tongue-in-cheek version of the story of his career thus far. In typical Elvis fashion, he does not let facts get in the way of a good story. If he didn’t ramble and sound distracted so much, these might be more interesting. In certain bits, Elvis does demonstrate his gift for comedic timing, at least. My favorite is actually the “Memphis!” version first released on Having Fun With Elvis On Stage.
  • Disc 2, Track 11, ‘“Baby, What You Want Me To Do” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [3:15]: After the ten minute monologue, Elvis treats the audience to “Baby, What You Want Me To Do,” the Jimmy Reed blues song that he had reverted to so many times while filming his 1968 special. The song worked much better in the raw, stripped-down form as recorded for the special than it does in the 1969 arrangement. The best 1969 version is on the August 26 Midnight Show (All Shook Up).
  • Disc 2, Track 12, “Runaway” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:59]: Elvis teases the audience with a tiny snippet of “Surrender” before tearing into “Runaway.” This would be a decent version if it wasn’t for the mix. A male background vocalist is too loud, drowning out Elvis in a number of spots. Because of that, this version quickly becomes tiring.
  • Disc 2, Track 14, “Yesterday/Hey Jude” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [4:37]: “Suddenly, I’m not half the stud-” Elvis sings early on and then pauses to laugh at his joke. The result is a rather typical, distracted-sounding version of “Yesterday.” The “Hey Jude” ending doesn’t help matters, either. Stick with the On Stage version for “Yesterday” (found on Disc 1 of this release).
  • Disc 2, Track 15, Introductions (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [2:59]: I’m not going to get into the business of reviewing Elvis’ band introductions. And if you have a problem with that, Tutt Scheff.
  • Disc 2, Track 18, “What’d I Say” (Live–8/22/1969 DS) [4:11]: Elvis’ second song of the night was a Ray Charles classic, “I Got A Woman,” so it is appropriate that Elvis bookends the show with “What’d I Say,” another Ray Charles classic as the second-to-last song. Actually, this tune from Viva Las Vegas was reportedly the “fake” last song before Elvis returned to sing the real last song, Blue Hawaii‘s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” as sort of an encore. This is one of the weaker 1969 versions of “What’d I Say.” All of the 1969 versions suffer from being too fast, though. His 1963 studio version and 1970 rehearsal, the latter of which is found on Platinum: A Life In Music, are both much better.

* * *

As is standard for the Classic Album series, the front cover art duplicates the original Elvis In Person re-release. I was hoping FTD might use the 1969 variation of this cover, with the “From Memphis To Vegas” title, rather than going with the 1970 version. Then, it would have made a great companion with a future Back In Memphis Classic Album release with the “From Vegas To Memphis” 1969 cover variation.

FTD did a great job on the grayscale of the underlying Elvis photo this time around, as it is not as washed out as it appears on other versions of this release. I am not sure why RCA in 1969 reverted to using black & white photos of Elvis for album covers. Compare the vibrant color photo on From Elvis In Memphis to the black & white one on Elvis In Person, for instance. Though it is a great photo, it would have been even better in full color.

That wasn’t the only odd choice in 1969, either. Though this album contains 1969 Vegas performances, the cover photo is actually from Elvis’ 1968 TV special. For some reason, a 1969 live in Las Vegas photo was used on the companion Record 2: Back In Memphis album instead – which contained only Memphis studio cuts. I guess there is just no figuring out the logic of record companies, then or now.

Remember when I said that FTD’s strong point was not attention to detail? The back cover art of this release is new. It features a photo of the International Hotel’s marquee from August 1970, a full year after these concerts. Oops.

On the inside of this tri-fold, 45 RPM single-sized packaging is a reproduction of the original back cover art, featuring three black & white photos of Elvis on stage in 1969. It’s probably not, but I always like to imagine that the bottom right photo of Elvis laughing while playing the electric guitar was taken during the “Are You Laughing Tonight?” performance at the August 26 Midnight Show, released on All Shook Up, among other releases.

I have complained in a couple of recent FTD reviews that the CD prongs are misaligned against the underlying images in the packaging. I am happy to report no alignment issues this time.

The enclosed booklet includes over two dozen familiar photos of Elvis from around this period. It also contains the full-track listing and performance dates for most of the songs on the two CDs. “Behind the Scenes” this time around features a partial timeline of the events surrounding the live performances and recordings, as well as the history of some of the more recent releases of this material. Of interest is that the August 21 performance released on the 2-CD version of 2007’s Elvis: Viva Las Vegas is noted as the Midnight Show—which, as I have mentioned in a couple of spots above, may not really end an ongoing debate as to exactly which show or shows that disc contains.

That is it as far as liner notes, though. A complete set list for every recorded concert and each track’s first record/CD release, if applicable, would have been nice—similar to the presentation in FTD’s The Way It Was book for the That’s The Way It Is concerts. At least toss some vintage reviews in there. As it is, the booklet feels hastily assembled and lacking. Perhaps twelve FTD releases a year is about eight too many?

The Final Verdict

Unfortunately, this 2-CD set from FTD is not the “definitive” or “ultimate” Elvis In Person release that it could have been. Of the five complete concerts released thus far from the 1969 shows, none of them contains songs that were used on the original Elvis In Person album. None of the true Elvis In Person concerts have been released as full concerts.

This material is strong enough for a mainstream boxed-set similar to the four-CD ELVIS: The Complete ’68 Comeback Special. Disc 1 could be the complete August 24 Midnight Show, Disc 2 the complete August 25 Dinner Show, Disc 3 the complete August 25 Midnight Show, and Disc 4 the complete August 26 Dinner Show. Then, you would have a definitive, ultimate version of this album.

The bottom line for FTD’s Elvis In Person 2-CD set is that it manages, just barely, to be at least essential.

If, like me, you want to collect all of the material from the 1969 Las Vegas engagement, the first disc is basically a backup copy of tracks you already own, while the second disc is the must-have portion. Still not a bad deal, as the price is the same as buying a single-disc FTD release anyway.

If, on the other hand, you are an Elvis fan who has not been exposed to this material very much before, then you are in for a real treat. Between the two discs on this set, you will have at least one version of every song released from this engagement thus far.

Sit back, crank it up, and enjoy!

Songs: 10 (out of 10)

Audio Quality: 8

Liner Notes: 5

Cover Art: 8

Packaging: 9

Overall Experience: 9

Late Night Elvis [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

It’s funny how a song you don’t normally like can suddenly sound good. It’s the middle of the night, I’ve got my headphones on, and I decided to play some Elvis music from the 1960s. The first song that came up is “A Little Bit Of Green,” a track I normally skip. Yet, tonight, it sounds like a great song to me for some reason. Just a random thought to start out a random post.

Playing now is “Don’t Cry, Daddy,” always a favorite. Maybe it’s the headphones, not that they’re anything special. Even this one sounds better than normal, though.

Anyway, I can hardly believe that summer is nearly over. Oh sure, I guess there’s another month or so, officially, but I’m back in school again starting Monday night, so that means summer is effectively over.

“Power Of My Love” is up now, another winner that sounds even better tonight. Maybe I’m just in an Elvis mood.

I’ve been taking one class a semester, but this semester I’ll be taking two. Actually, one of my classes was canceled as of yesterday, so I had to pick another one at the last second. Even one class a semester was an awful lot of work, so I can only imagine how bad two classes are going to be.

I’ve liked my recent update routine for The Film Frontier, confining my work on the site to Friday through Sunday. I’ll try to keep that up as best I can, though I’ll no longer have every Friday off effective September. I should be able to sneak at least one post in per weekend, I would bet. I actually miss this place when I’m not able to post. This blogging thing can be quite addictive.

When it comes to movies, what a summer this has been. My favorite film this summer was The Dark Knight, putting me on the same page as most other bloggers out there – but sometimes the majority can be right, you know. My next favorite was Get Smart, which was actually the one I was looking forward to seeing the most. A fine movie it was, but not a masterpiece like The Dark Knight.

We even had a decent Indiana Jones movie after a 19-year wait, not to mention a minor league Star Wars movie via the animated The Clone Wars. I wish they would just re-release one of the live action Star Wars movies every summer. They would make plenty of money, I guarantee it. Especially if they didn’t tinker with them too much.

* * *

Ah, well, this post kind of turned into a dud. I got distracted reading some other web pages, not to mention listening to the music.

Until next time, try to enjoy your daylight. . . .

REVIEW: Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee CD Set (FTD)

/ TY

Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee CD set (Follow That Dream Records, 2008)

By Any Other Name

Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee is part of FTD’s Classic Albums series. If you were around in the 1960s, surely you remember this classic album?

Oh, you don’t remember it? And you call yourself an Elvis fan? Well, actually, that’s probably because RCA didn’t release it until 1990. Now do you remember?

Still, nothing? Perhaps that’s because the 1990 title of this album was For The Asking: The Lost Album. In the US, RCA didn’t release it until another year later and the title was simply The Lost Album.

Sounds pretty cool, right? Since it’s obviously not the soundtrack to J.J. Abrams’ Lost television series, what was so “Lost” about this album? Had the recordings been discovered in an abandoned salt mine alongside the That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour outtakes featured in 1992’s Elvis: The Lost Performances video? Not exactly, but more on that later.

Though I had already been collecting his records for some time, 1991’s The Lost Album was actually one of my first Elvis CDs. It wasn’t a favorite, and I unceremoniously dumped it off on my brother once I obtained From Nashville To Memphis.

Since For The Asking: The Lost Album was not released during Elvis’ lifetime, FTD apparently decided to take some artistic license and change the title to Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee. I don’t want to make too big a deal about this, since it is also a fine title, but I actually prefer For The Asking (forget all of the “lost” stuff) as a title. It fits right in with Something For Everybody and Pot Luck, plus makes a subtle reference to one of the best songs on the album.

Despite the consternation this move caused some fans, I have no problem with FTD releasing an invented album in the Classic Albums series to fill a gap in Elvis’ original releases. Sure, you get the original master takes as well, but the Classic Albums series is really all about the alternates and outtakes. Each release crams as many of those as possible into 2 CDs, allowing a true study of specific moments in Elvis’ career.

What Now, What Next, Where To?

I hate to harp on song sequencing yet again, but FTD took another artistic license on this album and re-arranged the songs versus the 1990 release. I would have no problem with that if it improved the listening experience. However, the new order is just not as pleasing as the original. For your reference, here’s the original song order:

Side 1

  • Long, Lonely Highway
  • Western Union
  • Witchcraft
  • Love Me Tonight
  • What Now, What Next, Where To?
  • Please Don’t Drag That String Around
  • Blue River
  • Never Ending

Side 2

  • Devil in Disguise
  • Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers
  • Echoes of Love
  • Slowly But Surely
  • It Hurts Me
  • Memphis Tennessee
  • Ask Me

If they put me in charge of FTD for the day, the only change I would have made to the original sequencing above was exchanging “Never Ending” and “It Hurts Me.” “Never Ending” is appealing as a Side 1 closer, though, so it’s a tough call. Given that this is for a CD-only release, rather than vinyl, I still would have made the move.

How To Lose An Album In Six Months

When Elvis recorded 14 songs in two days at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville in May 1963, the intent was to release an album and at least one single. From the session, “Devil In Disguise” (with “Please Don’t Drag That String Around”) became a hit single, yet an album never followed.

As strange as it may seem to us today, the biggest strike against this potential album may have been that it was not a movie soundtrack. For whatever reason, Elvis’ movie albums, like G.I. Blues and Blue Hawaii, far outsold his non-movie albums, like Elvis Is Back and Pot Luck. While Blue Hawaii contains one of Elvis’ all-time best songs, “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” the album as a whole cannot begin to compare to the musical greatness that Elvis Is Back represents. Yet, Blue Hawaii outsold it ten to one.

Rather than also include them on their associated albums, RCA was still holding back singles at this time for release in the Elvis’ Golden Records series. With the disappointing sales of Pot Luck to back up the decision, Elvis’ Golden Records Vol. 3 took the August release slot originally slated for the May session’s potential album. Sadly, the session’s best recording, “Witchcraft,” became a B-side to movie tune “Bossa Nova Baby.” In November, the potential album lost another two songs, this time to fill out the Fun In Acapulco soundtrack album.

Meanwhile, Elvis wanted another try at “Memphis, Tennessee” and “Ask Me,” unsatisfied with the May masters of these songs. In January 1964, Elvis re-recorded both songs, and threw in a new song, “It Hurts Me.” By then, the potential album was already dead, though. Instead, RCA used the remaining songs from the May session as B-sides and fillers on various releases throughout the 1960s.

The Review

FTD’s Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee includes all of the master recordings from the May 1963 sessions, a peek at an album that might have been. The result is an occasionally uneven but worthy collection of songs that modern day Elvis fans will appreciate, though it likely would have under performed if released back in 1963.

Also included are the masters from the January 1964 sessions, allowing a side-by-side comparison of Elvis’ 1963 and 1964 attempts at “Memphis, Tennessee” and “Ask Me.” “It Hurts Me” also serves to strengthen the release.

Since this is the Classic Albums series, FTD also fills the two CDs with alternates and outtakes. With 36 tracks of alternates and outtakes, representing more takes than I can count, FTD delivers in a big way on Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee. While listening to multiple takes of “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers” can be daunting, there are also enough gems here to keep these CDs in your player for quite some time. Let’s check it out song-by-song.

Witchcraft

  • Disc 1, Track 01, Master—Take 3 [2:24]: Though not necessarily a great leadoff track, Elvis Sings Memphis Tennessee kicks off with its strongest song, “Witchcraft.” This is probably the only song on this album that would have fit right in on Elvis Is Back from three years earlier. An incredible performance not only by Elvis on vocals, but also by Boots Randolph on saxophone. With great lyrics and phrasing, it’s hard not to love this song. It’s a real pity this was wasted as a B-Side.
  • Disc 1, Track 18, Take 1 [2:40]: This is another great take of the song, with an even wilder sax. Elvis does a softer approach to some of the lyrics, which sounds really cool, a wonderful alternate. This take was first released on Collectors Gold, but I don’t remember it sounding this incredible before!
  • Disc 2, Track 06, Take 2 [2:33]: Not as exciting as Take 1 or Take 3, but still worth a listen. This take was first released on Today, Tomorrow & Forever.

Please Don’t Drag That String Around

  • Disc 1, Track 02, Master—Take 6 [1:56]: After the incredible “Witchcraft,” it’s a real downer to immediately hit a song as weak as “Please Don’t Drag That String Around,” the B-Side of “Devil In Disguise.” Parts of this one are so bad that it almost sounds like a movie tune. Elvis recorded a ton of incredible Otis Blackwell songs, but this one, co-written with Winfield Scott, just doesn’t compare to “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Make Me Know It,” and most of the others. Incidentally, what was with Elvis and puppet songs? In 1960, he recorded “Wooden Heart,” in 1963, he recorded “Please Don’t Drag That String Around,” and finally, he completed his “Puppet Trilogy” in 1965 with “Puppet On A String.”
  • Disc 1, Track 19, Take 1 [2:09]: For whatever reason, I like this take a little better than the master. Perhaps Elvis sounds less bored since it’s only the first take. This is a great example of Elvis making the most out of a weak song, something he had to do far too often throughout his career. This take was first released on Such A Night.
  • Disc 2, Track 02, Take 2 [2:10]: This take, for which boredom quickly settles in, was first released on Studio B.
  • Disc 2, Track 03, Takes 3-5 [3:55]: Take 3 is just a couple of false starts prior to Elvis even singing. Take 4 actually goes on for quite awhile before the take is blown. Take 5 is a complete take. All are previously unreleased. I’ll stick with Take 1 when I’m in the mood to hear this song.

Love Me Tonight

  • Disc 1, Track 03, Master—Take 8 [2:03]: “Love Me Tonight” is a quiet, effective love song that still shows off a bit of Elvis’ vocal power. This Don Robertson song unfortunately made its debut as a bonus song on Fun In Acapulco, so it is one of Elvis’ best romantic songs that the general public has never heard.
  • Disc 1, Track 20, Take 1 [2:12]: This alternate sounds slightly slower. Another good listen, though the master is better. This take was first released on Collectors Gold.
  • Disc 2, Track 08, Takes 2-4 [3:00]: The previously unreleased Take 2 is just a false start, with only a bit of Floyd Cramer’s piano intro. Take 3 actually includes a few Elvis vocals before he cuts the song. Take 4 is a complete take, another solid performance of a top-notch song. Takes 3 and 4 were first released on Studio B.
  • Disc 2, Track 09, Take 6, Take 5 [3:00]: This track is probably most notable for a bit of between take rehearsals by Elvis, the kind of “fly on the wall” stuff that I love. Elvis blows Take 6 early. FTD then backs up to tack on the complete Take 5, I suppose because it would be odd to first listen to a complete take followed up by a short, blown take on the same track. Both of these takes are previously unreleased.

Slowly But Surely

  • Disc 1, Track 04, Master—Take 5 [2:15]: With an annoying arrangement and inane lyrics, “Slowly But Surely” is not one of Elvis’ better songs. This one also made its debut as a bonus on Fun In Acapulco, where it actually managed to be one of the stronger, if out of place, songs.
  • Disc 1, Track 21, Take 1 [2:32]: This take proves that ‘Slowly But Surely’ was just as bad on the first try as it was on the master take. You can hear Elvis trying to make it good, but there’s just not much there. This was first released on Long Lonely Highway.
  • Disc 2, Track 12, Takes 2-4 [2:50]: Elvis whistles an end to Take 2 before it hardly has a chance to begin. “Too slow,” he tells the band. Take 3 actually goes on for awhile before Elvis halts it. “Good God, what am I saying?” Elvis says as he brings Take 4 to an early end as well. As a listener, I can only thank him. All of these blown takes are previously unreleased.

It Hurts Me

  • Disc 1, Track 05, Master—Take 5 [2:30]: When I first heard this song, I had a hard time believing Elvis actually recorded it in 1964. Were it not for the overpowering Jordanaires, it reminds me of his more mature material from later years. “It Hurts Me” gives “Witchcraft” a real fight for best song of the album, and it’s certainly one of the best of this time period. What did RCA do with this song at the time? They made it the B-Side to “Kissin’ Cousins,” of course. “Kissin’ Cousins” – unbelievable!
  • Disc 1, Track 22, Take 1 [2:39]: This is an interesting performance, with slightly different phrasings by Elvis. Is it better than the master? I’m not sure, but it’s certainly a contender. I was surprised to learn in Writing For The King that country singer Charlie Daniels actually co-wrote this song. This take was first released on Such A Night.
  • Disc 2, Track 22, Takes 2-5 [4:15]: Take 2 is blown early after just two words. Take 3 goes a little longer, for a line or two this time. Take 4 actually shapes up to be a great listen before Elvis unfortunately cuts it off early when he gets behind. Takes 2-4 are previously unreleased. Take 5 is apparently the master again. I’m not accusing FTD of padding out this track, but I didn’t hear an appreciable difference. Perhaps your ears will vary.

Echoes of Love

  • Disc 1, Track 06, Master—Take 10 [2:41]: Were it not for the obnoxious background music, “Echoes of Love” may very well have been a classic love song. As it is, it sounds like a movie tune and can be hard to listen to unless you make a real effort to focus on Elvis’ voice and mentally drown out everything else. A real shame, considering the beautiful lyrics. This song made its debut on Kissin’ Cousins, where it was actually one of the most listenable songs.
  • Disc 1, Track 23, Take 1 [2:52]: Nine takes prior to the master and the annoying background music is unfortunately already there in force. On this previously unreleased take, Elvis laughs a bit in the middle yet keeps going. A nice moment in an otherwise forgettable song.
  • Disc 2, Track 01, Take 2, Take 4, Take 5, Take 3 [5:51]: Take 2 is just four words before Elvis cuts it. Take 4 goes on a little longer but Elvis cuts it once again. Take 5 eventually falls apart as well. FTD ends the track by backing up to Take 3, a complete performance. Imagine “Echoes of Love” with a simpler arrangement, maybe just an acoustic guitar, a piano, and Elvis, and this could have been a real winner. Takes 2 and 3 were originally released on Studio B. Takes 4 and 5 are previously unreleased.
  • Disc 2, Track 16, Take 6, Take 7 [2:01]: Take 6 is blown in just seconds. Take 7 is nearly complete, but thankfully ends early as well. Both are previously unreleased.
  • Disc 2, Track 17, Take 9, Take 8 [3:26]: The previously unreleased Take 9 starts out way too slow, but it takes a few lines for Elvis to shut the song down. FTD then backs us up to Take 8, a complete take first released on Close Up.

Long, Lonely Highway

  • Disc 1, Track 07, Master—Take 2 [2:23]: Your reward for listening to “Echoes of Love” comes immediately, in the form of “Long, Lonely Highway,” another of this album’s best songs. Like “Promised Land” from ten years later, this one’s perfect for playing loudly in the car and makes a better leadoff song than “Witchcraft.” It should come as no surprise that this is a great song, though. Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman wrote it, after all. Their other Elvis songs include “A Mess of Blues,” “Night Rider” (another great “road song”), “Little Sister,” “His Latest Flame,” “Suspicion,” and many others. RCA predictably wasted this one as a bonus song on Kissin’ Cousins, giving fans at least one reason to buy that horrible soundtrack.
  • Disc 1, Track 24, Take 1 [2:57]: Take 2 was the master, so Take 1 is unfortunately the only other take of this song. This take was actually released as the B-Side to “I’m Yours” in 1965, making it an alternate master. This one seems even more spirited than the album version and may even be superior.

Devil In Disguise

  • Disc 1, Track 08, Master—Take 6 [2:21]: “Devil In Disguise” is a terrific 40-second song that never fully develops beyond that. Instead, it just repeats those 40 seconds over and over until it is just long enough to be a single (and a hit one at that). I must admit to loving the clap-filled instrumental break near the end, though. Not the greatest, but definitely a fun song. “Witchcraft” and “Devil In Disguise” on the same album might have even sparked some controversy back in the day or, sadly, even now! Maybe they should have called this one Elvis’ Halloween Album instead.
  • Disc 1, Track 25, Take 3 [2:39]: This take begins with a false start and then starts over (while apparently keeping the same take number). This was first released on Long Lonely Highway. It’s always interesting to hear alternates of hit songs, but this one is fairly close to the released version. We do get a few background variations and an Elvis laugh near the end, though.
  • Disc 2, Track 04, Take 1, Take 2, Takes 4-6 [5:06]: The previously unreleased Take 1 consists of a couple of false starts prior to Elvis even singing. Interestingly, Elvis sounds slightly irritated before starting the song. “Here we go! We’re rolling!” he says, leaving the impression that some people are goofing off when he’s ready to get to work on the song. Take 2, previously released on Long Lonely Highway, is another couple of false starts, with a bit of singing on one and another that makes it through the opening 40 seconds before Elvis messes up the lyrics and whistles the song to an abrupt end. Take 4 has a more spirited opening that I really like but Elvis quickly calls it off. Take 5 is another short take, barely getting to the main chorus before Elvis ends the song. Takes 4 and 5 are previously unreleased. Take 6 is the master again, though perhaps a rough mix. I was hoping the point of repeating the master was to take the performance to its conclusion without the fade out but, alas, the fade is still there.

Never Ending

  • Disc 1, Track 09, Master—Take 3 [2:01]: “Never Ending” is another incredible love song that helps add some weight to Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee. This ballad also has a bit of Latin flavor. I love the strings on this one. “Echoes of Love” could have been this good with this kind of background. This was released as the B-Side of “Such A Night” in 1964.
  • Disc 1, Track 26, Take 1 [2:01]: Take 1 begins with a false start by the band and then includes a complete take. This is slightly shorter than the master. Again, the strings are beautiful. This take was first released on Long Lonely Highway.
  • Disc 2, Track 05, Take 2, Take 3 [3:20]: The previously unreleased Take 2 is not as strong as Take 1 or the master and eventually falls apart. Take 3 is the master again. With this kind of performance, I won’t complain about listening again.

Ask Me

  • Disc 1, Track 10, Master—1964 Take 11 [2:09]: I know Elvis recorded this song first, but “Ask Me” makes a perfect sequel to “It Hurts Me.” The “hero” of “It Hurts Me” has finally gotten the girl, and he’s pledging his love to her, just as he promised he would. This song is another reflection of the more mature Elvis, and would have fit right in with the songs he recorded in 1970 and 1971. This is the 1964 version of “Ask Me,” which was released as a single later that year.
  • Disc 1, Track 17, Rejected Master—1963 Take 2 [2:11]: Here we have the 1963 master of “Ask Me,” which Elvis later rejected. While still a decent performance, I think he made the right choice. The 1964 version is superior. This 1963 master was first released on Collectors Gold.
  • Disc 1, Track 27, 1964 Take 1, Take 2 [2:40]: Take 1 falls apart quickly. Take 2 is a complete performance, first released on Today, Tomorrow & Forever. Many times, I complain about the Jordanaires, but I love their haunting background vocals on this song.
  • Disc 1, Track 31, 1963 Take 1 [2:30]: Take 1 begins with a false start and then restarts into a full performance. Again, Elvis’ vocals are not as effective on this song as they would be a year later. He sounds extremely tired. This performance is previously unreleased.
  • Disc 2, Track 14, 1963 Take 3, Take 4 [3:25]: After knocking out a few other songs, Elvis returned to “Ask Me” at the end of the 1963 session, picking up with Take 3, presented here for the first time. He sounds stronger here, but still not as good as 1964. He eventually calls the take off, noting, “This song’s going to make me a nervous wreck.” Take 4, also previously unreleased, is complete. His voice weakens again, but it is the end of a two-day marathon session, after all.
  • Disc 2, Track 15, 1963 Take 5, Take 6 [3:43]: Here we have two more previously unreleased attempts at this song from 1963. Take 5 falls apart less than a minute in. Take 6, Elvis’ last attempt at the song in 1963, consists of a couple of false starts followed by a complete performance. This may be the most effective 1963 take of the song.
  • Disc 2, Track 19, 1964 Take 3 [2:29]: Elvis’ voice is obviously much stronger in the 1964 session, as evidenced by playing these tracks back to back. Take 3 is a complete performance, previously unreleased. Though still several takes away, this one is actually fairly close to the master.
  • Disc 2, Track 20, 1964 Take 4, Take 6, Take 7 [3:02]: Take 4 lasts only a few lines. Take 6 is just a second or two of instrumental. Take 7 is a complete take. Tracks 4 and 6 are previously unreleased. Track 7 first appeared on Close Up and is similar to the master.
  • Disc 2, Track 21, 1964 Take 8, Take 10, Take 9 [2:51]: Take 8 is just a few words. Take 10 is just a few notes. FTD then rewinds to Take 9, a complete though sub-par performance. Takes 8 and 9 first appeared on Studio B. The two or three seconds that comprise Take 10 are previously unreleased.

Memphis, Tennessee

  • Disc 1, Track 11, Master—1964 Take 6 [2:10]: I love the jungle rhythm on Elvis’ cover of “Memphis, Tennessee,” the classic Chuck Berry song. Like “Ask Me,” Elvis rejected his 1963 master of this song and re-recorded it in 1964. According to Ernst Jorgensen in Elvis Presley: A Life In Music, Elvis played his yet-to-be-released recording of “Memphis, Tennessee” for Johnny Rivers, who proceeded to record and rush out a version ahead of Elvis. Rivers scored a hit while Elvis’ recording was relegated to 1965’s Elvis For Everyone album of leftovers. Besides the jungle rhythms, the best part of “Memphis, Tennessee” is the surprise ending. My favorite Elvis cover of a Chuck Berry song is probably 1973’s “Promised Land,” but “Memphis, Tennessee” runs a close second.
  • Disc 1, Track 16, Rejected Master—1963 Take 2 [2:16]: I think I like the drums and the rest of the background on this 1963 master even better, but Elvis doesn’t sound quite as good as in 1964. The opening drum riff before “That’s All Right” in Elvis’ August 1970 Vegas concerts remind me a bit of the jungle rhythms on both of these masters. The 1963 master was first released on Collectors Gold, but sounds better here.
  • Disc 1, Track 28, 1964 Take 1 [2:47]: This is the first take from 1964. The opening drums are muffled, so I don’t like this one quite as much. Elvis kind of redeems the song by the end, though, with a steadily improving performance. This was first released on Studio B.
  • Disc 2, Track 10, 1963 Take 1 [2:33]: Take 1 starts with a flubbed opening and then restarts into a full performance. Every now and then, you can hear hints of the circa-1956 Elvis on this interesting take first released on From Nashville To Memphis.
  • Disc 2, Track 18, 1964 Take 2, Take 3, Take 5 [4:28]: Take 2 is just the opening, no singing. The band never sounds quite right on Take 3, more subdued. Well into the song, Elvis eventually laughingly ends the take. Takes 2 and 3 are previously unreleased. Take 5 is a complete performance, first released on Such A Night. A great take, but the master is the best.

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers

  • Disc 1, Track 12, Master—Take 3 [1:53]: “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers” sounds like a movie tune, and a bad one at that. This childish song gets old fast and is probably the worst selection in this collection. It first appeared on the Elvis For Everyone album.
  • Disc 1, Track 29, Take 1 [2:05]: This take seems a little slower, but the difference doesn’t help. It’s still not a very good song, no matter the speed. This one was first released on Long Lonely Highway.
  • Disc 2, Track 07, Take 2, Take 3 [3:14]: The previously unreleased Take 2 actually grows on me a little bit, but it eventually ends early. Elvis asks for the song to go a little faster and then we arrive at FTD’s replay of the master take.

Western Union

  • Disc 1, Track 13, Master—Take 4 [2:14]: Okay, maybe “Western Union” is actually the worst song on this album. It’s not that the song is so bad, it’s just that it sounds like a hollow, inferior remake of “Return to Sender.” Plus, this one features the Jordanaires too prominently for my taste. If I never hear them sing “Western Union! Clickety-clack!” again, it will be too soon. “Western Union” didn’t show up until 1968’s Speedway album. It was written by Sid Tepper and Roy Bennett, who wrote over 40 songs for Elvis. Most of them were low-grade movie tunes that make “Western Union” sound like a masterpiece by comparison, including “C-O-N-F-I-D-ENCE,” Elvis’ worst song ever.
  • Disc 1, Track 30, Take 1 [2:07]: Oh great, some Jordanaire rehearsals are here prior to Take 1, which consists of a blown opening and then a complete performance. The Jordanaires are even louder in the mix on this one, making me long for the master. I’ll give Elvis credit here, though; he sings this throwaway song with a lot of spirit. I can’t knock his attempt, but the song is just not worthy of the effort. This is a previously unreleased take.
  • Disc 2, Track 11, Take 2, Take 3 [3:24]: Elvis sings softer on Take 2, but the Jordanaires are as loud as ever. Elvis ends this one early with another whistle. Take 3 starts with a flubbed opening and then restarts into a full take. I really wish I had a “Mute the Jordanaires” button on my CD player. Take 2 is previously unreleased, while Take 3 first appeared on Studio B.

Blue River

  • Disc 1, Track 14, Master—Take 2 [2:11]: FTD really left a lot of the junk songs for the end of this album, another reason I don’t like the new sequencing. They should have spread them out a bit. I guess they wanted us to take all of the torture at once. “Blue River” is a song that just tries too hard. It’s fun for an occasional listen, though. “Blue River” was first released as the B-Side of ‘Tell Me Why’ in 1965.
  • Disc 2, Track 13, Take 1, Take 2 [2:22]: We get a bit of a rehearsal followed by a very short Take 1 that Elvis flubs, previously unreleased. Take 2 is a repeat of the master, but a little longer and ending with a bit of studio chatter.

What Now, What Next, Where To

  • Disc 1, Track 15, Master—Take 1 [2:01]: Despite the cumbersome title, which may make you think “movie tune,” “What Now, What Next, Where To” is actually a beautiful ballad by Don Robertson and Hal Blair. Elvis nails the song in just one take. It first appeared on the Double Trouble soundtrack, and it closes out Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee with style.

* * *

As you can tell, most of the songs on Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee are top-notch recordings that deserved better than being used as B-Sides and album fillers. If you think of 1963 and 1964 as wasted years in Elvis’ recording career due to the movie soundtracks, then this album may come as a revelation to you. Despite the movie tunes, Elvis was also busy cranking out great material in Nashville. If you enjoy Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee, be sure to find a copy of From Nashville To Memphis if you don’t already own it. That was the first release that debunked my own delusions that most of Elvis’ 1960s recordings were worthless.

Just a few quick words about the cover and packaging. This is an oversized release, the size of a 45 RPM single. The cover art is fantastic. If I didn’t know better, I would believe that this really was a re-release of a 1964 album. Though not as bad as I complained about on That’s The Way It Is, the plastic spindles that hold the CDs to the cardboard are still slightly misaligned, meaning that the label reproductions below the CDs peek through a bit on the sides.

The enclosed booklet contains all of the session information that you need, as well as some brief liner notes giving the history of this unique album. One thing I liked in particular were the small cover pictures of the various first releases of each song on the album. The colors on the front and back covers of this booklet are unfortunately washed out. If this is an intentional effect, it doesn’t look very good.

The Final Verdict

Elvis Sings Memphis, Tennessee is an essential part of the Elvis musical legend. Those fans who study Elvis’ music and like going beyond the typical Elvis songs heard everyday on the radio will certainly enjoy this album. For some, it may be a revelation. For all, it will be an enjoyable couple of hours listening to this incredible singer.

Songs: 6 (out of 10)

Audio Quality: 9

Liner Notes: 7

Cover Art: 10

Packaging: 8

Overall Experience: 8

REVIEW: Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

It’s been an extremely busy seven days for me, but I finally had a chance to see Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull yesterday afternoon. Though I was certainly looking forward to it, I was not exactly hyped about this movie. I think it was mostly the preview trailers. I found them to be ineffective and uninspired. I was worried the movie would play the same way.

Fortunately, the movie itself turns out to be a totally different story. First of all, director Steven Spielberg banked some major points with me early on for opening the film with an Elvis Presley song. Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull takes place in 1957, so Elvis’ 1956 hit “Hound Dog” fits right in.

Russian KGB agents manage to infiltrate the infamous Area 51. Within a warehouse of US government secrets and treasures, including the Ark of the Covenant, they release the captured Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and order him to show them the location of a mummified body he assisted the US military with ten years earlier.

This is the first glimpse of the older Indy, for it’s been 19 years since his last movie, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade. I was in my early teens back then. I remember that Last Crusade was just a movie for my friends and I to see on a whim as the school year was winding down while waiting for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier to be released the following week.

In fact, the preview for Star Trek V that preceded Last Crusade made me so excited for that film that I had a hard time concentrating on the Indy movie at first. Eventually, of course, the film drew me into the world of Indiana Jones. By the end, I was a big fan.

And to think, Star Trek V would be even better! Well, I had chicken pox by the time Star Trek V came out and didn’t even see it until the following weekend and it . . . was what it was. Last Crusade became my favorite movie of 1989. This was also the summer of Tim Burton’s Batman, but I only thought that movie was so-so.

Back to the present. Harrison Ford is older now, but so am I. I’m in my early 30s. I own a home. And wouldn’t you know it, I’m still anticipating the release of another Star Trek movie. Some things never change. As for Ford, he steps easily back into the role of Indiana Jones. It’s as if he continued playing the character throughout that 19-year absence. That, for me, is the real triumph of Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. Ford proves that he still has it. He can still play Indy, just as effectively as ever.

At Indy’s side through most of Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull is “Mutt” Williams (Shia LaBeouf), a Marlon Brando/James Dean type. Ford and LaBeouf play well off each other and their chemistry represents the best part of this film.

Not so great is actress Cate Blanchett, who plays lead villain Irina Spalko. The Oscar winner was not up to the task of a fun, action-adventure movie like this one. Each time she was on screen delivering more than a line or two, I found myself wishing they had cast someone – anyone! – else.

Direction by Spielberg is top-notch as expected. Most of the look of this movie is close to the first three. There are not the shocking differences that exist between the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies, for instance.

Surprisingly, the special effects by Industrial Light & Magic are a mixed bag. I assume this was due to a time-crunch, as the production for this movie seemed compressed compared to, say, your average Star Wars movie. Many sequences are great, but some of the sequences in the finale are mediocre. I expect better from ILM.

The story by George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson, scripted by David Koepp, is fun and not overly complicated. You’ll see each plot twist coming a mile away, including the worst-kept movie secret since that one in Superman Returns. That’s okay, though. Indiana Jones movies have never been about the destination. They are about having as much fun as possible trying to get there.

Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull has fun and adventure in abundance. It fits right in with the first three films, and is on par with them. Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford have done the impossible yet again.

Would I be tempting fate, or just plain greedy, to ask for another Indy movie or two? So be it. More, please. If this turns out to be the last Indiana Jones movie, though, then it was a great ride that ended on a high note. As a big fan of the main trio involved, I’d like to tell them thank you.

Story: 8 (out of 10)
Performances: 9
Visual Style: 10
Effects: 8
Music: 9
Overall: 9

REVIEW: Elvis: That’s The Way It Is CD Set (2008 FTD Edition) [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

Elvis: That’s The Way It Is CD set (Follow That Dream Records, 2008 edition)

Welcome, Elvis fans! You are probably wondering why a science fiction site is reviewing an Elvis CD. In fact, the Star Trek, Star Wars, and Superman fans who visit here may be wondering the exact same thing. The answer is, The Film Frontier is much more than just a science fiction site these days. I’ve slowly started branching it out to cover anything in pop culture that interests me. And one of my biggest interests is Elvis Presley, who was kind enough to provide the soundtrack for my life.

Background: Every dream comes true a hundred times
For Elvis fans, choosing a favorite Elvis era is almost like being asked to choose a favorite child. However, I have put a lot of thought into this very question over the years. While I also love his many achievements before and after, my favorite time period in Elvis’ career has to be June 17, 1968, through January 16, 1971.

Why those specific dates at each end of the range? June 17, 1968, was the first day Elvis reported to work for his 1968 television special, ELVIS (now known as Elvis: ’68 Comeback Special). January 16, 1971, was the day Elvis accepted what most say he considered the highest honor of his life, the National Jaycees Award for being one of 1970’s Ten Outstanding Young Men of America. Despite the fact that Elvis rarely accepted awards in person and was not used to giving speeches, he delivered an incredible acceptance speech. To this day, I find his words inspiring:

“Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to thank the Jaycees for electing me as one of the Outstanding Young Men.

When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books, and I was the hero of the comic book. I saw movies, and I was the hero in the movie. So every dream that I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times.

These gentlemen over here, it is these type people who care, who are dedicated. You realize that it is possible that they might be building the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s not too far-fetched from reality.

I’d like to say that I learned very early in life that:

‘Without a song, the day would never end,
Without a song, a man ain’t got a friend,
Without a song, the road would never bend,
Without a song.’

So I keep singing a song. Goodbye. Thank you.”

I see this moment as the perfect finale to the best part of Elvis’ career that began with the ’68 special. He had literally re-conquered the music world, when most had counted him out. He had never been quite this incredible before, and would never be again. Among Elvis’ work during this 31-month period are:

• ELVIS (TV special and album)
• Final three movies as an actor: Charro!, The Trouble With Girls, and Change of Habit, all of which are notable for breaking from the typical Elvis movie formula in some way
• American Studios sessions in Memphis (including #1 hit single “Suspicious Minds” and From Elvis In Memphis album)
• Return to live performances: 1969 and 1970 Las Vegas concert engagements
• RCA Studio B sessions in Nashville (including Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis Country albums)
• First documentary movie, Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, which captures rehearsals and performances from his third Vegas engagement, Summer 1970
• First concert tour since 1957

My favorite album released during Elvis’ lifetime is Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – which featured adult contemporary material from his June 1970 Nashville recordings, as well as four live cuts from his August 1970 Vegas engagement. It served as a soundtrack of sorts for the excellent documentary of the same name.

The original 1970 album
Though That’s The Way It Is eventually became my favorite album, it had to grow on me over the years. Though often overlooked, That’s The Way It Is contains some of the best songs and performances of his entire career. Though it’s my favorite, it’s not perfect.

Some criticize this album for not living up to one of its more rock-driven predecessors, From Elvis In Memphis. Unfortunately, rock ‘n’ roll fans sometimes dismiss That’s The Way It Is as an easy-listening bore. One of the causes of that issue, I believe, is the sequencing of songs on the album, meaning many of the songs should have been presented in a different order. That’s The Way It Is unfortunately starts with a live cover of the sleepy B.J. Thomas hit “I Just Can’t Help Believin’,” which immediately allows listeners to brand the album as easy-listening.

Proper sequencing of songs is very important (though perhaps less so these days in the more random iPod Age), and I believe it’s one of the areas where RCA/BMG often fails in their Elvis albums, going all the way back to the beginning.

Adding to the trouble, a couple of the live performances included on the album, “Patch It Up” and “I’ve Lost You,” are not as powerful as their studio counterparts, which should have been used instead. The studio versions had been released as singles prior to the album, so the live versions were likely considered as “bonus” items for fans that already bought the singles. The artistry of the album itself should have taken priority, though.

Apparently to complete the “feel” of a live recording, RCA overdubbed applause on the end of the studio version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” which closed out the album. Elvis’ vocals on the first verse of the song are also hard to hear, either on purpose or due to a technical glitch. You can better hear Elvis’ beautiful performance of this song, with his voice louder on the first verse and without the annoying applause overdubs, on Heart & Soul and the Elvis: Walk A Mile In My Shoes-The Essential 70s Masters boxed set.

The original That’s The Way It Is would have been greatly improved, and certainly better received by critics and fans, if a couple of different song versions had been used and the album had been sequenced as below. Call it “Elvis: That’s The Way It Should Have Been” – my “fantasy version” of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is.

Side 1
• “Stranger In The Crowd” (studio, as on original)
• “I’ve Lost You” (use studio version instead)
• “How The Web Was Woven” (studio, as on original)
• “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” (studio, as on original)
• “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (use studio version without applause overdub instead)
• “I Just Can’t Help Believin'” (live, as on original)

Side 2
• “Patch It Up” (use studio version instead)
• “Twenty Days And Twenty Nights” (studio, as on original)
• “Just Pretend” (studio, as on original)
• “The Next Step Is Love” (studio, as on original)
• “Mary In The Morning” (studio, as on original)
• “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” (live, as on original)

No matter the order you listen, though, the That’s The Way It Is material represents a true Elvis masterpiece.

FTD’s 2008 edition
Follow That Dream (FTD) Records is RCA/BMG’s Elvis Presley collectors label, aimed mostly at fanatics like me. FTD releases are kind of like “official” versions of bootlegs. The Elvis bootleg industry is huge, but FTD provides a legal alternative with releases focusing on alternate takes and live performances. While the mainstream is listening to yet another greatest hits compilation, the hardcore fans are listening to FTD releases. When I heard FTD was re-releasing Elvis: That’s The Way It Is on 2 CDs as part of its “Classic Album Series,” I at first wasn’t too excited, believe it or not.

Why? Well, I bought the original That’s The Way It Is on CD back in 1993 and was thrilled with it. In 1995, I bought the 5-CD set Walk A Mile In My Shoes, which included all of the songs from That’s The Way It Is (except the live versions of “Patch It Up” and “I’ve Lost You,” for which the studio versions were included).

In 1996, I bought A Hundred Years From Now: Essential Elvis, Volume 4, which included outtakes from the June 1970 sessions that produced That’s The Way It Is.

In 2000, I bought That’s The Way It Is again when RCA/BMG released a 3-disc “Special Edition” version to stores to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the album and documentary.

In 2002, I bought even more outtakes from the June 1970 sessions, on FTD’s excellent The Nashville Marathon CD. Plus, I have bought three or four other That’s The Way It Is related CDs, with rehearsals and live performances.

When it comes to That’s The Way It Is, you could say I’m pretty well covered. Did I mention it’s my favorite album? Much like Agent K in Men In Black (“This is gonna replace CDs soon; guess I’ll have to buy the White Album again”), I have learned to accept my fate. I will be buying Elvis: That’s The Way It Is at least once a decade for the rest of my life. Hey, that’s not such a bad deal!

Anyway, I wasn’t too interested in this FTD release, which compiles the original album with the relevant alternate takes from A Hundred Years From Now and The Nashville Marathon, as well as few other alternates and tracks. However, fan reviews by people I respect over at ElvisNews.com and Elvis Today changed my mind. The new version of That’s The Way It Is started shipping to US addresses on Friday. On Monday, it arrived here, and I was up until after midnight playing the two discs. Was it worth it?

The review
It’s been a long time since I reviewed an Elvis CD. Before I created The Film Frontier, I used to write and edit a small-time Elvis fan newsletter back in the 1990s. This was a real newsletter on actual paper. Remember those? None of this online stuff. On a good year, I had fifty concurrent subscribers – which was about the most I could support with no budget anyway.

The funny thing is, despite the newsletter’s miniscule circulation and the fact that it was never published online, an Elvis bootlegger actually somehow obtained and then plagiarized one of my articles and used part of it in an online “press release” promoting a new bootleg DVD several years ago. Imagine my surprise when I came across my own words when browsing through a random Elvis site! I wasn’t sure if I should be angry or flattered. It still turns up every now and then on different Elvis sites, whenever the bootleg DVD gets a new release or is mentioned. I can’t help but laugh when I see it.

I suppose if a bootlegger is going to rip off a company like RCA/BMG, ripping off a forgotten article from a defunct Elvis newsletter is no big deal. It certainly made me look at the bootleg industry in a whole new light, though. Anyway, it’s probably been over ten years since I wrote a review of an Elvis CD. These days, I have this small-time pop culture website, so it’s nice to get the chance to do it again.

So, I already have the 3-disc That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition from 2000, what do I need with this new 2-disc version? Though it included the original album, the focus of the 2000 version was really on the rehearsals and live performances as captured for the film. The focus of this new 2-disc version is on the June 1970 studio work for the album and its singles, so the releases are actually quite different. However, there is a lot of overlap with A Hundred Years From Now and The Nashville Marathon.

For the real verdict, let’s go through it song-by-song.

“I Just Can’t Help Believin'”
• Disc 1, Track 01, Live Master–8/11/1970 Dinner Show (DS) [4:40]: This original album version sounds good. As I noted above, the song does not serve well as an album opener. No other versions are included on this release. Elvis never formally recorded this song in the studio, but there are rehearsals and other live versions available. FTD was wise to focus on the Nashville session work here rather than taking up space with additional versions of “I Just Can’t Help Believin’.” The performance on the 8/11/1970 Midnight Show (MS), on RCA/BMG’s Live In Las Vegas boxed set, is the best live version of this song released so far–much less sleepy than this album track.

“Twenty Days And Twenty Nights”
• Disc 1, Track 02, Master–Take 9 [3:18]: This is the original album version, one of my favorites. For me, this song represents the adult Elvis, the recording artist Elvis that the mainstream so often overlooks in favor of songs like “Hound Dog” or, even worse, lousy imitators with fake sideburns, bad jumpsuits, and horrid voices.

• Disc 1, Track 15, Take 8 [3:17]: This complete take is a previously unreleased track. While nice to add to the collection, it is mostly unremarkable. It is interesting to note, though, that Elvis nailed the master version on the very next take after this one.

• Disc 2, Track 02, Rehearsal, Takes 1-3 [4:33]: Blink and you’ll miss the unreleased rehearsal (Elvis sings off-microphone) and instrumental takes 1 & 2, which take about a minute total. Take 3, the bulk of this track, was previously released on The Nashville Marathon.

• Disc 2, Track 16, Take 5, Take 6 [2:18]: Elvis sings a brief snippet of one of his 50s classics before “Take 5” here – a nice surprise. These performances are left out of the “In And Outtakes” list in the liner notes. Both of these are blown, incomplete takes and are previously unreleased.

• Disc 2, Track 17, Master–Take 9–Rough Mix [3:35]: This previously unreleased “rough mix” is notable mostly for being about 20 seconds longer than the released version. Some of the mixing is slightly different as well, though the released mix is better.

“How The Web Was Woven”
• Disc 1, Track 03, Master–Take 3 [3:26]: Another tough choice, but this is probably my favorite song of the original album. This is a great love song, which I rank right up there in the same league as the more well-known “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”

• Disc 2, Track 07, Rehearsal, Take 1 [4:55]: This rehearsal and take were previously released on The Nashville Marathon. The rehearsal is about a minute longer here, though, which is quite welcome. Take 1 is as good as, possibly even better than, the master. I wonder what happened to Take 2? I’d like to hear it, assuming it wasn’t just a blown opening or something else extremely short.

“Patch It Up”
• Disc 1, Track 04, Live Master–8/12/1970 DS [4:02]: Compared to the excellent studio version, this live version from the original album just feels like a throwaway (though you won’t think that if watching Elvis perform it in the film).

• Disc 1, Track 13, Studio Master–Take 8 [3:24]: This is a great performance and the sound quality here is significantly better than on Walk A Mile In My Shoes. The mix is slightly different as well (I don’t have the 1970 45 RPM of this song, unfortunately, so no way for me to determine which, if either, mix is “correct”). The song also goes about 15 seconds longer than the 1995 release before fading. Crank this one up!

• Disc 1, Track 19, Take 1 [2:43]: This is a previously unreleased take. The “Patch It Up” song itself is actually rather insignificant, yet you hear through this and subsequent takes that Elvis could take a mediocre song like this one and turn it into something special.

• Disc 1, Track 20, Takes 2-7 [5:17]: More previously unreleased takes, all of which are blown or cut short. This is that “fly-on-the-wall” aspect that makes this kind of release so appealing. You can hear Elvis putting this song together, improving it little-by-little until he gets an acceptable master take. Elvis literally curses out the song on the seventh take. The very next take would be the master.

• Disc 1, Track 21, Take 9 [3:16]: This is one take after the master, previously released on A Hundred Years From Now. Not a bad performance, but the master was appropriately chosen.

“Mary In The Morning”
• Disc 1, Track 05, Master–Take 5 [4:11]: This is a pretty, if forgettable, love song from the original album.

• Disc 2, Track 10, Takes 1-4 [7:45]: Two previously unreleased blown takes, followed by takes 3 and 4, which were first released on The Nashville Marathon. Like “Patch It Up,” the appeal is the illusion of being in the studio while Elvis and gang work through the song. “Mary In The Morning” is harder to listen to repeatedly, though. It just keeps going and going. Ty in the morning would fall back asleep if he had to listen to this song.

“You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”
• Disc 1, Track 06, Master–Take 3 [2:32]

• Disc 2, Track 05, Rehearsal Composite [2:44]: This previously unreleased track is presumably edited together from a number of rehearsals. The editing here is nearly seamless, a fine job. Great to hear Elvis’ producer Felton Jarvis say enthusiastically at the end, “Bravo! That’s a gas, man!”

• Disc 2, Track 11, Take 1, Take 2 [3:12]: Take 1 is a short, previously unreleased flub. Take 2 first appeared on A Hundred Years From Now.

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'”
• Disc 1, Track 07, Live Master–8/12/1970 MS [4:25]: This live performance from the original version of the album is the definitive version of this song, by Elvis or anyone else. This is Elvis at his best, on stage doing what he loved the most. Incidentally, as released on the 2000 CD set as a separate track was an even longer version of the same performance of this song. Elvis does a fantastic reprise and the track time runs about two minutes longer. The 8/12/1970 MS is one of the best Elvis concerts I’ve ever heard, and it alone is worth picking up the 2000 edition (it comprises disc 2).

“I’ve Lost You”
• Disc 1, Track 08, Live Master–8/11/1970 DS [3:42]: While I love this live version of “I’ve Lost You,” one of the original album tracks and certainly a highlight, I prefer the studio version because the lyrics and the arrangement are more complicated. That being said, this is still a great version. I used to play the heck out of it for years until I first heard the studio version on Heart & Soul.

• Disc 1, Track 14, Studio Master–Take 7 [3:31]: This is another absolute favorite for me. Sure, this wasn’t on the original album, but this single did serve to promote that album. An extraordinary performance. Just close your eyes and listen. This is Elvis.

• Disc 2, Track 03, Rehearsal, Take 1 [5:25]: During the previously unreleased rehearsal, Elvis complains about the number of words in the song. This is likely why it was simplified for the live version. Take 1 originally appeared on The Nashville Marathon. It’s a quiet take, with more deliberate phrasing – probably because he’s reading the lyric sheet.

• Disc 2, Track 14, Takes 4-6 [5:22]: The previously unreleased takes 4 and 5 are cancelled before Elvis even sings a note. Take 6, which is an improvement over Take 1 but not as good as the master on Take 7, was previously released on A Hundred Years From Now.

“Just Pretend”
• Disc 1, Track 09, Master–Take 3 [4:04]: How much Elvis greatness can one man take? This is another favorite, an impressive performance from the original album that only Elvis could deliver.

• Disc 2, Track 12, Take 1, Take 2 [4:46]: Take 1 is previously unreleased. You guessed it, though, it’s just a false start. It barely starts at all, actually. Take 2 was previously released on A Hundred Years From Now.

“Stranger In The Crowd”
• Disc 1, Track 10, Master–Take 9 [3:48]: This is yet another great song, one of the best on the original album. Now do you see why I love this album so much?

• Disc 2, Track 08, Rehearsal, Take 1, Takes 3-5 [4:52]: Finally, some outtakes of this song! All of these are previously unreleased. Take 5 is nearly complete, but Elvis blows it near the end. “I’m sorry about that, man,” he says.

• Disc 2, Track 09, Master–Take 9–Rough Mix [4:33]: This previously unreleased rough mix runs about 45 seconds longer than the final version. This has a slightly different mix, with horns a bit lower. Nice to have as an alternate listening experience.

“The Next Step Is Love”
• Disc 1, Track 11, Master–Take 11 [3:33]: Here’s one studio song, from the original album, where I actually prefer the live version. The song is a little hokey either way, but the studio arrangement, complete with xylophone(?), doesn’t help matters.

• Disc 2, Track 06, Rehearsal, Take 2, Take 3, Take 6 [5:11]: The interesting thing about this previously unreleased rehearsal is that you can hear the song’s demo record playing in the background. The previously unreleased Take 2 and Take 3 are quick flubs. Take 6 was previously released on the Elvis: Today, Tomorrow & Forever boxed set.

• Disc 2, Track 13, Takes 7-10 [6:06]: Well, you know the pattern by now. Three previously unreleased blown takes, followed by one previously released, complete take. The Nashville Marathon included Take 10. This is actually a nice take of the song. No xylophone!

“Bridge Over Trouble Water”
• Disc 1, Track 12, Master–Studio Take 8 (with overdubbed applause) [4:38]: Unfortunately, the Heart & Soul version of this track, with Elvis’ vocal raised in the first verse and without the overdubbed applause, was not included on this release. I would have given up “Tiger Man” or one of the other unrelated songs to have this. As for this original version from the album, it’s really not one I ever listen to, once the studio version proper was released. It doesn’t do justice to his performance. The Heart & Soul version, though, I would contend as the best version of this song by anyone.

• Disc 1, Track 16, Live–8/11/1970 DS [4:14]: As noted by Thomas in his review at Elvis Today, if RCA wanted to close out That’s The Way It Is with a live version of this song, why not use an actual live version? The 8/12/1970 MS performance, for instance, is nearly as good as the studio version. This track from the 8/11/1970 DS was originally released on the Platinum boxed set. My question is, why didn’t FTD place an unreleased live version here instead? They could have used a performance from the 8/12/1970 DS or the 8/13/1970 DS.

• Disc 2, Track 04, Take 1 [5:01]: Just when I thought I was tired of hearing this song, this take came on. Beautiful. This was also on The Nashville Marathon.

• Disc 2, Track 15, Rehearsal, Take 2, Take 5 [5:40]: The previously unreleased rehearsal is interesting, for it features a much faster take on the song. “I don’t know, we’d better not,” Elvis says with a laugh. Too bad they apparently didn’t try a whole take like this! Take 2 is previously unreleased and really stops before it even starts. Take 5 was previously released on A Hundred Years From Now.

Other Songs (not on original album)
• Disc 1, Track 17, “Little Sister/Get Back” (Live–8/12/1970 MS) [3:10]: This great live track first appeared on the Elvis Aron Presley boxed set and was also on the That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition (2000) set. This features Elvis on electric guitar, not to be missed.

• Disc 1, Track 18, “Something” (Live Master–8/11/1970 MS) [3:37]: Another great live track. This one first surfaced on Walk A Mile In My Shoes. It appeared again on Live In Las Vegas, this time without the censoring of a mild curse by Elvis. Strangely, this FTD track is the censored version. In any event, this is Elvis’ best version of this Beatles classic released thus far.

• Disc 2, Track 01, “Tiger Man” (Studio Jam–6/4/1970) [2:49]: This instrumental jam first appeared on The Nashville Marathon, though, curiously, that CD labels the track as “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” while this release of the same track only acknowledges “Tiger Man.” Elvis can be heard off-microphone singing “Tiger Man” but not “Mystery Train,” as far as I can tell, so perhaps that’s the reason. However, the guitar opening of the jam itself sounds suspiciously like “Mystery Train.” In concert, Elvis normally performed these two songs together, as a medley. His 1969 and 1970 live versions of this coupling are fantastic.

Like other releases in FTD’s “Classic Albums” series, That’s The Way It Is comes in an oversized CD case, the size of a 45 RPM sleeve. All of the FTD releases are packaged on cardstock rather than within an actual jewel case, so I guess I’ve grown used to that over the years. I would prefer a more standard plastic jewel case presentation.

Anyway, the FTD cover replicates the cover from the original 1970 album. The oversized aspect does at least offer the advantage of allowing the art to look that much closer to the original record album – something hard to accomplish on a standard-sized jewel case. Inside, the CD labels are meant to resemble the Side 1 and Side 2 labels from the original LP. This is a nice touch, but just remember not to use the song list on them, as they are representative of the 1970 release and not this 2008 edition.

Unfortunately, on my copy, the CD holders are incorrectly glued off center for both discs. This means that they do not fully cover the artwork underneath them (which appear to be photos of the real labels from the 1970 album). A little more quality control was needed here. This is made up for by a great picture of Elvis playing the acoustic guitar from one of his July 1970 rehearsals for the Vegas show, just a month after the studio session in Nashville that produced most of this release.

The enclosed 20-page booklet starts off with another spectacular picture of Elvis from Summer 1970, wearing a black leather jacket and his trademark aviator glasses. The booklet contains over 30 other photos, most of which are well chosen and really add to the release.

Though a bit scattered (you will find yourself thumbing back and forth a lot), the booklet contains a ton of information – something that standard FTD releases, outside of the Classic Album Series, sorely lack. There is a complete track-listing with songwriter and musician credits. There is a useful listing of “In And Outtakes” which gives more information about each performance on the release, including its previously released status and previous album (if applicable).

“Masters” gives the master take number for each song in the June 1970 Nashville session. Don’t look for all of these tracks on this album, though, as the session also produced the Elvis Country and Love Letters From Elvis albums. A nice “Behind The Scenes” timeline follows the progress of both the original album and the documentary movie, from April 1970 when the movie deal is signed, until November 1970 when both the album and movie are released. On top of all of that, there are vintage newspaper clippings, memos, and other items of interest to round out the booklet.

The 2008 album producers (Ernst Jorgensen and Roger Semon) dedicate the release to Todd Morgan, a longtime Elvis Presley Enterprises staffer who passed away suddenly in March. “(He) worked tirelessly to maintain the legacy of Elvis Presley through his great work (and) will be sadly missed by all who knew him,” the tribute reads in part. For me, Morgan’s greatest contribution to Elvis’ legacy was his spearheading of 2004’s Elvis: ’68 Comeback Special-Deluxe Edition 3-DVD set and Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii-Deluxe Edition 2-DVD set, which released all of the available footage from these television specials.

There is over 40 minutes of new material on this 2008 version of That’s The Way It Is. Most of the performances not previously released on earlier editions of That’s The Way It Is, A Hundred Years From Now, and The Nashville Marathon are incomplete rehearsals and blown takes, though. However, there are some real gems on this release, including the multiple “Patch It Up” takes.

Plus, this edition pulls everything together in one nice package. Despite the potential strikes against it, this 2008 re-issue turns out to be a must-have for serious fans of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is. This is the definitive look at the outtakes of the That’s The Way It Is portions of the June 1970 Nashville sessions.

If wishes where horses. . . .
I am an Elvis fan, though, which means that I always want more. My thirst for That’s The Way It Is material is not yet satisfied. Here’s my FTD wish-list for future That’s The Way It Is-themed releases:

• Complete 8/12/1970 DS concert
• Complete 8/13/1970 DS concert
• Complete 8/11/1970 DS concert
• Remaining rehearsals from Summer 1970 (California & Nevada)

As long as I’m making wishes, from Warner Home Video/Turner Entertainment Company, which owns the rights to the documentary film, I wish for a definitive multi-disc DVD set containing as many That’s The Way It Is outtakes as commercially possible. (And while you’re looking at documentaries, Warner Brothers, hurry up already with that Elvis On Tour DVD release. The format’s going to be dead before you get around to releasing this Golden Globe winning movie.)

Songs: 10 (out of 10)
Liner Notes: 9
Cover Art: 8
Packaging: 7
Overall Experience: 10

Review: Elvis rocks the Garden in new CD from RCA [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this review back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

An Afternoon In The Garden (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, June 10, 1972, Madison Square Garden (New York). Released: March 1997 (CD).

It’s hard to go wrong when buying an Elvis concert album. The power of Elvis’ stage performances remains unmatched to this day, as demonstrated by An Afternoon In The Garden, a new album from RCA that was recorded live in 1972.

RCA recorded Elvis’ afternoon and evening concerts at Madison Square Garden on June 10 of that year. The evening performance was released only a week after the actual event on the album As Recorded At Madison Square Garden. Although a few tracks have been released from the afternoon show in various compilations over the years, this is the first time the complete concert has been available.

There are not many surprises here, since the song selection and feel of the performance is very similar to the evening show. They were recorded the same day, after all. The most unique track is “Until It’s Time For You To Go,” which has never been released in a live version to my knowledge.

An Afternoon In The Garden is an exciting album that transports listeners to a front row seat to hear Elvis in concert. The roar of the crowd is nearly a constant presence, heightening the drama. Overall, I think RCA made the right choice going with the evening concert back in 1972, but I wish I could hear it in a similar sound quality as the afternoon concert on this album.

RCA cannot be praised enough for their work over the last seven years. An Afternoon In The Garden is evidence of their continuing dedication to giving Elvis fans what they want. Elvis performed over a thousand concerts in the last decade of his career, quite a few of which were recorded. Hopefully this album is only the beginning of a string of new live releases.

Until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy an afternoon at the Garden with Elvis.

Songs:

  1. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra
  2. That’s All Right
  3. Proud Mary
  4. Never Been To Spain
  5. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
  6. Until It’s Time For You To Go
  7. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
  8. Polk Salad Annie
  9. Love Me
  10. All Shook Up
  11. Heartbreak Hotel
  12. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
  13. Love Me Tender
  14. Blue Suede Shoes
  15. Reconsider Baby*
  16. Hound Dog
  17. I’ll Remember You*
  18. Suspicious Minds
  19. Introductions By Elvis
  20. For The Good Times
  21. An American Trilogy
  22. Funny How Time Slips Away
  23. I Can’t Stop Loving You*
  24. Can’t Help Falling In Love

All tracks previously unreleased except *

Rating: 8.5 out of 10