"Suspicion"..was this the song that got away from Elvis?

#1 song in Britain for 6 weeks!!!

 

That's true, but that was in 60 or 61. The BBC would fall all over themselves to air a record like that.

 

I like Elvis' version of 'My Pink Half of the Drainpipe'

 

Ditto squared.

 

As was Troy Shondell's "This Time." For some reason I've always associated these two somehow.

 

I don't care for Elvis but I like the song Suspicion. I have it on my Rhino Best of the Bonzo Dog Band.

 

I like the version by Stafford a lot. Yet, I give the nod to Elvis because of his vocal superiority. Agree that the Stafford version is uptempo and the background singers add a pleasant and cute aspect. However, no contest as to voice quality. The referee stops this fight in the first 5 seconds as Stafford hits the floor. Stafford sounds like a wannabe Elvis. He can't even sing the word Suspicion. He leaves it up to the backup vocals. Elvis hits it strong. Fun arrangement and fun song to listen to by Stafford though.

 

I don't think I've ever heard Elvis' version, but the Terry Stafford version has always been among my favorites of 1964; YMMV applies.

 

My favourite is Larry Marshall on Blue Beat...

 

Different strokes for different folks. Can't say I like that one much but I respect your preference. Voice is very ordinary. I can find 50 guys within a one a block radius of Bourbon Street that sound like him. Jamaican beat is different but ultimately annoying.

 

This is the song that somebody took away. Elvis cut "Memphis Tennessee" in may 1963, but wasn´t satiesfied with the result. He re-cut it January 12 1964 and earmarketed it for his next single release. Elvis was convinced that this could be his strongest single in years. Johnny Rivers was a regular visitor to Graceland around this time, and Elvis proudly played an acetate recording to Johnny...who listened very carefully....and a couple of weeks later, Johnny Rivers next single was "Memphis Tennessee". Elvis said something about that he already had so many gold records that this didn´t matter to him, but Johnny Rivers was no more a welcome guest at Elvis´ house. Elvis´ own version ended up on a mish mash album called "Elvis for everyone" in 1965.

 

And here´s Johnny River´s version for comparison:

 

Sorry, can't see it myself. The King takes it in his stride, a great pop number. Donner sounds constipated.

 

I like the instrumentation on the Stafford version, but the backing vocals ruin it.

Elvis' version doesn't sound dated like Stafford who was clearly imitating Elvis. The album that had this song had about 5 other Elvis songs on it. Pretty clear indicator of intent to imitate.

 

I'm a big Elvis fan but I prefer Terry Stafford's version.

 

See, I think the call-and-response thing is the main hook in the arrangement, and it works. The Terry Stafford record is just tighter in terms of arrangement-- the harpsichord on the Elvis one doesn't sound good to me. Also, Elvis lags behind the beat, which I'm sure was a conscious decision, but that doesn't work for me either. (This is not to say that Stafford is a better singer, just that his version sounds like Elvis after a few more takes).

 

I recently heard this story from Elvis Mafia and long time radio personality George Kline. I liked a lot of Johnny Rivers music but now I like the man a little less.

 

I understand your position. I like both versions. It's just hard for me to get past the voice difference when choosing a favorite. I always give the nod to the better singer/voice.

 

Did Brian Wilson not like Johnny Rivers circa '65? During the infamous Murry Wilson intervention at the Help Me Rhonda Beach Boys session, Murry implores the guys not to just sing for money. "Tell Johnny Rivers that," Brian (IIRC) says.

 

Hmmm, did they have the publishing for Memphis, Tennessee? I figured any Elvis single, before Guitar Man and Jerry Reed standing up for himself, would require the publishing being given to Elvis's publishing company at the time.

 

Darling, if you love me, please show me some proof of your good intentions.
I'd like it on my desk on Monday morning at the very latest.
I know this might seem silly, but I want to be absolutely positive.
If you have been deceiving me, well, it's time you got a boyfriend.

 

I don´t know. This is what I read in Peter Guralnik´s fantastic biography,.

 

I still prefer Staffords, while it's a clear sound-alike, It sounds like a complete, polished take compared to Elvis' which sounds like an unfinished demo. If Elvis had done it like Stafford it would've been perfect

 

While I agree that the backing music, played by Bob Summers, for Stafford's version is better, I don't see how Stafford's vocal could be considered better, since it's merely a fair copy of Elvis' version. The two records are nearly identical, but a listen to Elvis' version reveals the nuances that made him successful. Stafford has even been referred to as an Elvis soundalike.

I recently looked up the history of this song. I've long been an Elvis fan and have only occasionally heard the Stafford version, but it had always seemed curious that the two versions were so similar. I had assumed that Elvis covered the song, but Elvis usually put his own signature on covers. The story, which others have posted here, is that this was a 1962 album track covered as a demo by Stafford, and later released as a single in 1964.

That session in 1962 was Elvis last good studio production until he caught the bug and started taking it seriously again in 1967. Tom Parker and film contract obligations dominated his time and songs that ranged from subpar to atrocious were rushed out during the 60s, Parker and the studios cashing in as much as they could. Elvis hated that period and grew bored and resentful to the point that he finally defied Parker by conspiring with producer Steve Bender to make a truly creative TV special in 1968 that Parker intended to be a Christmas special.

With a few decent tracks recorded the prior year, such as Guitar Man and the Grammy-winning Gospel album, How Great Thou Art, the '68 Special was a big hit and vaulted his comeback.

Anyway, when Suspicion was recorded in 1962, Elvis had not yet lost his passion to execute a great vocal performance, which was missing for 5 years while being forced to make cookie-cutter movie tracks.