Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mark winstanley, May 26, 2019.

  1. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    There were certainly examples of Elvis choosing songs, but frequently he was resigned to what was supplied to a session by others with their own agendas.
     
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  2. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Elvis' version of Bringin' it Back didn't even chart country, did it? From what I can see it was the other side, Green Green Grass, that was a mild country hit, making it to #33. Brenda Lee's version was released just a couple months before Elvis' and was probably still on the charts when his came out, so there was probably little chance his version was gonna get played on the country stations.

    Green Green Grass of Home is one of those songs every country singer at the time covered. For me, the Porter Wagoner version (the first hit version) is the definitive one. Elvis does a competent version but doesn't manage to make the song his, as he might have done in 1969 (like Andy said).
     
  3. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I agree with you on this too. Elvis should have been exposed to a lot more songwriting sources and to other producers for that matter. As you know, I actually love a lot of his mid 70's recordings, but Elvis would have been much better served by mixing it up some more in the studio.
     
  4. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    No, it did not, and Bringing It Back only made it to number 66 on the pop chart. Jason, I believe you are thinking of Pieces Of My Life for the flip country side of Bringing It Back, instead of Green Green Grass Of Home, which actually might have been a better choice at the time for the country charts.
     
  5. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Aha, you're right. Green Green Grass was a UK single... I mistakenly thought it was the flip of Bringin' it Back.
     
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  6. garyt1957

    garyt1957 Forum Resident

    Location:
    mi
    I love Elvis' version of this song.
     
  7. garyt1957

    garyt1957 Forum Resident

    Location:
    mi
    I absolutely agree. Jones' version is a great vocal, but imo there's no emotion. He could be singing about a walk in the park, as opposed to a walk down death row, imo.
     
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  8. Revelator

    Revelator Disputatious cartoon animal.

    Location:
    San Francisco
    I've been on vacation and have just finished catching up with this thread. A few notes on various songs:

    * "Love Song of the Year": Elvis singing about being a songwriter is about as convincing as him singing about being the Pope. But I love this outtake:



    * "Trouble": You can tell this is going to be inspired performance when Elvis starts scatting. That's always a good sign that's he's getting carried away by the material. And here his scatting sounds almost evil.

    * "Fairy Tale": Interestingly, Elvis's version is less "country" than the Pointer Sisters's. This song was also a highlight in concert, one of the few songs Elvis consistently performed with interest and conviction during that period.

    * "Pieces of My Life": I was unfamiliar with Johnny Darrell's version before now; it sounds more easy-listening (even if the overdubs are less hamfisted) and lighter than Elvis's. As for Charlie Rich's version, I'm a fan of the Silver Fox but think Elvis's "Pieces of My Life" is much superior. Charlie sounds like he's had several drinks, and while that conforms to the song's story, he sounds more depressed than rueful, whereas Elvis conveys genuine regret, vulnerability, and ruefulness. The fact that Elvis wasn't a drinker is ultimately irrelevant--this song is autobiography nonetheless, and ends with Elvis looking into the abyss.

    Jorgensen writes: "Troy Seals’s ballad 'Pieces Of My Life' gave Elvis another chance to sing about his regrets—and the sincerity and determination with which he performed the song suggested that he’d had more than a few himself, 'My Way' notwithstanding. Take four was a master, and Elvis kept all the musicians waiting at full session rate while he listened to the playback over and over. Finally Felton transferred the precious master tape to cassette, and Elvis listened to the haunting tune at least thirty times."
     
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  9. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Welcome back mate
     
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  10. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    Great post and spot on points! I love these silly sometimes naughty lyric changes. Not only are they fun to listen to but it shows that Elvis knew exactly where to put emphasis in a performance and where to pull back. He demonstrates this by pulling out the "selling it" rug from under the performances with silly/crude lyrics at the right points to get a laugh. When he does the song "straight", he seems to put emotion/dramatic pauses into the song where he'd been inserting the silliness. It's so interesting to see his processes in working out a song.
     
  11. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    That is a great quote and I think in many ways Pieces Of My Life is the emotional highlight of the whole Today album. I am surprised in some ways that he never got around to singing it live in concert, but after evaluating how much passion and heart he put into the studio version, I can see why he stayed away from singing it live in front of a concert crowd. It reminds me of why he actually avoiding recording that other great Troy Seals song, We Had It All. I think Mr. Seals was hitting a little too close to home lyrically for Elvis. Elvis was a lot braver than most about putting himself out there emotionally in front of his fans, but even Elvis must have surely had his limits about how much of himself that he wanted to share in front of a crowd.
     
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  12. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
    This was also recorded during the Today sessions and released on the 70s box.

     
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  13. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Pieces Of My Life
    Bringin' It Back
    (US) RCA PB 10401
    Released: September 24, 1975

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    A single to follow the album. Interesting choice of songs to pick, and not necessarily the choices I would have made.
     
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  14. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    DOUBLE DYNAMITE (LP)
    (US) Pickwick DL2 5001
    Released: December 1975

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Double Dynamite is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley. The album was released in December 1975, and compiles various tracks that had previously been released on nine budget-priced albums on the RCA Camden label. It was certified Gold and Platinum on 1/6/2004 by the RIAA.

    A 16-track CD version of the album was released in 1987 by Pair/RCA Special Products. The two songs omitted from the CD are "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "If You Think I Don't Need You".

    Side one
    1. "Burning Love" (from Burning Love and Hits from His Movies, Volume 2) Dennis Linde 2:49
    2. "I'll Be There" (from Let's Be Friends) Bobby Darin 2:23
    3. "Fools Fall In Love" (from I Got Lucky) Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller 2:04
    4. "Follow That Dream" (from C'mon Everybody) Ben Weisman, Fred Wise 1:37
    5. "You'll Never Walk Alone" (from You'll Never Walk Alone) Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II 2:40
    Side two
    1. "Flaming Star" (from Elvis Sings Flaming Star) Sherman Edwards, Sid Wayne 2:24
    2. "The Yellow Rose of Texas" / "Eyes of Texas"" (from Elvis Sings Flaming Star) Traditional 2:55
    3. "Old Shep" (from Separate Ways) Arthur Williams, Red Foley 4:12
    4. "Mama" (from Let's Be Friends) Charles O'Curran, Dudley Brooks 2:14
    Side three
    1. "Rubberneckin'" (from Almost in Love) Bunny Warren 2:12
    2. "U.S. Male" (from Almost in Love) Jerry Reed 2:41
    3. "Frankie and Johnny" (from Elvis Sings Hits from His Movies, Volume 1) Traditional 2:31
    4. "If You Think I Don't Need You" (from I Got Lucky) Red West 2:04
    5. "Easy Come, Easy Go" (from C'mon Everybody) Ben Weisman, Sid Wayne 2:10
    Side four
    1. "Separate Ways" (from Separate Ways) Red West, Richard Mainegra 2:36
    2. "Peace in the Valley" (from You'll Never Walk Alone) Thomas A. Dorsey 3:20
    3. "Big Boss Man" (from Elvis Sings Hits from His Movies, Volume 1) Luther Dixon, Al Smith 2:48
    4. "It's a Matter of Time" (from Burning Love and Hits From His Movies, Volume 2) Clive Westlake 3:04
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is an interesting decision. A compilation of tracks off the budget release albums.
    It is weird to me that the sides are so short, about 11 or 12 minutes per side.
    I have never had this, and a compilation from a series of what are essentially compilations probably wouldn't have interested me, but I am sure some folks got this album, and I am interested know what you guys have to say about this one.
     
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  15. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    and to finish off 1975, we have the continuation of the Gold Series singles.

    On December 30, 1975 RCA continued with re-releasing singles, that had previously been released, as part of their "Gold Standard Series".

    (US) RCA GB 10485 (45rpm) Take Good Care Of Her / I've Got A Thing About You Baby
    (US) RCA GB 10486 (45rpm) Separate Ways / Always On My Mind
    (US) RCA GB 10487 (45rpm) T-R-O-U-B-L-E / Mr Songman
    (US) RCA GB 10488 (45rpm) Promised Land / It's Midnight
    (US) RCA GB 10489 (45rpm) My Boy / Thinking About You
     
  16. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Ah there is Old Shep and Peace In The Valley again. RCA/BMG never pass up an opportunity to slap those two (especially Peace In The Valley) on compilations. Here is some alliteration for you: Peace In The Valley is a plodding and ponderous pile of parrot puke.



    I never bought this redundant and superfluous LP.
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2019
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  17. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    It was not on the Camden label. It was Pickwick.

    I DID get the Pair CD mostly for the composite Mama as the CD version of Let's Be Friends does not have the Amigos' portion. The Pair series lopped off 2-4 songs from the albums they "paired" together. Nothing like going full-on budget is there?
     
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  18. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    In fact this coincides with all the Camdens being reissued on Pickwick which also added the improved Frankie And Johnny, an album which could only be improved by lopping off 3 songs.
     
  19. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    No new material here but I did like this when I got it because the songs and sequencing were pretty good throughout. I like the recycled MSG album cover shot but I can't figure out why they didn't use another unique photo (maybe an artsy collage of previous Camden cover shots).
     
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  20. Dave112

    Dave112 Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Carolina
    I always liked Elvis' version of Peace In The Valley and Old Shep. On a side note, I'm guessing this was a 100% RCA compilation and the Colonel was out of it since Elvis had made his deal for pre-1973 recordings.
     
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  21. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Their choice was limited because they likely didn't want to use a song that had recently been a hit for someone else. Pieces had been a single for Johhny Darrell but it flopped, and Charlie Rich's version was an album track. So it was the song probably least familiar to radio listeners. I suppose they could have gone with Green Green Grass like they did in England, but that song had been covered by SO many people by that point, it probably did not have much hit potential left. I really like Shake A Hand, but I don't see it as a hit record in 1975. Certainly Woman Without Love would have been an awful choice. Of the available options, I can see why they went with Pieces, a really nice performnce that realistically could have connected with country listeners.
     
  22. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Yes it was another pre-73 compilation. But I do not like either of those songs no matter who does them, but Elvis does them best.
     
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  23. I’m guessing I got this in Spring 1976. As a kid this was a nice release - I mentioned this much earlier but in those pre-Internet days Elvis movies acted as great advertising for the soundtrack songs (I almost never heard Elvis on the radio back then, but the movies were on seemingly all the time) so this one was appealing. And certainly MUCH more appealing than Today was to an 8 year old. Side one and side three got a good amount of play from me back then.
     
  24. When In Rome

    When In Rome It's far from being all over...

    Location:
    UK
    'Double Dynamite' never even entered my radar back in my collecting days. Weird how they used the 'MSG' cover, in fact, the whole concept is weird. The rear sleeve is way cooler in my opinion. Maybe Pickwick tried to fool the average punter with these cover swaps? Didn't they do the reduced 'Frankie and Johnny' vs. 'Elvis Now' album cover swap too?
     
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  25. clhboa

    clhboa Forum Resident

    I seem to remember this album being adveritsed on TV at the time.
     
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