Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

I must admit I never really understood why Elvis had such a meltdown because of Rivers' release. Neither Rivers or Elvis wrote the song as it's a Chuck Berry song released several years before. Is there something like an unwritten law that one person has the right to release a cover version and then the next singer isn't allowed to release another cover version? Elvis was the king of cover versions but he didn't own Berry's song. And Rivers' version didn't even sound very much like Elvis' arrangement- it's even a spontaneous Whiskey A Go-Go live recording- I wouldn't be surprised if it was Imperial Records' decision to release his live version. His early live sets only consisted of recent hits.

 

I doubt Elvis had a meltdown. Don't recall ever hearing Elvis' side, but only from a few of the MM guys... believe it was Marty's version that Elvis ban Rivers from Graceland afterwards.

Elvis with Rivers I believe around '66 in LA...

 

In September/October 1963, Chuck Berry’s original (1959) version of Memphis Tennessee was released as a single in the UK, reaching No.6 in the UK charts, while a cover version by Dave Berry and the Cruisers reached No.19.

Chuck (or his publishers) would surely have been aware that Elvis had recorded his song back in May, and the UK release of Chuck’s original may have been designed to pre-empt Elvis’ version. With Dave Berry, in turn, trying to pre-empt Chuck’s (or possibly Elvis’).

And presumably Johnny Rivers (or Imperial Records) was well aware of what was going on over there in the UK...

 

Rivers was popular at the Whiskey a Go Go and his most requested live song was "Memphis", so it made sense releasing it as a single. It was Alan Fortas, not Marty (my error) that was quoted saying Elvis played a test pressing of "Memphis" for Rivers, and Elvis ban Rivers from Graceland afterwards.

 

"Meltdown" suggests a reaction that is disproportionate to the situation and maybe even a little histrionic. I don't think it's accurate to describe Elvis' reaction that way.

If you know that a fellow artist is planning to release a cover version of a specific song as a single, it's professional courtesy not to step on that release by putting out your own version as a single first. There's no law against it of course, but it's viewed as sleazy and underhanded. In this case it went beyond professional courtesy because Elvis had treated Rivers as a friend, spending down time with him and even inviting him to his home.

More than one member of the Memphis Mafia told the same story... I know Marty told it also, and I think Joe Esposito did as well. There's enough sources to be reasonably sure it did happen. Elvis was definitely angry and banned Rivers from Graceland. We do have the picture of them from a couple years later, so it's possible Elvis forgave Rivers or at least pretended to, to some degree. But in the moment he was very angry at Rivers.

 

Thanks for the information on this, I didn't know that he even played an acetate to him before.

 

Sorry, I used a completely wrong expression- my fault. I wanted to express something like "to rave about". Thanks for letting me know.

 

I really like Bear Family's Don Robertson CD "...And Then I Wrote Songs For Elvis". He had a very pleasant singing voice on his own and as far as I remember there's a deep insightful booklet included where he talked about Floyd Cramer "stealing" (?) his piano playing style etc.

 

Exactly- I think in comparison to other 60s soundtrack albums the "Harum Scarum" soundtrack stands relatively solid (of course it's still one of Elvis' 60s lowpoints and the sound is horrible on this album). I collect so much 50s/60s vinyl stuff and there are soundtracks which to me are much more boring or silly (for example most of the movie soundtracks from Joey Dee/ Chubby Checker/ Frankie Avalon/ Herman's Hermits/ Freddie & The Dreamers/ Connie Francis/ Cliff Richard/ Roy Orbison's "The Fastest Guitar Alive").
At least some arrangements were certainly very different to the stuff he recorded before and I like songs like Golden Coins/ So Close.../ Shake That Tambourine.

 

During one of the times Rivers hosted The Midnight Special TV Show, a reporter interviewed him about his career and Rivers brought up what happened between him and Elvis. Rivers said it wasn't his idea to release "Memphis" and he tried calling Elvis to let him know what was happening, but he couldn't get through to him.

 

Interesting! That's what I was thinking- Imperial Records recorded his Whiskey A Go-Go sets and decided what was single-worthy. Not sure how many artists could really decide on their own what was being released.

 

Never understood why Sinatra's voice is regarded so fantastic, to me he often sounds very limited, especially when he tried to hit higher notes. I guess on stage maybe it worked better because he had such an intimidating personality and then he was a great actor, too so he could personate songs like Gilbert Bécaud or Asnavour . I personally think Charlie Rich for example easily had so many more voice facets (he could easily switch between crooning/ rocking/ jazzin' it up), lifting his voice so high or getting down way down). Or Dion DiMucci or Roy Orbison etc.

 

I think it comes down to that crooner thing. I don't mind a bit of crooning, but if that's all your doing, I almost certainly won't be very interested.
Sinatra, was purely a crooner, and yes he does it well, but it doesn't interest me.

 

After being an Elvis hardcore fan for about 35 years we flew to the USA last year and after some days in NYC flew to Nashville to start something like a music themed roadtrip (Nashville- Memphis- Tupelo- Natchez- New Orleans etc.).
We also stayed at the Graceland Guesthouse (fantastic place but horrible untrained and also sometimes unfriendly staff) and I stayed on the Graceland area for 8 hours looking at the houses, planes, museums. In the end I nearly couldn't stand on my feet any longer. Amazing how much stuff they're presenting and how much money they must have invested. And I must admit after 35 years of being an Elvis fan standing finally at his graveside it hit me deep inside and tears were also involved. Simply overwhelming.

 

I was quite an overwhelming experience. I reckon they may have either trained, or got new staff, as they were very good when I was there. I tend to keep to myself a little though.
The restaurant's buffet breakfast was the best I have ever had.
With the tour I was really taken by The Jungle Room, I guess it was because I had been listening to the FTD's.
Certainly standing next to his grave was disconcerting.

 

That is a fair point and perspective that I probably had myself for a few years, but Frank's ability to sell a song live and his ability to phrase a song in an almost conversational way, eventually warmed me up to Frank's voice. I am a huge Charlie Rich and Roy Orbison fan, so I totally get where you coming coming from on that point. Charlie Rich is so underrated that it is almost pathetic. Falling in love with Frank's voice is like acquiring a taste for a really fine wine, sometimes it takes a little while to really appreciate it. Sometimes it just never happens, I must admit.

 

I see that there is a new 3-CD Clambake sessions set on the collectors’ market. Would Follow That Dream date take their Complete Soundtrack Sessions series that far? Do I really need to own three CDs of Clambake outtakes?

 

I saw that, and was rather surprised. It's on the Victrola label or something like that.
I was the complete Nashville sessions from this period

 

They already did a 3-CD Harum Scarum set.

 

Bizarre ... so many great albums, and seemingly lesser albums getting the jumbo treatment

 

I know it is completely in vain, but I am actually hoping for some 5.1's or Quad releases. I know the early stuff would be pointless, It was ok on the number 1's dvd-a, but some of that seventies stuff, and possibly late sixties depending on the recording equipment, would be sensational in 5.1

 

Harum Scarum and Clambake are getting the jumbo treatment from grey market labels. As I said above, it will be interesting to see how far down that road FTD will go with their complete sessions soundtrack releases.

 

ahhh, I am still new to this whole idea of bootleg type labels getting this kind of stuff

 

I want an FTD deluxe set of Harum Scarum and I am not joking. Some amazing and novel musicianship on that soundtrack album, despite the movie being a terrible wreck.

 

I'm not against them doing them all. I just wish they would decide how far they're going and start getting there lol
It seems so random, as to what they choose and the order they do it. We've obviously shown them the interest by this stage, or they would have stopped