Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

I actually like Wisdom Of The Ages. But I am glad we will soon put Harum Scarum behind us.

 

I like the two "bonus" songs quite a bit. Animal Instinct has a cool groove going, and Elvis' vocal has just the right amount of bite ("he takes a DRINK!"). The flute solo is sort of weird, but it makes it all that much sweeter when Elvis comes back in.

Wisdom Of The Ages is even better. The lyrics are cheesy in isolation, but taken in conjunction with the music, they scan pretty well. I love the two climaxes of the song: "For the sands of time are running out" and "To such a man, I'd bow," and Elvis completely sells the lyric. This one gets stuck in my head all the time (and that's a good thing for me!).

Overall, Harum Scarum has some rough going in the middle, but it ends very well.

 

I really appreciate your insightful comments on Elvis's soundtrack recordings as I use your great posts as well as @mark winstanley's great summaries to help me focus on certain songs as I had not really explored much of this material in great detail before. I really like those last two songs as well, but I am really looking forward to hearing the Double Features' version. I also love the way Elvis nails that last line as well. This whole soundtrack has been quite a revelation to me as I thought it was truly going to be as dreadful as the movie looked. Please do not misunderstand me, it is not a great album by any stretch of the imagination, but it does have some decent songs and some interesting production values. The engineering and mixing is a whole other matter for me, but I hope the Double Features' CD helps a lot with those issues, so I can enjoy some of the better songs on the album.

 

The bass on this track - played by the late, great Henry Strzelecki - has a killer tone. If anyone knows how to get this sound / the equipment Henry used please let me know. I can kinds get there with a a Fender Jazz but suspect he might have used a semi-hollow with flat-wound strings? Probably through an Ampeg?

Interestingly, it’s a different bass tone on take 1. Very ‘normal’ and not nearly as interesting. Take 2 is unfortunately unreleased but by take 3 that killer tone is there. I’d love to hear take 2 to see what the bass was like, or if there is on-tape discussion of changing it.

 

Yeah I like the bass tone too. It sounds to me like he is using a pick.

 

Yes indeed, that is one of my favorite moments on the song. Henry was one of Nashville's greatest studio bass players and also wrote a couple of very pretty cuts for Charlie Rich on his mid 70's albums. Its funny that you mention the unusual sound on the bass as there is a cut on a Janie Frickie album int the late 1970's that Billy Sherrill produced and it has this cool bass guitar lick that has always sounded really unusual to my ears. I think it was on the ballad I Loved You All The Way. I am not a musician, so I do not really know how to describe it in those terms, but it has a really nice thump on it as it closes out the verse. Janie Frickie herself was one of Nashville's greatest background vocalists and was brought in to do background vocals on Elvis In Concert IIRC.

 

I know I've been harsh towards this record, but I think Animal Instinct is actually pretty okay... definitely one of the better recordings here. The bass hook is kind of reminiscent of Giant/Baum/Kaye's best Elvis song, Devil in Disguise. The band and Elvis sound like they might actually be having some fun here. Perverse that this song didnt make it into the film.

Wisdom of the Ages is just corny. It reminds me a bit of Spinal Tap's (Listen to the) Flower People.

Okay, we're one third of the way through Elvis' rock-bottom trilogy!

 

I started to review the Frankie And Johnny soundtrack last night, but I had to stop after previewing a few songs. I switched over to Elvis For Everyone so I would not have a bad taste in my ears before I went to bed.

 

I would say Frankie And Johnny has higher highs and lower lows than Harum Scarum. There are actually 4 songs on F&J I like.

But we have a few singles to get through first.

 

I like the title track ...my memory is it starts off pretty good and fades away .... but we'll see

 

I recently watched Frankie and Johnny, and not a single song stuck with me.

 

Of course there’s always the UK/European edition:

 

Way too funny, I always think the exact same thing when Elvis sings ‘Listen...’ on this track.

 

Tell Me Why
Written By :
Titus Turner

Recorded :
Radio Recorders, Hollywood, January 12-13, 1957: January 12, 1957. take 5

Another unusual release. This sounds so obviously fifties it's impossible to hide.
Anyway, I'm not sure about two things here ... How many people were buying singles on the cusp of 65/66? and How many people would be interested in a song recorded nearly a decade ago?
This is a really good song. It has a fantastic vocal, a really nice blues feel and could easily have been on a Presley album or single before he left for the Army.

 

Blue River -


Written By :
Paul Evans & Fred Tobias

Recorded :
RCA's Studio B, Nashville, May 26-28, 1963: May 28, 1963. take 2 (extended version)

7" single (RCA 47-8740, 1965 or January 1966)[6][7]

1. "Tell Me Why"
2. "Blue River"

7" single (1965)[8]

1. "Blue River"
2. "Do Not Disturb"

7" single (1965)[9]

1. "Blue River" (2:10)
2. "You'll Be Gone" (2:20)

7" EP (RCA Victor 86.508 M, France, 1966)[10][11]

1. "Blue River"
2. "Memphis Tennessee"
3. "Puppet on a String"
4. "Tell Me Why"

-----------------------------
I have to guess this song was a leftover from the unreleased album we spoke about earlier.
Anyhow, this is a good fun rock and roll song. It has all the trappings of something would sound good on a "real" Elvis album. It does have instrumentation that reflects some of the soundtrack work, but one would have to imagine that after doing so many soundtrack albums, that a certain amount of stylistic arrangement from those would end up having some appeal, or at least rubbing off ... I guess to extent I could see this being a soundtrack cast off, but it doesn't quite sound like one of his soundtrack songs.
The other songs spread through the singles are from Girl Happy ... It is a very strange batch of songs to be put together ....
Anyway, I am sure one of our wonderful Elvis experts can explain what the deal is here. I'm kind of clutching at straws.

 

1959 - Feb 10 1964 - Reference guide -
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

 

Apr 2 1964

Kissin' Cousins - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 1 Kissin' Cousins 2 Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 2 Smokey Mountain Boy Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 3 There's Gold In The Mountains Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 4 One Boy, Two Little Girls Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 5 Catchin' On Fast Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 6 Tender Feeling Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 7 Anyone Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 8 Barefoot Ballad Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 9 Once Is Enough Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 10 Kissin Cousins Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 11 Echoes Of Love Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 12 Long Lonely Highway Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Apr 28 1964
What'd I Say Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Viva Las Vegas Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

May 1964
Viva Las Vegas - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 1 Viva Las Vegas Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 2 Yellow Rose Of Texas/Eyes Of Texas Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 3 The Lady Loves Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 4 C'mon everybody Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 5 Today Tomorrow And Forever Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 6 The Climb Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 7 What'd I Say Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 8 Santa Lucia Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 9 If You Think I Don't Need You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 10 I Need Somebody To Lean On Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 11 Nightlife Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 12 Do The Vega Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 13 You're The Boss Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Jul 14 1964
Such A Night Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Never Ending Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Oct 20 1964
Roustabout - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 1 Roustabout Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 2 Little Egypt Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 3 Poison Ivy League Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Track 4 Hard Knocks Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 5 It's A Wonderful World Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 6 Big Love Big Heartache Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 7 One Track Heart Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 8 It's Carnival Time Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 9 Carny town Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 10 There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 11 Wheels On My Heels Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

I'm A Roustabout Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Sep 22 1964
Aint That Loving you Baby Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Ask Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Nov 3 1964
Blue Christmas/Wooden Heart Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Feb 9 1965
Do The Clam/You'll Be Gone Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Mar 2 1965
Girl happy - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 1 Girl Happy Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 2 Spring Fever Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 3 Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 4 Startin' Tonight Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 5 Wolf Call Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 6 Do Not Disturb Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 7 Cross My Heart And Hope to Die Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 8 The Meanest Girl In town Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 9 Do The Clam Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 10 Puppet On A String Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 11 I've Got To Find My Baby Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 12 You'll Be Gone Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Apr 6 1965
Crying In The Chapel/Wooden Heart Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Jun 8 1965
Easy Question/ It Feels So Right Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Jun 15 1965
Tickle Me EP - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Aug 10 1965
Elvis For Everyone - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 1 Your Cheating Heart Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 2 Summer Kisses Winter Tears Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 3 Finder Keepers Losers Weepers Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 4 In My Way Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 5 Tomorrow Night Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 6 Memphis Tennessee Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 7 For The Millionth and the Last Time Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 8 Forget Me Never Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 9 Sound Advice Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 10 Santa Lucia Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 11 I Met Her Today Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 12 When it Rains It Really Pours Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
complete original LP version Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Aug 10 1965
I'm Yours/ Long Lonely Highway Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Oct 26 1965
Puppet On A String/ Wooden Heart Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Nov 1965
Blue Christmas/ Santa Claus Is Back In Town Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Nov 3 1965
Harum Scarum - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 1 Harum Holiday Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 2 Desert Serenade Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 3 Go East young Man Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 4 Mirage Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 5 Kismet Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 6 Shake That tambourine Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 7 Hey Little Girl Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 8 Golden Coins Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 9 So Close Yet So Far Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 10 Animal Instinct Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
track 11 Wisdom Of The Ages Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Dec 14 1965
Tell Me Why Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Blue River Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties





Misc reference
Press conference Mar 7 1960 Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Interview Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Interview Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Interview August 1962 Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
interview 72 Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

Rare Footage Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

The missing album "For The Asking" Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties thanks @czeskleba

Ginny Tui Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

news clipping Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

 

Tell Me Why surprisingly sold 500K copies. At #33 on Billboard, this was the lowest charting single to go gold in Elvis' career. I guess some people (like me) were completist when it came to collecting Elvis and this song did not appear on LP until WWGAH Volume 2 came out. It is a good song, but it sounds more dated than Ain't That Loving You Baby or even When It Rains It Pours.

Blue River is a good song too. It ended up on Double Trouble two years later, so both these songs were new to the public when this single was released.

 

Tell Me Why is really a terrific performance by Elvis and the band. One would have to guess that if it had been released as a single around the time it was recorded or shortly thereafter, it might have been a top ten single. This was Elvis coming to grips with his rapidly growing ability to become a first class ballad singer. It also has a nice bluesy quality to it as well, which you so accurately point out.

 

According to Ernst's book, this song was not released in 1957 because Steve Sholes thought it sounded too much like "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and was worried Elvis would be accused of plagiarism. That seems like a very odd concern, because Elvis obviously didn't write the song or even hold the publishing on it, and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" was public domain anyway. Regardless, that's apparently why it was left in the vault. By 1965 nobody cared about that anymore. The song was unearthed as a possible inclusion on For Everyone, but didn't make the cut there and instead they went with the bizarre idea to release the eight-year-old outtake as a single. At this point it seems like they were desperate and willing to try anything, and probably the surprise success of "Crying in The Chapel" made them say "what the hell"?

 

It's a fine performance, but I don't think it was single worthy by 1957 standards. Certainly it would have been a hit if he'd released it then (since everything he touched turned to gold) but I'm not sure it would have made the cut as a single if the odd plagiarism concern hadn't arisen.

 

Tell Me Why contains a dynamic vocal, but the song must have sounded dated even in the mid-1960's. I suspect the song would have become much more well known and regarded as an album cut had it been timely issued during the 1950's.

 

Yea it certainly is a strange one

 

It's a shame they decided not to release Tell Me Why in the 50s. It's a lovely performance from Elvis, and along with Is It So Strange, it could have replaced some of the weaker tracks on Loving You.

Blue River is pretty solid, but how was the overloaded, distorted mix/master ever cleared for release? Was it like that on the original single, or just the Double Trouble album?

 

I just gave Blue River a fresh listen, and I really like it. It's a song I've never paid much attention to before, but it's pretty good. I suspect though that part of the reason I'm reacting this way is that I've been listening to Harum Scarum, and after that anything would sound refreshing. It really does underscore how far and how fast Elvis fell, since this song is SO MUCH better than anything on Harum Scarum.