Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

When I listen to this album as just an album, it isn't too bad at all, I don't hate it. Having gone through the songs individually, it just seems to struggle. Occasionally it is slightly lesser songs, and at times it is Elvis just not quite hitting it. This may well be the attitude he had going in. It could be that just before or during this session his vocals were particularly effected by the medications ... I'm not sure, but the album comes up short on closer inspection.

 

Three Corn Patches is probably the worst Lieber/Stoller song I've ever heard. And yes, Elvis' vocals on this song reveal the problem with his voice in general during the first Stax sessions. Sweet Angeline is a nice enough song. I like it.

 

It should be noted that this home is open for private tours:
Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway – Visit Elvis’ Palm Springs home that inspired two upstairs suites at the Guest House at Graceland™

Absolutely worth a visit if you're in the area. Not your typical buy-a-ticket approach, as the current owner runs all the tours, but show up at the right time with the right amount of cash and he'll walk and talk you through the whole house (and the pool and hideaway spot out back as well).

Beautiful little home: Photo Gallery – Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway Of course all the Elvis pictures and memorabilia was not there when the King was, but a large part of it has been sent in or brought by fans from all around the world, so there's a lot of love here.

And yes, you can sit on the (huge!) couch and take a picture...or a selfie!

I took some other pictures when visiting CA last year for a family event; let me know if you want me to share or if that's too much of a derail.

 

I have no problem with you sharing some pics mate... I'm sure nobody will be too perturbed

 

I got a few shots that aren't in the official photo gallery; that bed is something else! There's also a neat vintage jukebox (of course filled with Elvis) in the house, plus some pantry-sized SubZero refrigerators, fit for a King (but also I grew up in a home with 'em). Will dump from Facebook to Imgur at some point and share

 

Sweet Angeline I have to pass on. It would have been a better track had the orchestra been omitted - as is, it's just too 'syrupy". Ditto the female backing vocal (shades of Millie Kirkum). It would have made an OK track in a soundtrack I guess.

Agree about Thee Corn Patches. Here's a song Elvis could have gotten behind vocally, but there's just no energy on his part. Musically, it's a fairly pedestrian song, and it pains me to say this but the band wasn't making it any more exciting on this one either. Side note - I was staying in a hotel across from Graceland years back, and they played Elvis songs over the hotel's sound system. It was a fairly random playlist, but for some reason Three Corn Patches would be like the every fifth song. It certainly didn't earn any favors from me.

 

Elvis must have listened to this record.

T-Bone Walker - Very Rare

 

A couple of other songs from that record



If You Don't Come Back

 

Yeah, I am not too big a fan of this song. I know I'm usually the guy on this thread that loves Elvis's ballads, but I'm all about melody and passion and I hear little of either here. It does indeed sound like one of their movies soundtrack songs, not terrible, but just very average to say the least.

Now I am probably an outlier on Three Corn Patches as it is one of my favorite cuts on the album. It gives Elvis a chance to get back to his country and rock 'n' roll roots, and I love that little guitar lick at the beginning of each verse. It's most likely played by Reggie Young, but it could be James Burton, I fathom. Mark is right too that Elvis sounds like he is singing near the top of his vocal range, which is actually hard to believe, but I will take this slightly strained vocal over the sleepwalk vocal on If You Don't Come Back every time.

 

Sweet Angeline is pure schmaltzy MOR. I like it.

This isn't a great album (but not as bad as they say) I enjoy it anyway

 

Slade made a great cover

 

Well that's interesting, and a year later too....
I like Slade, but I have never heard this album.
For those interested ... Noddy gives it some curry

 

Three Corn Patches is not a great song by any means, but I think Elvis' vocal is the real problem here. I'd say it's one of the worst vocals he ever put on tape. He sounds strained, and they clearly couldn't be bothered to do it in a key he felt comfortable with. It does make me wonder about the song selection process. It seems clear Elvis did not select this song, since he seems to express dislike for it during the session chatter. But it's a cover, not a Bienstock original submission, so why did he feel obligated to even do it if he didnt like it? I guess the most likely scenario is that Elvis had no role in song selection here, and was so apathetic he just showed up and did whatever was put in front of him.

 

Huh, three songs from that album re-used by Elvis. Either Elvis listened to it or (more likely) whoever was charged with picking songs for the album.

Interestingly, The Animals also must have been fans of this record, since they also covered three songs from it on their 1976 reunion album.

 

Sweet Angeline is my least-favourite of the ballads from the first clutch of Stax/Palm Springs sessions, but I still like it quite a bit. Once again, Elvis takes a less-than-spectacular song and elevates it, yada...

Three Corn Patches is no great shakes, but I don't think it's as bad as its reputation suggests. As a throwaway closer to the album, it works quite nicely. Once again, the rough mix has more vitality to it, and I think the mix on take 2 on the FTD is even better.

 

This should be the best track on the album, in my opinion. 1969-71 Elvis could have made this a burning rock/soul track. Instead, '73 Elvis sounds like he's on Nyquil.

 

ELVIS - A LEGENDARY PERFORMER, VOLUME 1 (LP)
(US) RCA CPL1 0341
Released: November 1973


Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley issued in 1974 by RCA Records. It features 14 tracks, which includes twelve songs and two interviews with Presley. It was certified Gold on January 8, 1975, Platinum and 2x Platinum on July 15, 1999 and 3x Platinum, by the RIAA on March 8, 2018.

Side A
1. "That's All Right" Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup July 6, 1954 1:33
2. "I Love You Because" (previously unreleased take) Leon Payne July 6, 1954 3:27
3. "Heartbreak Hotel" Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley January 10, 1956 2:08
4. "Elvis" — January 13, 1957 0:34
5. "Don't Be Cruel" Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley July 2, 1956 2:03
6. "Love Me" (from Elvis TV special) Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller June 27, 1968 2:32
7. "Tryin' to Get to You" (from Elvis TV special) Rose Marie McCoy, Charlie Singleton June 27, 1968 2:33
Side B
1. "Love Me Tender" Vera Matson, Elvis Presley August 24, 1956 2:42
2. "Peace in the Valley" Thomas A. Dorsey January 13, 1957 3:20
3. "Elvis' Farewell to His Fans" — June 10, 1958 2:14
4. "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I" Bill Trader June 11, 1958 2:30
5. "Tonight's All Right for Love" (from the European edition of G.I. Blues) Joseph Lilley, Abner Silver, Sid Wayne May 6, 1960 1:20
6. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (from Elvis TV special) Lou Handman, Roy Turk June 27, 1968 3:31
7. "Can't Help Falling in Love" Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, George David Weiss March 23, 1961 3:00


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I really don't have much to say about this one. Another compilation.
It is a good collection of songs, and we have a couple of pieces of interview audio thrown in for nostalgia reasons I assume.

Let us know if there is anything we need to know about this one please.

Cheers
Mark

 

Quite an interesting mix of tracks, especially in using some from the 1968 tv special. Is this the volume that was released as a picture disc in a die-cut sleeve? Anyway, it's amazing how well it sold!!

 

I’ve always liked Three Corn Patches.

 

Volume 3 was released as a picture disc.

 

Was this the first tentative step in releasing alternate takes (on purpose!) and outtakes officially? If I understand correctly was it another way of recouping some cash back after the (in)famous 1973 buyout deal on RCA's part?

 

I'm not sure ... to be honest, the first thing that came to mind, was that they were kind of expecting Elvis not to last too long, and preempting the posthumous releases ....
It has a somewhat macabre feeling to me ... this release.

 

The Legendary Performer series was not exclusive to Elvis. Glen Miller was also featured and a few other artists. Yes, for Elvis it was a way for RCA to take advantage of the 1973 back catalog agreement. And upon initial sales it sold more than Fool, Raised On Rock and Good Times combined! And if I recall it was a $1.00 more at retail due to the deluxe packaging and booklet. And with this album we get a few recordings that were NOT included in the 60 CD Album Collection, namely I Love You Because and the TV Special outtakes. The same can be said of Volume 2. That 60 CD box could have easily include ALL his lifetime recordings using the 3 "bonus" discs. Even The Complete Masters box set missed the single take 1 version of It's A Long Lonely Highway.

 

I personally did not like the interviews. Who wants to hear them over and over along with the music you intend to listen to when you put the record on the turntable?

 

Yea, it seemed like a weird deal to me.

I don't know why but I find this whole set, and idea, really strange