Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

I dug that DVD out and took a look. The students were asking him about marijuana. You can see Cash's discomfort quite plainly as he alluded to, but didn't spell out the extent of his addiction to pills, which according to his autobiography and Robert Hilburn's excellent biography, reached a crescendo in the late 70s when he discovered booze along with the pills, long after this programme was filmed. He didn't really get a grip until he was treated at the Betty Ford Centre in the 1980s and only because his family performed an intervention because they feared he was going to kill himself. Hilburn's biography 'The Life' quoted Marshall Grant as saying that during Cash's frequent relapses "he had a way of just slamming the door on unpleasant topics" when friends tried to get through to him. He wasn't knee-deep in opiates like Elvis, but the self-destructive pattern of behaviour was identical. Cash was lucky enough to last longer and get the help he needed. The advent of the Betty Ford Centers definitely removed some of the stigma of addiction.

 

And surprising! Who knew so many people disliked 'Burning Love'??

 

Let Me Be There
Written By :
John Rostill

Recorded :
Live Recording, Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, March 20, 1974: March 20, 1974.

Of the two Livvy songs, this is my favourite, for her and him. We have essentially been through this track on Live On stage In Memphis.
We can ponder why they just used a track that had already been on an album, but essentially we already know that logic and taste seemed to have very little to do with putting an Elvis album together, or there would be a dozen in the top rated albums of all time.
One would assume that with Felton chasing the tour bus witha tape recorder should have turned up some other song somewhere along the way ... or even a different version of this song .... but history suggests that he didn't, couldn't or what ever so we get this ... and it is a cool song, even if not exactly what we want on here.

 

Way Down
Written By :
Layng Martine Jr.

Recorded :
Jungle Room, Graceland, Memphis, October 29-31, 1976 : October 29, 1976

from the album Moody Blue
B-side "Pledging My Love"
Released June 6, 1977
Format 7" single
Recorded October 29, 1976, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee
Genre Rock and roll
Length 2:39
Label RCA
Songwriter(s) Layng Martine, Jr.
Producer(s) Felton Jarvis

I have always loved this song. When I used to hear this on the radio as a pup, I didn't know about Elvis' life, problems, business issues, people around him, dodgy managers, stupid record companies ... All I knew was that Elvis was a famous singer, and I loved that record of mum and dad's (Uk Golden Hits vol1) and that this song had a very cool intro with the guitar and the d6?, some nice riffs at the start with the vocal. A nice piano run and some cool accents.
I never thought to myself, Elvis doesn't sing the way he used to, Elvis isn't committed, or any of those things.... I just thought this is a really cool song.
We get some great bass ... in fact this whole arrangement is great. I even like JD's vocal on here, it actually enhances the song, pretty much working like a hook.
This is a great song, and whether there are reasons other than the song, for it reaching number one, I am not really bothered. It is a good enough song to hit number one anyway. There sure have been many songs that reached number one that I consider much less worthy than this lol

 

The Fifties Easy Reference guide
Elvis Presley the Albums and Singles Thread *

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

April 1964 - Sept 1967
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

October 1967 - December 1969
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

January 1970 - March 1974
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

 

Reference Guide

May 2 1974
If You Talk In Your Sleep/ Help Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

July 1974
Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 1 See See Rider Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 2 I Got A Woman/ Amen Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 Love Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 4 Tryin' To Get To You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 5 Medley Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 6 Why Me Lord Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 7 How Great Thou Art Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 8 Blueberry Hill/ I Can't Stop Loving You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 9 Help Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 10 An American Trilogy Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 11 Let Me Be There Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 12 My Baby Left Me
track 13 Lawdy Miss Clawdy
track 14 Can't Help Falling In Love

Oct 1 1974
Promised Land/It's Midnight

Oct 1974
Having Fun With Elvis On Stage

Jan 8 1975
Promised Land
1 Promised Land
2 There's A Honky Tonk Angel
3 Help Me
4 Mr Songman
5 Love Song Of The Year
6 It's Midnight
7 Your Love's Been A Long Time Comin'
8 If You Talk In Your Sleep
9 Thinking About You
10 You Asked Me To

Jan 1975
My Boy/Thinking About You

Mar 1975
Pure Gold

Apr 22 1975
T-R-O-U-B-L-E/Mr Songman

May 7 1975
Elvis Today
1 Trouble
2 And I Love You So
3 Susan When She Tried
4 Woman Without Love
5 Shake A Hand
6 Pieces Of My Life
7 Fairytale
8 I Can Help
9 Bringin' It Back
10 Green Green Grass Of Home

Sep 24 1975
Pieces Of My Life/Bringin' It Back Home

Dec 1975
Double Dynamite

Jan 1976
Legendary Performer vol 2
Harbor Lights
Interview - Jay Thompson
I Want you I Need You I Love You take 15
Cane and a High Starched Collar
Award Presentation thanks @ClausH
Such A Night

Mar 21 1976
The Sun Sessions

1976
From Elvis Presley Blvd
1 Hurt
2 Never Again
3 Blue Eyes Cryin In The Rain
4 Danny Boy
5 The Last Farewell
6 For The Heart
7 Bitter They Are Harder They Fall
8 Solitaire
9 Love Coming Down
10 I'll Never Fall In Love Again

Nov 1976
Frankie and Johnny (Pickwick)

Nov 29 1976
Moody Blue/ She Thinks I Still Care

Mar 1977
Welcome To My World

June 6 1977
Way Down/Pledging My Love

July 18 1977
Moody Blue
1 Unchained Melody
2 If You Love Me
3 Little Darlin'
4 He'll Have To Go
5 Let Me Be There
6 Way Down

 

I don't get why Jarvis chose to use Let Me Be There again when unissued studio takes of My Way and For The Good Times were in the vaults. I know that they were probably rejected at the time but RCA had released rejected masters before because they didn't have anything new to release.

 

It's weird to me to.

 

My mother had this album. I borrowed it and listened to it frequently on headphones. "Kentucky Rain" was definitely mono or rechanneled, and "Fever" was definitely true stereo with the finger snaps in one channel. This was a late 1970s vinyl pressing. I can't speak about a CD version, which I guess was different.

Years later I remember being surprised to hear "Kentucky Rain" in stereo on an oldies radio station.

 

Well, technically it was both, wasn't it? Didn't Pickwick use the Camden name on this, as they did on the rest of their Elvis releases?

I bought it second hand years later for the same reason.

 

Obviously I knew Elvis wasn't into recording anymore, but I always thought it was because of the effect of the drugs, depression etc. But I've read a few times in this thread it was to get back at RCA and the Colonel. What did Elvis have against RCA? And what was he "getting back at the Colonel" for,(in his mind), and if you're that pissed why not fire him? And yes I know the story of him firing the Colonel earlier.

 

Is this even true? I tried searching and found that Narconon was started in 1965. AA was started in the 30's. I have to believe there were places for the well heeled to go to detox even back then, they likely just weren't out in the open like The Betty Ford? I don't think it matters, Elvis wasn't going anyway.

​

 

Rehab and detox clearly existed in Elvis’s lifetime, what mostly didn’t exist was celebrities (or anyone else) going public with their admission into such a program of treatment, I think. To the extent that people did such things, they would have largely made up a cover story to explain away their temporary absence from society.

 

I think to a degree it is a somewhat passive-aggressive thing. Elvis had let Parker push him around for years, except for The NBC Special in 68, and the American Recordings in 69. I think that Elvis had finally just had enough of it all and sadly when he decided to stand up for himself, it was one of those too little too late things.
One thing I find remarkable is that 68 and 69 were two of the most successful things, musically, that he had done. Parker got in there shrewdly and made the Vegas offer, and Elvis was so keen to get on stage again, he took the bait.
As far as RCA goes, I could only speculate. From Elvis' perspective as a probably paranoid addict, I assume he figured Parker and RCA were in cahoots .... We had the failure to promote Elvis Is Back well enough and so it didn't sell as well as it should. Yet Blue Hawaii and GI Blues sold so well that Parker and RCA wanted soundtracks. Elvis being lured by the idea of being a movie star still got sucked into the whole factory-like cycle, and when it bottomed out regretted it.
I guess the From Elvis In Memphis album not really exploding like it should have probably made Elvis think - I guess Parker is right....
The TV special was great, but I don't know that its effects were instant.... so you get the same thing.
Due to bad management or whatever the back catalog got sold ... they still had this multiple albums and singles deal in place which seems pretty stupid in hindsight.
I reckon Elvis failed to stand up for himself too frequently and it all just bore down on him, and he just made a futile, late attempt to flip them off.
I sure would like to hear some of our experts opinions though.

 

Would the Colonel have even let him go to rehab if Elvis woke up and realized he needed that level of help?

 

I'm guessing he wouldn't. When you consider Parker seeing Elvis just about dead backstage and cracking a sad to get him to go on. It is hard to believe he would have allowed 6 months to get in the way of his gambling.

 

You're probably right. That is unless Elvis stood up to Parker and told him he could go to hell. Which I know we've argued should have been done and years ago at that.

 

NO , whilst i agree with most of what youre saying, the 1 thing everyone always seems to miss is that ELVIS was in total complete denial ! that is a HUGE HUGE problem and there is no helping an alcoholic or drug addict who doesnt even recognise a problem , let alone seeks help! remember he said to red in the infamous phone call
" im not F***ed up , ive never been in better shape " - when in reality he was in the biggest mess of his life !

its very easy for NON addicts to speculate and play fantasies - NO ONE was ever gonna clean elvis up - NO ONE! not ever ! he was in way too deep - you cannot save a man who doesnt want saving, he was in denial - you cant fight that !

and he had a huge amount of pride - so even 'IF' he looked in the mirror (which i very much doubt) and realised/admitted he was an extreme mess he NEVER EVER in a million years would have admitted it and certainly wouldnt have asked for help!
he was completely dependant, stopping & going clean wasnt an option - his major organs we're all shot to pieces & he clearly had huge depression issues

there was never gonna be an intervention pulled on him by priscilla & charlie,
Red tried to talk sense into him a few times & he got a gun under the chin for his efforts - billy smith says " no one told elvis what to do PERIOD " !

lets remember the undercover narcs in Denver offered to get him into a detox in 76 because he was asking the police DR for demerol or dialudid i think it was with a self inflicted hole in his hand/foot and he took off out of town like a rocket when he was caught out!

he WAS detoxed a couple of times in memphis so its not that Dr nick etc wasnt aware and its not like such a thing didnt exist in the 70s just because it was very different to today !

when he was detoxed in sping 75 he came out singing better than he had done in 5 yrs - a glimpse of what might have been !

i dont go telling anyone & everyone this and i dont tell this story with pride, but i feel qualified to have a strong opinion on this because i am an alcoholic and borderline drug addict in recovery - 6years sober now!!! I was 38 at the peak of my troubles!

i was lucky in the sense that i never had denial - once i realized " holy ****, i have a serious problem here " - i was not only happy but desperate to see help, I immediately went to my Dr who pointed me towards an addiction center (not a REHAB) and off i went the next week!

but that wasnt the end of it - seeking help is the BIGGEST step but its only the beginning , you dont just stop, you cant - not when the monster on your back is screaming at you every minute of every day for more drink, more drugs -
the need to be numb - the need to not feel ! The need to get " Fu***d up cos ya know what, you actually enjoy it - its not just about escape!

i had 1 on 1 counselling every week along with the classic " sitting in a circle " meetings for 12 months before i finally stopped once and for all!

i could go 5 wks sober & clean, convince myself i was "fixed " then id leap off the wagon & drink 4 litres of vodka over 5 days ! i did that at least 8 times

i almost lost my job, my home, my girlfriend , my driving licence and indeed my life -
i was heading for an early grave & certainly the gutter at light speed , but nothing & no one would, could or did stop me

my then GF used to block the door to stop me going out for more, i would already be paralytic so she'd wrestle me to the floor , sit on me - but id get around her, id get out & i go get what i wanted - what i NEEDED! i used to say God himself could block my door & try to stop me & id still get past him - there is NO stopping an addict that is all consumed by that evil drive to GET MORE !!! there is no feeling like that push - its almost like a demon possession

i feel like an absolute dick for some of my behaviour back then, i even used to use the stupid elvis catchphrase " youre either with me, or your against me " !!

i had an extreme full blown problem, like elvis i was hospitalised multiple times -
once i went in on a sunday morning, put into an ambulance after passing out cold ,
left that night and was paralytic 24hours later -- a further 2 times in an ambulance still didnt stop me

just like elvis , it was never enough - glass of vodka? yeah make it a pint ,
an oxy ? yeh ill have 10 (in 1 go) - valium ? well theyre only cheap generics so im gonna need a dozen! there wasnt a pill i wouldnt throw down my neck without thinking ! do you know the story lamar told where he was making a coffee & had a sweetner in his hand, elvis grabbed it & swallowed it ! thats me !

The most horrible aspect of this kind of behaviour is that the more drink & drugs you take the more depressed and anxious & insecure you become and the more you feel those emotions, the more you take more to try to numb them but it just makes it all worse, not better - its a horrible vicious circle that you just cant get the upperhand with, the addiction is always winning & running the show!

i thing is, the war is never won, sadly and theres no pride in saying this , i can easily walk past the vodka & whiskey in any supermarket but if you handed me Dr nicks little black bag i would dive headfirst into that !

like elvis said " you never stood in that mans shoes " no one apart from elvis himself could have changed the outcome and after 1970 he was on a very slippery slope, addiction is a horrible very complex evil monster !

quite honestly, having travelled that road just a little bit im AMAZED that elvis made it to 77 !

if i had his money, unlimited access to drugs, my own personal dr giving me everything & anything i wanted , along with other drs spread around !
a never ending supply is every addicts dream come true!
i wouldnt last very long at all! its staggering he got away with it as long as he did !

i didnt mean to make this about me and ramble, no one would have loved to have seen elvis clean up and go on living more than me but it was never gonna happen !

none of us will ever know what it felt like to be "ELVIS " but it truly is a case of you cant relate unless youve been there and i certainly know what it feels like to be all consumed and controlled by addiction and then to go through the hell that is becoming clean/sober !

it was so tough that its my main motivation for staying clean - i couldnt clean up twice and im certain elvis wouldnt have done it once.

 

well HE DID didnt he ! after the debacle in vegas in summer 73 , ranting about
"mario" the maitre'd , parker tore him a new 1 so elvis fired him briefly !
elvis should have stood his ground but he got scared and vernon especially was threatened by the bills so they backed down ! it doesnt really change the big picture anyway !
peter grant could have took on elvis, but he was a full blown cocaine addict himsef so how would that have panned out ????

parker was a huge issue and beyond detrimental to elvis, he should have been cut loose after Blue Hawaii but ultimately it was ELVIS & his addictions and demons who was to blame - he was the captain of his ship, as we all are !

 

Thank you for sharing this.

 

no problem at all! its hard not to play the "what if " game, i do it all the time but context is so important! i know what a dick i could be and how much trouble my addictions caused me - give me the ego & money of elvis along with his denial -
it would be a nightmare no one would want to be a part off !

 

well were all speculating but i think he would have actually, elvis was the ultimate cash cow - he was a commodity to parker, the hilton hotel, RCA etc etc much like fakebook is to 'Sucker'Burg, much better to keep that cash cow alive -
keep that machine running !

i dont delude myself to think parker gave a **** about elvis the man in any way what-so-ever, i highly suspect he was at least a narcissist, if not a clinical psychopath -
he was just as deep into gambling as elvis was pills !
BUT i am sure he would have preferred elvis cleaned up, simply to keep the money flowing !

as i touched upon above its a fantasy anyway but 6 months certainly WOULD NOT have been sufficient ! thats extremely optimistic ! a 20 yrs habit involving just about every pill on the market along with heavy duty opioids injected daily -
try 24 months at least , IF elvis was onboard !

if needed, parker would most likely have concocted some scheme like the 73 RCA buyout !

 

They didn't really need to recycle Let Me Be There, given that they had a decent number of multitrack recordings from the spring (maybe they could have tried to get away with Big Boss Man or My Way?), but it ended up working pretty well as a listening experience after the downbeat He'll Have To Go. It also helps that I love the song and Elvis' performance of it, so the repetition doesn't really bother me.

I can't remember where I read it, but someone once described Way Down as "sci-fi rock," which is an odd but somehow accurate description. I love everything about it, from the riff to the stop-start arrangement to the vocal interplay. That piano roll after "I need you so, baby let's go" is particularly wonderful.

On a side note, Way Down is one of the few Elvis songs that I knew and liked before I really got into his music, and for years I thought that it was Elvis hitting those low bass notes...

 

It’s probably true there were some ad hoc treatments available, but nothing resembling the professionally accredited private residential treatment facilities that became the norm for people like David Crosby and John Phillips in the 1980s. These were very expensive spa-like settings, often in natural surroundings and were designed to be far more holistic and mental health centred than the earlier hospital out-patient based treatments.

Narcanon was never credible because it was (is) a Scientology organization started by L Ron Hubbard. Synanon was another, but it had a harrowing history and operated more like a cult. Of course, it’s true that AA had existed for decades, and it’s kind of a different kettle of fish, but there is certainly a long history of Hollywood stars like Judy Garland being sent away to dry out from booze and pills, out of the public eye.


​