Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

I must say .. that is what struck me. Terribly depressing

 

He was abusing very potent, dangerous pharmaceuticals with serious side effects. It is no surprise he went through such noticeable physical (and emotional) transformations throughout the 1970’s.

 

It really is amazing how good those original songs were for this Christmas album and Elvis shows both constraint and tenderness on these two songs. I like the his vocal phrasings on all these bluesy originals. I think the title cut is a rather average MOR styled holiday fare, but once again, I give the whole team kudos for attempting so much original material for a Christmas album. The standard practice of the day was to record no more than one or two originals for a holiday album and fill the rest with well known Christmas standards. This was a rare example where RCA and Elvis were actually taking an artistic risk by going against the grain, and it actually seemed to pay off over time as the album now stands at 3x platinum in U.S. sales alone. There are more blues/soul styled songs on this album than his original Christmas album from 1957 that seems to get on the critical love.

 

I suspect it was more about Parker pushing for more original material for publishing considerations. He knew an Elvis Christmas album would conceivably be a strong seller regardless of how well-known the content was, and if he and Elvis had a piece of most of the publishing, it was more revenue in their pockets. Sadly, I do not think the choice of material came down to artistic risks and challenges, rather, it was more about the money to be gained.

 

I think you are spot on with your analysis here. I never stopped to take into account the publishing interests for motivation. Ultimately, it make for a atypical and brilliant Christmas album in the long run, but I think you nailed the ultimate motivation for Parker and his minions as to why they chose to push for so much original material on Elvis's new Christmas album.

 

The way Elvis liked the goop, y'all better be glad that the "Christmas Shoes" song wasn't floating around back in those days.

 

I know that it was a throw away movie song but How Would You Like To Be is one of the movie songs that I shouldn't like, but I do. Anyway, hearing that song has always made me wish that Elvis had recorded The Little Drummer Boy. I'm not talking about Elvis in 1971 but Elvis around 1960. I would have loved to hear his take on it. The way he sang HWYLTB and Fever makes me think he would have done a stellar job with "Drummer Boy".

 

This is so true, but he still looks badass. Only Elvis could dress like that and get away with it.

 

In my opinion, he was just living on borrowed time after "Aloha".

It's baffling he lasted as long as he did when you go back and study the amounts he was prescribed and taking from several doctors.

 

It is so interesting that you chose Little Drummer Boy for Elvis as I almost listed that one by name on my list of possibilities. I think Kenneth Buttery or Jerry Carrigan could have done some stellar percussion work on that gem, and I think Elvis could have given us a remarkable performance with his powerful vocals and unique phrasing, the latter of which often went unnoticed among his great abilities as a singer. A truly fantastic pick all around, my friend.

 

As I’ve said before, it’s something of a miracle that Elvis didn’t die in his twenties, and that he didn’t descend into full-on addiction in the early 1960s, as did his peer Johnny Cash. Like Jimi Hendrix and a rare few other game-changing solo artists, Elvis was thrust into a surreal life that he was poorly equipped to handle, and that probably no one could have handled. That he made it to 42 instead of joining the 27 Club is an achievement in itself.

 

I'll Be Home On Christmas Day
Written By :
Michael Jarrett

Recorded :
RCA's Studio B, Nashville, May 15-21, 1971: May 16, 1971. take 8

Christmas is almost an afterthought on this track. I really like this song, and it is probably one of my favourites on here. This is one of those regret laden songs about love that has been through the ringer, and regrets about no longer being together.
It's a nice moderate tempo ballad. Elvis vocal is very effective, but not on par with his earlier vocals. In an instance like this, I don't find it to be a negative, in terms of being hard to listen to or anything along those lines, it is just a bit tired and worn, and as such, suits the topic and feel of the song anyhow.

 

If I Get Home On Christmas Day
Written By :
Tony Macaulay

Recorded :
RCA's Studio B, Nashville, May 15-21, 1971: May 15, 1971. take 8


Similar in styling and thought process, except here the decision appears to be that he is heading home, but it is a timing thing, rather than a broken relationship thing.
Again we have that moderate tempo ballad. This is another nicely arranged song that works well on this album.

 

Here is the remake. It was recorded a few weeks after the first version.

 

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

 

Reference Guide

Jan 27 1970
Kentucky Rain/ My Little Friend Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

Apr 1970
Lets Be Friends - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 1 Stay Away Joe Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 2 If I'm A Fool For Loving you Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 Lets Be Friends Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 4 Lets Forget About The Stars Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 5 Mama Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 6 I'll Be There Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 7 Almost Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 8 Change Of Habit Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 9 Have A Happy Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

Apr 20 1970
The Wonder Of You/ Mama Liked the Roses Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

June 1970
On Stage - 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 Release Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 Sweet Caroline Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 4 Runaway Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 5 The Wonder Of You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 6 Polk Salad Annie Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 7 Yesterday Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 8 Proud Mary Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 9 Walk A Mile In My Shoes Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 10 Let It Be Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

July 1970
I've Lost You/ The Next Step Is Love Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

August 1970
Worldwide Fifty Gold Award Hits vol 1 - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

August 1970
Elvis Christmas Album (Camden) - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

October 1970
Almost In Love Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

October 6 1970
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me/Patch It Up Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

October 1970
Elvis in Person Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

October 1970
Back In Memphis Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

November 11 1970
That's The Way It Is Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 1 I Just Can't Help Believin' Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 2 Twenty Days And Twenty Nights Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 How The Web Was Woven Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 4 Patch It Up Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 5 Mary In The Morning Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 6 You Don't Have To Say You Love Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 7 You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 8 I've Lost You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 9 Just Pretend Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 10 Stranger In The Crowd Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 11 The Next Step Is Love Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 12 Bridge Over Troubled Water Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

December 8 1970
I Don't Really Want To Know/ There Goes My Everything Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

January 7 1971
Elvis Country (I Was Born 10,000 Years Ago) - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 1 Snowbird Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 2 Tomorrow Never Comes Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 Little Cabin On the Hill Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 4 Whole Lotta Shakin Going On Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 5 Funny How Time Slips Away Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 6 I Really Don't Want To Know Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 7 There Goes My Everything Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 8 It's Your Baby, You Rock It Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 9 The Fool Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 10 Faded Love Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 11 I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 12 Make The World Go Away Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

February 23 1971
Rags To Riches/Where Did They Go Lord Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

March 22 1971
You'll Never Walk Alone - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 2 Who Am I Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 Let Us Pray Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

March 1971
Life/Only Believe Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

June 16 1971
Love Letters From Elvis Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 1 Love Letters Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 2 When I'm Over You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 If I Were You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 4 Got My Mojo Working/Keep Your Hands Off It Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 5 Heart Of Rome Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 6 Only Believe Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 7 This Is Our Dance Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 8 Cindy Cindy Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 9 I'll Never Know Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 10 It Ain't No Big Thing Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 11 Life Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

June 22 1971
I'm Leavin/ Heart Of Rome Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

July 1971
C'mon Everybody - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

August 1971
The Other Sides - Worldwide Gold Award Hits Vol. 2 - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

Sept 21 1971
It's Only Love/The Sound Of Your Cry Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

Oct 1971 I Got Lucky Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

Oct 20 1971 The Wonderful World Of Christmas Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 1 O Come All Ye Faithful Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 2 The First Noel Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 3 On a Snowy Christmas Night Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 4 Winter Wonderland Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 5 The Wonderful World Of Christmas Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 6 It Won't Seem Like Christmas Without You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 7 I'll Be Home On Christmas Day Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
track 8 It I Get Home On Christmas Day Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies

 

I remember hearing Jay Gordon talking about If I Get Home on Christmas Day on his Elvis Only radio show a number of years ago.
In reference to the "though I'm half a world away" line, he made a connection with the Vietnam War.
I think he said that either the listeners of 1971 did or that they might have connected with the song because of this line and their having loved ones in the war.
I don't know if that is what the songwriter had in mind, or if listeners did hear it that way, but I thought that that was an interesting observation.

 

As much as I enjoy side one of Elvis sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas, it is side two of the album that distinguishes itself from so many other holiday albums of its time. This album has stood up well over time and the next four numbers are among my favorite cuts that Elvis ever put on an album in the 70's. The two distinct versions of I'll Be Home On Christmas Day truly represent what Elvis could do as both an artist and producer when he was actually invested in the lyrics or melody of an original song. Elvis's take on May 16th is soulful and he seems to be squeezing every ounce of a three dimensional emotion into a one dimensional melody, but I mean that as a compliment here and not a criticism of the song. Elvis is wringing out every drop of feeling that he could muster with his vocal, yet he never oversings or gets bombastic. The atmospheric use of the great string arrangement by Glen Spreen is spot on as well and goes well with the soulful piano fills by David Briggs.

Elvis really takes his later version of I'll Be Home On Christmas Day in another direction and basically turns it from a soul record to a blues record by adding it a little bit of a rock beat to the mix. I think both versions are just terrific and asking me to chose one over the other would be like asking me to chose which version of She Thinks I Still Care from the Jungle Room sessions I prefer. It just depends on what type of mood I am in at the time. Do I want to hear the traditional country-pop version with the great orchestral arrangement by Bergen White via the actual cut on the Moody Blue album or would I rather hear the country/R & B version that has a little soul thrown into the mix that was first released on the Elvis 70's box set, Walk A Mile In My Shoes?

If I Get Home On Christmas Day is a little pop gem with a some subtle harmonica accompaniment by Charlie McCoy, if I am not mistaken. It has a nice and soothing melody, and once again Elvis seems well invested in the song.

 

I don't often have anything good to say about the sequencing of Elvis records, which generally seems pretty arbitrary except when they're doing stupid things like putting all the slow songs on one side and all the fast ones on the other. But whoever came up with the idea of following "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" with "If I Get Home on Christmas Day"... that's pretty cute. Certainty turns to ambiguity, doubts creep in.

I was remarking on how Love Letters contains the final contributions from many of the mainstay soundtrack songwriters. It seems like they were trying (in their inept and constrained-by-publishing way) to get some new blood into the Elvis songwriting corps. Mike Jarrett was a struggling new songwriter who knew somebody who knew Joe Esposito, which is how I'm Leavin' and I'll Be Home on Christmas Day came to Elvis' attention. I'm not as big a fan of I'm Leavin' as some of you guys here, but I really like the bluesy I'll Be Home on Christmas Day. I can see why Elvis liked it too, being as it's a song about a failed relationship that Jarrett wrote after the collapse of his own marriage in December 1969.

By contrast, Tony Macaulay was an established songwriter with a track record of several hits (Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All, Build Me Up Buttercup, Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes, etc). Not sure why he decided to pitch a song to Elvis at this point when he didn't need to deal with the publishing stuff. This song is not as good as I'll Be Home on Christmas Day, but Elvis elevates it with his performance.

 

One of Elvis' most soulful, heartfelt vocals from the 1970's. A great late-night, bluesy arrangement and delivery. An understated highlight in the 1970's era catalogue.

 

I too agree about the fact that side 2 of the '71 Christmas output is not bad at all. the folky I'LL BE HOME ON CHRISTMAS DAY is surely some interesting choice with a nice delivery from Elvis who really seems to connect with the song. There is some subtelty and care in his performance that were lacking from most of the May 1971 studio sessions. The arrangement is elegant, not intrusive at all and Presley invests it with the right amount of both passion and modesty. Despite all that, his bluesy take used on the remake is the ultimate version for me. Vocally, Elvis seems back on track, playing with the diction and the rhythm too. That very last "I'll be home on-on-OOON-ONNN... Christmas dayyy... YEAH-AYYYY..." is sublime and brings back somehow the genuine R&B performer that seemed to have disappeared since 1969/1970.

IF I GET HOME ON CHRISTMAS DAY has a nice melody and it is nicely sung and well performed by the Nashville band.

 

Even though we all seem to agree that Hill and Range managed to unearth some reasonably good original Christmas songs for Elvis, it's interesting that none of these songs has had much of a life after Elvis did them. Christmas albums seem more popular than ever these days, particularly as late-career releases for aging singers seeking to revive commercial interest in their careers. Yet none of these songs has had much in the way of cover action, which seems odd given that Elvis' versions are reasonably well-known and you'd think someone might want to take a crack at one of them rather than doing all the familiar warhorse songs.

 

I agree on the remake of I'll be Home on Christmas Day. I did some A/B comparison of the two versions while driving tonight, and decided that I like the remake much better. The liner notes to my If Every Day Was Like Christmas CD say that Felton Jarvis didn't like the June 10th version.
It would have made quite a pairing on the 45, if this bluesy version had been the flip side to Merry Christmas Baby.

 

Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees
Written By :
Red West & Glen Spreen

Recorded :
RCA's Studio B, Nashville, May 15-21, 1971: May 15, 1971. take 10

This is a really nice little song. Elvis vocal is controlled and direct. I think this song, and side two in particular lift this album up a little higher than it otherwise would have been.

Here is a funny thing about this album ... it almost works like a concept album, or at least a thematic album.
We start with a couple of traditional gospel Christmas songs. The we get a couple of tracks that describe what the weather is like, and the general feel of Christmas, which also ties in Wonderful World Of Christmas.
Then we get the heartbreak of Christmas with It Won't Seem Like Christmas, I'll Be Home On Christmas Day, If I Get Home On Christmas Day and even This track is singing of people who are homeward bound .... I have no doubt that Parker wanted songs he could get some extra money out of, I mean he was stationed in Las Vegas now, he needed extra gambling money ....

 

Merry Christmas Baby
Written By :
Lou Baxter & Johnny Moore

Recorded :
RCA's Studio B, Nashville, May 15-21, 1971: May 15, 1971. take 1

We move into a Christmas blues, probably trying to recapture the sensational Santa Claus Is Back In Town.
Elvis seems to be into this and we get the adlibs and general easy going and fun that seemed a part of the American Studios recordings.
After all the songs where someone was trying to, and/or failing to get home for Christmas, we get someone actually make it home.