Review by Piers Beagley - Elvis Information Network
In early 1960 Elvis Presley’s future career would hinge on just two nights of recording at Nashville’s Studio B.
Had Elvis not created such vital, emotional, quintessential million-selling music on these two crucial nights, he just might have been relegated to the fifties rock ’n’ roll vaults along with Gene Vincent, Bill Haley and the like.
Whether Elvis quite considered the true importance of these sessions is impossible to tell from the music alone, as the passion seems to flow from his soul effortlessly.
Elvis hardly ever sounds stressed, while his newly found vocal range and perfect song choices define the second most important recording session of his life.
Elvis returned to Nashville’s Studio B on March 20 1960, just fifteen days after coming home from his army stint for Uncle Sam.
Elvis had been away from the music scene for nearly two years and the charts were no longer full of the excitement of fifties’ rock ‘n’ roll but had given way to a smoother sixties-sound. Elvis knew only too well that just one year out of the music business can kill your career and, although he had made some home recordings while in Germany, Elvis hadn’t recorded in a studio since June 1958!
While 1968 is named as Elvis’ “Comeback” year, nothing could have been more important than this 1960 session and no one could have been more concerned than Elvis himself. Would he still be as important to his teenage fans now that he was 25 years old? Could he still select suitable hit material in this new decade? Would his new sound even be relevant?
Just two days earlier, in the same studio, Nashville’s outstanding “A Team” band had worked with The Everly Brothers recording their #1 pop classic 'Cathy's Clown’. Surrounded by great musicians, now it was Elvis’ turn to prove that, after two years in the army, he still was a dynamic and creative force.
Elvis’ original guitarist Scotty Moore was there, along with The Jordanaires and, in an inspired move, Elvis had decided to use two drummers for a more forceful sound. D.J. Fontana was back, working alongside ace session-drummer Buddy Harman.
RCA studio engineer, Bill Porter, had been selected for this huge task on the strength of his recent sixteen chart successes. Surprisingly, this was his very first recording session with Elvis.
As Porter recalls, "The musicians began arriving by 6:30, and Elvis came in about 8:40 surrounded by bodyguards, army buddies and old pals. Anyone watching them clown around, practising karate moves and talking about mock tank battles, would have found it hard to believe that there was the slightest pressure surrounding the session. But I felt a tension in the (control) room, I really did.
About 9:30, we got down to the business of recording. Everything started smoothly enough, but as I was getting the balance on the first song, I became aware of an air of anticipation behind me. Turning around, I saw that executives had sprung up in that control booth faster than mushrooms in a cellar! Right beside my elbow was Colonel Tom Parker, VIPs from RCA, plus Steve Sholes. And when Elvis did the first tune they didn’t say anything to me… No one said a word! - but what they didn't say spoke volumes!"
Elvis always rose to a challenge and tended to produce his best work under pressure. When the session finished there could be no doubt that, from his explosive first recording ‘Make Me Know It’ to the very last moment (as dawn was breaking on the second night’s work) ‘Reconsider Baby’, this might be the greatest music that Elvis would ever produce.
On the first night Elvis, as always, warmed up with gospel numbers as well as favourites such as ‘I Got A Woman’ (why, oh why weren’t the tapes rolling?!).
The session began with the exciting feel of Elvis blasting away his army despondency on Otis Blackwell’s ‘Make Me Know It’ and the nice doo-wop touch of ‘Soldier Boy’ - a song that Elvis had played with and also home-recorded while in Germany.
The obligatory million-seller ‘Stuck On You’ was next but Elvis’ musical genius, as well as his newly-matured voice, really shone through on the final three tracks of the night, ‘Fame And Fortune’, ‘A Mess Of Blues’ and ‘It Feels So Right’.
Just two days later, more than one million copies of Elvis’ new single ‘Stuck On You’/‘Fame And Fortune’ would be shipped to the dealers, and five days later in Miami, Elvis would sing both sides of the single on Frank Sinatra’s Welcome Home Elvis TV special.
The second and final studio session would take place on April 3 with the recording of a series of classic songs including ‘Fever’, ‘It’s Now Or Never’ and, at the Colonel’s suggestion, an old 1927 Al Jolson hit ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’!
A new addition to the band that night was saxophonist Homer "Boots" Randolph who added some brilliant touches, making tracks like ‘Like A Baby’ into the dirty blues it needed to be.
While the gold singles are well-known, two tracks also stand out as some of Elvis’ most important recordings of all time. ‘Reconsider Baby’, recorded in one magnificent live-take, captures Elvis as he is consumed in the passion of the music and working with such a great band.
Just like his first Sun session in 1954, it is Elvis’ acoustic guitar that drives the song. In a moment of profound spontaneity, the wailing sax of Boots Randolph (his first true solo with Elvis!) combined with Elvis’ intense vocal is hard to beat.
Similarly, Elvis’ growling moan of ‘Such A Night’ pushed this lightweight Drifters’ song into another league altogether. Here the new idea of using dual drummers Buddy Harman and D.J. Fontana never would be bettered, helping urge Elvis to an awe-inspiring performance.
While Elvis was never recognised as a song-writer, his all-important contribution as an arranger and producer is perfectly demonstrated here. Elvis’ whoop of joy at the end really says it all!
This was a very different sound to the Elvis of the fifties, smoother, more mature and with a new beauty and strength to his voice.
In an amazing two nights work Elvis recorded eighteen classic tracks including seven gold records! When the LP Elvis Is Back! was originally released, it surprisingly did not sell as well as expected, and G.I. Blues would sadly do better.
However, had it included just one of the mega-selling hit singles recorded at the same session (’Stuck On You’, ‘It’s Now Or Never’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’) there is no doubt that it would have made a bigger impression. Even the chart topping Everlys put their biggest-ever single ‘Cathy’s Clown’ on their 1960 LP A Date With The Everly Bothers!
While many of the brilliant outtakes from this all-important Elvis session have been released on various CDs, gathering them together on this deluxe FTD is a real treat.
And with new generation tapes being found, the audio quality will also be improved especially on tracks like the Collector’s Gold brilliant ‘Like A Baby’ (Takes 1 and 2).
Presenting a selection of “First Takes” together (a favourite topic of mine) i.e. ‘Thrill Of My Love’, ‘Such A Night’ … is another brilliant move.
For hard-core collectors the new deluxe package contains only seven new complete outtakes, but does add nineteen other new false starts and work-parts to our collections. For everyone else who hasn’t properly investigated this glorious session, there is a real treat in store.
This is an essential purchase that no Elvis fan should miss out on.
CD Review
Just out of the army, and distanced from the new smooth pop of the day, Elvis seems totally at ease whether singing the sublime harmony-laden doo-wop of ‘Thrill Of Your Love’; cool pop, ‘Stuck On You’; sultry jazz, ‘Fever’; latino passion, ‘It’s Now Or Never’; heartbreaking ballads, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’; steamy blues, ‘Reconsider Baby’ or just plain down-and-dirty rock ‘n’ roll, ‘Such A Night’. Whatever the type of music, Elvis seems totally at home and unstoppable.
This new deluxe CD perfectly captures the importance of these special nights, the unbelievably successful singles, as well as Elvis’ essential LP Elvis Is Back!
If you have any doubts here are Twelve Vital Reasons to buy Elvis Is Back!
1. Seven million-selling singles! An astounding feat for two nights work, if you include the ‘The Girl Of My Best Friend’ European single. Extraordinarily ‘Fever’ and ‘Reconsider Baby’ were never released as singles, yet they clearly had the potential for another double A-side smash. Elvis could never have foreseen that these sessions would be so successful, especially considering the variety of musical styles attempted. An unequalled lifetime achievement.
2. The superb Audio quality. Beautifully restored by Sebastian Jeansson, there is a lovely shine and fullness to this sound. Some tracks come from newer generation tape masters (i.e. ‘It Feels So Right’ and ‘A Mess Of Blues’ that sounded so overloaded on Platinum) while others benefit from a better audio mix.
‘Make Me Know It’ Take 1 now has that special audio ambience of Nashville’s Studio B when compared to the same version on Close Up - as well as some all-important banter before the song.
Overall you can hear every nuance coming off those wonderful, forty-five-year-old, 3-track tapes. There is a true full-frequency feel to the audio and the instrumentation sounds clearer than previously. Have you ever noticed that tinkling cymbal @ 1.00 in the ‘Soldier Boy’ master before? Even comparing the tracks to the excellent versions from Elvis 30 #1s they do sound a little better here having a more natural feel and less compression. Listen to it loud on a first-class Hi-Fi and then investigate it all over again on good quality headphones. The audio certainly deserves the suitable “Miracle Surface” and "New Orthophonic" logos on the front cover!
3. The Track selection. While there could never be room for every alternate take, each instrumental or tempo change is well reflected here, and the two jam-packed CDs feature a perfect track selection. CD1 at last gives us the true track order of the original LP, plus the singles.
The magical ‘Reconsider Baby’ sounds even more spontaneous with newly added "1,2,3" count-in from Elvis. Also featured are a selection of “First Takes”, a striking idea which segues extremely well. The First Takes (a favourite topic of mine) are astounding for the fact that almost every one could have been used as a master. There is a real magic in all of them that helps one realise just how much of a perfectionist Elvis was. And at last we get the beautiful Take 2 of ‘Fame And Fortune’ on a CD.
4. The Creative Edge. CD2 perfectly illustrates the creativity of these special nights in Nashville. With most tracks represented by two or three takes, the real excitement of Elvis and the band progressing towards the faultless master is skilfully represented.
The new studio banter featured on most tracks is also a fascinating eavesdrop on the group at work. Elvis’ laughter on the ‘Girl Next Door (Went A’Walking)’ early takes and his cool swing on the ‘Fever’ outtakes (where you can actually hear and feel him dancing in the studio) all add to the amazing story.
On ‘Fame And Fortune’ we now also get to hear the key change between Take 4 and Elvis’ consummate performance on Take 5. FTD has also avoided the somewhat torturous "fifteen takes of the same song in a row" by their careful selection. There is so much to explore and, at a packed 79 minutes, you couldn’t ask for more!
5. The Packaging. The sixteen-page booklet contains a delightful selection of photos as well as memorabilia. This includes RCA’s suggestion of substituting ‘The Girl Of My Best Friend’ as the new single in Europe for ‘It’s Now Or Never’, due to copyright problems. Similarly to the deluxe soundtrack FTDs there is a look “Behind The Scenes” with some revealing historical snippets - "March 18, Elvis briefly conducts the orchestra at Ellis Auditorium’s Ice Show performance for Negroes"! The “In And Outtakes” section nicely details all the versions and releases so far. This is a great package overall and, in a lovely touch, RCA’s Nipper logo is back on the LP label design.
6. ‘Soldier Boy’ (Takes 2 and 3). Some of the newly featured tracks are worth mentioning in their own right and these first official releases of ‘Soldier Boy’ have never sounded so delicious. There is some sensational dialogue between Elvis and Chet Atkins that helps set the scene.
Chet abruptly stops the recording with, "Ok, one more!"
Elvis, "Vas?"
Chet, "We got a ‘pop’ on feel blue, wasn’t it?"
Elvis, "A puff you say?"
Chet, "A mic ‘pop’ you know."
Elvis, "I thought you said a puff - Like we’re smokin’!”
Interestingly, the tempo is slower on the earlier takes, only to speed up for the middle takes. Also listen out for Elvis’ exquisite solo whistle before Take 9.
7. ‘Mess Of Blues’ (Takes 1, 2 and 3). An absolute gem that highlights Elvis’ real enjoyment in making music. Take 1 is a vast improvement over the echo-laden version on Platinum and you can clearly hear Elvis snapping his fingers, grooving to the beat and immersed in the music. Listen out for Elvis’ "Yeah" on Take 2 as he totally misses the start saying, "Hold it! Goddamn! I got carried away and forgot what I was supposed to be doing!" Take 3 is at a slightly slower tempo than the master but is fabulously cool and laid back.
Elvis growls "Yeah" several times in appreciation, then fluffs the lyric with, "If you cry when you’re in love, you know it’s no disgrace". Finally he misses the song’s ending commenting, "Bullshit! I messed up the damn ending, son-of-a bitch. Hold it, hold It!" A sensational new addition to our collection.
8. ‘It Feels So Right’ (Takes 2, 3 and 4). Take 2 is the version from FTD‘s Long Lonely Highway (missing the Take announcement here) but Take 4 has some wonderful dialogue discussion and rehearsal with pianist Floyd Cramer, "The second chord is a B-Flat, isn’t it?"
On Take 3 (previously on Platinum but in far worse audio quality) Elvis gives it his all, really pleading with the lyric. Listen closely to Elvis’ hand-clapping and also as he wonderfully messes up the lyric singing @1.30, "Each time we kiss, it means so much" (instead of "Each time we touch") and then off-mic comments, "I fucked up!"
Interestingly, my only complaint about this whole release is that Elvis’ brilliant comment of, "Are we ready?" which was previously featured on Platinum is missing! Where did it go, it was my all-time favourite Elvis lead-in!
9. ‘Like A Baby’ (Takes 1 and 4). A magnificent first take with Elvis playing guitar remarking, "I can’t think of two things at once". He then falters as he strains for the high notes, stopping the take with, "Whoo shit, I went lower. I can’t make it"! This is sensationally raw and ramshackle.
The audio on Take 2 is also an improvement over the version on Collector’s Gold. By Take 4 Elvis has quit playing guitar, however the audio mix gives you a sensational feel of really being there with the band. Listen out for Hank Garland’s rolling blues guitar work.
10. ‘The Girl Of My Best Friend’ (Takes 2, 3 and 5). A song that altered a great deal during the session with the tempo going from slow to fast and then back to slow again. On the new slower Take 2 Elvis drifts off the melody halfway through saying, "Hold it. Hold it." By Take 4 it is sped up, "That’s a better tempo" says Chet Atkins, however it still falls apart. Take 5 has Elvis clicking his fingers loudly but the band’s tempo still slips away from him. Elvis stops halfway though saying to the group, "Excuse me. Don’t speed it up as it goes along."
11. ‘Such A Night’ (Takes 2, 3, 4 and 5). Elvis’ famously funny intro where he keeps missing the start - but this time with even more! There is part of the rehearsal beforehand, and now the majority of new Take 4 follows, the final part is a splice with the master. Listen out for Scotty Moore adding some extremely fancy jazzy guitar to the mix which is missing from the final version. The use of the two drummers is paramount here, producing a sensational back-beat pushing Elvis on and on to the final "Whoop" of delight at the very end. An absolute classic.
12. ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’ (Take 4 false start and work-parts). A revisit to this old chestnut is, surprisingly, another highlight and the perfect ending to the CD. Elvis messes up the start to a delicate Take 4 saying, "Excuse me, start again." This track is a truly exciting insight into the creation of this million-seller. You can now listen to Elvis’ every breath and sigh as he works for perfection and you also get to hear Elvis’ delightful singing up and down the scales while he tries to get the work-part right. A real delight.
Overall Verdict
A totally essential FTD and their best, complete work so far. These tracks have been spread across too many diverse releases over the years - nine separate releases - and at last they are flawlessly compiled and with a perfect sound too.
I am already looking forward to every major studio session being packaged in a similar way.
As a deluxe double CD, at a bargain price, every Elvis fan should buy a copy but beware, once you start listening, it is very hard to stop! A fantastic job that every Elvis fan will adore.
A big thanks to Ernst, Roger and all at FTD for their best release so far.
