Review by David Troedson - Elvis Australia
How do you follow up an album like From Elvis In Memphis and the singles and follow up album that flowed from the 1969 recording sessions at Chips Moman's Memphis American Sound Studios? In February 1970 RCA recorded Elvis live in Las Vegas and released the classic live album, On Stage - February 1970, but it was not until June of that year that Elvis re-entered a studio to cut an album proper.
Elvis Country was the result, released in January 1971. It was Elvis' only real concept album and, in my opinion, does rate as one of Elvis’ best albums. However, the album came about via the traditional Elvis recording session - originally set aside for recording studio songs for the Elvis: That's The Way It Is album, and a few singles. These sessions produced a total of no less than thirty-four recordings; however it is twelve of these that are special in that they made it onto the Elvis Country album.
The June 1970 sessions lasted five nights, (June 4-8) and the usual recording procedure was reverted to, with Elvis doing his vocals along with the live band. The decision to follow up the magnificent sessions in Memphis by going back to RCA's Nashville studio and hiring Nashville musicians, must have puzzled quite a few people at the time. However, as Chip Moman's Memphis studio had folded, both RCA and Felton Jarvis must have been pleased to see the situation return to what it had been before - particularly Felton Jarvis because he would once more be in total control again.
On June 6, the second last night, a new idea began taking shape. All of a sudden, a country album began to emerge. They'd already cut a handful of solid country tunes; (On June 5, ‘It's Your Baby, You Rock It’ had been recorded and on June 4, ‘I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago’, ‘The Fool’ and ‘Little Cabin On The Hill’). Now they began the project in earnest, recording on this night; ‘I Really Don't Want To Know’, ‘Faded Love’, ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’, ‘Make The World Go Away’, ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ and ‘I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water’ among other songs. The following night, the last night of these sessions, Elvis recorded ‘There Goes My Everything’, again, among other songs.
Elvis returned to the same studio on September 22 to record the two final songs to make up the album of twelve tracks - ‘Snowbird’, and a brilliant ‘Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On’. Now how anyone could record such a great version of a song after Jerry Lee Lewis stamped his name on it forever at Sun Records is a testament to Elvis' ability - and he did it in one take! Elvis must have felt he could do it as he usually did not try to take on songs if he felt he could not better a version he respected. The full version can be heard on disc two, where there is a minute and a half of Elvis chattering away before the “rough mix” of ‘Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On’, with the overdubbed horns that were removed before release at Elvis’ insistence, and also including Elvis telling Felton Jarvis he needed to get back to LA that night, requiring some water from the Memphis Mafia, and also directing his band members.
Sometimes the best work is done when there is less thought, not over thought and overdone. Just go with your instinct, what feels right. Elvis always strived for the freedom to sing what he felt, knowing that there would be some ordinary songs but this method would ultimately produce some gems too.
Now the much maligned Colonel Parker had a very positive input into this album, suggesting and approving the artwork including the classic front and back cover art and quite possibly, the including of the snippets of ‘I Was Born About 10,000 Years Ago’ in between the songs. Now I have read reviews and other comments from fans saying this CD should have been released without this. How anyone would suggest such vandalism is beyond me; the format works perfectly and is part of why the album is so good. However, it is true that it is a good experience to listen to the songs on their own, but not as a replacement for, just an alternative.
What is an album?
To me, an album is more than a collection of songs just thrown together, it is not a greatest hits compilation, it is a deliberate collection of songs presented together, a carefully crafted selection of songs in the right order that (hopefully) work together. Often there are some great songs in their own right in the mix, but not every song has to be “great”. For example someone might say that ‘Snowbird’ is not such a great song. In fact, Ernst Jørgensen in his great book, A Life In Music, refers to the recording of this song as a pretty song, but tossed off with no attempt at an original arrangement (Elvis did want to get back to LA!). I have never found it to be one of my favorites, but as part of this album it is much loved; as the opening song it works beautifully. This is a good example, I think.
The artwork
The first noticeable difference is the back cover. As this is a special 2xCD edition, the original back cover art has been moved inside and is now on the inside flap. It is replaced with the track listing over a very faded (and stylish) “country” background.
The booklet is arguably the best of all the 7" releases, containing numerous photos of Elvis as a child and young adult (in his country upbringing), original hand drawn outline of what the back cover would be, hand drawn tracklisting, the customary “In And Outtakes” page showing the take numbers and if they are previously released.
The Gems?
So how many songs - in their own right - can lay claim to greatness?
Generally, the songs that make up Elvis Country are of a high standard, but I think there are nine out of the twelve that in my opinion are simply among Elvis best work. (And the rest ain't bad either!)
‘It's Your Baby, You Rock It’, ‘The Fool’, ‘Little Cabin On The Hill’, ‘I Really Don't Want To Know’, ‘Faded Love’, ‘Make The World Go Away’, ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’, ‘I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water’ and ‘Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On’.
Of these, in particular ‘Little Cabin On The Hill’, ‘I Really Don't Want To Know’ and ‘Faded Love’ are just magic!
Of the three songs left out of the above list; ‘Snowbird’, ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ and ‘There Goes My Everything’ - I could only consider ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ to be “promoted” to the list. It's a nice song, well sung by Elvis, however it just does not stand out quite like the other songs. A good tune to follow ‘Snowbird’ and to proceed ‘Little Cabin On The Hill’ - in fact I think it the perfect lead in to 'Little Cabin On The Hill' - it makes the opening to that song even more special. So in my opinion both ‘Snowbird’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ are good examples of songs that have been well placed to make a great album, as mentioned above. ‘There Goes My Everything’ is also well sung and generally a nice song but I cannot get past the “there goes my only possession” line.
I had never paid any attention to this album until one day back in the 1980s - I was reading though a book that listed all of Elvis' songs with a mini write up of each. On noticing more than one track for this Elvis Country album was given a glowing “review”, I worked through the book looking up each song and was amazed that the write-ups were all so positive. So I was then determined to buy this record. I managed to find it at the Cheltenham Market (suburb in Melbourne) and I clearly recall playing it that night and promptly creating a bad scratch when I accidentally knocked the needle arm. So the very next day I was back in Cheltenham buying a second copy. I had heard enough to know that it was a great album. I cannot recall, but I suspect that at this time anything labeled “Country” was probably something that was not attractive to me. Back then, I was listening mainly to Elvis' rock 'n' roll, and I still maintained an interest in the pop songs of the day.
The Bonus Tracks
I mentioned that my first purchase of this album was a vinyl LP. When CDs came out, (I purchased my first CD player in 1986) the first Elvis discs came from Japan. Eventually, the album was released on CD and it was great, because now there was no break, with the whole piece playing continuously. Then came several re-releases and inevitable bonus tracks, which to me always spoilt the album.
One can easily add bonus tracks to From Elvis In Memphis or Elvis Is Back! but not Elvis Country when you have had the continuous link between the songs. I also think that the choice of bonus songs was bizarre, as there seemed to be no thought on behalf of the producers as to what they added to this new release. For example, on the last Sony BMG re-release they added - ‘It Ain't No Big Thing (But It's Growing)’, ‘A Hundred Years From Now’, ‘If I Were You’, ‘Got My Mojo Working/Keep Your Hands Off Of It’, ‘Where Did They Go, Lord’ and ‘I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago’. Three of these were originally released on Love Letters From Elvis. It just did not work! But, in fairness to Ernst - what was he supposed to do? Not to include bonus tracks would draw criticism and these previous CD releases were not major projects as clearly are the FTD Classic Albums.
To my delight (and to contradict myself), FTD have come up with a perfect collection of bonus songs for this release, that complement the original album nicely. In some respects a few even surpass the original work, and here I refer to the “country jam”, a fascinating collection of five tracks. The first of these tracks we have heard before on Essential Elvis Volume 4, ‘Faded Love’ (Country Version). Here Elvis is jamming away on a song he does not completely know the words to, yet he produces an out and out classic, a lovely laid back version that makes me wish he recorded more like this. Elvis ended by asking Lamar Fike “We got the words to that Lamar?” and then “While where waiting let’s do ‘The Fool’”. And next up is Take 1 of ‘The Fool’, another very enjoyable song.
Then, the highlight for me is the unreleased ‘A Hundred Years From Now’ rehearsal and first take, labeled as Takes 1 and 2. In this piece of magic we get the full (I assume unedited) link between both takes where Elvis says “Here goes my fucking career, right down the drain”, and then proceeds with the great Take 2. Just Elvis being his spontaneous self - great stuff. Then, “We’re rollin', this'll be Take one” of ‘Little Cabin On The Hill’ (what a great song!) follows to end this great, country addition to Elvis Country.
We then have “alternate masters” of ‘It's Your Baby, You Rock It’ (Take 3) and ‘Faded Love’ (Take 3) and first takes of ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’, ‘Snowbird’ and ‘Where Did They Go, Lord’. The last track being the only one that I don't believe belongs here. Of particular interest are the various snippets of studio dialogue preceding and also during various takes of ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’. Listen as Elvis directs the band though the first take and compare it to subsequent attempts until they reach the superbly polished master.
Disc 2 includes sisteen tracks, and we get to hear Elvis tackle ‘Faded Love’, which he masters in one take, and there is a minute and a half of Elvis chattering away before the “rough mix” of ‘Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On’, (another one take classic) including Elvis telling Felton Jarvis he needs to get back to LA that night, requiring some water from the Memphis Mafia, and also directing his band members. An added surprise bonus from the September session is a funky instrumental warm up which doesn't feature James Burton, who was absent from the session.
Arguably, this is Elvis' best album and certainly his only real concept album.
It is full of great songs and now has a complement of bonus tracks that make it just so good. Although a number of out takes have been previously released on Essential Elvis Volume 4 and FTD’s The Nashville Marathon, there is plenty on this 2xCD set to enjoy “the making of” this critically acclaimed album.
Don't miss this album, it is truly one that deserves time in your CD player. This was Elvis' first Nashville session to use a sixteen track recording machine and the sound quality on this release is superb!
Looking a little closer ...
Disc 1 - “The original album”
‘Snowbird’ (September 22) - Elvis sings this pretty straight, neither adding nor deducting much from the Anne Murray original. A song perhaps not entirely suited to his style.
‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ (June 7) - A dramatic beat ballad, first done by Ernest Tubb in 1949, although Elvis may have been more familiar with the B.J. Thomas 1966 cover. A fine performance from Elvis, who tackles this in a style reminiscent of Roy Orbison at full throttle.
‘Little Cabin On The Hill’ (June 4) - A country standard from 1948; the original was by Bill Monroe And The Moon Grass Boys. Elvis gives this an authentic country sound, ably backed by harmonica from Charlie McCoy.
‘Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On’ (September 22) - The original was by James Faye “Roy” Hall in 1954, rapidly covered by Big Maybelle. Elvis gives the Jerry Lee Lewis hit a thorough workout and loses none of the fire. This is pure rock 'n' roll. Great stuff!
‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ (June 7) - There were versions of this by Billy Walker and Jimmy Elledge in 1961, with the composer, Willie Nelson issuing his in 1962. Then there were covers by Johnny Tillotson (1963), Joe Hinton (1964) and (after Elvis) Dorothy Moore in 1976. Elvis does a fine job on this plaintive country song in which the clever lyric has a guy meeting his “ex” and apparently wishing her well, but with a sting-in-the-tail. He makes this song his own.
‘I Really Don't Want To Know’ (June 7)
- An Eddy Arnold original from 1954, with covers from Tommy Edwards (1960), Solomon Burke (1961), Little Esther Phillips (1963) and Ronnie Dove (1966). Elvis does another good job on this country favorite, with some solid but sensitive backing, and nice David Briggs piano.
There Goes My Everything (June 8) - Although the first chart appearance of this was by Jack Greene in 1966, in the UK, we were more familiar with the 1967 smash hit version from (the very non-country) Engelbert Humperdinck. Elvis does a workman-like job on this smooth ballad, but no fireworks.
‘It's Your Baby, You Rock It’ (June 5) - Unusual lyric - addressing the new man of his “ex” and he is not sympathetic. Excellent vocal from Elvis and the backing girl singers on this lively country rocker.
‘The Fool’ (June 4) - A Sandford Clark original from 1955 (the 1956 re-issue went top 10 in the US) and Al Casey had an instrumental cover in '56 also (‘Fool's Blues’). Other covers were heard from The Gallahads (1956) and Jamie Coe (1963). Elvis omits an important bit of the lyric here (he nails it on the outtake) but it’s a good version, very close to the original.
‘Faded Love’ (June 7) - A Bob Willis and His Texas Playboys original from 1950 with covers from Leon McAuliff (1962) and Patsy Cline had a posthumous US hit with it in 1963. Pure country, but done by Elvis as country-rock. Fine backing with some excellent harmonica from Charlie McCoy and some horns have been added in post-production. The master is subject to an early fade, although we get the full-length one later.
‘I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water’ (June 7) - A Stonewall Jackson original from 1965 with covers from Charlie Rich (1965) and Johnny Rivers (1966). In what sounds like an impromptu jam, Elvis doesn't want this to ever stop. The master is faded early, although, again, we get a longer rough mix later).
‘Make The World Go Away’ (June 7) - Both Timi Yuro and Ray Price had hits with this in 1963, but the song is most associated with Eddy Arnold's country version from 1965. Elvis does a fine job on it here, with the blend of lead vocal, support vocals and the backing captured perfectly. Great stuff!
“Bonus Songs”
‘I Was Born About 10,000 Years Ago’ (June 4) - A traditional song. Heard in snippets as the between-track link on the original album, and then in full on the 1972 album Elvis Now. Another one sounding like a studio jam and nailed in one take. Given a lively run through by Elvis, this master is faded early (we got a longer version on the ‘70s box-set Walk A Mile In My Shoes in 1995).
‘Where Did They Go, Lord’ (September 22) - Not really a religious song, more a lament about lost love. Elvis gives a heart-felt performance on this. Used as the flip of the single ’Rags To Riches’ in 1971.
“The Country Jam”
‘Faded Love’ (Country version) (June 4) - Really just a short, informal, incomplete try-out. We had this on Essential Elvis Volume 4 - A Hundred Years From Now in 1996. They did the song properly on June 7.
‘The Fool’ (Take 1) - The point of the song is that the singer finally admits that “I'm that fool” the one he's been singing about. Elvis omits that confession on the master ! But he sings it here. First heard on Essential Elvis Volume 4 in 1996.
‘A Hundred Years From Now’ (Takes 1 and 2) - The master that we heard on the 1995 ‘70s box-set was a splice of the two takes. This enabled them to edit out some slightly naughty lyrics. We first got the two together (complete) on the 2002 FTD release The Nashville Marathon.
’Little Cabin On The Hill’ (Take 1) - Slightly longer than the master take, we first got this on Essential Elvis Volume 4.
“Alternate Masters”
‘It's Your Baby, You Rock It’ (Take 3) - First heard on the FTD release The Nashville Marathon in 2002. The sleeve here doesn't say the take number, although the booklet does.
‘Faded Love’ (Take 3) - They finally settled on the shorter Take 1 as the master (Take 2 was a false start). We first heard this take on Essential Elvis Volume 4 in 1996.
“First Takes”
‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ (Take 1) - Shorter than the master, heard here for the first time.
‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ (Take 2) - First heard on The Nashville Marathon in 2002.
‘Snowbird’ (rehearsal and Take 1) - First release for the rehearsal (it fades in after the start) but we got the Take 1 on The Nashville Marathon in 2002.
‘Where Did They Go, Lord’ (Take 1) - From Essential Elvis Volume 4.
Disc 2 - “The undubbed June 7 Masters” Rough mixes made by Felton Jarvis immediately after the sessions, before any overdubs were recorded.
‘I Really Don't Want To Know’ - First release of this here.
‘Faded Love’ (Take 2 - false start, and Take 1 - master) - This has a later fade than the official master.
‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ (Take 12 - false start and Take 13) - First official release here.
‘Make The World Go Away’ (Take 1 - false start and Take 3) - First released on the album Welcome To My World, although the sleeve claimed it was a live track. The Take 1 false start makes its first appearance.
‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ - This is the first appearance with this mix.
‘I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water’ - First appearance with this mix.
“June Outtakes”
‘I Didn't Make It On Playing Guitar’ - From Essential Elvis Volume 4. A studio instrumental jam with some delicious Elvis vocal interjections, luckily picked up by the mic’ on his acoustic guitar. A longer edit of this jam has been available unofficially.
‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ (Take 3 and 11) - Both takes released here for the first time.
‘There Goes My Everything’ (Take 1) - From Great Country Songs in 1996.
“September Outtakes”
September Warm Up - An instrumental jam - released for the first time here.
‘Snowbird’ (Take 4 - false start, Take 5 - Called but nothing gets underway, and Take 2) - The Take 4 false start is new here, but Take 2 was on the Today, Tomorrow And Forever box set in 2002.
‘Where Did They Go, Lord’ (Take 2 - Just a couple of extremely short (new) false starts and Take 3) - We had this on The Nashville Marathon in 2002.
‘Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On’ (Rough mix with horns) - Although we got this long version on Essential Elvis Volume 4, this is the first official release with those horns on. Elvis was right to ask for their removal in my view!
Bonus Cuts - “Undubbed Rough Mixes from June 7”.
‘When I'm Over You’ - The late fade makes for a longer track and its the first official release of this.
‘The Next Step Is Love’ - Again, the late fade makes for a longer track and it’s the first official release of this.
‘Love Letters’ - The first official release with this mix.
Overall Verdict: A really interesting and sometimes fascinating release!
