From Elvis in Memphis

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From Elvis in Memphis
ElvisinMemphis.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 2, 1969 (1969-06-02)
RecordedJanuary–February 1969
Studio American Sound (Memphis)
Genre
Length36:42
Label RCA Victor
Producer Chips Moman, Felton Jarvis
Elvis Presley chronology
Elvis
(1968)
From Elvis in Memphis
(1969)
From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis
(1969)
Singles from From Elvis in Memphis
  1. "In the Ghetto"
    Released: April 14, 1969 [1]

From Elvis in Memphis is the ninth studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Records on June 2, 1969. [2] It was recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis in January and February 1969 under the direction of producer Chips Moman and backed by its house band, informally known as the Memphis Boys. Following the success of Presley's TV special Elvis and its soundtrack, the album marked Presley's return to non-soundtrack albums after the completion of his film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

Contents

Presley's entourage convinced him to leave the RCA studios and record this album at American Sound, a Memphis studio at the peak of a hit-producing streak. The reason was for the southern soul sound of the aforementioned group going by the name of Memphis Boys. The predominance of country songs among those recorded in these sessions gave them the feel of the "country soul" style. This impression was emphasized by the frequent use of the dobro in the arrangements.

From Elvis in Memphis was released in June 1969 to favorable reviews and attracted international attention. It reached number 13 on the Billboard 200, number two on the country charts and number one in the United Kingdom, and its single "In the Ghetto" reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1970. In later years, it garnered further favorable reviews, which included the release being ranked number 190 on Rolling Stone 's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Background

After Presley's 1960 return from military service, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, shifted the focus of his career from live music and albums to films and soundtracks. [3] In March 1961, Presley performed his last live concert for eight years: a benefit for the construction of the USS Arizona Memorial at Boch Arena in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. [4] During the first half of the 1960s, three of Presley's soundtrack albums reached number one on the pop charts and a number of his most popular songs were from his films, including 1961's "Can't Help Falling in Love" and 1962's "Return to Sender". [5]

After 1964, Parker decided that Presley should only record soundtrack albums. He viewed the films and soundtracks as complementary, with each helping to promote the other. [6] However, the commercial success of Presley's films and soundtracks steadily diminished ( Paradise, Hawaiian Style ; Easy Come, Easy Go ; Speedway ), [5] while he was increasingly disappointed with the quality of his work. [3] From 1964 to 1968, Presley had just one top-ten hit: "Crying in the Chapel" (1965), a gospel song recorded in 1960. Only one LP of new material by Presley was issued: the gospel album How Great Thou Art (1967), which won him his first Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance. [5]

In 1968, Parker arranged a deal with NBC for a Christmas television special starring Presley in front of a live audience. Parker originally planned to have Presley sing Christmas carols only, but the producer, Steve Binder, convinced Presley to perform songs from his original repertoire. The high ratings received by the special and the success of its attendant LP re-established Presley's popularity. [7] During the making of the special, Presley said to Binder: "I'll never sing another song that I don't believe in, I'm never going to make another movie that I don't believe in." [8] As part of his decision to refocus on music rather than film, Presley decided to record a new album. [7]

Recording

Presley left his usual musicians and studios (Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California and RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee), recording new material in Memphis. [9] After the special he approached Scotty Moore and D. J. Fontana, who had played with Presley during his early hit-making career, and who rejoined him on the television show. Presley asked Moore about using Music City Recorders in Nashville, but that suggestion never came to fruition. [10]

During a January 1969 meeting at Graceland, Presley told his usual producer, Felton Jarvis, that he did not want to record his next album at RCA Studios. Two of Presley's friends, DJ George Klein and Marty Lacker, suggested that he use American Sound Studio, an up-and-coming studio with which Lacker was involved. [10] RCA contacted the studio's producer Chips Moman. Willing to work with Presley, Moman postponed a session with Neil Diamond after being asked to produce the sessions with Felton Jarvis as second producer. [11] It was agreed that Presley's recordings would take ten days and cost $25,000. [12] He would be backed by the studio's house band, the 827 Thomas Street Band (informally known as the Memphis Boys), [13] which consisted of Reggie Young on guitar, Tommy Cogbill and Mike Leech on bass, Gene Chrisman on drums, Bobby Wood on piano, and Bobby Emmons on organ. [14]

Although RCA Records oversaw their company policy to record only in their own studios, the label sent their personnel out to American Sound. [15] Recording began on January 13, 1969, when Presley arrived at the studio nursing a cold. [16] In addition to his personal entourage, he was accompanied by Hill & Range publisher Freddy Bienstock, Colonel Parker's assistant Tom Diskin, producer Felton Jarvis, executive Harry Jenkins and engineer Al Pachucki, representing RCA Records. With Pachucki on the board, American Sound engineer Ed Kollis joined the musicians on harmonica. [17] The session, which produced recordings of "Long Black Limousine", "Wearin' That Loved On Look" and several non-album songs, continued until 5:00 am. [18] After the first day's recording, Moman and his colleagues expressed discomfort with the size of Presley's entourage, and Presley was accompanied by fewer people for the remaining sessions. [11]

The next day Presley recorded "I'm Moving On" and "Gentle on My Mind", leaving the studio while working on the latter to rest his throat. [19] The following night, he did not appear, as his cold worsened, [18] and on January 15 and 16 the house band recorded backing tracks for subsequent sessions. Presley returned on January 20, recording "In the Ghetto" in 23 takes and finishing the vocal track for "Gentle on My Mind". On January 22, he recorded Eddy Arnold's "I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)" and the non-album single "Suspicious Minds". [20] Presley then took a break from recording for a vacation trip to Aspen, Colorado to celebrate his daughter Lisa Marie's first birthday. [19]

During Presley's absence, Moman was approached by Bienstock, who was concerned about possible future disputes concerning the songs' publication. Moman and Presley decided not to record Hill & Range compositions, instead using songs by American Sound writers. Bienstock, particularly interested in the non-album "Suspicious Minds" and "Mama Liked the Roses", warned that Moman would have to surrender the publishing rights to release the songs. In response, Moman told Bienstock to take all the recordings and leave the studio. [21] RCA vice-president Harry Jenkins interceded, siding with Moman and ordering Bienstock to stay away from the studio and let Presley work with the staff. [11] Meanwhile, Diskin informed Presley about the publishing issues. Presley supported Moman, assuring Diskin that he and the producer would handle the session work. Diskin contacted Parker, who told him to return to California. [22] Moman retained the publishing rights, and the sessions were scheduled to resume several weeks later. [23]

Presley returned on February 17, recording "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" and "Power of My Love", and Eddy Arnold's "After Loving You" and "Do You Know Who I Am?" the following day. [24] On February 19, he devoted most of the session to the non-album single "Kentucky Rain", one of the few Hill & Range songs used on the American Sound recordings. Presley followed with a recording of "Only the Strong Survive", a hit for Jerry Butler the previous year, which took twenty-nine takes. [25] On February 20, he recorded Johnny Tillotson's "It Keeps Right on a Hurtin'" in three takes and "Any Day Now" in six. [26] Presley's final session was on February 22, when he recorded vocal overdubs for "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" and "Power of My Love" and vocals for several non-album cuts. [27] The following month, Mike Leech and Glenn Spreen began work on the string and horn overdubs to finish the album; [28] several brass overdubs were recorded by the Memphis Horns. [29]

Music

Moman moved away from the usual Presley pop recordings aimed at an established audience. A developer of the Stax Records sound, he incorporated a Memphis sound integrating soul, country, gospel and rural and electric blues. [30] Many arrangements lean heavily on the rhythm section, with lesser contributions from strings, brass and woodwinds. [31] [32] Arrangers Glenn Spreen and Mike Leech changed Presley's image on the tracks with the addition of violas, cellos and French horns. The arrangers intended to blend the tracks for a distinctive sound; the strings are used in counterpoint, rising when the track fades and vice versa. [33] The violas play the same lines as the French horns, with cello used for darker tones. Syncopation was incorporated by bowing. [28]

The twelve tracks on the album were selected from thirty-four which were recorded in the American Sound sessions. [36] The first song, "Wearin' That Loved On Look" features an electric bass lead for the first time in a Presley recording. The second is "Only the Strong Survive", with Presley backed by bass and drums. He plays piano on the third track, the country song "I Hold You in My Heart ('Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)". [37] Presley's voice is roughened by a cold on the fourth song, the country-rhythm-and-blues "Long Black Limousine" [28] featuring a trumpet solo. [31] The fifth song, Johnny Tillotson's traditional country-western "It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin'", was arranged to sound more like Memphis soul. Side one ends with a version of Hank Snow's country-western "I'm Moving On" with a strong bass line and driving rhythm. [31]

Side two begins with Florence Kaye and Bernie Baum's "Power of My Love". [38] The song has a blues-based sound, with Presley backed by a brass section, drums, an electric guitar, and organ. [31] The lyrics include double entendres ("Crush it, kick it / You can never win / I know baby you can't lick it/ I'll make you give in)", with groans by backing female singers emphasizing sexuality. [38] The second track, a cover of John Hartford's "Gentle on My Mind" follows. The string-laden arrangement was inspired by Glen Campbell's 1967 Grammy-winning version of the song. The next song, Eddy Arnold's 1962 hit "After Loving You", is arranged in a 12/8 tempo. Elvis plays guitar throughout the song including the intro.[ citation needed ] This is followed by Dallas Frazier's "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" and Chuck Jackson's 1962 hit, "Any Day Now". [39]

The twelfth and final song of the album, selected as a single, is Mac Davis' "In The Ghetto". [39] The song was chosen by Billy Strange, who had previously picked material for other Presley sessions. [40] The protest song denounces the consequences of poverty, with compassion for inner-city youth. Because of "In the Ghetto"'s lyrics, controversial for its time, Presley originally did not plan to record the song because he thought it might alienate fans. After Moman said he might give the song to Rosey Grier, Presley's friends convinced him to record it. [41]

The album cover is a still from the "Trouble"-"Guitar Man" production number of NBC's Elvis special. Presley is featured with a red electric guitar, wearing a black leather suit with a red scarf around his neck, with silhouettes of guitar players at the back of the set. [42] [43] From Elvis in Memphis became one of American Sound Studio's best-known productions, with Dusty Springfield's Dusty in Memphis ; [44] both albums reflected similar times and musical trends on the Memphis scene. [30]

Release and reception

The single "In the Ghetto" was released on April 14, 1969, with 300,000 copies shipped by RCA. In its second week after release, it entered the charts, where it remained for thirteen weeks (reaching number three on June 14). [28] The single sold a million copies in the United States. Meanwhile, it reached number two on the British Singles chart. [45] However, its success triggered a confrontation between RCA and American Sound. During the sessions, Presley's usual producer, Jarvis, grew increasingly worried about losing control of Presley and his recordings. [27] During its first two weeks on the chart, "In the Ghetto"'s production was credited to Jarvis. Lacker then called Billboard and had them correct the producer credit to Moman. During the fourth week, Parker asked Billboard to remove the production credit from the song's entry entirely (arguing that Presley's records did not traditionally list a producer credit). [28]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [46]
MusicHound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [47]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [48]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [49]
Rough Guides Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [50]
Sputnik MusicStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [51]

From Elvis in Memphis was released on June 2, 1969. The album topped the UK Albums Chart, disposing for one week Jethro Tull's Stand Up . [52] In the United States, it reached number thirteen on Billboard 's Top LPs, [53] and was ranked number seventeen on the magazine's Top Country albums of 1969. [54] By January 28, 1970, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America after selling over 500,000 copies. [55]

On July 12, 1969, Presley was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone , with the album receiving the lead review. [56] Peter Guralnick, the magazine's reviewer, described it as "great ... Flatly and unequivocally the equal of anything (Presley) has ever done" and praised the "evident passion which (Presley) has invested in this music", adding: "(he) is trying, and trying very hard, to please us. He needs to have our attention ... It is his involvement after all which comes as the surprise." [57] Billboard also published a positive review, saying that Presley had "never sounded better, and the choice of material is perfect". [58] High Fidelity wrote, "Elvis has been through a number of stages, and his latest is the best". [59]

The Los Angeles Times delivered a mixed review: Critic Pete Johnson praised Presley's voice, which he considered had gone back "down to grittiness". Meanwhile, Johnson criticized the music arrangements that he considered inconsistent with the original Sun Records style of Presley, or the contemporary Memphis Sound produced by Stax Records. He pointed that the rhythm section "rarely gets off the ground", called the use of the horns "scarse and generally insipid", the arrangements "Hollywoodish", and he attributed to "laziness" the production of the more scarcely backed tracks to Moman and arrangers Spreen and Leech. Johnson concluded that Presley's voice had "arrived in Memphis" but "no one else concerned with the LP did". [60] For the Associated Press, the album presented "quality country" and Presley's voice featured "depth" and "feeling". [61] The Pittsburgh Press felt that it was a "typical" Presley album that featured a "rock 'n' roll style" that later morphed into "love portions". [62] Detroit Free Press considered that Presley's style appeared "brand new" in From Elvis in Memphis that featured lyrics that were "country hip" and a beat that was "1969 all the way". [63]

From Elvis in Memphis has continued to receive praise in retrospective reviews. In 2009 Rolling Stone described it as "extraordinary" and attributed the sessions' success to Presley's "newfound maturity and soulfulness" and Moman's "warm, distinctly Southern musical backing". [64] AllMusic gives it five stars out of five, and highlights it as an "AllMusic album pick". Critic Bruce Eder said that together with 1956's Elvis Presley , From Elvis in Memphis was Presley's "greatest album". Eder called it "one of the greatest white soul albums (and one of the greatest soul albums) ever cut", with Presley "rejuvenated artistically (while) he's supported by the best playing and backup singing of his entire recording history". [46] Richie Unterberger of the same website cited the album as a return to rock music for Elvis and called it "reasonably gutsy late-'60s pop/rock". [65]

PopMatters has described From Elvis in Memphis as "some of the best music Elvis Presley ever made". [48] Sputnik Music's reviewer considered that the album "rivaled" Presley's early recordings in "terms of historical importance and innovation", and was "downright essential, for any Elvis fan and for any music fan". [51]

Legacy

Following the American Sound sessions, Presley returned to Hollywood. Between March–April 1969, he recorded the soundtrack and starred in his thirty-first and last motion picture as an actor, Change of Habit . [66]

When the album was due for release, Parker arranged Presley's return to performing live. He made a deal with Kirk Kerkorian, owner of the Las Vegas International Hotel, to play the newly built 2,000-seat showroom for four weeks (two shows per night, with Mondays off) for $400,000. [67] For his appearance, he assembled a band later known as the TCB Band: James Burton (guitar), John Wilkinson (rhythm guitar), Jerry Scheff (bass-guitar), Ronnie Tutt (drums), Larry Muhoberac (piano) and Charlie Hodge (rhythm guitar, background vocals). The band was complemented by the backing vocals of The Sweet inspirations and the Imperials. [66] His initial Las Vegas show attracted an audience of 101,500, setting a new Vegas performance record. [67] In 1970, Presley began to tour the United States for the first time in thirteen years. [68]

"Don't Cry Daddy" reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Kentucky Rain" was a moderate hit in 1970, reaching No. 16, but "Suspicious Minds" became one of Presley's signature songs and was the final chart-topper of his career. [69]

In 2003, From Elvis in Memphis was number 190 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, [70] maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list, [71] then dropping to number 322 in a 2020 revised list. [72]

Reissues

In 2000 RCA released a remastered compact disc of From Elvis in Memphis, including six bonus tracks (released as A- or B-sides) recorded during the album sessions. The reissue received five stars out of five from Rolling Stone. [73] In 2009, Sony Music Entertainment issued a Legacy RCA Edition of the album for its 40th anniversary: [74] two discs (From Elvis In Memphis and the studio disk of From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis ), four outtakes and ten tracks originally released as monaural singles (including "Suspicious Minds" and "Kentucky Rain"). [75] In 2013 From Elvis in Memphis was reissued on the Follow That Dream label in a special two-disc edition that contained the original album tracks along with numerous alternate takes. The 1970 Quadraphonic eight-track release of the album has never been reissued.

Track listing

Original release

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Wearin' That Loved On Look" Dallas Frazier, A. L. Owens January 13, 19692:47
2."Only the Strong Survive" Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff February 19, 19692:46
3."I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)" Eddy Arnold, Thomas Dilbeck, Hal HortonJanuary 22, 19694:34
4."Long Black Limousine"Bobby George, Vern StovallJanuary 13, 19693:44
5."It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'" Johnny Tillotson February 20, 19692:38
6."I'm Movin' On" Hank Snow January 14, 19692:50
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
7."Power of My Love" Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye February 18, 19692:37
8."Gentle on My Mind" John Hartford January 14, 19693:22
9."After Loving You"Johnny Lantz, Eddie Miller February 18, 19693:09
10."True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" Dallas Frazier, A. L. Owens February 17, 19692:38
11."Any Day Now" Burt Bacharach, Bob Hilliard February 20, 19692:56
12."In the Ghetto" Mac Davis January 20, 19692:47
2000 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
13."The Fair Is Moving On" Guy Fletcher, Doug Flett February 21, 19693:08
14."Suspicious Minds" Mark James January 22, 19694:29
15."You'll Think of Me" Mort Shuman January 14, 19694:00
16."Don't Cry Daddy" Mac Davis January 15, 19692:48
17."Kentucky Rain" Eddie Rabbitt, Dick HeardFebruary 19, 19693:14
18."Mama Liked the Roses" Johnny Christopher January 15, 19692:47

2009 CD reissue

Disc one
No.TitleLength
1."Wearin' That Loved On Look"2:46
2."Only the Strong Survive"2:42
3."I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)"4:32
4."Long Black Limousine"3:42
5."It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'"2:36
6."I'm Movin' On"2:53
7."Power of My Love"2:38
8."Gentle on My Mind"3:22
9."After Loving You"3:05
10."True Love Travels on a Gravel Road"2:38
11."Any Day Now"3:00
12."In the Ghetto"2:47
13."I'll Be There"2:25
14."Hey Jude"4:31
15."If I'm a Fool (For Loving You)"2:44
16."Who Am I?"3:18
Disc two
No.TitleLength
1."Inherit the Wind"2:56
2."This Is the Story"2:29
3."Stranger in My Own Home Town"4:24
4."A Little Bit of Green"3:21
5."And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind"3:10
6."Do You Know Who I Am"2:49
7."From a Jack to a King"2:24
8."The Fair Is Moving On"3:09
9."You'll Think of Me"4:01
10."Without Love (There Is Nothing)"2:53
11."In The Ghetto" (single mix)2:50
12."Any Day Now" (single mix)2:56
13."The Fair Is Moving On" (single mix)3:10
14."Suspicious Minds"4:29
15."You'll Think of Me" (single mix)4:36
16."Don't Cry Daddy"2:45
17."Rubberneckin'"2:12
18."Kentucky Rain"3:27
19."My Little Friend"2:51
20."Mama Liked the Roses"2:41

Personnel

Overdubbed

Charts

ChartPeak
position
1969
Australian Albums Chart [76] 5
Belgium Albums Top 5077
Canadian Top 50 Albums [77] 10
French Top Albums [78] 9
German Albums Chart [79] 14
Greece Top 75 Albums Chart [80] 27
Netherlands Top 100 Albums [81] 10
Norwegian Top 40 Albums [82] 1
UK Albums Chart [83] 1
US Billboard 200 [84] 13
US Country Albums [84] 2
2009
Belgium (Wallonia) 100 Albums [85] 77
US Top Pop Catalog Albums [86] 29

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [87] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalog
North America May 20, 1969 RCA Victor stereo LP LSP-4155
Stereo 8 P8S-1456
United Kingdom June 1969RCA Victorstereo LPSF 8029
North AmericaDecember 1970RCA Victor Quadraphonic 8-trackPQ8-1456
North America1970RCA Victor cassette PK-1456
VariousMay 16, 2000RCA Records CD 07863 67932 2
Worldwide reissueJuly 28, 2009RCA Records/Legacy Recordings double CD88697 51497 2

Footnotes

  1. RCA Records staff 2002, p. 15, 16.
  2. "1960s discography".
  3. 1 2 Doll, Susan 2009, p. 19.
  4. Doll, Susan 2009, p. 134.
  5. 1 2 3 Marsh, Dave 2004, p. 650.
  6. Doll, Susan 2009, p. 133.
  7. 1 2 Doll, Susan 2009, p. 20, 21.
  8. Guralnick, Peter 1993, p. 38-40.
  9. Fortas, Alan 2008, p. 278.
  10. 1 2 Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 112.
  11. 1 2 3 Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 119.
  12. Guralnick, Peter 1999, p. 327.
  13. Klein & Crisafulli 2011, p. 193.
  14. Gordon & McAdams 2009, p. 3.
  15. Nash, Alanna 2008, p. 268.
  16. Guralnick, Peter 1999, p. 328.
  17. Jones, Roben 2010, p. 203.
  18. 1 2 Guralnick, Peter 1999, p. 330.
  19. 1 2 Slaughter, Ted 2006, p. 127.
  20. Collins, Ace 2005, p. 215.
  21. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 132.
  22. Jones, Roben 2010, p. 213.
  23. Guralnick, Peter 1999, p. 336.
  24. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 147.
  25. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 148.
  26. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 149.
  27. 1 2 Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 150.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 Guralnick, Peter 1999, p. 338.
  29. Jones, Roben 2010, p. 202.
  30. 1 2 Perone, James 2012, p. 219.
  31. 1 2 3 4 Perone, James 2012, p. 221.
  32. Brackett & Hoard 2004, p. 649.
  33. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 135.
  34. Perone, James 2012, p. 219, 220.
  35. Jorgensen, Ernst 2000, p. 277.
  36. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 155.
  37. Perone, James 2012, p. 220.
  38. 1 2 Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 131.
  39. 1 2 Perone, James 2012, p. 222.
  40. Guralnick, Peter 1999, p. 331.
  41. Guralnick, Peter 1999, p. 332.
  42. Humphries, Patrick 2003, p. 61.
  43. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 159.
  44. Hoffman, Frank 2005, p. 1382.
  45. Gaar, Gillian 2010, p. 139.
  46. 1 2 Eder, Bruce 2009.
  47. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. pp.  891–92. ISBN   1-57859-061-2.
  48. 1 2 Loar, Christel 2009.
  49. "Elvis Presley: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  50. Simpson, Paul (2004). The Rough Guide to Elvis. London: Rough Guides. pp. 132–33. ISBN   1-84353-417-7.
  51. 1 2 De Sylvia, Dave 2006.
  52. Warwick, Kutner & Brown 2004, p. 12.
  53. Davis, Sharon 1998, p. 37.
  54. Billboard staff 2 1969, p.  17.
  55. RIAA 2014.
  56. Nash, Alanna 2008, p. 270.
  57. Guralnick 1969, p. 34.
  58. Billboard staff 1969, p. 51.
  59. High Fidelity staff 1969, p. 130.
  60. Johnson, Pete 1969, p. 35.
  61. Campbell, Mary 1969, p. 6E.
  62. Trosene, William K. 1969, p. 15/2.
  63. Talbert, Bob 1969, p. 12C.
  64. Kemp, Mark 2009.
  65. Rovi Corporation staff (2011). "Elvis Presley biography". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  66. 1 2 Eder, Mike 2013, p. 173.
  67. 1 2 Jeansonne, Luhrssen & Sokolovic 2011, p. 183.
  68. Wolff, Kurt 2000, p. 283.
  69. Jorgensen, Ernst 2000, p. 416-419.
  70. Rolling Stone staff 2013.
  71. "500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time". Rolling Stone. 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  72. "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  73. Hunter, James 2001.
  74. Perry, Andrew 2009.
  75. Memphis Magazine staff 2009.
  76. Kent, David 2005.
  77. RPM staff 1969.
  78. Durand, Dominic 2012.
  79. Charts.de staff 2011.
  80. Dutch Charts - From Elvis in Memphis
  81. Dutch Charts staff 2011.
  82. Norwegian Charts staff 2011.
  83. Official Charts staff 2011.
  84. 1 2 Rovi Corporation staff 2011.
  85. Ultratop staff 2011.
  86. Billboard staff 2009, p. 40.
  87. "American album certifications – Elvis Presley – From Elvis in Memphis". Recording Industry Association of America.

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"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. It was written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden, with credit being given also to Presley. A newspaper article about the suicide of a lonely man who jumped from a hotel window inspired the song. Axton presented the song to Presley in November 1955 at a country music convention in Nashville. Presley recorded it on January 10, 1956, in a session with his band, the Blue Moon Boys, the guitarist Chet Atkins and the pianist Floyd Cramer. "Heartbreak Hotel" comprises an eight-bar blues progression, with heavy reverberation throughout the track, to imitate the character of Presley's Sun recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suspicious Minds</span> 1968 single by Mark James

"Suspicious Minds" is a 1968 song written and first recorded by the American songwriter Mark James. After this recording failed commercially, it was recorded by Elvis Presley with the producer Chips Moman. Presley's version reached No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, his 18th and final no. 1 single on that chart. In 1999, Presley's RCA Victor Records version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

<i>Elvis Presley</i> (album) 1956 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is the debut studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Victor, on March 23, 1956,. The recording sessions took place on January 10 and January 11 at the RCA Victor Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and on January 30 and January 31 at the RCA Victor studios in New York. Additional material originated from sessions at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on July 5, August 19 and September 10, 1954, and on July 11, 1955.

<i>Class of 55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming</i> 1986 studio album by Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins

Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming is a collaborative studio album by Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. It was released on May 26, 1986, by America/Smash Records, a subsidiary of Polygram Records. The album was produced by Chips Moman.

<i>Elvis</i> (1968 TV program) 1968 American television special

Singer Presents ... Elvis, commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special, is an Elvis Presley concert special that aired on NBC on December 3, 1968. It marked Presley's return to live performance after a seven-year period during which he focused on his film appearances.

<i>Elvis Country (Im 10,000 Years Old)</i> 1971 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Country is the thirteenth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Records in January 1971. Recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville, it reached number 12 on the Billboard 200. It peaked at number six in the United Kingdom, selling over one million copies worldwide. It was certified Gold on December 1, 1977, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Elvis</i> (1956 album) 1956 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis is the second studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor on October 19, 1956 in mono. Recording sessions took place on September 1, September 2, and September 3 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, with one track left over from the sessions for Presley's debut album at the RCA Victor recording studios on January 30 in New York. It spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart that year, making Presley the first recording artist to have both albums go straight to number one in the same year. It would go on to spend 5 weeks at #1 in total. It was certified Gold on February 17, 1960, and Platinum on August 10, 2011, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Elvis Christmas Album</i> 1957 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Christmas Album is the third studio album and first Christmas album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley on RCA Victor, LOC -1035, a deluxe limited edition, released October 15, 1957, and recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. It has been reissued in numerous different formats since its first release. It spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, and was the first of two Christmas-themed albums Presley would record, the other being Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, released in 1971. The publication Music Vendor listed Elvis' Christmas Album on their singles charts for two weeks in December 1957 – January 1958, with a peak position of No. 49.

<i>Elvis Is Back!</i> 1960 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Is Back! is the fourth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released on April 8, 1960 by RCA Victor. It was Presley's first album of new material since 1958's King Creole soundtrack, as well as his first to be recorded and released in stereophonic sound. The album marked Presley's return to music after his discharge from the U.S. Army.

<i>How Great Thou Art</i> (Elvis Presley album) 1967 studio album by Elvis Presley

How Great Thou Art is the eighth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in February 1967. How Great Thou Art is a gospel album with slow numbers on one side, and fast-paced numbers on the flipside. The album earned Presley a Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance, while it became a Billboard top 20 pop hit and it appeared on the Top Country Albums chart on the top 10.

<i>From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis</i> 1969 studio album and live album by Elvis Presley

From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis is the tenth studio album and the second live album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley. It was released on October 14, 1969, by RCA Records. It is a double album: the first album, titled In Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, contains the live recordings of Presley's hits at the International Hotel in Winchester, Nevada, while the second album, titled Back in Memphis, contains entirely new material recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis. The album peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, and was certified Gold on December 13, 1969, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Sunrise</i> (Elvis Presley album) 1999 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Sunrise is a two-disc compilation of Elvis Presley's studio recordings at Sun Studio from 1953 to 1955, released in 1999, RCA 67675-2. This set features all of the surviving master recordings made by Presley and his accompanists, Scotty Moore and Bill Black, occasionally augmented by other musicians, prior to his arrival on RCA Records in 1956.

<i>Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 70s Masters</i> 1995 box set by Elvis Presley

Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of the recorded work of Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1970s. It was released in 1995 by RCA Records, catalog number 66670-2, following similar box sets that covered his musical output in the 1950s and both his non-soundtrack and soundtrack work of the 1960s. This set's initial long-box release included a set of collectable stamps duplicating the record jackets of the LP albums on which the tracks in the box set were originally released by RCA. It also includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, as well as a lengthy essay by Dave Marsh, some of it excerpted from his 1982 book on Presley. The box set was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 15, 1999.

<i>From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60s Masters</i> 1993 box set by Elvis Presley

From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1960s; it was released in 1993 on RCA Records, catalogue number 66160-2. In its initial long-box release, it included a set of collectable stamps duplicating the record jackets of every Presley LP on RCA Victor, and those of the singles pertinent to this box set. The set also includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, as well as a lengthy essay by Peter Guralnick. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on November 30, 1993, and Platinum on January 6, 2004. This set followed an exhaustive box set of Presley's 1950s output and was followed by a collection of his soundtrack work a more selective box set of his work in the 1970s.

<i>Suspicious Minds</i> (album) 1999 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Suspicious Minds: The Memphis 1969 Anthology is a two-disc compilation of Elvis Presley's studio recordings at American Sound Studio during the winter of 1969, released in 1999, RCA 67677-2. This set features all of the master recordings made by Presley that would eventually feature on multiple singles as well as the albums From Elvis in Memphis and the studio disk of From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis. Original recordings produced by Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Sound Studio</span> US recording studio (1967–1972) located at 827 Thomas Street in Memphis, Tennessee

The American Sound Studio was a recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee which operated from 1964 to 1972. Founded by Chips Moman, the studio at 827 Thomas Street came to be known as American North, and the studio at 2272 Deadrick Street came to be known as American East or the Annex.

<i>Kissin Cousins</i> (soundtrack) 1964 soundtrack album by Elvis Presley

Kissin' Cousins is the eighth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2894, in April 1964. It is the soundtrack to the 1964 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 26 and 27, and September 29 and 30, 1963. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Top LPs chart. The album was certified Gold on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America.

"Mama Liked the Roses" is a song by Elvis Presley released in 1970. The song was released as the B-side to "The Wonder of You" 45 single on April 20, 1970, and on the 1970 RCA Camden reissue of Elvis' Christmas Album, though the song is not specifically about Christmas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me (Elvis Presley song)</span> 1956 song by Elvis Presley

"Let Me" is a 1956 song by Elvis Presley. The song is credited to Elvis Presley and Vera Matson, the wife of Ken Darby, the principal writer, published by Elvis Presley Music. The song was featured in the 20th Century Fox movie Love Me Tender and was released as an RCA Victor EP in 1956.

References