FTD 73: Love Letters From Elvis (2 CD)

Description

Tracklist:

Disc 1 – The Original Album:

1. Love Letters

2. When I’m Over You

3. If I Were You

4. Got My Mojo Working / Keep Your Hands Off Of It

5. Heart Of Rome

6. Only Believe

7. This Is Our Dance

8. Cindy, Cindy

9. I’ll Never Know

10. It Ain’t No Big Thing (But It’s Growing)

11. Life

New Bonus Songs:

12. The Sound Of Your Cry

13. Sylvia

14. Rags To Riches

15. Something

First takes:

16. The Sound Of Your Cry – takes 1, 2, 3

17. Cindy, Cindy – take 1

18. I’ll Never Know – take 1

19. It Ain’t No Big Thing (But It’s Growing) – takes 1, 2

20. Life – take 1, 2

21. Heart Of Rome – take 1

22. If I Were You – take 1

23. Rags To Riches – rehearsal, take 2

Disc 2 – Session outtakes and undubbed masters:

01 Radio Commercial

2. The Sound Of Your Cry – takes 4, 5, 6

3. Cindy, Cindy – takes 2, 3 (undubbed master)

4. Got My Mojo Working / Keep Your Hands Off Of It – take 1 (undubbed master)

5. I’ll Never Know – takes 2, 3

6. It Ain’t No Big Thing (But It’s Growing) – takes 3, 4, 5, 6

7. This Is Our Dance – takes 6, 7, 9,11 (undubbed master)

8. Life – take10

9. Heart of Rome – take 2 (undubbed master)

10. Love Letters – takes 3, 1

11. If I were you – takes 2, 3, 4, 5

12. Only Believe – takes 1, 2, 3, 4 (undubbed master)

13. Sylvia – takes 1, 2, 3, 4, 9

14. Rags To Riches – take 3

In June 1970, Elvis Presley held a five-day recording marathon, during which he completed 34 songs. The impressive results of these sessions allowed RCA to create two thematically coherent Elvis albums, Love Letters From Elvis and Elvis Country (other tracks from these sessions appear on That’s The Way it Is and Elvis Now).

Since most Elvis songs concern romance, the ‘love letters’ theme of this album does little to distinguish it from most Presley records. Nonetheless, Love Letters From Elvis benefits from a strong collection of songs representing most of the musical strands of Elvis Presley’s later career: big dramatic ballads, Charlie Rich-style Memphis boogie, and the occasional rocker, all framed by Presley’s large, excellent band and and plenty of background vocals.

1. Love Letters, 2. When I’m Over You – (with The Imperials & The Jordanaires), 3. If I Were You – (with The Imperials), 4. Got My Mojo Working, 5. Heart Of Rome, 6. Only Believe – (with The Imperials), 7. This Is Our Dance, 8. Cindy, Cindy, 9. I’ll Never Know – (with The Imperials), 10. It Ain’t No Big Thing (But It’s Growing) – (with The Nashville Edition), 11. Life

Album produced and art directed by Ernst Mikael Jørgensen & Roger Semon

Mastered by Lene Reidel and Vic Anesini

Original A&R: Felton Jarvis

Original Engineer: Al Pachucki

Thanks to Claude Braün and Erik Rasmussen

Recorded June 4-8 and September 22, 1970 at RCA’s Studio B, Nashville.

Musicians:

Guitar: James Burton (June sessions), Eddie Hinton (September sessions), Chip Young, Charlie Hodge, Elvis Presley

Bass: Norbert Putnam

Drums: Jerry Carrigan

Piano: David Briggs

Organ & Harmonica: Charlie McCoy

Harmony vocals: Charlie Hodge (‘This Is Our Dance’ & ‘Heart Of Rome’)

Overdubbed later:

Guitar: James Burton

Percussion: Jerry Carrigan

Percussion & Vibes: Farrell Morris

Piano & Organ: David Briggs

Steel-guitar: Weldon Myrick

Vocals: The Imperials, The Jordanaires, Millie Kirkham, Mary Greene, Mary Holladay, Ginger Holladay, Temple Riser, June Page, Sonja Montgomery, Dolores Edgin, Joe Babcock (‘It Ain’t No Big Thing (But It’s Growing)’ only)

Trumpet: Charlie McCoy, George Tidwell, Don Sheffield, Glenn Baxter

Sax: Wayne Butler, Norman Ray

Flute, Sax & Clarinet: Skip Lane

Trombone: Gene Mullins

Flute & Trombone: William Puett

‘Something’ recorded live at the midnight show on August 11, 1970. The International Hotel, Las Vegas.

Musicians:

Guitar: James Burton, John Wilkinson

Bass: Jerry Scheff

Drums: Ronnie Tutt

Piano: Glen Hardin

Vocals: The Imperials, The Sweet Inspirations, Millie Kirkham

Joe Guercio and his Orchestr