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Songs from ELVIS 2ND TO NONE, 5
KENTUCKY RAIN
This song was written by Eddie Rabbit and Dick Heard. Elvis recorded
it on February 19, 1969 at American Sound Studios in Memphis,
Tennessee. Working that session were: Reggie Young (guitar), Tom
Cogbill (bass), Gene Chrisman (drums), Bobby Wood (piano), and Bobby
Emmons (organ). Vocal overdubs (meaning backing vocals added after
the Elvis session) were done by Sonja Montgomery, Millie Kirkham,
Dolores Edgin, Hurshel Wiginton, Joe Babock and Ronnie Milsap. Also
overdubbed were R.F. Taylor and Wayne Jackson on trumpet, Glen
Spreen on sax and viola, Andrew Love on sax, Jackie Thomas and Jack
Hale on trombone, Tony Cason and Joe D'Gerolamo on French horn, an
d. Ed Kollis on harmonica. "Kentucky Rain" was released in January
1970 with "My Little Friend" as the flipside. It the U.S. it peaked
at #16 during its 9-week run on the pop chart, peaked at #31 in its
10-week run on the country chart, and reached #3 on the easy
listening chart. In the UK it reached peaked at #21 in its 12-week
run on the pop chart.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME
This song was written in 1965 by P. Donaggio and V. Pallavicini for
a song contest in San Remo, Italy using the title "Lo Che Non Vivo
(Senza Te)". The English lyrics were written by Vicki Wickham and
Simon Napier-Bell. Dusty Springfield had a hit with the song in 1966
and her version inspired Elvis to record the song on June 6, 1970 at
RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. The musicians were: James
Burton, Chip Young, Charlie Hodge, and Elvis Presley (all on
guitar); Norbert Putnam (bass); Jerry Carrigan (drums); David Briggs
(piano); and Charlie McCoy (harmonica and organ). The backing
vocals, overdubbed later, were by Millie Kirkham, Mary Greene, Mary
Holladay, Ginger Holladay, Temple Riser, June Page, Sonja
Montgomery, Dolores Edgin, The Jordanaires and The Imperials.
Strings and horns, overdubbed later, were by: Charlie McCoy, George
Tidwell, Don Sheffiedl and Glenn Baxter (all on trumpet); Wayne
Butler, Norman Ray and Skip Lane (all on sax); Skip Lane (flute and
clarinet); Gene Mullins (trombone); and William Puett (flute and
saxophone). "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" was released in
October 1970 with "Patch It Up" as the flipside. In the U.S. it
peaked at #1 in its 11-week run on the easy listening chart, peaked
at #56 on the country chart, and peaked at #11 in its 10-week run on
the pop chart. In the U.K. it peaked at #9 its 7-week run on the pop
chart.
AN AMERICAN TRILOGY
This piece is a medley of three songs, an arrangement by Mickey
Newbury, who recorded it in 1971. The first song in the trilogy is
"Dixie", which was written by Daniel Decatur Emmett for a minstrel
show in 1859 and became popular. It became even more popular during
the Civil War. (In 1943, Bing Crosby played Emmett in the film
"Dixie".) The second song is "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". The
lyrics to this song were written by Julia Ward Howe in December 1861
at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. It was at the suggestion of
her friend Rev. James Freeman Clarke. Ms. Howe used the melody of
another song "John Brown's Body". The title was given to the song by
the editor of the "Atlantic Monthly", which published it as a poem
in February 1862 and paid Ms. Howe $5.00. The author of the third
song, "All My Trials", is unknown. It was recorded by the Kingston
Trio in 1959 under the title "All My Sorrow". Elvis' version of the
Newbury arrangement of these three songs, "An American Trilogy", was
recorded live in concert at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas on
February 16, 1972. Musicians were : James Burton (lead guitar), John
Wilkinson (guitar) , Jerry Scheff (bass), Ronnie Tutt (drums), Glen
D. Hardin (piano), Charlie Hodge (guitar), and the Joe Guercio
Orchestra, conducted by Joe Guercio. Backing vocals were by: The
Sweet Inspiriations - Estelle Brown, Sylvia Shemwell and Myrna
Smith; J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet - J.D. Sumner, Bill Baize,
Ed Enoch, Richard Sterban and Donnie Sumner; and soprano Kathy
Westmoreland. The single "An American Trilogy" was released in April
1972 with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" as the flipside. In
the U.S.A. it peaked at #31 on easy listening chart and # 66 on the
pop chart. In the U.K . it peaked at #8 on the in an 11-week run on
the pop chart.
ALWAYS ON MY MIND
This song was written for Elvis by Mark James, Wayne Carson and
Johnny Christopher. Elvis recorded it at RCA Studio C in Hollywood,
California on March 29, 1972. The session was filmed for the MGM
concert documentary "Elvis On Tour". Musicians were: James Burton
(lead guitar), John Wilkinson (guitar), Charlie Hodge (guitar).
Emory Gordy (bass), Ronnie Tutt (drums) and Glen D. Hardin (piano).
Backing vocals were provided by JD. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet,
consisting of J.D. Sumner, Bill Baize, Ed Enoch, Richard Sterban and
Donnie Sumner. Strings and horns were overdubbed later. "Always on
My Mind" was released in November 1972 with "Separate Ways" as the
other side. In the U.S. it peaked at #16 in its 13-week run on the
country. In the U.K. it peaked at #9 in a 13-week run on the pop
chart. Others who have recorded it include Brenda Lee, Willie Nelson
and The Pet Shop Boys.
PROMISED LAND
This song was written and recorded by Chuck Berry in 1965. Elvis
recorded it on December 16, 1973 at Stax Studios in Memphis,
Tennessee. Working this session were: James Burton, Johnny
Christopher and Charlie Hodge (all on guitar); Norbert Putnam
(bass), Ronnie Tutt (drums), and David Briggs and Per-Erik "Pete"
Hallin (both on piano and organ). Female backing vocals were by
Kathy Westmoreland, Mary Greene, Mary Holladay and Susan Pilkington.
Male vocalists were by: J.D. Sumner and The Stamps, consisting of
J.D. Sumner, Bill Baize, Ed Enoch and Dave Rowland; and by Voice,
consisting of Donnie Sumner, Sherrill Nielson and Tim Baty. Elvis
later overdubbed vocal harmony for himself. Strings and horns were
also overdubbed. The "Promised Land" single was released in October
1974 with "It's Midnight" as the other side. In the U.S. it peaked
at #14 in its 13-week run on the pop chart. In the UK it reached #9
in its 8-week run on the pop chart.
MOODY BLUE
This song was written and recorded by Mark James in 1974. Elvis
recorded it in the den (a.k.a. the "jungle room") at his home,
Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee on February 4, 1976. Ernst
Jorgensen in his book ELVIS PRESLEY - A LIFE IN MUSIC, tells of how
Elvis had been disinterested in going to the studio in Nashville for
sessions and RCA's offer to truck in recording equipment to him at
home. Home sessions were scheduled. The aging and infrequently used,
big red RCA equipment truck broke down 150 miles outside of Memphis
and had to be towed to town and up through the gates of Graceland to
"what was probably its most prestigious gig," as Jorgensen put it.
Muscians for the February Graceland recordings were: James Burton,
Bill Sanford, John Wilkinson and Charlie Hodge (all on guitar);
Jerry Scheff and Norbert Putnam (both on bass); Glen D. Hardin and
David Briggs (both on piano); Bobby Emmons (piano); and Ronnie Tutt
(drums). Backing vocals were by: Kathy Westmoreland, Myrna Smith,
and J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet. Later overdubs included
strings, horns, additional percussion and synthesizer. The "Moody
Blue" single was released in December 1976 with "She Thinks I Still
Care" on the other side. In the U.S. it peaked at #31 on the pop
chart and, in its 17-week run on the country chart, it peaked at #1.
In the U.K. it peaked at #6 in a 9-week run on the pop chart.
I'M A ROUSTABOUT
"I'm a Roustabout" was written in 1964 by Winfield Scott and Otis
Blackwell for use in the Elvis movie "Roustabout". Often, more than
one song writing team would be asked to write a song for an Elvis
movie. In this case, "I'm A Roustabout" was rejected by producer Hal
Wallis and never made it to the film. Another song, "Roustabout",
written by another team was used instead. The recording session for
this movie took place in March 1964 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.
Musicans were: Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell, and Billy Strange (all
on guitar); Bob Moore (bass); Buddy Harman, Hal Blaine and D. J.
Fontana (all on drums); Floyd Cramer (piano); and Boots Randolph
(sax). Backing vocals were by The Jordanaires. The master tape of
"I'm a Roustabout" has not been located. An original acetate (test
pressing) for this song was found by Winfield Scott in the basement
of his New Jersey home and it came to the attention of RCA
executives. It was released in 2003 as a bonus track on the album
ELVIS 2ND TO NONE. In an RCA press release Mr. Scott was quoted
saying, "It's very gratifying for me to finally have this song be
released. I hope that it brings Elvis fans as much joy as if did for
me and Otis when we originally wrote it. Enjoy!"
This ends our five-part series on the songs from ELVIS 2ND TO NONE,
an album we highly recommend. Echoing Mr. Scott, we say "Enjoy!"
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