Pieces Of My Life adlibbed line?

[eligain]

I was listening to Charlie Rich’s and Joe Cocker’s versions of the Troy Seals song Pieces Of My Life and neither one of them sing the line Elvis sang, “And the one I miss most of all, is you, and you know who.” Do you think Elvis adlibbed that line or is that in Troy Seals’ original lyrics?

[The fool]

The same line was here:



https://www.45cat.com/record/cps0223?fbclid=IwY2xjawGIX7pleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHS9XIOElLD5tqN_wi_vaYybHKXI8RdZjoo5FfbZqfoPs8i3FtwA1jjqTlA_aem_q73zy4jm_7UkUCj1EtANgw

[drjohncarpenter]

I was listening to Charlie Rich’s and Joe Cocker’s versions of the Troy Seals song Pieces Of My Life and neither one of them sing the line Elvis sang, “And the one I miss most of all, is you, and you know who.” Do you think Elvis adlibbed that line or is that in Troy Seals’ original lyrics?

Joe Cocker's version seems to be ultra-obscure. Is it on a legitimate release? I found it was taped in 1983 and left on the shelf. Hearing it today it sounds like he's pulling from the Charlie Rich original. The arrangement closely follows Rich's recording.

The same line was here:



https://www.45cat.com/record/cps0223

This is a good find because I didn't realize Johnny Darrell cut his version before Presley's recording. I thought his was an album track released in the summer of 1975, but his label pushed this as a single A-side at the beginning of March 1975, almost two weeks before Elvis set foot in RCA Hollywood.

Is it possible it's the Capricorn 45 that Elvis and Felton Jarvis used as a guide for the session? Or that Elvis heard it on the radio? I would say so, and the (likely) ad-lib originates with Johnny.

Another piece of the puzzle for a tune our guy liked so much he played the finished track over and over with those gathered at the studio.

Here's the Cash Box review of Darrell's release. A lot of Presley connections on the full page, if you look closely.

750308_Cash Box_p54_DETAIL.jpg

750308_Cash Box_p54.jpg

[billy jack]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.




The lyrics refers exactly to the course of Elvis' life. Elvis' career and its success is to blame for failure on several levels. A confession perhaps......

Felton Jarvis: ''I know he really loved that song and felt connected to it.''

[Kylan]

Yet the majority on here pan it It’s one of my fav 70’s tracks.

[pmp]

Yet the majority on here pan it It’s one of my fav 70’s tracks.

I like it, too.

[stevelecher]

Yet the majority on here pan it It’s one of my fav 70’s tracks.

I like it, too.

I love it.

[drjohncarpenter]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.

Yup. But it's now evident it was not the version Elvis took into RCA Hollywood four months later.

But Presley did indeed admire Charlie's work. The year before, Rich's Behind Closed Doors LP got played quite a bit while he was in Baptist Hospital. The sound and feel of that record influenced his December sessions at Stax.

[drjohncarpenter]

Yet the majority on here pan it It’s one of my fav 70’s tracks.

The majority? Nah.

But there have been some cogent arguments as to why the lyrics might have been less appropriate for Elvis than for someone like Charlie Rich. It helps a lot if you know the Rich story. And the Presley story.

[billy jack]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.

Yup. But it's now evident it was not the version Elvis took into RCA Hollywood four months later.

It is highly unlikely, even impossible (release date JD - recording date EP ---> 4 days), that Elvis heard Johnny Darrell's version as inspiration to record "Pieces Of My Life" himself. Johnny Darrell's version was released in early March (8), 1975, as a single, the album in June (!) 1975. Elvis recorded the song on March 12, 1975. The Charlie Rich album containing ''Pieces Of My Life'' is from October 1974. This is therefore much more likely, Elvis heard Charlie Rich's version first.

[Jokerlola]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.

Yup. But it's now evident it was not the version Elvis took into RCA Hollywood four months later.

It is highly unlikely, even impossible (release date JD - recording date EP ---> 4 days), that Elvis heard Johnny Darrell's version as inspiration to record "Pieces Of My Life" himself. Johnny Darrell's version was released in early March (8), 1975, as a single, the album in June (!) 1975. Elvis recorded the song on March 12, 1975. The Charlie Rich album containing ''Pieces Of My Life'' is from October 1974. This is therefore much more likely, Elvis heard Charlie Rich's version first.

So if Elvis didn’t hear Johnny Darrell’s version, where did he get the line, “And the one I miss most of all, is you, and you know who.”? Is is in the original lyrics of the song? Did Troy Seals record this song? Was there a demo for the song?

[billy jack]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.

Yup. But it's now evident it was not the version Elvis took into RCA Hollywood four months later.

It is highly unlikely, even impossible (release date JD - recording date EP ---> 4 days), that Elvis heard Johnny Darrell's version as inspiration to record "Pieces Of My Life" himself. Johnny Darrell's version was released in early March (8), 1975, as a single, the album in June (!) 1975. Elvis recorded the song on March 12, 1975. The Charlie Rich album containing ''Pieces Of My Life'' is from October 1974. This is therefore much more likely, Elvis heard Charlie Rich's version first.

So if Elvis didn’t hear Johnny Darrell’s version, where did he get the line, “And the one I miss most of all, is you, and you know who.”? Is is in the original lyrics of the song? Did Troy Seals record this song? Was there a demo for the song?

[Jokerlola]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.

Yup. But it's now evident it was not the version Elvis took into RCA Hollywood four months later.

It is highly unlikely, even impossible (release date JD - recording date EP ---> 4 days), that Elvis heard Johnny Darrell's version as inspiration to record "Pieces Of My Life" himself. Johnny Darrell's version was released in early March (8), 1975, as a single, the album in June (!) 1975. Elvis recorded the song on March 12, 1975. The Charlie Rich album containing ''Pieces Of My Life'' is from October 1974. This is therefore much more likely, Elvis heard Charlie Rich's version first.

So if Elvis didn’t hear Johnny Darrell’s version, where did he get the line, “And the one I miss most of all, is you, and you know who.”? Is is in the original lyrics of the song? Did Troy Seals record this song? Was there a demo for the song?

If those are Seals’ actual lyrics then you answered my question at the beginning of this thread. When I didn’t hear the line in Rich’s and Cocker’s versions, I wondered if Elvis may have added that line himself.The fact that Darrell uses the line proves that Elvis didn’t improvise it himself. He either heard it from Darrell which has said to be unlikely or it was in Seals’ original lyrics and probably the demo if there was a demo.

[billy jack]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.

Yup. But it's now evident it was not the version Elvis took into RCA Hollywood four months later.

It is highly unlikely, even impossible (release date JD - recording date EP ---> 4 days), that Elvis heard Johnny Darrell's version as inspiration to record "Pieces Of My Life" himself. Johnny Darrell's version was released in early March (8), 1975, as a single, the album in June (!) 1975. Elvis recorded the song on March 12, 1975. The Charlie Rich album containing ''Pieces Of My Life'' is from October 1974. This is therefore much more likely, Elvis heard Charlie Rich's version first.

So if Elvis didn’t hear Johnny Darrell’s version, where did he get the line, “And the one I miss most of all, is you, and you know who.”? Is is in the original lyrics of the song? Did Troy Seals record this song? Was there a demo for the song?

If those are Seals’ actual lyrics then you answered my question at the beginning of this thread. When I didn’t hear the line in Rich’s and Cocker’s versions, I wondered if Elvis may have added that line himself.The fact that Darrell uses the line proves that Elvis didn’t improvise it himself. He either heard it from Darrell which has said to be unlikely or it was in Seals’ original lyrics and probably the demo if there was a demo.

It makes it more difficult because Seals' himself never recorded the song. It seems too short a time for Elvis to hear Darrell's version before Charlie Rich's. The fact that one person and the other did not apply that last ''line'' is not decisive. It is also confirmed in an autobiography that Elvis used Charlie Rich's version as a source to record it himself. Hence the conclusion.

In addition, Elvis flew to California on March 3 for the studio recordings, which was actually planned for the fall and in preparation for the Las Vegas Opening later that month. To then listen to a single or album, it seems unlikely to me that Elvis was doing that.

[Jokerlola]

Elvis first heard ''Pieces Of My Life'' from Charlie Rich's 1974 album ''The Silver Fox''.

Yup. But it's now evident it was not the version Elvis took into RCA Hollywood four months later.

It is highly unlikely, even impossible (release date JD - recording date EP ---> 4 days), that Elvis heard Johnny Darrell's version as inspiration to record "Pieces Of My Life" himself. Johnny Darrell's version was released in early March (8), 1975, as a single, the album in June (!) 1975. Elvis recorded the song on March 12, 1975. The Charlie Rich album containing ''Pieces Of My Life'' is from October 1974. This is therefore much more likely, Elvis heard Charlie Rich's version first.

So if Elvis didn’t hear Johnny Darrell’s version, where did he get the line, “And the one I miss most of all, is you, and you know who.”? Is is in the original lyrics of the song? Did Troy Seals record this song? Was there a demo for the song?

If those are Seals’ actual lyrics then you answered my question at the beginning of this thread. When I didn’t hear the line in Rich’s and Cocker’s versions, I wondered if Elvis may have added that line himself.The fact that Darrell uses the line proves that Elvis didn’t improvise it himself. He either heard it from Darrell which has said to be unlikely or it was in Seals’ original lyrics and probably the demo if there was a demo.

It makes it more difficult because Seals' himself never recorded the song. It seems too short a time for Elvis to hear Darrell's version before Charlie Rich's. The fact that one person and the other did not apply that last ''line'' is not decisive. It is also confirmed in an autobiography that Elvis used Charlie Rich's version as a source to record it himself. Hence the conclusion.

In addition, Elvis flew to California on March 3 for the studio recordings, which was actually planned for the fall and in preparation for the Las Vegas Opening later that month. To then listen to a single or album, it seems unlikely to me that Elvis was doing that.

Maybe someone like Felton brought the Derrall album into the studio and they had a listen before recording? Elvis sings the line from the very first take. I always thought the line sounded out of place or adlibbed. It doesn’t necessarily fit the song which is not just about lost love. In one of Elvis’ takes he half talks the line. I think that line would have worked better if he had talked the whole line like he half talked it instead of singing it. But that’s my only quibble with the song. It’s one of my favorites from the first time I heard it in the summer of 75. It should have been a big country hit and could have been a good crossover pop hit. I guess Bringing It Back was the A side. I also like Bringing It Back but I think Pieces is a stronger, better song. At the time, I thought Pieces was the A side. The adult contemporary radio station my parents listened to at the time, played Pieces and not Bringing.


[media] [/media]

[drjohncarpenter]

Maybe someone like Felton brought the Derrall album into the studio and they had a listen before recording? Elvis sings the line from the very first take. I always thought the line sounded out of place or adlibbed. It doesn’t necessarily fit the song which is not just about lost love. In one of Elvis’ takes he half talks the line.

Some are missing what I wrote, and I found some more information on Johnny Darrell, so I'll try again:

• Johnny Darrell waxed his version in Nashville circa July-August 1974

• Charlie Rich's recording was taped in Nashville in September 1974

But . . .

• Rich's November 1974 album track was the debut of "Pieces Of My Life" and Elvis likely heard it

• Capricorn released Darrell's single in mid-January 1975, it went to radio right away

• Elvis cut his cover in Los Angeles in March 1975, two months later

• Darrell's single was very likely the one Presley heard and replicated at RCA Hollywood

_____



August 17, 1974 - Record World notes Darrell album session "now in production"

740817_Record World_p61.jpg

Note: Darrell completed his Capricorn album in January-February 1975, it got released in June.





January 4, 1975 - Cash Box reports Darrell single will released "on Jan 15"

740104_Cash Box_p09.jpg

February 1, 1975 - Cash Box reports Darrell in L.A. "last week" promoting "newly released single"

750201_Record World_p71.jpg

Thanks again to The fool, who pointed out the Johnny Darrell single in the first place.

Another little "piece" of the puzzle.

[The fool]

January 4, 1975 - Cash Box reports Darrell single will released "on Jan 15"

Thank you for all your valuable research!

[drjohncarpenter]

January 4, 1975 - Cash Box reports Darrell single will released "on Jan 15"

Thank you for all your valuable research!

You've been a huge contributor to this forum, I've learned a TON from your uploads. Thanks so much.

[billy jack]

• Darrell's single was very likely the one Presley heard and replicated at RCA Hollywood

Likely, but not for sure. We know for a fact that Elvis knew Charlie Rich. We don't know if Elvis had even heard of a certain Johnny Darrell.

Then I prefer what is in the books, by authors who have probably done their homework better. At least not ''likely''. Not the guessing of some random forum member.

[drjohncarpenter]

Likely, but not for sure. We know for a fact that Elvis knew Charlie Rich. We don't know if Elvis had even heard of a certain Johnny Darrell.

Then I prefer what is in the books, by authors who have probably done their homework better. At least not ''likely''. And not the guessing of some random forum member.

You seem upset. Is it because I proved beyond doubt there was indeed plenty of time for Elvis to have heard the Capricorn single?

So you got that one wrong.



What exactly is "in the books" you do not say, that's unfortunate.


The facts are that nearly everyone involved with this song is dead.

So in 2024 we rely on educated guesswork and known evidence, such as everything I just shared on this topic.

I've no doubt the rest of us will be content at this time to credit Johnny Darrell's 1974 recording as the one which influenced Elvis' 1975 master.

[drjohncarpenter]

Likely, but not for sure. We know for a fact that Elvis knew Charlie Rich. We don't know if Elvis had even heard of a certain Johnny Darrell.

Well, that's funny, then.

Because at the same March 1975 RCA Hollywood date where Elvis cut "Pieces Of My Life" he also recorded a song called "Woman Without Love," written by Jerry Chesnut.

Guess who first put out that tune? A guy named Johnny Darrell.







Johnny Darrell "Woman Without Love" (United Artists UA 50481, November 1968)



And it was a hit!

The single made the top twenty on Billboard's "Hot Country Singles" in 1969.

Take a chair, "billy jack"

[billy jack]

Here the sheet, composed and written by Troy Seals. The text line ''And the one i miss most of all, is you, and you know who'' was indeed written by Troy Seals himself.


(source: https://www.keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/750312.html) (see music sheets)

The triangle ''Johnny Darrel - ''Pieces Of My Life'' - Elvis Presley'' is nowhere to be found. The only name constantly thrown around is Charlie Rich. Presley took it up after Red West's suggestion
The reference to Elvis first hearing ''Pieces Of My Life'' is in Ray Connolly's critically acclaimed book, ''Being Elvis'' (four pages are devoted to book titles as source(s) for this book). Also in the informative and well-written book ''Reconsider Baby'' by Shane Brown, where only the name Charlie Rich appears (for ''Pieces Of My Life''), as well as explaining the difference between how both artists interpret the song. Not a single word in Jorgensen's book, ''A Life In Music'' about a certain Johnny Darrell (for ''Pieces Of My Life'')

We can now conclude that Charlie Rich's version was the deciding factor in Elvis recording the song.

Another little ''piece'' of the puzzle.

[Jokerlola]

I guess the question now is: Why did Charlie Rich omit the line in his version? Also, if Rich’s version was the deciding factor in Elvis recording it, why did Elvis decide to include that line? Besides Rich’s version and Darrell’s version, was there a demo version?

According to Wikipedia: “In his recording career, Darrell established a trend of introducing "lyrically adventurous" songs that later became major hits for other artists.”

[billy jack]

I guess the question now is: Why did Charlie Rich omit the line in his version? Also, if Rich’s version was the deciding factor in Elvis recording it, why did Elvis decide to include that line? Besides Rich’s version and Darrell’s version, was there a demo version?

According to Wikipedia: “In his recording career, Darrell established a trend of introducing "lyrically adventurous" songs that later became major hits for other artists.”

As you can see from the lyric sheet, that is taken from the fantastic site from Keith Flynn, the original lyrics included ''that line'' written by Troy Seals. Why Charlie Rich omitted it? To be honest, I don't really care.


Elvis omitted some lyrics from ''Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues''. There you go.


(FTD book ''Writing For The King' - ''Pieces Of My Life''. Not a word about a certain ''Johnny Darrell'')

[drjohncarpenter]

I guess the question now is: Why did Charlie Rich omit the line in his version? Also, if Rich’s version was the deciding factor in Elvis recording it, why did Elvis decide to include that line? Besides Rich’s version and Darrell’s version, was there a demo version?

According to Wikipedia: “In his recording career, Darrell established a trend of introducing "lyrically adventurous" songs that later became major hits for other artists.”

Yeah, ol' "billy jack" needs to sit down.

He's now been very wrong twice on this page, his suggestion Elvis hadn't "even heard of a certain Johnny Darrell" showing how little he even knows about the March 1975 sessions at RCA Hollywood.

(He's failed to acknowledge either error)

Note: that piano sheet music "evidence" was published decades after these recordings were made.

He's big mad.

Take a chair, bj, and just enjoy reading the facts as we know them.