Elvis Presley: Memphis (Box Set)

[pmp]

And presumably, Hey Jude was to have a new vocal track laid down with full lyrics?

Not necessarily.

Since it stayed on the shelf until 1972, one assumes all concerned left it for what it was: a studio warm-up before a vocal overdub session.

It was overdubbed with all the other Memphis tracks. So clearly it was viewed as a master track from the very start. Did they overdub the This Time medley? No.

[Billy Easter]

And presumably, Hey Jude was to have a new vocal track laid down with full lyrics?

Not necessarily.

Since it stayed on the shelf until 1972, one assumes all concerned left it for what it was: a studio warm-up before a vocal overdub session.

It was overdubbed with all the other Memphis tracks. So clearly it was viewed as a master track from the very start. Did they overdub the This Time medley? No.

I agree. The fact that it was tried for six takes, including a rehearsal, before completing a master take, suggests to me it was being recorded for release. It was allocated a matrix number and annotated Track Only in the session logs, per Keith Flynn's site.

[Scoobie]

His voice pops in this one. Me like like...

I have just compared this to FTD set. I find that the FTD is a lot 'sharper' sounding, and even in the first few seconds there is the sound of a tambourine being shaken a sort of jingling sound around seconds 10-14, just before Elvis starts singing that is missing completely from the new mix.

Only 14 seconds in and there is a big difference in the new set, not sure I like it. Going to continue with the rest of the comparison now.

[RKSNASHVILLE]

As an Amazon Prime subscriber, I’ll listen for free before deciding to purchase.


RKS

[paulsweeney]

The UK price for the box set is much lower than the US and Canada Amazon links, but the vinyl is comparable with all 3. The UK box set price is ridiculously low.

Ordered on amazon UK... 46.58USD delivered. (or $63.97 CDN)

Too good a price to pass up!

[Scoobie]

Song : “Polk Salad Annie”
Timings taken from the FTD set as the timings on the two sets are not the same.

Immediate impression FTD set is much “sharper” sounding.

Seconds 10-14 : Jingling sound (tambourine shaking?) present in FTD not present in the Memphis set.

Seconds 15- 30 : Memphis set has a much “darker” tone, drums are higher in the mix.
Drums have less “snap” to them more thud than crack.
There is more reverb to E’s voice on the FTD little to none on the Memphis set

Seconds 30-60: Continues in the same way, E’s voice has less reverb, the snare drums are reduced while the deeper drums are more present, and
deeper sounding.
Piano and backing are also less sharp but equally present.

Minutes 1:00-1:30: This whole section sounds deeper, darker everything has more thud and less sparkle and highs.

Minutes 1:30-2:00: The trumpets “da-ta-tala-da” are much more present in the mix on the FTD set, where as the Memphis set has more lower tones.

Minutes 2:00-2:30: At around 129 seconds Elvis sings “gators got your grannie” on the FTD set you can hear JD come in on “grannie” to bring the level
down, almost to give an illusion that it was Elvis that reached that last low note.
You can hear JD come in and differentiate the two voices, not on the Memphis set, on this set you can hardly hear the word
“grannie” from either voice. The “Chica-a-bon” from the Inspirations is less present in the Memphis set, it is almost lost.

Minutes: 2:20 - 3:00 The Inspirations are almost lost completely here, apart from the last part of this segment one of them can be hear singing “hey,
hey” pushing Elvis on but it is much less present in the Memphis set.
The male voice shouting “go, go, go” at the crescendo of the song is clear on the FTD set but lost in the Memphis set.

To summarise, the Memphis set is much darker on tone, with the reverb gone from E’s vocals. Some of the higher tones are reduced greatly. This is less open to analysis of the composition of the sound, it is harder to pick up on some details, but the Memphis set is easier to listen to, the tone is deep and warm where the FTD set is more cold and clinical.

Some of the text tabulations from Pages have not worked when uploaded to the forum post, sorry for that.

[ep1977]

Song : “Polk Salad Annie”

To me Elvis voice is to low and drowned by all the instruments, even the wife said the same and she's no expert.

[KB]

My first impression is that the sound on the new set (Polk Salad Annie) is somehow distant, like the concert is recorded from the back of the venue, or next to it.

Also, Elvis’ voice is low in the mix indeed.

From memory FTD has reverb added (not necessary a bad thing) but James Burton’s guitar is kind of silent.

Legacy issue a few years ago sounded pretty dry and sterile with Elvis’ voice low in the mix.

For some reason it seems that they just cannot make it right and produce the ultimate edition of this concert.

[londonflash]

There's always 2034 and its 60th.

[TCB-FAN]

"Steamroller Blues" (Dennis Ferrante Mix from 1997's "Platinum Box") from the Memphis concert was the best mix, imho. Too bad Mr. Ferrante did not mix the entire concert at that time.

[dougkapp]

This release doesn't make any sense to me. The undubbed versions of American have already been available to the public since 2019, when Ernst released them for streaming.
I would much rather he had remixed the Memphis recordings with the overdubs.
This release mixes recordings from Sun, American, Stax, a live show and recordings from Graceland. What's worse is that some good tracks were left out.
I think we have about four different previously released versions of each album represented on this box.
I hope that with the new mix the results will be better.

[Fabbe]

I have just heard "Polk Salad Annie". Finally, a great mix for this concert! The tambourine is perfectly blended into the background, giving the whole atmosphere a mean, bad-ass groove.

[LSP-4445]

"Steamroller Blues" (Dennis Ferrante Mix from 1997's "Platinum Box") from the Memphis concert was the best mix, imho. Too bad Mr. Ferrante did not mix the entire concert at that time.

Agree 100%,and I do believe even after the release of the Memphis set that the Platinum version will still be my favorite mix of SB.

[rollinson1]

Well, I'm in at just short of £32 a lot to like and nothing to lose to this fan.

[Rockin_John]

"Steamroller Blues" (Dennis Ferrante Mix from 1997's "Platinum Box") from the Memphis concert was the best mix, imho. Too bad Mr. Ferrante did not mix the entire concert at that time.

Agree 100%

[drjohncarpenter]

Not necessarily.

Since it stayed on the shelf until 1972, one assumes all concerned left it for what it was: a studio warm-up before a vocal overdub session.

It was overdubbed with all the other Memphis tracks. So clearly it was viewed as a master track from the very start. Did they overdub the This Time medley? No.

Stop playing the antagonistic imbecile. Your chaos creation is so old.

You well know this subject has been discussed in detail.

Chips Moman made sure the "Hey Jude" run-through Elvis did before diving into an extensive vocal overdub session got overdubs because . . .


IT WAS ELVIS PRESLEY SINGING A BEATLES SONG.

A SONG THAT HAPPENED TO BE THE #1 SINGLE OF 1968.


Take your idiotic smarm and apply it to your next self-published book.

Thank you.

[Rockin_John]

Amazon USA

https://a.co/d/gl68DF5

https://a.co/d/9wcy8oQ



Amazon Canada

https://a.co/d/iCNZMou

https://a.co/d/fuLzRGk


Amazon UK

https://amzn.eu/d/arGyjzn

https://amzn.eu/d/1YxM0x2

Amazon UK don't deliver this to Sweden, that's odd as I buy from there from time to time

[drjohncarpenter]

I agree. The fact that it was tried for six takes, including a rehearsal, before completing a master take, suggests to me it was being recorded for release. It was allocated a matrix number and annotated Track Only in the session logs, per Keith Flynn's site.

You should refer to my previous post.

But here are some additional facts about "Hey Jude" discussed here many times:

• the session was slated for vocal overdubs

• "Hey Jude" was run down on piano by Elvis, only 2 takes considered complete

• the entire time spent on the song was likely about 20 minutes

• the remainder of the session was nothing but vocal overdubs until the end of the night

• at the end of the night, Elvis banged out a cover of "From A Jack To A King" to please his father

• as with "Hey Jude" only 2 takes considered complete

• both were allocated matrix numbers because ELVIS PRESLEY recorded them at a professional studio

This is not rocket science.

[Lee Wood]

Not necessarily.

Since it stayed on the shelf until 1972, one assumes all concerned left it for what it was: a studio warm-up before a vocal overdub session.

It was overdubbed with all the other Memphis tracks. So clearly it was viewed as a master track from the very start. Did they overdub the This Time medley? No.

Stop playing the antagonistic imbecile. Your chaos creation is so old.

You well know this subject has been discussed in detail.

Chips Moman made sure the "Hey Jude" run-through Elvis did before diving into an extensive vocal overdub session got overdubs because . . .


IT WAS ELVIS PRESLEY SINGING A BEATLES SONG.

A SONG THAT HAPPENED TO BE THE #1 SINGLE OF 1968.


Take your idiotic smarm and apply it to your next self-published book.

Thank you.

I hope you manage to calm down soon. All this shouting will do you no good, you'll have a stroke if you carry on like this.

[pmp]

Not necessarily.

Since it stayed on the shelf until 1972, one assumes all concerned left it for what it was: a studio warm-up before a vocal overdub session.

It was overdubbed with all the other Memphis tracks. So clearly it was viewed as a master track from the very start. Did they overdub the This Time medley? No.

Stop playing the antagonistic imbecile. Your chaos creation is so old.

You well know this subject has been discussed in detail.

Chips Moman made sure the "Hey Jude" run-through Elvis did before diving into an extensive vocal overdub session got overdubs because . . .


IT WAS ELVIS PRESLEY SINGING A BEATLES SONG.

A SONG THAT HAPPENED TO BE THE #1 SINGLE OF 1968.


Take your idiotic smarm and apply it to your next self-published book.

Thank you.

I don't care if he was singing Pinky and Perky. As a recording, it stinks.

And none of what you have written alters the basic fact that it was seen to be a master recording from the very beginning because it was overdubbed at the same time as the other Memphis tracks.

[Billy Easter]

I agree. The fact that it was tried for six takes, including a rehearsal, before completing a master take, suggests to me it was being recorded for release. It was allocated a matrix number and annotated Track Only in the session logs, per Keith Flynn's site.

You should refer to my previous post.

But here are some additional facts about "Hey Jude" discussed here many times:

• the session was slated for vocal overdubs

• "Hey Jude" was run down on piano by Elvis, only 2 takes considered complete

• the entire time spent on the song was likely about 20 minutes

• the remainder of the session was nothing but vocal overdubs until the end of the night

• at the end of the night, Elvis banged out a cover of "From A Jack To A King" to please his father

• as with "Hey Jude" only 2 takes considered complete

• both were allocated matrix numbers because ELVIS PRESLEY recorded them at a professional studio

This is not rocket science.

I don't understand why a "studio warm-up" would be recorded take after take, unless they were trying for a master. In fact take 3 is stopped, with the instruction "Do it again", then something about Bobby and piano (I see no indication that Elvis was playing piano).

I think you are wrong and nothing you have said proves otherwise.

[JimmyCool]

I was excited to think that this set would include the overdubbed masters from American Studio '69. However, as others have mentioned, the arrangements from these sessions are sparse, intended for later overdubs.

This is different from the 1970 and later sessions, where the undubbed versions are often better than the final versions.

Not including all the masters is also a drawback. Still, I'll probably buy the set anyway, if only for the other sessions and the live concert... and yes, for the cover.

[drjohncarpenter]

I don't care . . .

Truer words were never spoken.

[drjohncarpenter]

I don't understand why a "studio warm-up" would be recorded take after take, unless they were trying for a master. In fact take 3 is stopped, with the instruction "Do it again", then something about Bobby and piano (I see no indication that Elvis was playing piano).

I think you are wrong and nothing you have said proves otherwise.

Align yourself with fools, that's your right.

Yes, "trying for a master" that stayed on the shelf for over FOUR years.

Another inconvenient fact for you.

You have fun with that.

[pmp]

I don't understand why a "studio warm-up" would be recorded take after take, unless they were trying for a master. In fact take 3 is stopped, with the instruction "Do it again", then something about Bobby and piano (I see no indication that Elvis was playing piano).

I think you are wrong and nothing you have said proves otherwise.

Align yourself with fools, that's your right.

Yes, "trying for a master" that stayed on the shelf for over FOUR years.

Another inconvenient fact for you.

You have fun with that.

Three years, actually.

If it wasn't a master, why was it overdubbed in 1969 along with the other Memphis tracks? Or are you going to avoid that point again?