Elvis Presley: Memphis (Box Set)

[drjohncarpenter]

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?

I stand corrected.

You're not being willfully imbecilic. You're just an imbecile.

It's 11:37 pm, go get your toddy and off to bed, little buddy.

Tomorrow's another day to cause rancor on the forum, get your beauty sleep.

[Billy Easter]

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.

What makes more sense to me is that he didn't know all the words, so they recorded track-only with the intention of adding vocals later (possibly 24-26 January session). For whatever reason, this wasn't done and it lay unused until it was picked up for Elvis Now. Just my humble opinion.

[thenexte]

The concept makes more sense when you read the official press release. I expect the sound improvement of these new mixes to be stunning.

https://themusicuniverse.com/sony-music-to-release-first-full-comprehensive-collection-of-elvis-presleys-hometown-recordings/

With the exception of the Sun recordings, all tracks on Memphis were newly mixed by four-time Grammy-winner Matt Ross-Spang at Southern Grooves in Memphis, with overdubs stripped away – leaving the listener with only what Elvis heard live in the studio. With this intimacy, new revelations abound – from Elvis’ intuitive chemistry with The Memphis Boys at American, to the subtle way he builds his vocal phrasing around his backing singers in the Stax sessions or the palpable joy he brings to his final sessions in the Jungle Room. Through it all, the listener is standing next to Elvis – hearing exactly what he is hearing.

[steve in sc4]

Amazng that we are still getting mainstream releases after 47 years regardless of content. The good news is this is a Legacy release so it will be released on time not 2-3 months after the release date.

[Rockin_John]

Amazng that we are still getting mainstream releases after 47 years regardless of content. The good news is this is a Legacy release so it will be released on time not 2-3 months after the release date.

You are so right!

[Mike C]

All the masters are undubbed!




RKS

Which means much of the glory of the Memphis 69 recordings will be lost. They were recorded with the specific intention of being overdubbed. Undubbed in this instance means "half finished." Fine for FTD, but not for retail.

So everyone's a record producer now? They've issued undubbed recordings numerous times before.

Yes, they have. But the nature of the Memphis 69 sessions are very different to those from June 1970 onwards. There are significant gaps where overdubs were due to be added. That is NOT the case from undubbed recordings of the 1970s. Indeed, Ernst stated in an interview many years ago that the Memphis 69 recordings were not suitable for an entry in the Essential Elvis series for that very reason. I'm sure someone out there even has the MAHM interview where he said that. Sadly, he has yet again rolled back on what was a very sensible position.

That's an astute point. Chips made records using a building block approach similar to the way the Beatles used 4-track to make Revolver and Pepper. Take for example, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road. Chips had Gene Chrisman add tambourine and Reggie Young add guitar to the master take.

And, it is going to be interesting to which version of Suspicious Minds they use. The original 3:24 master Chips wanted or the looped 4:27 master Felton made by editing and fading up and down the chorus.

[Mike C]

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)

That is an insane price diffference.

[Way Down Under]

I was going to give this a miss, until the detailed press release said "all tracks on MEMPHIS were newly mixed...with overdubs stripped away - leaving the listener with only what Elvis heard live in the studio". So now I'm in!
After listening to Polk Salad from CD4, I'm not sure if this later remix is any better than the 2004 FTD. It does sounds better than the 2014 remix, with a touch more reverb. After watching the MEMPHIS promo, I really liked listening to Promised land, except for that annoying keyboard, which takes away the funk, although it's not as prevalent as what we hear on the "Our Memories" FTD.

[Swedish]

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

Men svenska amazon då? https://www.amazon.se/

[Scoobie]

I think it is a shame that "Hey Jude" seems to have been sung from memory and without the sheet lyrics. This resulted in mixed up lyrics, and versus skipped. So lyrically Elvis' version does not hold together as well as the original. You would think that as Elvis was entering a new phase of his career, regaining lost popularity and musical direction and control that if he was going to cover songs from one of his main rivals, he should have been ready to do it properly and make a really good job of it. With a little more effort and forethought his versions of "Hey Jude" and "Lady Madonna" could have been so much more than they were. It must be said that this approach to covering a song, spontaneous and from memory is what resulted in "That's All Right Mama" where again there are missing verses and transposition of lyrics, but that was an entirely different situation and without it? Well we can only speculate. But in 1969, at a pivotal, vital recording session, he could have been better prepared to do this. That just was not his approach, and we have what we have, but I wish he had used all the lyrics, and in the right order.

[elvinda58]

I ordered mine from Amazon UK and then cancelled after reading it was the undubbed masters. This is for general release and i don't know why the record label would think people would be interested in half finished songs. Didn't they learn from the disappointing sales for the Nasville box sets!

[sweetangeline]

Didn't they learn from the disappointing sales for the Nasville box sets!

I have seen no proof of that, and whatever figures that someone may post here on those sets does not confirm that. I have an idea that if you were to ask Sony reps if they are happy with the sales results of those releases in question, they would say "YES" and therefore they continue on with this release. 47 years later that`s all that matters.

[rollinson1]

Didn't they learn from the disappointing sales for the Nasville box sets!

I have seen no proof of that, and whatever figures that someone may post here on those sets does not confirm that. I have an idea that if you were to ask Sony reps if they are happy with the sales results of those releases in question, they would say "YES" and therefore they continue on with this release. 47 years later that`s all that matters.

What he said

[Squire Smart]

Perhaps the tracks that have been left off are deemed TOO sparse by Sony or Ross- Sprang without the overdubs? Or, somethings happened to them in recent years?

Sent from my SM-A146M using Tapatalk

[sweetangeline]

Didn't they learn from the disappointing sales for the Nasville box sets!

I have seen no proof of that, and whatever figures that someone may post here on those sets does not confirm that. I have an idea that if you were to ask Sony reps if they are happy with the sales results of those releases in question, they would say "YES" and therefore they continue on with this release. 47 years later that`s all that matters.

What he said

What she said

[frus75]

Perhaps the tracks that have been left off are deemed TOO sparse by Sony or Ross- Sprang without the overdubs? Or, somethings happened to them in recent years?

Sent from my SM-A146M using Tapatalk

They decided an approach like this, and decided to leave in things like hey Jude, and decided to feature undubbed masters than in many cases sound very “empty” (only the strong survive, for instance ). As a collector I’m all for those undubbed masters, but I’d prefer the real masters. Undubbed masters are ok, and show interesting things. But they’re not the real masters.

[A. C. van Kuijk]

Matt Ross-Spang handled the lack of overdubs very well in the past, I also like his remixes of live recordings. A lot of the stuff sounds better than the original releases, even though I know that Elvis wouldn't have approved the new incarnations. I'm looking forward to the MEMPHIS set and also hope, that some of the younger ones discover the king's music due to the new releases. The approach to leave out all the strings, horns and Xmas bells is closer to today's music than the original releases.

[jetblack]

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?

I stand corrected.

You're not being willfully imbecilic. You're just an imbecile.

Is name calling not against forum rules these days?

Andy

[Tornado]

I think it is a shame that "Hey Jude" seems to have been sung from memory and without the sheet lyrics. This resulted in mixed up lyrics, and versus skipped. So lyrically Elvis' version does not hold together as well as the original. You would think that as Elvis was entering a new phase of his career, regaining lost popularity and musical direction and control that if he was going to cover songs from one of his main rivals, he should have been ready to do it properly and make a really good job of it. With a little more effort and forethought his versions of "Hey Jude" and "Lady Madonna" could have been so much more than they were. It must be said that this approach to covering a song, spontaneous and from memory is what resulted in "That's All Right Mama" where again there are missing verses and transposition of lyrics, but that was an entirely different situation and without it? Well we can only speculate. But in 1969, at a pivotal, vital recording session, he could have been better prepared to do this. That just was not his approach, and we have what we have, but I wish he had used all the lyrics, and in the right order.

Sadly true, Elvis had lost his drive to make a better version on manny songs at the time, not realizing the world was moving forward in improving popular music. But the money still kept coming in, so why change a winning formula?

[Lee Wood]

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?

I stand corrected.

You're not being willfully imbecilic. You're just an imbecile.

Is name calling not against forum rules these days?

Andy

You can report him.

[Mike C]

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?

I stand corrected.

You're not being willfully imbecilic. You're just an imbecile.

Is name calling not against forum rules these days?

Andy

You can report him.

To no avail.

[Steve]

When I found out that the contents would feature only the undubbed recordings - I was dismayed. I wanted the overdubbed finished masters. There were at least 29 overdubbing sessions held on the Memphis recorded tracks from 1969 to 1976 (into 1977), at studios located in Memphis, Nashville, Las Vegas, Hollywood and Murfreesboro. The title of the set is 'Memphis', so thinking logically, maybe that's why the undubbed songs are being used? I agree with previous posts - many of the undubbed tracks are clearly unfinished, have huge holes in them. The songs were recorded with the intention of adding overdubs, string and horn arrangements later. The original masters make for a more pleasurable (and commercial) listening experience all round.

[Igotstung]

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.

If the song was indeed recorded to be part of released tracks, a lyric sheet would have been made available well in advance.

Such lack of planning suggests a spontaneous performance, which was nonetheless overdubbed later because it was Elvis singing Hey Jude.

[drjohncarpenter]

Is name calling not against forum rules these days?

Read in the context of the conversation, I'm simply stating facts.

Are there forum rules against that these days?

Please let us know.

Also, try reading the entire discussion first before weighing in, it will help you understand better.

[drjohncarpenter]

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.

If the song was indeed recorded to be part of released tracks, a lyric sheet would have been made available well in advance.

Such lack of planning suggests a spontaneous performance, which was nonetheless overdubbed later because it was Elvis singing Hey Jude.

All my efforts are not in vain.