He'll Have To Go (Elvis' last studio recording)

[jetblack]

In 1959 country singer Billy Brown recorded the first version of 'He'll Have To Go' for Columbia Records. It was the flip to 'Run 'Em Off'. Sadly both songs went nowhere.



Jim Reeves had heard the song on the radio and wanted to record it which he did on October 15, 1959. The song became a huge hit in 1960, reaching #2 on Billboard and topping the country chart.



Elvis would record 'He'll Have To Go' on October 31, 1976 in the Jungle Room at Graceland. It would be the last song he ever recorded in a studio setting.

The track would be included on the 'Moody Blue' album released in 1977 just prior to Elvis' death. US sales would be more than 2 million.



Andy

[elvinda58]

Not very good from Elvis I'm afraid to say. Strange decision by RCA to have Elvis record straight after a 14 day tour.

[LSP-4445]

I like it a lot,much more now vs when I was younger.
That instrumental break in the song must be one of the longest in a Elvis recording….I think.
I was told from a reliable source years ago that there is a incomplete xxx rated version in the Sony vault.

[colonel snow]

A few other versions:
00-03-62 - Les Paul & Mary Ford (LP) titled She’ll have to go
26-10-65 - Kitty Wells (LP) titled She’ll have to go

29-03-60 - Ernest Tubb & his Texas Troubadours (LP)
27-06-60 - The Sun Valley Trial Singers (LP)
09-07-62 - Roy Drusky (LP)
00-07-62 - Bobby Vinton (LP)
04-12-62 - Frank Ifield (LP)
00-07-63 - Paul Anka (LP)
11-01-65 - Eddy Arnold (LP)
00-02-67 - Hank Thompson (LP)


colonel snow

[eligain]

Is it true that Elvis over dubbed his vocals to the already recorded instrumental track? There is a couple of background noises in this recording that sounds like a clank, something falling over or perhaps the something hitting a mic stand.

[Steve Morse]

I always thought the song title ironic, being Elvis's last studio recording. I like it.

[Lee Wood]

I like it but it's a shame he missed out a verse.

[eligain]

I like it but it's a shame he missed out a verse.

This was likely another case of Elvis just deciding to record an old favorite impromptu and he was singing it from memory. It was too late to run to a music store to get the lyrics but you would think that Elvis either had the single or album or he could have called George Kline to bring him the single.

[Lee Wood]

I like it but it's a shame he missed out a verse.

This was likely another case of Elvis just deciding to record an old favorite impromptu and he was singing it from memory. It was too late to run to a music store to get the lyrics but you would think that Elvis either had the single or album or he could have called George Kline to bring him the single.

Yeah, it wasn't a difficult task to get the lyrics. I'm surprised no one in the group remembered them, but as you say, they could have called George, or someone.

[LSP-4445]

I like it but it's a shame he missed out a verse.

I didnt know that…but then again I only know Elvis` version of the song.
Sadly Elvis left out verse(s) in many songs

[londonflash]

This post is something of a coincidence as I listened to He'll Have To Go on Saturday for the first time in a while.

Like others, I wish Elvis had included the other verse as it's very repetitive, but I like the weary, slow and dark arrangement. Elvis' resigned-sounding vocal works, too. He knows that bloke is going nowhere.

[Wayfarer]

In 1959 country singer Billy Brown recorded the first version of 'He'll Have To Go' for Columbia Records. It was the flip to 'Run 'Em Off'. Sadly both songs went nowhere.



Jim Reeves had heard the song on the radio and wanted to record it which he did on October 15, 1959. The song became a huge hit in 1960, reaching #2 on Billboard and topping the country chart.



Elvis would record 'He'll Have To Go' on October 31, 1976 in the Jungle Room at Graceland. It would be the last song he ever recorded in a studio setting.

The track would be included on the 'Moody Blue' album released in 1977 just prior to Elvis' death. US sales would be more than 2 million.



Andy

Thanks. Great to hear the three versions - satisfyingly different from each other. For me, Elvis' performance is one of his finest from the 1976 sessions. I think he added his vocal to a backing track; maybe that's why he's relaxed, even playful with words and tones, and yet believable as tended to be.

[AdamPL]

Moody Blue LP always was and still is the very special Elvis' record for me. It was the only one of Elvis' albums which I remember personally from the times when Elvis was still alive. And I have some precious memories of my Father (who luckily introduced me to the Elvis' world and back in 1977 was a very big fan of 70s Elvis) recording He'll have to go on tape recorder from the Polish Radio 1 station. It was LW station back then, so the quality was rather awful but the memory of the very first time hearing a track from a new Elvis album is still exciting after all those years! Soon after that, He'll have to go became my Dad's absolutely favourite Elvis' tune of them all. I still like the number, Elvis' voice ("turn the jukebox way down LOW") and beautiful James' guitar work. By the way - Elvis' voice was in much better shape during the October sessions than in February although not as good as in March 1975.

PS. This is my very first post here after many years of being just a silent memeber and reader of this forum. So, hi to everyone!

[eligain]

I like it but it's a shame he missed out a verse.

This was likely another case of Elvis just deciding to record an old favorite impromptu and he was singing it from memory. It was too late to run to a music store to get the lyrics but you would think that Elvis either had the single or album or he could have called George Kline to bring him the single.

Yeah, it wasn't a difficult task to get the lyrics. I'm surprised no one in the group remembered them, but as you say, they could have called George, or someone.

In those days they had actually overnight DJ’s on the radio, since Elvis recorded in the middle of the night. He could have called the overnight DJ to play the song on the radio. I’m sure the DJ would have been thrilled by the call and eager to play the record.

[Christopher Brown]

Love this track, Elvis' vocal and only wish he had sung the missing verse. Elvis' recordings were getting longer during the '70s, and this benefits from that. Far too many short songs in Elvis' library (though some fans seem to like brevity).

[rlj4ep]

Thanks Andy. I have always liked Elvis' cover of the song. To me at least, he is convincing with his performance. I also like the violin overdubs on this. It really sets an emotional mood.
In the 1980's I had the pleasure of meeting Jim Reeve's widow just outside Nashville. I got to see a great deal of Reeve's memorabilia. I had a wonderful visit with Mrs. Reeves. In our conversation I had mentioned that Elvis had covered "He'll Have to Go." She told me that she really enjoyed Elvis' version of the song and said she thought that Jim would have been thrilled that Elvis recorded it. Just thought I would share that story.

Anyway, I really do like Elvis' cover of this.

[minkahed]

Moody Blue LP always was and still is the very special Elvis' record for me. It was the only one of Elvis' albums which I remember personally from the times when Elvis was still alive. And I have some precious memories of my Father (who luckily introduced me to the Elvis' world and back in 1977 was a very big fan of 70s Elvis) recording He'll have to go on tape recorder from the Polish Radio 1 station. It was LW station back then, so the quality was rather awful but the memory of the very first time hearing a track from a new Elvis album is still exciting after all those years! Soon after that, He'll have to go became my Dad's absolutely favourite Elvis' tune of them all. I still like the number, Elvis' voice ("turn the jukebox way down LOW") and beautiful James' guitar work. By the way - Elvis' voice was in much better shape during the October sessions than in February although not as good as in March 1975.

PS. This is my very first post here after many years of being just a silent memeber and reader of this forum. So, hi to everyone!

Welcome friend. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

Please do post more.

[GaryP]

I like it a lot,much more now vs when I was younger.
That instrumental break in the song must be one of the longest in a Elvis recording….I think.
I was told from a reliable source years ago that there is a incomplete xxx rated version in the Sony vault.

Anyone able to throw some light on this? Aware of the X rated ‘Hurt’ don’t think I’ve heard about this one.

[ChrisM]

Yeah, it wasn't a difficult task to get the lyrics.

Exactly. He should have just Googled them.

[elvisalisellers]

Would be interesting to learn if they completed any other backing tracks [at least one other attempt was made, although, its duration is unknown] of this recording.
Ought to be relatively easy to sync Elvis' later vocal overdub, if the track is of a decent length.

[LSP-4445]

I like it a lot,much more now vs when I was younger.
That instrumental break in the song must be one of the longest in a Elvis recording….I think.
I was told from a reliable source years ago that there is a incomplete xxx rated version in the Sony vault.

Anyone able to throw some light on this? Aware of the X rated ‘Hurt’ don’t think I’ve heard about this one.

I havent heard anyone else mention this and I wont say who said this in case that person
dont want me to for whatever reason.

[pmp]

It's good. It's not great. But what he produced at that mini session in October 1976 was, by and large, far superior to the recordings from February.

It's a shame that Elvis didn't have someone around him to prompt in one direction or another. From 1975 onwards, Elvis seemed to take pleasure in looking back to the 1950s and early 1960s, with songs like Shake a Hand, Tiger Man (jam), She Thinks I Still Care, Little Darlin', Unchained Melody, Hurt, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Pledging My Love, He'll Have To Go, and even reviving Love Letters, Rags to Riches and I Really Don't Want to Know in concert.

Perhaps he would have become inspired if someone had suggested an album project based around his favourite songs from the 1950s and early 1960s. It could have formed organically, just as the Elvis Country album had done. Perhaps it could have resulted in him reaching back to some of the songs that he'd toyed with in rehearsals and one-off live performances over the years - You Can Have Her, The Twelfth of Never, You're the Reason I'm Living, Born to Lose, I'm Leaving It Up To You, Portrait of My Love. Or maybe even going back further to some of the songs he had covered in live performances during the 1950s but never recorded - indeed, Pledging My Love WAS sung by Elvis on stage during the Sun years. Sadly, though, there seemed to be no-one willing to egg him on into any kind of direction, and the decent October 1976 session petered out, and the January 1977 one didn't happen at all.

[jetblack]

It's good. It's not great. But what he produced at that mini session in October 1976 was, by and large, far superior to the recordings from February.

It's a shame that Elvis didn't have someone around him to prompt in one direction or another. From 1975 onwards, Elvis seemed to take pleasure in looking back to the 1950s and early 1960s, with songs like Shake a Hand, Tiger Man (jam), She Thinks I Still Care, Little Darlin', Unchained Melody, Hurt, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Pledging My Love, He'll Have To Go, and even reviving Love Letters, Rags to Riches and I Really Don't Want to Know in concert.

Perhaps he would have become inspired if someone had suggested an album project based around his favourite songs from the 1950s and early 1960s. It could have formed organically, just as the Elvis Country album had done. Perhaps it could have resulted in him reaching back to some of the songs that he'd toyed with in rehearsals and one-off live performances over the years - You Can Have Her, The Twelfth of Never, You're the Reason I'm Living, Born to Lose, I'm Leaving It Up To You, Portrait of My Love. Or maybe even going back further to some of the songs he had covered in live performances during the 1950s but never recorded - indeed, Pledging My Love WAS sung by Elvis on stage during the Sun years. Sadly, though, there seemed to be no-one willing to egg him on into any kind of direction, and the decent October 1976 session petered out, and the January 1977 one didn't happen at all.

'Pledging My Love' performed live on June 15, 1955.

IMG-20240702-WA0000.jpg

Andy

[DakotaKid]

Not very good from Elvis I'm afraid to say. Strange decision by RCA to have Elvis record straight after a 14 day tour.

I quite enjoy the Elvis version. To each his/her own.

[eligain]

It's good. It's not great. But what he produced at that mini session in October 1976 was, by and large, far superior to the recordings from February.

It's a shame that Elvis didn't have someone around him to prompt in one direction or another. From 1975 onwards, Elvis seemed to take pleasure in looking back to the 1950s and early 1960s, with songs like Shake a Hand, Tiger Man (jam), She Thinks I Still Care, Little Darlin', Unchained Melody, Hurt, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Pledging My Love, He'll Have To Go, and even reviving Love Letters, Rags to Riches and I Really Don't Want to Know in concert.

Perhaps he would have become inspired if someone had suggested an album project based around his favourite songs from the 1950s and early 1960s. It could have formed organically, just as the Elvis Country album had done. Perhaps it could have resulted in him reaching back to some of the songs that he'd toyed with in rehearsals and one-off live performances over the years - You Can Have Her, The Twelfth of Never, You're the Reason I'm Living, Born to Lose, I'm Leaving It Up To You, Portrait of My Love. Or maybe even going back further to some of the songs he had covered in live performances during the 1950s but never recorded - indeed, Pledging My Love WAS sung by Elvis on stage during the Sun years. Sadly, though, there seemed to be no-one willing to egg him on into any kind of direction, and the decent October 1976 session petered out, and the January 1977 one didn't happen at all.

I can’t remember if it was the February or October session but it was said that Elvis ran through several of The Platters’ songs. It’s too bad he didn’t record those songs during these sessions. There were rumors right after he died that he recorded Twilight Time but it has never surfaced.