Jailhouse Rock (Soundtrack)

In late 2009 Follow That Dream Records released a collector's edition of "Jailhouse Rock". Even though the movie contained no more than six songs, Sony's own collector's label managed to fill two compact discs. As usual the sound carriers were accompanied by an informative and well designed booklet. Because the company sticks to physical formats, the compilation is not available on the streaming platforms. The first disc contains the record masters, movie masters, alternate movie masters and bonus tracks. The second cd features binaural recordings of the sessions. At the time RCA was experimenting with multi-track recordings and so they taped several sessions that way to feed the engineers with material. All recordings were mastered by Kevan Budd, who also had been responsible for the highly acclaimed cd "Elvis At Sun".

In this review I only deal with the tracks, that are neither available on the extended player, nor on the single. For reviews of the original RCA releases, just tap HERE (ep) and HERE (single).

Scotty Moore plays his part a bit different and Elvis is singing with less energy.

Originally RCA Victor wanted to release this version. The arrangement differs to the known recording and the song is played faster.

I Want To Be Free (alternate master: take 11)

This is actually the released take, but with additional echo. Besides that, FTD includes some studio talk.

Young And Beautiful (alternate master: splice of takes 18 & 12)

Because the 18th attempt is a long false start, the ending of take number 12 has been spliced to create a complete performance.

Young And Beautiful (alternate master: take 19)

Compared to the released version The Jordanaires join in later. Elvis mixes up the lyrics and sings "...and kiss me tenderly" instead of "...and never set me free".

Jailhouse Rock (movie master: opening - take 6)

This is the instrumental we hear at the start of the movie. It even includes the roar of the MGM lion.

Young And Beautiful (movie master: jail version - take 3)

Elvis is just accompanied by a guitar. To fit the movie scene, the king sounds insecure on purpose.

I Want To Be Free (movie master: jail version - splice of the takes 10, 12 & 13)

In the movie the song is performed as a part of a tv show, which is aired live from the jail. The arrangement differs to the record version and once again Elvis sounds insecure to fit the situation of the movie scene.

Young And Beautiful (movie master: florida club scene - take 7)

The second movie version differs a lot to the first one. Scotty Moore's guitar gives the song a slight feel of country & western music.

Don't Leave Me Now (movie master: movie set version)

For 12 seconds Elvis intones the song and accompanies himself on guitar.

Don't Leave Me Now (movie master: recording studio version 1 - take 2)

Here the king is accompanied by piano and bass. In the movie the track was used to portrait the first recording session of Vince Everett (Elvis).

Don't Leave Me Now (movie master: recording studio version 2 - take 12)

RCA used this take on the soundtrack ep. But MGM's edition of the track sounds more compressed and features the count-in.

Treat Me Nice (movie master: splice of the takes 10 & 13 with overdubs)

The splice was presented on this album before, but the overdubbed version features more drums and a guitar.

Jailhouse Rock (movie master)

MGM enhanced the original recording with an orchestra. It was recorded in binaural (multi track) and combined with RCA's mono recording.

(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care (movie master: take 16 with overdub-take 6)

In general this is the same version, that RCA used on the soundtrack ep. But here the track is presented in binaural and slightly shortened.

Young And Beautiful (movie master: end title version - splice of takes 8, 12, 18 & 22)

In the movie Vince doesn't know, if his voice still works as it used to do. Therefore Elvis starts the song in a very reluctant manner. The Jordanaires also join in later as on the record version.

Jailhouse Rock (alternate movie master: male voices overdub)

The male voices already have been added, but the orchestra is still missing. The recording isn't faded, at the end the performance more or less falters. It's not an alternate master, but the movie master in progress.

Don't Leave Me Now (alternate movie master: first version - take 2)

The song is played slower and Scotty Moore's guitar part sounds a lot like country & western. Elvis hasn't figured out his performance yet and at one point his chair is squeaking. To make it short: This take is unusable.

Treat Me Nice (bonus song: take 19)

This version was recorded on April 30, 1957 and selected as master. But Elvis didn't like the result and re-recorded the song. The rhythm is tapped on the back of a guitar, in general the tempo differs to the known performance.

(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care (bonus song: take 1)

Elvis prophesies "Just gonna wasting tape. It's too late in the day for all this sh...". In fact, his first try to overdub the music track sounds rough and he mixes up the lyrics. He sings "I wonder why I love you, baby" instead of "I don't know wy I love you, baby". Finally we can hear another squeak of his chair.

Treat Me Nice (binaural: second movie version, takes 1-13)

The first walkthrough gives a rather chaotic impression, after 45 seconds or so Elvis cancels it with a somewhat annoyed sounding "Hold it! Hold it! Hold it!". Take number 2 is a complete performance, but the king is obviously struggling and Scotty Moore also hasn't figured out his part yet. The next two takes are false starts, but the arrangement has been changed and hand clapping has been added. By take number 5 the direction is set. The 6th attempt features a different ending, but obviously nobody was pleased with it and so this take is the only one played that way. On take 7 Dudley Brooks adds tickling parts to the boogie woogie riff he's playing on the piano. The 8th take also features something new, Hugh Jarrett (the bass singer of The Jordanaires) tries out alternate vocals. Elvis and the group have some fun between the takes, the king asks "Are you in the union?". The attempt to record the song fails right from the start. Take number 10 works very well, at least until the timing is messed up at the end of the song. RCA would use the first part for the master. The 11th try includes some new guitar licks from Scotty Moore. Take 12 is stopped after a few seconds, because Elvis thinks, the tempo is too high. The session is closed with take 13. RCA used the last part to complete take number 10.

I Want To Be Free (binaural: jail version, takes 1-13)

Elvis intones the "Banana Boat Song", Harry Belafonte's current top 5 hit. Then he adds "Let's go before the damn Jordanaires get out of the mood". Take 1 fails at the intro, take 2 doesn't get much further (Elvis messes up the timing) and take 3 is nothing but the intro. Finally the group manages a complete performance, but the king sounds very insecure. Elvis has a massive timing problem with the line "I see a bird up in the tree". He finally solves it by singing "I see a bird way up in the tree". At the end The Jordanaires are out of tune, which causes some laughter. Now we hear an armada of false starts, take 10 finally gets off the ground. But only for a minute or so, because the king still has massive problems with the timing. The 11th attempt works much better, the finale was also changed. The drum roll was substituted by harmony vocals from The Jordanaires. Finally the master was spliced of the last two takes.

Young And Beautiful (binaural: record version, takes 1-22)

Before the official recording starts, Elvis rehearses his part. The first attempt works well, at least until shortly before the end. Take number 2 is a false start, the third one is the first complete performance of "Young And Beautiful". For my taste the king injects too much energy in his performance, but otherwise it's ok. Jokingly Elvis dubs Dudley Brooks "Old Fuddley Duddley" and starts take 4. It doesn't get old, because the king has to clear his throat. The 5th attempt works well, here and there Mr. Presley toys with the melody. At the end he says "I can beat that". On take 7 Elvis gets out of tune at the line "Your lips so rare" and adds filthily "...your curly hair" (at the time most women didn't shave down there). Before the group starts with the next attempt to record the song, the arrangement is slightly changed. MGM used a part of take 8 for the "End Title Version". On the 9th walkthrough Elvis gets lost in the lyrics. After another false start the group delivers a complete performance. Elvis wants to do one more take and decide between take 10 and the forthcoming take 11. Unfortunately the plan doesn't work out. The takes number 11 and 12 are nothing but false starts, afterwards Elvis coordinates himself with Hugh Jarrett, the bass singer of The Jordanaires. After another 5 false starts the king jokingly decides to hand over the job to Pat Boone. Finally take number 19 is a complete performance, FTD presented it on the first cd of this set in mono as "alternate master". After another two false starts we get to hear take 22, which finally was accepted for release.

Verdict

Follow That Dream Records presents the classic "Jailhouse Rock" ep in great audio quality, well packaged and beefed up with lots of interesting outtakes.