Jailhouse Rock (Soundtrack)

A year after the FTD release "Jailhouse Rock" Sony's own collector's label issued a second volume with the remaining takes and another remastering of the original ep. This time the tracks were presented in the Jeansson/Anesini edition. "Jailhouse Rock - Volume 2" comes in the usual format of two compact discs, accompanied by a booklet and housed in a 7" digipak. Of course Follow That Dream Records doesn't offer their product on the streaming platforms.

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).

The first take is nothing but a somewhat reluctantly played intro, the next two attempts don't get further. Elvis comments "Too slow". Take four finally works, but still the song is played comparably slow, the king lacks aggression and Scotty Moore hasn't figured out the perfect licks yet. At the end the performance simply falters. The 5th attempt is taken at a faster tempo and sounds a little bit more like the released version. Take 5 is already known form FTD's first "Jailhouse Rock" release.

Treat Me Nice (first movie version: takes 1-5)
After the choir intro has failed, The Jordanaires coordinate themselves and rehearse their part. After several false starts the song gets off the ground. It's played slower and the arrangement of the harmony singers sounds quite different. At the end one of The Jordanaires jokingly adds a high-voiced "Treat Me Nice". After another false start Elvis asks "What's the matter?". During the 5th attempt he almost messes up the start, later he sings "...if you want me, too" instead of "...if you asked me, too".

In the movie scene Vince (Elvis) sings the song to a subtle guitar accompaniment. It's also not a performance of the complete song. "It's really gonna sound awful, if... Do you want me awful?" asks Elvis. The scene portraits Vince' first try as a singer, so he cannot sound self-asured or professional. Elvis really sounds insecure and stumbles upon the word "lips". The king asks "How bad do you want me to get, Jack?" and adds The Johnson Office won't pay us". Now the guitar is brought a bit more to the fore and Elvis gets the word "lips" right. At the end he has to laugh. The session ends with the master (take 3), which FTD already presented on the first volume of "Jailhouse Rock".

Don't Leave Me Now (first version, take 1)

Elvis sounds very flat and almost emotionless. But this is on purpose, because in the movie it's Vince's first try and the audience is supposed to experience a noticable improvement.

Don't Leave Me Now (second version, takes 1-8)

The first five takes are nothing but false starts. Sometimes the group fails on the intro, sometimes the take is canceled after a verse or just some lines. Take 6 finally is working, at least up to the third verse, when Elvis suddenly has to laugh. The 7th attempt is burried after a few lines, take 8 is the first complete performance.

Treat Me Nice (first movie version, takes 6-9)

Take number 6 is a false start, the 7th one is a complete performance. But here Elvis comes in somewhat reluctantly and the finale hasn't been worked out completely yet. The king jokes "All on board please? Don't forget you babies and your luggage". Take 8 is nothing but a false start, the 9th attempt works well.

I Want To Be Free (record version, takes 1-9)

The intro sounds a little too close to "The Great Pretender", so Elvis comments "I mean, the same intro like Ray Charles". On the second take the coordination between the piano and the drums doesn't work, the next try also doesn't get old. Take number 4 is canceled by Elvis after the first verse by shouting "Stop the music". The walkthroughs 5 to 7 are aborted after a few bars. During the 9th attempt Elvis messes up the transition to the second verse, as a joke he intones "The Great Pretender". Finally take 9 is a complete performance.

I Want To Be Free (first ending, takes 1 & 2)

First Elvis has trouble to find into the song, then he simply continues and is interrupted by the producer.

Young And Beautiful (florida club version, takes 1 & 2)

Just like the "jail version", this isn't a performance of the complete song. At first Elvis is just accompanied by a guitar, then the other musicians join in. The first take is acceptable, but nothing more. The second try is a tad worse.

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 (second version, takes 9 & 10)

Take 9 is a false start, the next attempt is a complete performance.

(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care (takes 1-4)

Elvis is singing to a pre-produced music track. He obviously doesn't know how to perform the song. The second take is canceled, because the king sings out of tune on the line "...drivin' late at night". On the next attempt he misses his cue. Take 4 is also suffering from problems, especially the "I do, do, do, do, do"-part at the end of the chorus seems to be difficult for him. Obviously frustrated he claims "I can't do it".

Jailhouse Rock (takes 6-8)

Elvis coordinates himself with the musicians and the producer. Scotty Moore tries out a few guitar licks. Take number 6 suffers from a mediocre guitar solo. It's finally canceled after Elvis' voice cracks during the 5th verse. The king apologizes by saying "Oh man, I couldn't keep it up". His agressive style of performing takes its toll. Elvis gets hoarse and has to abort the take. It gets worse on the next attempt, now his voice is done after a single verse.

Jailhouse Rock (insert takes 1 & 2)

Because Elvis obviously can't perform the whole song with such a cutting, aggressive voice, it is decided to record the final part separately and add this piece to the best of the aborted versions. The first try doesn't work because of the lack of coordination between the guitar and the drums. The second attempt is a success, everything works fine and at the end Elvis repeates "Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock" over and over again to give the producer time to fade out.

Don't Leave Me Now (first version, take 2)

Here we get the second take of the numb version of "Don't Leave Me Now".

Young And Beautiful (florida club version, takes 3-6)

Elvis sings "You're so young" and that's it. On the 4th take the king has trouble to emphasize the words, especially the line "So fill these lonely arms of mine" causes problems. The same happens during take number 5, but this time Elvis cancels the performance. The king has obviously worked on that part between the takes, because now he gets it right and everything sounds as smooth as it should.

Treat Me Nice (takes 10-13)

We hear some studio talk and the intro of "Treat Me Nice". And that's the end of take 10. The next try doesn't get any further. The group still doesn't archive a complete performance, this time because Elvis has to laugh. Someone continues the command "out" with "...out of the studio". Before the session is continued, DJ Fontana gets the order to do without an upbeat. Take 13 isn't a good performance, but at least a complete one.

Don't Leave Me Now (second version, takes 11-13)

Take 11 is nothing more than the words "don't leave". The next attempt is aborted at the transition to the bridge. Finally take 13 is a complete performance.

Treat Me Nice (takes 14 & 15)

Before the take starts, the intro was changed. The pianist plays some boogie woogie, The Jordanaires join in later. The first try fails after a few seconds, but the next one is complete. The song has been re-arranged. It's not performed perfectly, but everyone is on the right track. Afterwards Elvis asks to listen to the recording.

I Want To Be Free (record version, takes 10 & 11)

Take ten fails, because "Sister Black" (Bill Black) misses his cue. The next attempt is not just complete, but also the master.

I Want To Be Free (second ending, takes 1-5)

Because Elvis didn't like the ending, he decided to record an alternate one. Bill Black again is dubbed as "Sister". So I guess it was a running gag, similar to Scotty Moore, who was called the "old man" by Elvis and Bill.

Don't Leave Me Now (second version, takes 14-18)

Elvis sings "Don't leave...no, hell no". Take number 15 is aborted, too. Elvis laughter kills another attempt, the 17th take doesn't get much older. Finally take number 18 is another complete one. Later RCA would file it as "alternate master".

Young And Beautiful (florida club version, take 7)

The final take of the "Florida Club Version" is perfect and was already released on the first volume of "Jailhouse Rock".

Treat Me Nice (takes 16-19)

The group continues with the new arrangement and perfects it. After the 3rd verse the take is canceled. The next try is aborted at the bridge, the same happens with take 18. The following one isn't just a complete performance, but also a nearly perfect one. It had also been featured on the first "Jailhouse Rock" edition.

Don't Leave Me Now (second version, takes 19-21)

After 1.5 minutes Elvis looses his step. Take 20 fails on the intro. Finally the 21st attempt is a perfect performance. Once again RCA filed it as "alternate master".

Verdict

The second volume of "Jailhouse Rock" offers another deep inside-look into the sessions. The sound is as pristine as on the first edition.