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The following nights sessions (this time lasting from 10:15 pm to 3:30 am) were much more productive and Elvis was able to tape five songs.

 

So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (take 1-4 + master)

The recording starts with Elvis yawning and announcing "There's a couple of places I can't find it...but I'm looking". Nevertheless he delivers a complete first take. His voice sounds quite good, but because he's not used to the song yet, he rushes a few lines. The next attempt is nothing but the intro, but then another complete performance evolves. By now Elvis has accustomed to the tempo and also sings with more feeling. After another good take the king is satisfied and moves on to the next song. Since the finale of the 4th try was sung with more drama, it was decided to splice the master of the first 1:33 minutes of take 3 and the rest of take 4.

My Desert Serenade (take 1-12)

Elvis sounds a bit insecure during the fist attempt, shortly before the minute mark he looses track and comments "Oh shit". Before starting take 2 the king intones Bobby Darin's "More". However, after a few bars the procedure is stopped by the producer. Number 3 turns out to be a complete performance, even though Presley still has some trouble with the timing. The next two takes are just short false starts, but the 6th one is a complete rendition. The same applies to the next try, by now Elvis is sure about the timing and the phrasing. Afterwards he jokes about the dumb lyrics and sings "my desert horse". Take 8 is another complete one, but number 9 is not more than just a few bars. By the 10th walkthrough the beat sounds less furious and Elvis' singing also gives a more tamed impression. After another false start (take 11) the king and his crew finally nail the song and produce the master.

Wisdom Of The Ages (take 1-5)

Take 1 is just a short false start, but the second one already turns into a complete performance. Obviously having no trouble with the tune Elvis and his group tape another two good and complete performances. The 4th try is another complete walkthrough, but this time played a tad faster. With take 5 the master is in the can.

Kismet (take 1-5)

Once again the first try is a false start of just a few seconds. The second take evolves into a complete performance and sounds surprisingly good. Number 3 is another short false start, the 4th walkthrough is stopped after half a minute or so for no apparent reason. Take 5 isn't just a complete rendition, but also considered to be good enough for release.

Hey Little Girl (take 1-5)

Take 1 starts in a frantic way, but after a few seconds Presley looses track and apologizes "Hold it, hold it! Whoops! Whoops! Whoops!". The second try sounds similarly hyped, but is a complete performance. Before he starts take 3 Elvis tells the band to "pick it up, just a little". The arrangement also has been changed, the song surely sounds more "togehter" this way. Jokingly the king hints an "elvis ending" (it's really called that way) by singing in bluesy style "...I said now shake".  Take number 5 once again sounds a bit tamer, but still energetic enough. And so it is decided to use it as the master and call it a day. By now it's 3:30 in the morning and five songs are in the can. 

 

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