After leaving SUN Records in late 1955 Elvis recorded his music in Nashville, Hollywood and Los Angeles. It took him until 1969 before he returned to his adopted home town. Instead of reuniting with Sam Phillips he went to Chip Moman's American Sound Studio, one of the most popular recording facilities of the late 1960s. In the previous years Elvis had focused on musical comedies and mostly recorded material for these flicks. After the audience had gotten tired of the lightweight fluff, the king had taped a Grammy winning gospel album and finally restored the public interest in him with a television special named "SINGER presents Elvis". He needed to follow up with a mature and modern album, suitable for the masses. Uncertain of his future he once again was hungry and motivated to prove, that he still had "it". The result of these sessions were the great albums "From Elvis In Memphis" and "Back In Memphis" as well as several stunning singles. Amongst them are classics like "In The Ghetto" or the sales monster "Suspicious Minds", which put him back at the top of the charts.

Meanwhile the technology had jumped ahead and multi-track recording was the norm. In contrast to Elvis' usual recording procedure, Chips didn't tape complete performances, but produced the tracks in various layers. It was a modern way to record music, but certainly not the king's cup of tea. Despite of the commercial success of the albums "From Elvis In Memphis" and "From Memphis To Vegas / From Vegas To Memphis", he never returned to American.

Matt Ross-Spang took the master takes, that Chips Moman had created back in 1969, and remixed the various elements. When the original albums were released, there was a strict separation of the stereo image. Back in those days the producers wanted to emphasize on the fact, that the modern hi-fi system offered a left and a right speaker and not just a single one.  From today's point of view the original mixes, especiallly without the overdubs, sound somewhat strange. Of course Mr. Ross-Spang mixed the tracks according to the current technology and taste. As a result the music sounds much better now. Most songs benefit from the lack of horns, strings and harmony vocals. However, few of them sound somewhat empty, because the musicians knew that other stuff would be added later and therefore didn't do anyhting of interest. But maybe that's just my personal impression, because I've listened to the masters for decades.

Mac Davis describes the short life of a man in a city slum, that ends violently in consequence of a robbery. Because a baby is born at the same time and its fate will be similar, the song originally was sub-titled "The Vicious Circle". On January 20, 1969 Elvis recorded 22 takes of the ballad, but finally the track with his voice was silenced and just the music was used. Two days after the initial recording the king produced a new vocal track, which is featured in the remix, too. However, the overdubs made on January 24th (harmony voices) and March 18th (horns and strings) are missing. Even though I like the original arrangement very much, the remix might be even better. Without all the additional stuff the performance sounds much more intimate. And speaking about the sound: It's all crystal clear and natural, almost as if Elvis and his fellow musicians are playing in your livingroom, right in front of you.

The song was recorded on January 22nd, the 8th take was selected for post-production and was enhanced with Elvis' harmony vocals (January 22nd), background singing (January 24th) and strings (May 7th). To match the arrangement of the live performances Bill Porter adjusted the song on August 7th at United Recording Studio. He added horns and faded the ending in and out several times. Because all eight tracks had been used by Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis, the mixing was done with the musicians playing live. The procedure was gone through for the mono version as well as the stereo version. For me this is one of the occasions where more actually is more. While the original master is varied and offers a wall of sound, the stripped-down version is somewhat sparse and less interesting.

On January 15, 1969 the band put a rhythm track on tape, Elvis added his vocals on January 21st. "Don't Cry Daddy" was written by Mac Davis, who also provided "In The Ghetto". In the song an unnamed child asks the singer not to grief anymore for the loss of his wife and even promises to find a new mommy for him and his brother. Even though the lyrics are very sentimental, "Don't Cry Daddy" never crosses the boarder to the kitschy side. The remix does so even less, because the brass (recorded on March 19th) and strings (recorded on March 21st) were left out. But Matt Ross-Spang left in the harmony voice, that Elvis recorded right after the actual session. He even mixed it as loud as the lead vocal, so the king is dueting with himself. For the most part we hear just the two Elvises (or Elvi?) and a guitar. From time to time they are joined by a subtle organ and gentle percussion. Even though I prefer the original master, this innovative version certainly has grown on me.

The song was written by Eddy Rabbit, who waited until 1977 before he released his own version. Elvis recorded "Kentucky Rain" on February 19, 1969. The 10th take became the groundwork of the master, further enhancements were made on March 18th (strings and horns) and March 25th (harmony vocals). The first of these post-production sessions was held at American, the second one at RCA Studio A in Nashville/Tennessee. The uptempo ballad works well without the overdubbs, but I like the original master better.

The rhythm track was recorded on January 15, 1969 at American Sound Studio in Memphis/Tennessee, on January 21st Elvis added his vocals. On the same day he also recorded the harmony vocal, which in the end wasn't used on the master. In the post production Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis added bells (March 18th), strings (March 19th) and harmony voices (March 31st). The song by John L. Christopher is nothing but sentimental kitsch, but somehow Elvis managed to present it with believable emotion and to add depth, if not a kind of solemnity. I like the original version very much, because the over the top arrangement fits the track very well. The new, stripped-down version is a totally different ballgame. Without all the blazes of glory "Mama Liked The Roses" suddenly turns into a quiet, very intimate ballad, that really emphasizes on the singer's gloom and sadness. I cannot say which version I like better, but the remix certainly is worthwhile to be listened to.

For me this ballad, written by Bobby Russell, is another highlight. After a long time the narrator meets his ex by coincidence and asks her, if she remembers him. The lyrics just reveal the singer's part of the conversation, so the listener has to figure out the answers of the lady. Elvis' voice is full of emotion and his sadness and slight hope for a reconciliation are tangible. On February 18, 1969 Elvis recorded seven takes of "Do You Know Who I Am". Four days later he re-recorded the last part of the song (starting with "...do you think there's a chance") and also added his harmony vocals. The production was finalized on March 25th with the addition of strings. This original master already is a quiet affair and shows no signs of overproduction at all. By removing the strings and the harmony vocal it becomes even simpler. I like both versions very much and wouldn't want to miss any of them.

In the early 1960s Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus had delivered a few outstanding songs, now Elvis was recording one of Shuman's compositions again. The narrator tells his lady, that he won't be faithful and will certainly leave her someday. The king manages the trick to deliver the cynical asshole-lyrics in a warm-hearted and sensitive way. The contrast of the lyrics and the music and vocal performance is just great. I like "You'll Think Of Me" very much. Elvis recorded it on January 14, 1969 within 23 takes. The track also features a sitar, which is very unusual for the king. On January 21st Elvis re-recorded his vocals, three days later harmony vocals were added. On May 5th and 6th the track was further enhanced with strings and horns. This remix features Elvis' new vocal track, but not the harmony voices. I like the soulful backup vocals very much, but the song is as good without them. I guess, it depends on my mood, which version I prefer.

Dallas Frazier and Al Owens wrote this song about a love surviving all storms. Duane Dee recorded "True Love Travels On A Gravel Road" in 1968, but never made it past number 58 of the country chart. Elvis taped his version on February 17, 1969 and performed it live on January 26, 1970 in Las Vegas. Matt Ross-Spang's remix does without the harmony vocal, the king recorded on February 22nd and the strings and backup vocals, that were taped on March 25th. This puts the focus on Elvis' voice and his great performance.

This one was recorded on January 13, 1969, the 9th take was chosen for post production. The first step was to re-record Elvis' vocals starting with the line "through tear-filled eyes...". This was done on January 22nd. Three days later brass, piano and harmony voices were overdubed. Finally strings were added on March 18th. In the song the girlfriend of the narrator once promised to return in a long black limousine and now the time has finally come. But it soon turns out that the limousine isn't a luxurious car, but a hearse. Elvis performs the song in great voice and very emotional. The arrangement is top notch, too. In other words: This is a real classic and my all time favorite in the catalogue of the king! "Long Black Limousine" was written by Vern Stoval and Bobby George. Wynn Steward was the first to record the song, but the first release was by Stovall himself. The best known version at the time was by country star Glen Campbell. The remix includes Elvis' re-recorded vocals, but no harmony voices, strings, horns and piano. For me this new version sounds too sparse, somehow I can hear, that planned elements are missing.

Originally Elvis had planned to record "After Loving You" a few years earlier, but he never made it past a private recording for his own use. He finally taped a version in a professional environment on February 18, 1969. The song was written by Eddie Miller and Janet Lantz, the first recording was by Joe Henderson in 1962. The same year Eddie Arnold released a cover version, Jim Reeves followed a year later. The narrator claims to be unable to love any woman the way he loves his ex, because compared to her all others are second rate. Elvis gets completely caught up in his performance and wrings out every ounce of emotion. This is a pure remix, because the master doesn't include any overdubs. Now it sounds even edgier, which is a pure delight.

The same applies to this one. Elvis turns the classic in a mourning blues. It was written in 1947 by Thomas Dilbeck, Vaughan Horton and Eddy Arnold, whose performace stayed at the top of the charts for an astonishing 21 weeks. Elvis recorded "I'll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms)" on January 22, 1969 within a single take. 

It is said that "From A Jack To A King" was a favorite of Vernon Presley and when Elvis intoned the song for fun, it was decided to record it. This happened on January 21, 1969 within five takes. On the master take Chips Moman replaced the part between 2:04 and 2:07 (the line "you made me king of your heart") with the same line, that appeared earlier in the song. Elvis singing as well as his guitar playing sounds high spirited, which gives the impression of a jam. The great sounding remix just emphasizes on this. Back in 1969 the track was considered to sound too raw, so harmony vocals were added on January 24th, followed by horns and strings on March 7th. However, the harmony vocals sound somewhat strange, almost ridiculous in places. So it's a good decision to leave them out.

Full of self-pity the narrator realizes that he had blown his relationship. Elvis performs the ballad in a very emotional and believable style. The original had been released in 1957 by one of the king's heros, Clyde McPhatter. The writer of "Without Love (There Is Nothing)" is Danny Small. Doing without the additional instruments and voices, the remix sounds more intimate. I like it very much.

On February 17th, between the 3rd and the 4th take of "True Love Travels On A Gravel Road", Elvis spontaneously intones a line of "It's My Way (Of Loving You)", segues into "This Time" and finally ends up singing "I Can't Stop Loving You". The band joins in and suddenly a complete performance of the last mentioned song evolves. The track first appeared in the early 1990s on the boxed set "The Essential 60's Masters". The new incarnation sounds brighter, clearer and edgier. Once again you get the feeling of being in the same room and Elvis and the band are jamming in front of you. Great stuff!

In 1962 Johnny Tillotson, the writer of "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'", enjoyed a number 3 hit with his song, in 1968 Margaret Whiting scored a top 20 hit. The lyrics are typical for a country song, there is a lot of pain because the loved one is gone. It's a nice tune and Elvis performs it well. He taped it on February 20th within three takes. Without the violins (added on March 21st) and the harmony vocals (recorded three days later) the track returns to what it really is: A simple, yet lovely tune.

When Hank Snow released "I'm Moving On" in 1950, the song stayed at the number one of the country chart for 21 consecutive weeks. Since then many artists have covered the tune, examples are Ray Charles, Emmylou Harris and The Rolling Stones. Elvis recorded "I'm Moving On" on January 14, 1969 within a single take, five days later producer Chips Moman added additional instruments. On January 22nd Elvis re-recorded most of his vocals, on January 24th the production was finalized by overdubbing harmony voices. Matt Ross Spang's remix keeps the king's new vocal track, but does without all the other additions. Now the performance sounds like a rough and powerful jam, which I like very much.

Bernie Baum, Bill Giant and Florence Kaye are known for a truckload of mediocre movie tunes, but "Power Of My Love" is a great example that the trio was able to deliver really good stuff, too. Full of power and testosterone the king promotes his qualities as a lover and obviously has fun with the song. It was recorded on February 18, 1969 with take 7 (actually it was the 8th attempt) being the master-take. On February 22nd the king recorded a harmony vocal, on March 19th and 25th horns and backup voices were added. Without these additions (but including an harmonica, that was mixed-out of the original master) the performance sounds more edgy. Here the remix beats the original.

The compilation continues in the same vein with Percy Mayfield's "Stranger In My Own Hometown". On February 17th Elvis taped it within a single take and without the additional harmony vocals, strings and horns (all recorded on May 7, 1969) the track sounds like what it originally was: A great, powerful and rough jam - one of the greatest things Elvis ever recorded!

Elvis recorded this song on January 13, 1969. It actually was the first track the king taped in Memphis since he had left SUN Records back in 1955. The 15th attempt was chosen as master take, but on January 21st Elvis re-recorded his vocals. This version was remixed by Matt Ross-Spang. Once again it sounds quite edgy and one can really sense the singer's anger, when he discovers, that his loved one has been partying all the time and living on his expense while he was away. Before the original release Dallas Frazier's and Al Owens' song was enhanced with an additional guitar and harmony vocals (taped on January 21st and 22nd). I like the original master very much, but to be honest, the songs works just as well without the background singers and the additional guitar.

The singer fears to be left by his loved one any time and begs her to stay. Chuck Jackson was the first to record the tune in 1962 and his single peaked at number 23 of the "Hot 100". The writers of "Any Day Now" are Bob Hilliard and Burt Bacharach. Mr. Presley recorded "Any Day Now" on February 20th within six takes, two days later he produced a vocal repair. Without the horns, strings (both recorded on March 18th) and the harmony vocals (taped on March 25th) the performance still works well, but not as good as the original master.

The song was written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Jerry Butler. The latter one also recorded it and scored a top 5 hit with "Only The Strong Survive" in 1968. Elvis taped his version on February 19, 1969 and needed 29 takes to get it right. On February 22nd the king recorded several vocal repairs, Chips Moman later added horns (March 18th), strings (March 21st) and harmony vocals (March 25th). The remix features the king's corrections, but no horns, strings and backup vocals. So the approach is much more simple. The new version is quite appealing, but once again I like the version on the album "From Elvis In Memphis" better.

The song was written and performed by John Hartford, who won a Grammy with it in 1968. The version by Glen Campbell was also awarded by The Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences. "Gentle On My Mind" was a very popular song and covered by Aretha Franklin, Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, REM and many others. Elvis did so on January 14, 1969. Six days later he re-recorded major parts of his vocals and also added the harmony voice. Later brass (March 18th), strings (March 19th), other instruments (March 20th) and backup voices (March 25th) were overdubbed. In early 1977 RCA Records released a remix of "Gentle On My Mind" on the album "Welcome To My World". While this one features all of the elements included in the master, the 2024 incarnation does without all these additional things. The result is an intimate sounding country ballad, that I tend to like better than the original master.

Elvis taped the track on February 21, 1969 within a single take, but re-recorded his part on the next day. The narrator works on a fair and has to move on, but promises his girl to be back soon. The song by Guy Fletcher and Doug Flett is somewhat saccarine, but without the harmony vocals and strings (added on March 25th) it doesn't get too gaudy.

On January 21, 1969 the idea to record The Beatles' hit came up spontaneously, but neither the lyrics were available, nor was Elvis' chesty voice (he had caught a cold) able to hit or hold the notes. He tried to sing McCartney's "Hey Jude" seven times, but managed just one complete performance. And even that one had to be edited heavily. It's quite puzzling, why Ernst Jorgensen and Roger Semon (the producers of this collection) decided to put this mess on the album while leaving out much better things. Maybe they simply thought, a widely known song triggers non-fans to stream the Presley version? However, even back in 1969 Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis were fully aware of Elvis' shoddy performance and obviously assumed, the singer would return and re-do his vocals. So they prepared a music track by adding harmony vocals (January 24th), horns (March 18th) and strings (March 19th). However, in the king didn't give a fuck and agreed to put the garbage on his 1972 release "Elvis Now".