I´ve lost you / Next step is love

#205481

Yesterday, I was listening to the first disc from the boxset “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” and I was thinking that the single I´VE LOST YOU / THE NEXT STEP IS LOVE never got neither the release nor the attention it disserved. Apart from the fact that the original cover “art” was horrible, it has to be said that both songs were pretty innovative (I would even say more innovative than 1969 recordings, which doesn´t mean “better”) at the time, but for some reasons (including the terrible cover), the fans didn´t support it. Instead, something more commercial like YOU DON´T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE got a nice success. The failure of other “innovative” singles (IT´S ONLY LOVE or I´M LEAVIN´), in a way, forced EP to keep a more commercial approach.
Which is a little bit sad when you think about it.

A different cover for a great single...

What do you think about it?

#205490

Even though I've always loved the song, I've Lost You, it never really sparkled "single" release imo. The B-side though, was as such, a good B-side. The Next Step Is Love was really something different, at the time.
Imo, Stranger In The Crowd had that easier radio appeal to it!
When it came to later singles like I'm Leavin' and I've Got A Thing About You, Baby they should have received much more attention!
Even so, it's all history now!

#205493

Personally, I like the song I'VE LOST YOU, but to me it doesn't sound like it has much appeal to be played by radio djs too often.

By the way: I like the alternate cover.

#205494

You´re right bajo: NEXT STEP was really a different song. It has a little "beatles" feeling.

I can´t understand that I´VE GOT A THING ABOUT YOU BABY (#39), PROMISED LAND (#14) or SEPARATE WAYS (#20) didn´t reach the top 10 at the time. Those singles were so good!

#205495

Thanks dl! Glad you like it!

#205531

bajo wrote:Even though I've always loved the song, I've Lost You, it never really sparkled "single" release imo. The B-side though, was as such, a good B-side. The Next Step Is Love was really something different, at the time.
Imo, Stranger In The Crowd had that easier radio appeal to it!

I agree about Stranger. I've Lost You never said "single" to my ears either - he had much stronger songs from June '70 to choose from in my opinion. In fact, I'm not that big of a fan of I've Lost You at all, myself.

Jules

#205535

I agree about Stranger. I've Lost You never said "single" to my ears either - he had much stronger songs from June '70 to choose from in my opinion. In fact, I'm not that big of a fan of I've Lost You at all, myself.

Jules

June´70 sessions were pretty good though most of the songs hadn´t the quality of 1969 memphis recordings. In a way, the june tracks worked better together, in albums. "ELVIS COUNTRY" is the best example. For single release, I still think that I´VE LOST YOU / NEXT STEP IS LOVE was a great choice although it was a risky one too. Compare it to any other singles before : just different. Maybe the fans were oversaturated with "ballad-singles" (DON´T CRY DADDY + KENTUCKY RAIN + THE WONDER OF YOU + I´VE LOST YOU...) and were waiting for a rocker release...

#205540

The Next Step Is Love has it´s own charm....a great song that deserved to be in the tope ten and should have been more in the concerts.

I´ve Lost You is a beautiful song and Elvis voice is great but I still prefer the live version from TTWII.

BTW this was for sure a hell of a single in the time and it had to have more attention at the time.

Good topic.

#205542

jeanno -

I've Lost You was a Top Ten single in the UK with a three-month chart run.

It was the follow-up to the No.1 smash-hit The Wonder of You, but it did better than the next four single releases.

Not so bad.

#205553

jeanno wrote:June´70 sessions were pretty good though most of the songs hadn´t the quality of 1969 memphis recordings.

I disagree. I think the Memphis sessions were more consistent, but I think the best of the Nashville '70 sessions trump the Memphis sessions for joy, spirit, verve and panache. For my money, it doesn't get any better than Elvis in the Summer (June to September) of 1970.

Jules

#205565

Colin

I've Lost You was a Top Ten single in the UK with a three-month chart run.

It was the follow-up to the No.1 smash-hit The Wonder of You, but it did better than the next four single releases.

Not so bad.

Not bad at all : I would even say "pretty good". But I thought that YOU DON´T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME had a bigger success. Maybe you´re only talking about the UK... In the US, YDHTSYLM reached #11 and in France, it was a #1 smash!

familyjules

I think the best of the Nashville '70 sessions trump the Memphis sessions for joy, spirit, verve and panache.

I agree with you on that!

#205571

Jules -

You wrote:

...I think the best of the Nashville '70 sessions trump the Memphis sessions for joy, spirit, verve and panache.

At the '69 American Sound Studio sessions, Elvis had something to prove !

He had to re-establish himself as a credible singer.

It shows in the dedicated way he works at his craft on those tracks.

By 1970, he had made his point.

The world had conceded that the boy could still cut it !

He could relax and simply enjoy the pleasure of singing good material.

This shows in the music.

By 1971, this relaxed, laid-back approach had slipped just a little into boredom.

Nothing left to prove or achieve.

With a few exceptions, this slide continued through to 1976.

By 1977, his studio recordings had dried up altogether.

#205572

ColinB wrote:Jules -

You wrote:
...I think the best of the Nashville '70 sessions trump the Memphis sessions for joy, spirit, verve and panache.
At the '69 American Sound Studio sessions, Elvis had something to prove !

He had to re-establish himself as a credible singer.

It shows in the dedicated way he works at his craft on those tracks.

By 1970, he had made his point.

The world had conceded that the boy could still cut it !

He could relax and simply enjoy the pleasure of singing good material.

This shows in the music.

By 1971, this relaxed, laid-back approach had slipped just a little into boredom.

Nothing left to prove or achieve.

With a few exceptions, this slide continued through to 1976.

By 1977, his studio recordings had dried up altogether.

Great post, Colin, I think I agree with that summary completely.

Jules

Juan Luis · #205585

In my opinion picture covers for singles did not make a difference(RCA Elvis) in sales because they were always in limited quantities. most were available in plain or RCA record sleeve logo.

#205616

Sorry JLGB, i don´t understand the last part of your reply :

most were available in plain or RCA record sleeve logo.

What does mean "in plain"?

Colin
Sad but mostly true.

#205618

jeanno wrote:Sorry JLGB, i don´t understand the last part of your reply :
most were available in plain or RCA record sleeve logo.
What does mean "in plain"?

Colin
Sad but mostly true.

A standard record company sleeve (eg RCA) with a hole in the middle for viewing the record label.

Jules

Juan Luis · #205621

Plain is white or paper bag color with nothing written on it or like Familyjules said with logo.

#205623

JLGB wrote:Plain is white or paper bag color with nothing written on it or like Familyjules said with logo.

Thanks, JLGB - your reply was much better than mine. I didn't realise you'd made a distinction between a 'plain' sleeve and a 'record company' sleeve in your previous post until after I'd read your reply.

Jules

#205624

Next Step Is Love is a cracking song that was unfortunately over-cooked in the overdub department with unnecessary horns, strings and female backing vocals. The alternate on Today Tomorrow And Forever is, to me, the definitive version.

#205643

familyjules / JLGB
Thanks a lot for the ex"plain"ation.

Good to learn something everyday!

Mark Nicholson
I don´t think it was so over-cooked. The "overdub department with (unnecessary) horns, strings and female backing vocals" are better used here compared to later 1975 - 1976 overdubs. Nevertheless, the TT&F version is really interesting too.

#205805

I love the Next Step Is Love and prefer it 10 to 1 over I've Lost You as a hit single.

#205816

'The Next Step Is Love' is a pretty terrible song from a lyrical standpoint. 'Made Some Faces At Some People In The Park And Didn't Bother To Explain.' What hell is that? As usual, even with a mediocre song, Elvis pulls it off though. How was this track more 'innovative' than anything from the Memphis 69 sessions?

It is truly sad that Elvis wasn't given better material to record in the 70s. While there are some gems and some real quality recordings from the 70s, there is so much more he could have done if he had better songs to choose from.

#205822

The Next Step Is Love is one of my favs by Elvis! It has that 70's funky soulfull Marvin Gaye type of feel to it. It has GREAT lyrics compared to Hound Dog, LOL. Totaly different than what he was accustomed to doing at that session. I do really like the TTWII sessions, especially Bridge and Just Pretend. Very smooth flowin songs. But NOTHING, I mean NOTHING, touches or comes close enough to comparing to the HISTORICALLY LEGENDARY PHENOMINAL '69 Memphis Sessions. NOTHING!!!!! That's the sessions that brought Elvis back to the spotlight of pop culture music. To me it's the session that defines Elvis as a true recording artist than any other.

Suspicious Minds #1
In The Ghetto #1
Don'tCry Daddy #8
Kentucky Rain #16
Rubberneckin' Remix 2003 #1

lost singles from '69
Wearin That Loved On Look (could have been #1)
Any Day Now (could have been Top 10)
Gentle On MyMind (could have been Top 5)

Juan Luis · #205854

I like the cover. Different.

#205870

midnightx / Lakeisha
I´ve never said that june70 were BETTER : I said they were INNOVATIVE because of the sound and the genre he worked with. NEXT STEP is not better than SUSPICIOUS MINDS but it sounds so different from anything he had done before. Same feeling with I´VE LOST YOU or BRIDGE. That was what I was trying to explain.
And, as Jule said before, if the june sessions don´t have the intensity of the 1969 recordings, at least june70 tracks have some "joy, spirit, verve and panache" that are unique to those sessions.

JLGB
The cover was pretty terrible...

For Elvis CD Collectors

I´ve lost you / Next step is love

I´ve lost you / Next step is love

Great song, bad choice for a single!