Originals

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

The All Shook Up thread is cool. Original or not, it's a fascinating listen.

..

The stuff on Writing For The King is equally intriguing as are the "Songs that inspired Elvis" type of releases.

HAs anyone got any interesting original versions they can post here, or very early covers from around the same time period Elvis recorded them? Could be interesting!

[davepenny]

Well, here is the original version of the controversial "Too Much" which has been discussed before:

"The song was written by Nashville songwriter, Bill Beasley and his wife Jean (Norris) Beasley in early 1955 and, believing the song had potential, Beasley quickly arranged a recording session at his home studio to cut the song with vocalist Bernard Hardison fronting the Louis Brooks' band. He issued the recording on Republic, a label with which he was involved, and gave the publishing to Oakwood Music, a company co-owned by Beasley with his financial partner, hosiery salesman, Bernard Weinman. The Republic disc bombed and Beasley soon forgot about the promising r&b number he had written with his wife.

In late 1956, Bernard Weinman heard that Elvis was looking for exciting rock 'n' roll songs to record and so he submitted "Too Much" as a new song written by himself and the company secretary, Lee Rosenberg, and signed over publishing to Elvis Presley Music. The first time Beasley heard Elvis' hit version of his r&b song, he was on business in Texas and he heard it on the radio! He promptly took legal action against his former partner, but Weinman - now a wealthy man - swore under oath that he had written the song himself and then changed his story to state that he had bought the rights to the song off Beasley. Despite all the holes in his story, Weinman won the action simply because he could afford better lawyers than Beasley. As the latter philosophically concluded, "Bernie and I were real good friends, but someone who's your friend for a thousand dollars isn't always your friend for ten thousand."

..

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

BRILLIANT!

Keep em coming folks!! Thank you SO much!!!

[davepenny]

I'm trying to upload some mp3, but the board rules won't allow me - is there any way I can get around this short of uploading to YouTube and linking the results here?

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

God knows mate. Maybe the you tube route is the best way.

Looking forward to these very much!

[colonel snow]

Always on my mind was recorded on 22-09-71 by Brenda Lee (Decca 32975)

colonel snow

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

..

Thank you Colonel!

Does anyone have Let it Be Me by Jerry Butler and Betty Everett? Undoubtably the version that inspired Elvis' arrangement!

[colonel snow]

Apron strings

Billy The Kid record the original version on 02-02-59 (Kapp K 271); Cliff Richard recorded his album version on 09-02-59 and his single version on 25-05-59 (Columbia DB 4306).

colonel snow

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

A couple of faves of mine:
..

..

..

..

And my favourite cover of this classic:

..

[colonel snow]

Let it be me

the original version with English lyrics was recorded by Jill Corey & Jimmy Caroll on 08-03-57 (Columbia 40878); however it originates from "Je t'appertiens" as recorded in 1955 by Gilbert Becaud.



colonel snow

[davepenny]

..

[colonel snow]

when you go to the site of David Neale you'll find about 480 originals.

good luck with digging them up.


colonel snow



http://users.telenet.be/davidneale/elvis/originals/index.html

[davepenny]

The recently discussed "When It Rains It Pours" by Billy "The Kid" Emerson, followed by a white cover version

..

[colonel snow]

If the Lord wasn't walking by my side was recorded by The Weatherford Qt in 1960 for an album.

colonel snow

[davepenny]

Maybe not the original version, but the one that obviously inspired Elvis' recording:

..

[davepenny]

The Eagles' original of "Tryin' To Get To You". Listen to that guitar and lead vocal...

..

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

That Trying To Get To You version is a belter!

I knew this thread would be a classic! Thanks fellas! Keep em flowing folks!

[colonel snow]

Tiger man

the song was recorded on 17-11-52 by the songwriter Joe Hill Louis but stayed unreleased; Rufus Thomas recorded on 30-06-53 his version on Sun 188.
The other songwriter is Burns aka Sam C. Phillips using the name of his wife.


colonel snow

[davepenny]

Possibly not the version that inspired Elvis, but definitely the original:

..

[colonel snow]

Rags to riches


the original version was recorded on 17-03-53 by Tony Bennett (Columbia 40048).




colonel snow

[colonel snow]

Saved

the original version was recorded by Lavern Baker on 06-12-60 (Atlantic 2099)




colonel snow

[colonel snow]

Are you lonesome tonight

the original version was recorded on 09-05-27 by Charles Hart (Harmony 431 H) and many others followed in 1927; on youtube you'll find a few more but Elvis' version was inspired by the recording from Blue Barron Orchestra with vocal Bobby Beers & The Blue Notes in dec. 1949 (MGM 10268) (including the spoken part).
By request from Colonel Parker's wife who heard the version from Jaye P. Morgan (a jan. 1959 recording on MGM 12752) Elvis did his recording in april 1960.

here the link for Blue Barron version.



colonel snow

[Andy-M]

Also a very nice Version

LaVern Baker duets with Jimmy Ricks on "You're The Boss". Recorded in New York City in November 1960.

[colonel snow]

Stop look and listen


the original version was recorded on 17-09-64 by Ricky Nelson for an album.

colonel snow

[KiwiAlan]

Hot Dog

Original by Young Jessie