Long Black Limousine-pure genius!

I have always loved Elvis' haunting rendition of Long Black Limousine. And now after hearing the original country version and hearing the differences just goes to show what genius Elvis really was as a producer and vocalist.

Here's Vern Stovall's 1961 version

And then there's Merl Haggard's 1967 version.

Then there's a soul version by O.C. Smith from 1968. His version was strangely published by Elvis Presley Music Inc. in Germany. A year before Elvis would record the song. Interesting.

Now, the magical performance by the King! Elvis sampled his version from O.C. Smith's but much better version than Smith's.

And the even more powerful outtake.

Why this song was never released as a single is beyond me. Very powerful lyrics and vocals and the music arrangement is brilliant and very current for 1969. This has become one of my all time top 10 favorites by Elvis. It's such a shame that he didn't cut more songs like this. Elvis turned a country song from years past into a masterpiece. Pure genius!

The song is not pop single material, whereas "In The Ghetto," Suspicious Minds," "Don't Cry Daddy" and "Kentucky Rain" were superb choices.

However, Elvis' wonderful recording of "Long Black Limousine" is indeed based in soul music. At American Sound in 1969, he and producer Chips Moman drew inspiration from a terrific album cut recently released by O.C. Smith.

Billboard May 25 1968 p05.jpg

Billboard - May 25, 1968



That it was the very first song they tried on the very first day is telling. Perhaps Moman wanted to set a tone for the entire session.

O.C. Smith, "Long Black Limousine" Hickory Holler Revisited (Columbia CS 9680, May 18, 1968)


Chips and Elvis adopt almost the exact same arrangement, and Presley's vocals are close to Smith's as well. Presley does add a deeply-felt sense of desperation, though. He recognized that the saga of the country boy lost to the city was his story.

Smith died about 11 years ago.




Jet Magazine - December 17, 2001

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Last edited by drjohncarpenter on Sun Apr 21, 2013 11:14 pm, edited 3 times in total.

I just can't get enough of this song and the mass majority of the American Sounds sessions of 1969. I would rank it ahead of Sun and all of 56 as far as material goes. Even Hey Jude moves me with the ending where he says "Jude, Jude, Juda Juda baby". Very cool!

I just can't get enough of this song and the mass majority of the American Sounds sessions of 1969. I would rank it ahead of Sun and all of 56 as far as material goes. Even Hey Jude moves me with the ending where he says "Jude, Jude, Juda Juda baby". Very cool!

Agreed!! The 1969 Americon Sound sessions seriously rocked.

Long Black Limousine is one of my favorite Elvis songs. I can't get enough of his treatment of it.

I just can't get enough of this song and the mass majority of the American Sounds sessions of 1969. I would rank it ahead of Sun and all of 56 as far as material goes. Even Hey Jude moves me with the ending where he says "Jude, Jude, Juda Juda baby". Very cool!

Some of the best cuts are as good as anything Elvis ever taped, but not in a million years would I put American Sound 1969 ahead of Sun 1954-55 or RCA 1956.

I just can't get enough of this song and the mass majority of the American Sounds sessions of 1969. I would rank it ahead of Sun and all of 56 as far as material goes. Even Hey Jude moves me with the ending where he says "Jude, Jude, Juda Juda baby". Very cool!

Some of the best cuts are as good as anything Elvis ever taped, but not in a million years would I put American Sound 1969 ahead of Sun 1954-55 or RCA 1956.

I just feel that the material in 1969 was much stronger overall in quality and quantity and more to his liking. Remember, in 1956, RCA had him recording what they wanted him to record. Whereas in 1969, he was the one requesting the songs that he felt most comfortable with, aside from a few of the Colonel's choices. Plus, he had grown more into a real artistic vocalist by 1969. He was still raw and growing in 1954-56.

Even Hey Jude moves me with the ending where he says "Jude, Jude, Juda Juda baby". Very cool!

Limousine is terrific but you can have Hey Jude. Elvis' "Juda baby" ending is a very pale imitation of McCartney's dynamic vocals on this song.

I just can't get enough of this song and the mass majority of the American Sounds sessions of 1969. I would rank it ahead of Sun and all of 56 as far as material goes. Even Hey Jude moves me with the ending where he says "Jude, Jude, Juda Juda baby". Very cool!

Some of the best cuts are as good as anything Elvis ever taped, but not in a million years would I put American Sound 1969 ahead of Sun 1954-55 or RCA 1956.

Agreed!

I would go as far as to say that Long Black Limousine was Presley's greatest achievement on record. Presley's work from 1954-56 might have changed popular music for ever, but that's not really an argument as to whether it is greater than something he recorded in 1969 under completely different conditions and circumstances. Long Black Limousine is arguably his most mature performance. Every single ounce of energy, soul and commitment that Elvis could muster appears to be in that first cut at the Memphis Sessions. As great as the rest of the session is, nothing matches this. As Elvis settled into the session with each successive recording, he became more confident and more in control, even playful. There is a sense of desolation, desperation and sheer terror in Long Black Limousine, and it is a perfect mix of song, singer and situation that was brought about by a number of factors that could never be repeated.

My first experience with the song was the outtakes on Finding The Way Home and I immediately liked it. When I eventually heard the released version, I was taken back by the overdubs and backup vocals...I thought they took away from Elvis' performance. I have since gotten used to them and absolutely love the song...definitely in my top 10 Elvis songs.

A great tune from 1969, one I never tire of.

Who wouldn't like this song?

I would go as far as to say that Long Black Limousine was Presley's greatest achievement on record. Presley's work from 1954-56 might have changed popular music for ever, but that's not really an argument as to whether it is greater than something he recorded in 1969 ...

Sure it is. That music wasn't wallpaper.

That said, I'd place the performance in the Presley all-time top ten, if only because Elvis knows the song is his story, and sings it with every ounce of his heart and soul. And he is more than a little bitter. Some of this feeling would inform his revelatory stage monologues later that year.

"Long Black Limousine" is my fave track on FEIM. I wouldn't put the '69 Memphis sessions ahead of SUN or '56. Even tho' the '69 material is much more to my taste.

I would go as far as to say that Long Black Limousine was Presley's greatest achievement on record. Presley's work from 1954-56 might have changed popular music for ever, but that's not really an argument as to whether it is greater than something he recorded in 1969 ...

Sure it is. That music wasn't wallpaper.

That said, I'd place the performance in the Presley all-time top ten, if only because Elvis knows the song is his story, and sings it with every ounce of his heart and soul. And he is more than a little bitter. Some of this feeling would inform his revelatory stage monologues later that year.

That music wasn't wallpaper?

What exactly is that meant to mean?

Remember, in 1956, RCA had him recording what they wanted him to record.

I can think of a couple that Steve Sholes suggested but no more. Of which songs are you thinking?

The difference between the Sun/fifthies material and the 69 material is that in the early stuff is a young man singing to teenagers. The 69 recordings is music by an mature man with life experience knowing what the songs are about. He puts his own life experience and feelings to the songs in a way that the mature audience can relate to. So for me I hold the 69 sessions higher than the SUN era.
I do like the fifthies for shure, but Elvis grown older and so did we the fans.

The difference between the Sun/fifthies material and the 69 material is that in the early stuff is a young man singing to teenagers.

How many teenagers does this material appeal to nowadays? One of the reasons Elvis' early recordings are so cherished is because his voice did not just speak to youth. It spoke to everyone. The sentiments expressed in his early songs can hardly be generalized as juvenile in nature. For example:

Tryin' to Get to You
Mystery Train
When It Rains It Pours
Peace In The Valley
Young and Beautiful

I would rank it ahead of Sun and all of 56 as far as material goes...

Interesting opinion but not one I share... not a single release from the American Studio sessions (IMO) compares to this legendary track:

I would go as far as to say that Long Black Limousine was Presley's greatest achievement on record. Presley's work from 1954-56 might have changed popular music for ever, but that's not really an argument as to whether it is greater than something he recorded in 1969 ...

Sure it is. That music wasn't wallpaper.

That said, I'd place the performance in the Presley all-time top ten, if only because Elvis knows the song is his story, and sings it with every ounce of his heart and soul. And he is more than a little bitter. Some of this feeling would inform his revelatory stage monologues later that year.

That music wasn't wallpaper?

What exactly is that meant to mean?

You're a smart guy, surely you can figure it out.

The difference between the Sun/fifthies material and the 69 material is that in the early stuff is a young man singing to teenagers.

How many teenagers does this material appeal to nowadays? One of the reasons Elvis' early recordings are so cherished is because his voice did not just speak to youth. It spoke to everyone. The sentiments expressed in his early songs can hardly be generalized as juvenile in nature. For example:

Tryin' to Get to You
Mystery Train
When It Rains It Pours
Peace In The Valley
Young and Beautiful

I wasn't talking about todays teenagers, the first Three song you listed are strong rythm & blues numbers first made popular by black artists.
There was very Little adults that listened to these black numbers, hence the popularity to the young generation, so a Young man singing for
a young audience. We all know that Elvis was aiming Another type of audience after his Army Days. So my valuation stands the 69 stuff was
more grown up material even if everyone can relate to song like Mystery Train, When It Rains ond others. Every decade has it's own Elvis.

I wasn't talking about todays teenagers, the first Three song you listed are strong rythm & blues numbers first made popular by black artists. There was very Little adults that listened to these black numbers, hence the popularity to the young generation, so a Young man singing fora young audience. We all know that Elvis was aiming Another type of audience after his Army Days. So my valuation stands the 69 stuff wasmore grown up material even if everyone can relate to song like Mystery Train, When It Rains ond others. Every decade has it's own Elvis.

Not quite sure what you're trying to say. Note that "Tryin' to Get to You," issued in mid-1954, was not a hit for the Eagles. Also note my point is that if the songs Elvis cut in the '50s appeal to adults now, they did so at the time of release, too.

And the notion that the early material is less "grown up" is easily debatable.

I just can't get enough of this song and the mass majority of the American Sounds sessions of 1969. I would rank it ahead of Sun and all of 56 as far as material goes. Even Hey Jude moves me with the ending where he says "Jude, Jude, Juda Juda baby". Very cool!

Some of the best cuts are as good as anything Elvis ever taped, but not in a million years would I put American Sound 1969 ahead of Sun 1954-55 or RCA 1956.

And that goes gor me too. Yes, Long Black Limousine is a beautiful song and that goes for the rest of the American sound sessions. Superb music at its best. But to put it ahead of Sun and 1956, never!!! I don't care for his version of Hey Jude, its sloppy and wasn't really intended for release. The Beatles' is version is incomparable.

I would go as far as to say that Long Black Limousine was Presley's greatest achievement on record. Presley's work from 1954-56 might have changed popular music for ever, but that's not really an argument as to whether it is greater than something he recorded in 1969 under completely different conditions and circumstances. Long Black Limousine is arguably his most mature performance. Every single ounce of energy, soul and commitment that Elvis could muster appears to be in that first cut at the Memphis Sessions. As great as the rest of the session is, nothing matches this. As Elvis settled into the session with each successive recording, he became more confident and more in control, even playful. There is a sense of desolation, desperation and sheer terror in Long Black Limousine, and it is a perfect mix of song, singer and situation that was brought about by a number of factors that could never be repeated.

We agree.

{falls to the floor in exhaustion}

rjm