Your favorite American Sound Studios track

[mysterytrainrideson]

"Kentucky Rain" is one of the best songs from the session, and sounds remarkable on the radio even today. It's illuminating to hear the session tapes, and note producer Chips Moman working the rhythm section through various takes, trying to find the "edge" the song needs to really be good. They found it, and so did Elvis. His vocal is astounding.

Can't deny Elvis and the boys put everything into the song. My above comment is the best i can explain to what i hear - it's just that chorus, the structure of it just doesn't fit.

[drjohncarpenter]

Not counting the hit A sided singles, (Suspicious Minds, In The Ghetto, Don't Cry Daddy , and Kentucky Rain), what is your favorite track from the 1969 Chips Moman sessions? It can be a B side. Also state a reason why you liked it best. Thanks.

My choice I think is Power Of My Love - just love everything about it. Lyrics, the performance of Elvis & the band, plus I thought it was commercial enough to be an A side.

So many worthy candidates, so little time.

Today I choose "You'll Think of Me." It was first issued as the B-side to "Suspicious Minds," then appeared on the studio half of 1969's From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis. It has everything that made these sessions so remarkable: superb, contemporary material, stunning lead vocal from Elvis, excellent female backing vocals, tremendous rhythm section, especially Tommy Cogbill's bass and Reggie Young on electric sitar, and a fantastic arrangement.

Plus, it was Mort Shuman's final songwriting contribution to the Presley canon.

More love for this incomparable Mort Schuman song, right now:


..

690826_RCA Victor 47-9764.JPG

Elvis Presley "You'll Think of Me" (RCA Victor 47-9764, August 26, 1969)
1969 B-side to "Suspicious Minds" ... note plug for "Tiger Man," which NBC-TV aired in their August 17th repeat of the 1968 Special.



Few singles after this one would offer such quality on both sides. What a time to be an Elvis Presley fan!

[poormadpeter]

Long Black Limousine for me - without a doubt the most remarkable recording from these sessions. Most remarkable because it's the best? That's open for debate. But most remarkable in that it shows Elvis from the very first song recorded taking his craft totally seriously and reaching his full potential for the first time in a very long while. If that first recording hadn't have been as wonderful as it was, the likelihood is that the rest of the session wouldn't have been a stunning as it turned out. Without Long Black Limousine, and the confidence Elvis no doubt gained from that performance, the rest simply might not have happened in the same way.

[rlj4ep]

It is amazing and a true testimony to Elvis and all involved with those Memphis recordings. They sound just as good and fresh today as they did then. They are truly timeless classics.

rlj

[keninlincs]

Long black Limousine

sent from Lincolnshire,UK,by carrier pigeon

[a mess of polk salad]

"Kentucky Rain" is one of the best songs from the session, and sounds remarkable on the radio even today. It's illuminating to hear the session tapes, and note producer Chips Moman working the rhythm section through various takes, trying to find the "edge" the song needs to really be good. They found it, and so did Elvis. His vocal is astounding.

A stunning opening track on the American Sound Sessions FTD > just a fabulous song and no wonder it was a huge hit.

[a mess of polk salad]

It is amazing and a true testimony to Elvis and all involved with those Memphis recordings. They sound just as good and fresh today as they did then. They are truly timeless classics.

rlj

1

The songs are so solid!

The FTD treatment of the sessions is outstanding!

[jeanno]

The undubbed "Stranger in my own hometown" is a killer, one of my absolute favorite tracks.

Agree 100%, Lennart. Before Elvis starts singing, you're already dancing around!

[rjm]

An impossible question!

Off the bat, it has to be Long Black Limo. But "Stranger In My Own Hometown" is the most unusual blues he ever recorded, and one of the very finest and certainly most meaningful. I wish so that it could have made the first album. (I might have replaced "I'm Movin' On." But Stranger is a long cut, and it probably couldn't fit on an LP with the other songs. That is a limitation with LPs. Can't have too many long songs because of the physical limitation of the sound quality.)

But then there's "I'll Hold You In My Heart" (the other real long one, and irreplaceable), and "Gentle On My Mind" and . . .

Impossible!

rjm

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[jurasic1968]

Stranger in My Own Hometown.

[debtd1]

I just can't single any one song out….they're my favourite sessions by a long mile.

[a mess of polk salad]

Long Black Limousine for me - without a doubt the most remarkable recording from these sessions. Most remarkable because it's the best? That's open for debate. But most remarkable in that it shows Elvis from the very first song recorded taking his craft totally seriously and reaching his full potential for the first time in a very long while. If that first recording hadn't have been as wonderful as it was, the likelihood is that the rest of the session wouldn't have been a stunning as it turned out. Without Long Black Limousine, and the confidence Elvis no doubt gained from that performance, the rest simply might not have happened in the same way.

'Long Black Limousine' is indeed a remarkable performance on all levels. For me, one of my all-time favs! Chips & the Memphis boys play their part on the sessions with obvious relish and 100% authentic musical smarts.

[madg1974]

It is so hard to pick one diamond amongst so many. Is there one that sparkles just a bit more than the others?...I just do not know and, quite frankly, it is impossible to choose just the one.
I am going to cheat and choose the best one following the FTD releases:
FEIM: True love travels on a gravel road (but arrggg.. I just love Gentle on my mind and Power of my love and Long black limousine..and.....aarrggg)
BIM: Stranger in my own hometown (first and foremost) but You'll think of me is just so great too!
ASS: Kentucky Rain! But I have always felt that I'll be there would have been a solid hit, it's got that pop vibe that would have played well on the radio.

Well, I can only repeat what I've exclaimed before....aaarrggg....

[Joe Car]

After reading a lot of the responses, many different choices which makes those sessions so special. It's almost impossible to pick, but I would say Any Day Now. Just a great, great vocal, especially the part below, which his voice goes a bit higher. Just incredible. Great thread r&b!!

I know I shouldn't want to keep you

If you don't want to stay
Until you're gone forever
I'll keep holding on for dear life

Holding you this way
Begging you to stay

[Chris Roberts]

'Stranger In My Own Home Town' closely behind are 'I'm Movin' On', 'I'll Hold You In My Heart', 'Power Of My Love', 'After Loving You' and 'Gentle On My Mind' my favourite of all versions of this song.

[londonflash]

We're so fortunate to have had a lot of material from the Memphis sessions made available to us over the years, on boots like American Crown Jewels, Finding The Way Home and the American Way Series and, officially, culminating recently with three stunning FTD releases.

[madg1974]

By the way, one I do not see mentioned so probably not everyone's favourite though still well-liked I assume, is Without Love. The soul he pours into that one....phew!

[Good Time Charlie]

At the moment it is "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin".

Elvis takes this C&W tune and makes it his own with a few lyric changes and a stunning vocal.

[bajo]

Mission impossible! There are the singles In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, Kentucky Rain and even Don't Cry Daddy with their B sides. I do not have ONE favourite from these sessions, I have too many!

[debtd1]

We're so fortunate to have had a lot of material from the Memphis sessions made available to us over the years, on boots like American Crown Jewels, Finding The Way Home and the American Way Series and, officially, culminating recently with three stunning FTD releases.

Aren't we just?……..

[drjohncarpenter]

After reading a lot of the responses, many different choices which makes those sessions so special. It's almost impossible to pick, but I would say Any Day Now. Just a great, great vocal, especially the part below, which his voice goes a bit higher. Just incredible. Great thread r&b!!

I know I shouldn't want to keep you

If you don't want to stay
Until you're gone forever
I'll keep holding on for dear life

Holding you this way
Begging you to stay

Beyond the mastery heard in the A-sides issued from the session, "Any Day Now" is absolutely brilliant, an A+ recording by any and every measure. Chuck Jackson's 1962 single was beautiful, nay, gorgeous, but this is a late-period example of Presley making a tremendous song all his own.

[memphisound]

At this moment I will take Any Day Now, their are too many gems from these recordings. IMO, the BEST sessions Elvis had. The hunger, the drive, the passion WAS ALL THERE.

[Marc Haegeman]

Stranger In My Own home Town.

[r&b]

At this moment I will take Any Day Now, their are too many gems from these recordings. IMO, the BEST sessions Elvis had. The hunger, the drive, the passion WAS ALL THERE.

Yes, you hear that on every track, even on the lesser material, Why wasn't that the case on all his recording sessions. The output would have been so much more improved. The difference between these sessions and ones just 2 years later is amazing. The hunger, passion & drive were all but gone. I really never heard a drop like that for any other performer at such a young age in such a short period of time.

[When In Rome]

'Any Day Now', I played the 45 rpm of that one to DEATH... Whilst I love the stereo master I was so glad when the mono version turned up on the 'recent-ish' Legacy edition...