Except for "Roustabout", Girl Happy", and "Double Trouble" of course.Rtn 2 Sndr wrote:I personally enjoy the January 1964 version more than the 1968 version. This recording was a fitting capstone to almost four years of classics recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville. Elvis was arguably at the peak of his vocal ability during this time. While the quality of the material steadily declined over the four years, there is no question that "It Hurts Me" was a great song. Elvis gave the song his best, mixing his gentle ballad voice on the verses with a grittier tone on the chorus. Elvis' performance on "It Hurts Me" was a good indication of the vocal chops he could have brought to some high quality songs. Unfortunately, his talent was largely squandered on movie soundtrack songs until May 1966.
It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Both versions have their special charm about them. Again, as "Love Letters", when Elvis originally recorded "It Hurts Me" in January, 1964 it was a soft ballad filled with his awesome vibrato and exceptional tenor. The '68 Comeback rendition is the complete opposite, which adds a great effect to the overall feeling of the song (his voice in 1968 was above amazing!) In all, both are superb and entirely different. With that said, I have to go with the 1964 version.
“Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes.”
― Elvis Presley
― Elvis Presley
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Its not just the smoothness in the gentle parts in the 64 master.....it is the heartfelt anger in the louder parts.....the contrast in both emotions combined is the reason why for me its superior to the 68 version.
In 1968 the emotional range (gentleness, tenderness and frustration) is not there.
No gentleness in the lower parts no convincing anger in the louder parts.
In the 64 version he makes me believe what he sings.
In 1968 on that version not.
Not putting down the 68 version. Just explaining why the original version wasn't bettered.
In 1968 the emotional range (gentleness, tenderness and frustration) is not there.
No gentleness in the lower parts no convincing anger in the louder parts.
In the 64 version he makes me believe what he sings.
In 1968 on that version not.
Not putting down the 68 version. Just explaining why the original version wasn't bettered.
Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
The '64 recording is perfect, sublime. He was never in better voice. The arrangement and musicianship is masterful.
The vocals on the '68 version have all the subtlety of an anvil. And it sounds exactly like what it is: small parts edited together to make a rather messy whole. The ending doesn't work and the arrangement is poor. I love Hal Blaine but his playing on this particular song is over-the-top. Had this been approached as an actual complete master, it might have turned out better.
The vocals on the '68 version have all the subtlety of an anvil. And it sounds exactly like what it is: small parts edited together to make a rather messy whole. The ending doesn't work and the arrangement is poor. I love Hal Blaine but his playing on this particular song is over-the-top. Had this been approached as an actual complete master, it might have turned out better.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Do you think the 68 version is a song that they could really do something with if they used new backing completely and applied his vocal over?
The image is one thing and the human being is another. It’s very hard to live up to an image, put it that way.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Original Master (1964).
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Re: It Hurts Me 64 or 68?
Thank you. All of singing by Elvis from June 1968 is remarkable, although putting himself out on the edge as he did then also meant some fans would not be able to handle the ride. Their loss!fn2drive wrote:Perfectly said. And i agree with your conclusion. The grunting in the 68 version is him fighting for his life- you can feel him being Baptized from the movie sins.drjohncarpenter wrote:Both the January 1964 (Nashville) and June 1968 (Western Recorders) masters are outstanding examples of Elvis' artistry. But the approach is so different they are nearly incomparable. The first recording gives us the balladeer of so many gorgeous early sixties ballads, and there is an angelic quality to his vocal that is sublime. Four and a half years later it is a take-no-prisoners gambit, a man out to salvage his life and career. And, as with everything he touches in June 1968, Presley does exactly that. There is nothing soft or supple here, Presley is all muscle and sinew, and from start-to-finish he absolutely demands that this pain over a lost love end with a reconciliation. There is no doubt it does.
In other words, 1964's rendition is hopeful, 1968's a matter of life and death. I choose 1968.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Uh-Huh-Huh!Juan Luis wrote:Boing! Boing! Boing!
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Yeah, elvis ' "fighting for my life" vocal approach turned everything into gold in 1968.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Just for the record. It was sarcasm on my side.although the 68 special is superb ....but not everything surpass former masters.matilda wrote:Yeah, elvis ' "fighting for my life" vocal approach turned everything into gold in 1968.
My boy, my boy
Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Most folks could see it was sarcasm. Loving an event and admitting some imperfections, does not devalue overall excellence.matilda wrote:Just for the record. It was sarcasm on my side.although the 68 special is superb ....but not everything surpass former masters.matilda wrote:Yeah, elvis ' "fighting for my life" vocal approach turned everything into gold in 1968.
My boy, my boy
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Love both versions.The 64 master has a sublime Elvis vocal,totally in control,beautifully phrased.The 68 version has a rougher edgier sound to his voice which I like.If I had to choose which apparently I do I'll go for the 68 version.I prefer the raw emotion that Elvis gives it over the controlled vocal perfection of the original.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Whether they in general surpass the original masters isnt the story. What is imo is that over the days at Burbank, he fought off the straightjacket that had confined him for years and in toto created among the greatest rock and roll ever recorded. The sit down shows had 2 instruments and a guitar case and of course Elvis voice. Yet it feels as if there was a whole band because of his exhuberance and passion. There is no way to adequately describe just how much he needed to break free. Perhaps a more apt description was he was fighting for his soul.matilda wrote:Just for the record. It was sarcasm on my side.although the 68 special is superb ....but not everything surpass former masters.matilda wrote:Yeah, elvis ' "fighting for my life" vocal approach turned everything into gold in 1968.
My boy, my boy
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
It is the story. I care for a performance not the circumstances.fn2drive wrote:Whether they in general surpass the original masters isnt the story. What is imo is that over the days at Burbank, he fought off the straightjacket that had confined him for years and in toto created among the greatest rock and roll ever recorded. The sit down shows had 2 instruments and a guitar case and of course Elvis voice. Yet it feels as if there was a whole band because of his exhuberance and passion. There is no way to adequately describe just how much he needed to break free. Perhaps a more apt description was he was fighting for his soul.matilda wrote:Just for the record. It was sarcasm on my side.although the 68 special is superb ....but not everything surpass former masters.matilda wrote:Yeah, elvis ' "fighting for my life" vocal approach turned everything into gold in 1968.
My boy, my boy
The sit down portions benefits from that break free element.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that every performance gets a free pass just because of that.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Well said.matilda wrote:I care for a performance not the circumstances.
The sit down portions benefits from that break free element.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that every performance gets a free pass just because of that.
Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
I second that.Eggrert wrote:Well said.matilda wrote:I care for a performance not the circumstances.
The sit down portions benefits from that break free element.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that every performance gets a free pass just because of that.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
It Hurts Me is my most favourite Elvis song. As much as I love the 68 version, you cannot beat the original recorded in 64.
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Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Brilliant summation. Again, what Elvis did at Western Recorders and NBC Burbank in June 1968 was remarkable, and completely unprecedented in his career to date. But this energy and fire is indeed so intense that many fans of the "gentle" Elvis simply cannot, or will not, accept the message. For some, living on the edge as our guy did that month is too much to process. Presley isn't singing about "fun," he's laying out the difference between life and death, about finding redemption. In June 1968, he chooses life. And that's what resonates on both the audio and video tape we have from those precious weeks.fn2drive wrote:Whether they in general surpass the original masters isnt the story. What is imo is that over the days at Burbank, he fought off the straightjacket that had confined him for years and in toto created among the greatest rock and roll ever recorded. The sit down shows had 2 instruments and a guitar case and of course Elvis voice. Yet it feels as if there was a whole band because of his exhuberance and passion. There is no way to adequately describe just how much he needed to break free. Perhaps a more apt description was he was fighting for his soul.matilda wrote:Just for the record. It was sarcasm on my side.although the 68 special is superb ....but not everything surpass former masters.matilda wrote:Yeah, elvis ' "fighting for my life" vocal approach turned everything into gold in 1968.
My boy, my boy
And, all of that said, Presley did indeed cut one of his most stunning, emotional ballads at these same sessions, "Memories." The intensity is still there, simmering below the surface, but what comes across is sheer passion, and a delicacy well befitting the Billy Strange and Mac Davis composition. Yes, pretty much everything Elvis touched in June 1968 did turn into gold.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Re: It Hurts Me 63 or 68?
Right and lets not forget it was the incredible creative Steve Binder who liked the idea of the sitdown after witnessing the dressing room rehearsals. He let Elvis out of his cage so to speak. Steve sometimes gets overlooked for what is perhaps the defining moment in Elvis' 1960's career. The raw talent was always there, but someone had to unleash it. Thank you Steve!fn2drive wrote:Whether they in general surpass the original masters isnt the story. What is imo is that over the days at Burbank, he fought off the straightjacket that had confined him for years and in toto created among the greatest rock and roll ever recorded. The sit down shows had 2 instruments and a guitar case and of course Elvis voice. Yet it feels as if there was a whole band because of his exhuberance and passion. There is no way to adequately describe just how much he needed to break free. Perhaps a more apt description was he was fighting for his soul.matilda wrote:Just for the record. It was sarcasm on my side.although the 68 special is superb ....but not everything surpass former masters.matilda wrote:Yeah, elvis ' "fighting for my life" vocal approach turned everything into gold in 1968.
My boy, my boy