For The Good Times (studio)

[bajo]

The first version of For The Good Times I ever heard by Elvis came along on the Madison Square Garden album. When the studio version appeared I thought it was a good version by Elvis. But, there's something "missing" on the studio recording. The live version has that nice guitar by James, which makes it sound so much more "complete", so to speak. If you listen to Always On My Mind, you have those haunting guitar licks by James in there. And that's what I would have liked to hear on the studio recording also. James' guitar is "missing" to me. The studio version is missing what the live version has: James' guitar! Anyone?

[Johnny2523]

I always preferred the version from the ''On Tour - The Rehearsals'' FTD:
..

And it includes lovely guitar work by james

[bajo]

Nice video too!

[drjohncarpenter]

The first version of For The Good Times I ever heard by Elvis came along on the Madison Square Garden album. When the studio version appeared I thought it was a good version by Elvis. But, there's something "missing" on the studio recording. The live version has that nice guitar by James, which makes it sound so much more "complete", so to speak. If you listen to Always On My Mind, you have those haunting guitar licks by James in there. And that's what I would have liked to hear on the studio recording also. James' guitar is "missing" to me. The studio version is missing what the live version has: James' guitar! Anyone?

Well, James Burton was at the 3-27-1972 (Mon) RCA Hollywood session where the shelved master was taped. Perhaps they just didn't spend enough time on it, after slaving over "Separate Ways," which went to a couple of dozen takes. Given that the final result is very good, it is still a bit of a mystery why the studio take of "For The Good Times" did not appear on an RCA release until 1995.

[stevelecher]

I like a couple of the alternates that don't have any overdub work on them. The song is fine without the strings and syrup. That mock session Elvis did was quite good, wasn't it?

[Johnny2523]

I like a couple of the alternates that don't have any overdub work on them. The song is fine without the strings and syrup. That mock session Elvis did was quite good, wasn't it?

That mock session indeed was
Several songs i prefer over the masters like, Separate ways, Always On My Mind and ''For The Good Times''.
The rehearsals after the mock sessions are quite good too with again songs i prefer over their earlier masters like ''Until It's Time For You To Go'' ''Help Me Make It Through The Night'' and ''The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face''

[Juan Luis]

I always thought it must have been forgotten when it appeared officially for the first time that same year on MSG. It was surely forgotten after that, IMO. Cause the studio version could have been released on the 1977 compilation "Welcome To My World", adding another unreleased track to the mix.

[skatterbrane]

I really expected to see this song on the Good Times album, not even knowing then Elvis had a studio recording already in the can.

[tupelo_boy]

It would have padded out Moody Blue better than a 74 ONJ track in my opinion too.

Geoff

[Juan Luis]

Impossible to use it on "Moody Blue" album for "For The Good Times" was already included on "Welcome To My World" March 1977 release.

[tupelo_boy]

Impossible to use it on "Moody Blue" album for "For The Good Times" was already included on "Welcome To My World" March 1977 release.

Forgotten about that. Good catch.

Geoff

[drjohncarpenter]

Impossible to use it on "Moody Blue" album for "For The Good Times" was already included on "Welcome To My World" March 1977 release.

Forgotten about that. Good catch.

Geoff

Why would it be "impossible"? By 1977, RCA cared little about repetition. Moody Blue recycled "Let Me Be There" from the live 1974 album, it's likely most people buying it would have not even noticed it had been on Welcome To My World.

[skatterbrane]

Not the studio version. It was a live version on Welcome To My World. It would have been a WELCOME substitution for the ONJ song already released on the live Memphis album. I think they must have totally forgotten about the studio master.

[Juan Luis]

"Moody Blue" album hadn't been finished by the time WTMW was released in March. There were some live recordings added. Repetition in the same year? Impossible. "Let Me Be There" was a better choice for it wasn't such a well-known hit album it came from. 1972's Studio "For The Good Times" would have been some odd duck... much more than another ONJ song that is also LIVE as well.

[drjohncarpenter]

Not the studio version. It was a live version on Welcome To My World. It would have been a WELCOME substitution for the ONJ song already released on the live Memphis album. I think they must have totally forgotten about the studio master.

Right. It would not have been "impossible." No one would have noticed "For The Good Times" used twice in a year:

6-10-1972 ES live version - Welcome To My World
3-27-1972 studio version - Moody Blue

[Juan Luis]

Not the studio version. It was a live version on Welcome To My World. It would have been a WELCOME substitution for the ONJ song already released on the live Memphis album. I think they must have totally forgotten about the studio master.

I stated that, yes. Also no way there would be repetition in the same year of a song title (live or otherwise) for another full priced album.

[Austin]

It would have padded out Moody Blue better than a 74 ONJ track in my opinion too.

Geoff

A lot of people think this, but I am not one of them. That ship had sailed long before 1977 and in my book, by the time Good Times was released in 1974.

Reason being is because, to me, 1969-1972 represents a time in Elvis' life in which he still cared about his music and performances. All of that pretty much ended on January 8, 1973 when he formally filed for divorce. Whatever cares he had left ended that day, and it was basically a downhill slide from there.

That said, I don't NOT enjoy material from 1973-1977, but you'll seldom catch me listening to a concert from those years, particularly after the June '73 tour.

Getting back to my original point, a 1972 cut surrounded by 9 other 1976 cuts on an album released in 1977 wouldn't seem right to me.

[jeanno]

Not a fan of FOR THE GOOD TIMES: it sounds pretty much the same than IT'S A MATTER OF TIME which I prefer by a mile.

[r&b]

I like For The Good Times - but by Ray Price. A stone country classic. Elvis adds nothing.

[minkahed]

I like For The Good Times - but by Ray Price. A stone country classic. Elvis adds nothing.

What is it with you guys and the "Add's nothing" comments ?

I don't really care for it, but Elvis' voice is really what matters, isn't it ? That add's something, doesn't it ?

[r&b]

I like For The Good Times - but by Ray Price. A stone country classic. Elvis adds nothing.

What is it with you guys and the "Add's nothing" comments ?

I don't really care for it, but Elvis' voice is really what matters, isn't it ? That add's something, doesn't it ?

If you want to take the words literally, sure he added his voice to it but he didnt improve it or make it unique. I am not in the camp that once Elvis sang a song, it automatically became better or his own. Sometimes he did and sometimes he didnt.

[Juan Luis]

I like For The Good Times - but by Ray Price. A stone country classic. Elvis adds nothing.

What is it with you guys and the "Add's nothing" comments ?

I don't really care for it, but Elvis' voice is really what matters, isn't it ? That add's something, doesn't it ?

If you want to take the words literally, sure he added his voice to it but he didnt improve it or make it unique. I am not in the camp that once Elvis sang a song, it automatically became better or his own. Sometimes he did and sometimes he didnt.

But if it is the same. I go with Elvis cause I like his singing over Ray Price, for example.

[skatterbrane]

I has been my opinion all my life, and still is, that Elvis' vocals on just about every song he covered beats the original and/or hit version (there are exceptions, as always). I much prefer Elvis studio version over Ray Price's version.

[poormadpeter2]

I have to confess I think the song is dull in anybody's hands. There were so many better songs out there by Kris Kristofferson, and it's something of a shame that it was this bland effort that caught on with some many singers during the 1970s. I'd much rather have heard Elvis's version of Sunday Morning Coming Down, Come Sundown or Me and Bobby McGee, as examples.

[r&b]

I like For The Good Times - but by Ray Price. A stone country classic. Elvis adds nothing.

What is it with you guys and the "Add's nothing" comments ?

I don't really care for it, but Elvis' voice is really what matters, isn't it ? That add's something, doesn't it ?

If you want to take the words literally, sure he added his voice to it but he didnt improve it or make it unique. I am not in the camp that once Elvis sang a song, it automatically became better or his own. Sometimes he did and sometimes he didnt.

But if it is the same. I go with Elvis cause I like his singing over Ray Price, for example.

But the point is, it is not the same. Ray's version is the definitive version. Sorry, Elvis may have the better voice but not on this song. In fact, there wasnt very much special about Elvis' voice in the studio anymore in the 70's It wasnt 1969 anymore.