Mary In The Morning-->Test Pressing!.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

Elvis recorded this song at RCA Studio B - Nashville, Tennessee on June 5 / 6 1970, it took him just 5 takes to get the master take 5 . Engineer at this recording session was: Al Pachucki & the Producer: Felton Jarvis.

An Unedited Undubbed Master take 5 of Mary In The Morning was released on: "You Know, It Don't Have To Be Strictly Country, Vol 1°cd" plus (Count-In), under the bootleg label Gravel Road Music, which was taken directly from an acetate .


You Know, It Don't Have To Be Strictly Country, Vol 1°cd". Released under Gravel Road Music label. Front Cover.

http://www61.zippyshare.com/v/FKkNcqyj/file.html
Mary In The Morning. Unedited Undubbed Master Take 5 plus (Count-In). Wav audio rip.


You Know, It Don't Have To Be Strictly Country, Vol 1°cd". Released under Gravel Road Music label. Back Cover.

This beautifull ballad was penned by: Michael Rashkow and singer Johnny Cymbal.

Lyrics:

Nothing's quite as pretty as Mary in the morning
When through a sleepy haze I see her lying there
Soft as the rain that falls on summer flowers
Warm as the sunlight shining on her golden hair
When I awake and see her there so close beside me
I want to take her in my arms, the ache is there so deep inside me
And nothing's quite as pretty as Mary in the morning
Chasing a rainbow in her dreams so far away
And when she turns to touch me, I kiss her face so softly
Then my Mary wakes to love another day
And Mary's there in sunny days or stormy weather
She doesn't care 'cause right or wrong the love we share, we share together.

P.S: Elvis´version has different phrasing than the original lyrics.

Al Martino: Was the first and had the most successful recording of the song, reaching number one on the Easy Listening chart for two weeks in July 1-July 8, 1967 and number twenty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and #35 on the Canadian RPM Magazine pop charts.

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Ad Ames: Released his version of Al Martino hit on his 1967 album, "When The Snow Is On The Roses".

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Glen Campbell: Recorded it for his million seller "Gentle On My Mind" lp released in 1967.

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One of the co-writers T.Cymbal, was used as the singer on a demo that was forwarded to Elvis at the June, 1970 recording session. This demo was included on the FTD book/2 cd set: Elvis Presley-Writing For The King .


Elvis Presley-Writing For The King FTD book/cd.

http://www43.zippyshare.com/v/6whYy7xk/file.html
Mary In The Morning. Demo by T.Cymbal.Wav audio rip.



Just this week, I stumbled upon a test pressing on eBay of "Mary In The Morning", released at the Bell Sound Studios, Inc. RCA sent it to selected music directors, to see if it would get much response....... .


Elvis Presley-Mary In The Morning. Test pressing single released by Bell Sound Studios, Inc.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ELVIS-PRESLEY-1-Sided-Promo-Only-TEST-PRESSING-of-MARY-IN-THE-MORNING-HEAR-/111995441277?hash=item1a1372d07d:g:1NcAAOSwZJlXNIHg

P.S: Audio snippet available on the ebay link.

Remember this is a test pressing. A test pressing, differs from an acetate, in that acetates are normally cut at the recording session and released without any adds like overdubbings and mainly made as a reference for the artist, so he can have a listen whenever he needs to. Test pressings although they may sound different to the final product, like having alternatives mixes or being unsweetened takes, some may even include overdubbings like this one has . Enjoy!. Bye for now .

Source: http://www.keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/700605.html#07 / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_in_the_Morning

[Juan Luis]

Thank you Mike! Very informative and thorough research! I also love it when EP sings it in TTWII rehearsal when he starts goofing off and then suddenly starts to get serious...and the most beautiful singing follows!

[drjohncarpenter]

Nice topic. Of the many, many ballads Elvis cut in his first serious session dates since American Sound in Memphis, "Mary In The Morning" is a well-sung, if unadventurous cover. It's curious that he rehearsed it in preparation for his summer 1970 Las Vegas engagement, but we do not know of a single concert performance.




Mary In The Morning
Johnny Cymbal, Michael Lendell
© 1967 Songs Of Universal, BMI

Nothing's quite as pretty, as Mary in the morning
When through a sleepy haze, I see her lying there
Soft as the rain that falls on summer flowers
Warm as the sunlight shining on her golden hair

When I awake, and see her there, so close beside me
I want to take, her in my arms the ache is there, so deep inside me

Nothing's quite as pretty, as Mary in the morning
Chasing a rainbow in her dream so far away
And when she turns to touch it, I kiss her face so softly
And then my Mary wakes, to love another day

And Mary's there, in sunny days or stormy weather
She doesn't care, 'cause right or wrong the love we share, we share together

Nothing's quite as pretty, as Mary in the evening
Kissed by the shades of night, and star light in her hair
And as we walk, I hold her close beside me
All our tomorrows, for a lifetime, we will share




As the de-facto producer, one wonders if Elvis brought this to the session because of his affection for one of the previous releases. The songwriter demo issued on FTD is curious, as this was not new material. So is this demo actually from 1967, and the one originally sent to Italian singer Al Martino? I'd wager that it is.

As I've written elsewhere, Martino enjoyed a moderate pop hit with "Mary In The Morning" (Capitol 5904), his release making Billboard "Hot 100" #27 on July 8, 1967, and Cash Box "Top 100" #27 on July 1, 1967. It rocked Billboard's "Top 40 Easy Listening" chart, hitting #1 on July 1, 1967.

So besides the hit, what of other versions? Elvis always liked Glen Campbell's recordings, including demo acetates made by Glen, and there is one by him, as you noted. His late-September cover of Martino's hit must have been waxed during the summer of love, while Martino's single peaked on the charts. Glen's breezy tempo embraces something closer to the folk-pop genre, and his vocal is terrific.






Glen Campbell "Mary In The Morning" Gentle On My Mind (Capitol ST 2809, September 2, 1967)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentle_on_My_Mind_(1967_Glen_Campbell_album)




And, indeed, another old-school singer, Ed Ames, released his cover of Martino's single on an album called When the Snow Is on the Roses (RCA Victor 3913, December 9, 1967). Presley would deliver the title track as a one-off, at the International Hotel in August 1970, to honor Ames being in the audience that night.

So Presley probably heard all three of these examples.

But what most likely caught his ear as he got ready for his Nashville sessions, almost three years after those recordings, was Eddy Arnold's fresh cover, issued in April 1970 by RCA. Certainly, Arnold's gentle arrangement, and even the key, was utilized by Presley when taping his version two months later, on June 5.





Eddy Arnold "Mary In The Morning" Love and Guitars (RCA LSP 4304, April 11, 1970)

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Last thought:

That 45 "test pressing" on the Bell label is probably not by RCA, despite what is said on the eBay page. The note which accompanies the disc would have included some official markings, even one as casual as this.

710000_Bell test pressing 45 note_KRIZ Radio.jpg

KRIZ Radio in Phoenix was a top 40 station circa 1971. The pressing was probably a dub of the album track, making it easy for the program director it was intended for ("Bill") to play, and decide if he wanted to add it to their rotation. The source of it may have been someone associated with the publishing. Publishers always have easy access to making quick and easy test pressings like this.

[lovin' EP]

This is one of my favorite moments in TTWII.

Elvisly,

Linda



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[When In Rome]

P.J. Proby did a version on his 1968 album 'Believe It Or Not'*.

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*That's the name of the album by the way, not me asking you to dispense all belief in such an incredulous notion!

I don't mind Proby's version but I knew Elvis' version long before I heard PJ's take on it and Elvis' is the one for me. Period.

[Stvimpe]

Thanks, Mike! Great topic!

[LSP-4445]

Love the master and the complete take 4
This song is one of the reason that I have the LSP-4445 username here.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

Thank you all for the nice contributions posted on topic! . Bye for now .

[colonel snow]

A few other recordings:
27-06-67 - Tommy Hunter (Columbia 44234);
00-02-69 - Bill Lively (Dot 17219).


colonel snow

[colonel snow]

If you have some money (GBP 500.000) to spend for this test-pressing.


colonel snow

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elvis-presley-test-pressing-/272239684993?hash=item3f62bfed81:g:82kAAOSwJQdXB6L1

[Hobbes]

I like the rehearsal version in TTWII where he starts out joking with the Memphis Maphia but quickly gets serious and ends up doing a nice sincere performance. The joking at the beginning makes the serious performance stand out more.

[drjohncarpenter]

Thank you all for the nice contributions posted on topic!

Better put that 1970 Eddy Arnold LP on your shopping list!

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

Thank you all for the nice contributions posted on topic!

Better put that 1970 Eddy Arnold LP on your shopping list!

Doc, I´m still undecided which one to pick up, the Eddy Arnold lp or the Glen Campbell one! . Bye for now .

[goldbelt]

P.J. Proby did a version on his 1968 album 'Believe It Or Not'*.

..

*That's the name of the album by the way, not me asking you to dispense all belief in such an incredulous notion!

I don't mind Proby's version but I knew Elvis' version long before I heard PJ's take on it and Elvis' is the one for me. Period.

P.J. also rerecorded it for his 1973 album I'm Yours (aka the If I Loved You album) - a comeback album of sorts, being his first recordings since those with the soon to become Led Zeppelin back in 1969.

The I'm Yours album has a somewhat interesting track listing for Elvis references, including as it does ...........

Mary In The Morning rerecording - re: Elvis Nashville recordings 1970
If I Loved You rerecording - re: Elvis home recordings
They Call The Wind Maria - re: Elvis stage reference CBS Special
Only You - re: Elvis possible live 50's and possible Jungle Room run through 1976
Twilight Time - re: Elvis possible Jungle Room run through 1976

Mary In The Morning - P.J. Proby 1973 version
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