I'll Never Stand In Your Way

[MikeFromHolland]

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Who would have thought this acetate from January 4, 1954 would ever surface? For me it was a miracle. First the finding of My Happiness/That's When Your Heartaches Begin, than this one with It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You on the flip side.


Elvis had sung Teresa Brewer's "Till I Waltz Again With You" in April 1953. He sang the song in his high school's "Annual Minstrel" show. Maybe ballads sung by lady singers inspired him more often during those formative years.


I'll Never Stand In Your Way was originally recorded in 1953 by Joni James. It might have been this version which inspired Elvis for his second (or third?) acetate:

..

Released just a few days later was the version of Ernie Lee, which might have been recorded a bit earlier than James' version.


The lyrics, as written by Fred Rose & Hy Heath:

I'LL NEVER STAND IN YOUR WAY

If you found someone new,
who means more than me to you.
I'd never stand in your way

If you feel we must part,
don't let pity rule your heart
I'll never stand in your way

I love you much too much to ever lose you
But what is to be will be and I'll obey

I'll be blue when you go,
but I'll never let it show.
I'd never stand in your way

I loved you much too much to ever lose you
But what is to be will be and I'll obey

I'll be blue when you go,
but I'll never let it show
I'd never stand in your way

Elvis:
..


It's clear that Elvis started out as a balladeer, with his first known recorded songs. He chose songs about lost love, which stayed an important theme throughout his whole career. And in his last years he returned even more heavily to this theme. Lost love is almost always about loneliness. Remarkable that his first solid hit had the same theme: "I'm so lonely, I could die". And even his childhood favorite "Old Shep" knows the same theme. As if loneliness was a state of being for Elvis. A state of being which created a void that could never be filled.


A version from Ray Charles:
..


From the 1969 Dottie (West) and Don (Gibson) album:
..

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[drjohncarpenter]

Nice post. Some interesting related topics:

"I'll Never Stand In Your Way" origin
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=71643&p=1071769#p1071769


Jimmy Wakely Inspiration --> A 1954 Mystery No More!
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59595

[MikeFromHolland]

Nice post. Some interesting related topics:

"I'll Never Stand In Your Way" origin
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=71643&p=1071769#p1071769


Jimmy Wakely Inspiration --> A 1954 Mystery No More!
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59595

Thanks!

The first link doesn't show much, but the second about It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You is a jewel. Another song sung by a female.

We don't read that much about the female singers that inspired him. Mostly it's about the male singers.

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[Juan Luis]

"It's clear that Elvis started out as a balladeer, with his first known recorded songs. He chose songs about lost love, which stayed an important theme throughout his whole career. And in his last years he returned even more heavily to this theme. Lost love is almost always about loneliness. Remarkable that his first solid hit had the same theme: "I'm so lonely, I could die". And even his childhood favorite "Old Shep" knows the same theme. As if loneliness was a state of being for Elvis. A state of being which created a void that could never be filled." -MikeFromHolland.


Very true!

[MikeFromHolland]

"It's clear that Elvis started out as a balladeer, with his first known recorded songs. He chose songs about lost love, which stayed an important theme throughout his whole career. And in his last years he returned even more heavily to this theme. Lost love is almost always about loneliness. Remarkable that his first solid hit had the same theme: "I'm so lonely, I could die". And even his childhood favorite "Old Shep" knows the same theme. As if loneliness was a state of being for Elvis. A state of being which created a void that could never be filled." -MikeFromHolland.


Very true!

Thanks. When thinking about his loneliness I always have to think about the few lines he sang on December 4, 1956: "I'm with the crowd, but o so alone..."

I guess deep down it was loneliness that killed him.

Knowing Elvis sang Old Shep many times in his childhood, makes it one of my favorites. The song really meant something to him. One can listen to it now on many different levels. The same counts for his four early acetates and even I Love You Because and Harbor Lights. Songs he chose himself. Songs that meant something to him for one reason or another. It really looks that with the Jungle Room sessions he closed the circle.

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[colonel snow]

Recording dates:

02-02-53 - Ernie Lee (MGM 11613) = original version.
21-11-53 - Joni James (MGM 11606).


colonel snow

[javierTCB]

I love this topic.
Many thanks Mike for sharing.

[MikeFromHolland]

Recording dates:

02-02-53 - Ernie Lee (MGM 11613) = original version.
21-11-53 - Joni James (MGM 11606).


colonel snow

Thanks colonel snow. I see you consider the version recorded first as the original, and not the one which was released first?

.

[jetblack]

.Who would have thought this acetate from January 4, 1954 would ever surface? For me it was a miracle. First the finding of My Happiness/That's When Your Heartaches Begin, than this one with It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You on the flip side..

Those 4 songs are indeed a phenomenon and are performances I thought I would NEVER get to hear.

Most documentaries skip over these with barely a mention and go straight to 'That's All Right' which is understandable but they can't be under-estimated in the birth of the Elvis story.

Songs he chose himself. Songs that meant something to him for one reason or another. It really looks that with the Jungle Room sessions he closed the circle.

What a fantastic quote that is spot-on.

Andy

[Domino]

So great that those first 4 songs Elvis did pre-recording deal were saved.Now if only the Tupelo fair performance had only been recorded from the radio station.Great topic.

[Juan Luis]

.Who would have thought this acetate from January 4, 1954 would ever surface? For me it was a miracle. First the finding of My Happiness/That's When Your Heartaches Begin, than this one with It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You on the flip side..

Those 4 songs are indeed a phenomenon and are performances I thought I would NEVER get to hear.

Most documentaries skip over these with barely a mention and go straight to 'That's All Right' which is understandable but they can't be under-estimated in the birth of the Elvis story.

Songs he chose himself. Songs that meant something to him for one reason or another. It really looks that with the Jungle Room sessions he closed the circle.

What a fantastic quote that is spot-on.

Andy

Right there!

[colonel snow]

Recording dates:

02-02-53 - Ernie Lee (MGM 11613) = original version.
21-11-53 - Joni James (MGM 11606).


colonel snow

Thanks colonel snow. I see you consider the version recorded first as the original, and not the one which was released first?

.

Indeed, the first recording is the original, even when it is unreleased at the time (for example Danny is originally recorded by Elvis but we know versions from 1959 by Cliff Richard - Marty Wilde etc.).


colonel snow

[MikeFromHolland]

Recording dates:

02-02-53 - Ernie Lee (MGM 11613) = original version.
21-11-53 - Joni James (MGM 11606).


colonel snow

Thanks colonel snow. I see you consider the version recorded first as the original, and not the one which was released first?

.

Indeed, the first recording is the original, even when it is unreleased at the time (for example Danny is originally recorded by Elvis but we know versions from 1959 by Cliff Richard - Marty Wilde etc.).


colonel snow

Okay, thanks, colonel snow!



A kinda doo-wop version from 1956:

..

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[drjohncarpenter]

Recording dates:

02-02-53 - Ernie Lee (MGM 11613) = original version.
21-11-53 - Joni James (MGM 11606).


colonel snow

Thanks colonel snow. I see you consider the version recorded first as the original, and not the one which was released first?

Indeed, the first recording is the original, even when it is unreleased at the time (for example Danny is originally recorded by Elvis but we know versions from 1959 by Cliff Richard - Marty Wilde etc.).


colonel snow

Originally recorded is not the same as original release. There are many examples of songs cut in the studio, shelved, and then recorded and released by others to great success. What counts is who put the track out to the public.

In the above examples, the original releases are by Joni James and Cliff Richard.

Recordings not heard by anyone at the time simply do not count.

[The Pirate]

Recording dates:

02-02-53 - Ernie Lee (MGM 11613) = original version.
21-11-53 - Joni James (MGM 11606).


colonel snow

Thanks colonel snow. I see you consider the version recorded first as the original, and not the one which was released first?

Indeed, the first recording is the original, even when it is unreleased at the time (for example Danny is originally recorded by Elvis but we know versions from 1959 by Cliff Richard - Marty Wilde etc.).


colonel snow

Originally recorded is not the same as original release. There are many examples of songs cut in the studio, shelved, and then recorded and released by others to great success. What counts is who put the track out to the public.

In the above examples, the original releases are by Joni James and Cliff Richard.

Recordings not heard by anyone at the time simply do not count.

Otherwise, logically, the original release of a record would in many cases be the demo.

[Juan Luis]

It is still important to know the original recording regardless of being released or not. Of course there's difference. Colonel snow knows that, I'm sure.

[matilda]

So great that those first 4 songs Elvis did pre-recording deal were saved.Now if only the Tupelo fair performance had only been recorded from the radio station.Great topic.

Don't know if that performance (1945?) was broadcast on radio but i remember a story from bill burk where he mentioned that he found a person who had footage of that 1945 event with elvis on it (don't know if silent or not).
But the owners refused to sell it.
Bill planned to meet with him and at least see it.
Does anybody know what came out of it or was it just a story bill made up? I did read this story about the footage of 1945 with elvis in the official german elvis magazine while bill was doing research for his pre fame books.
Anybody knows?

I know it is to good to be true having found footage from 1945 from elvis' appearance.
But i have the article where bill mention having found a guy who filmed it.
Either bill made something up or the so called owner.
Anyhow, no follow up story was printed.
Just that Bill was about to meet that guy who filmed it.

[poormadpeter2]

Recording dates:

02-02-53 - Ernie Lee (MGM 11613) = original version.
21-11-53 - Joni James (MGM 11606).


colonel snow

Thanks colonel snow. I see you consider the version recorded first as the original, and not the one which was released first?

.

Indeed, the first recording is the original, even when it is unreleased at the time (for example Danny is originally recorded by Elvis but we know versions from 1959 by Cliff Richard - Marty Wilde etc.).


colonel snow

Okay, thanks, colonel snow!



A kinda doo-wop version from 1956:

..

.

That's fun - much better than any other version we have heard so far (including Elvis's).