Tomorrow Never Comes

[MikeFromHolland]

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"Tomorrow Never Comes" was recorded in 1944 by Ernest Tubb and released as single on Decca 6106 the following year.




As we can see on the label, Ernest Tubb composed the song and Johnny Bond wrote the lyrics. It reached #3 in 1945.

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Johnny Bond - the writer of the lyrics - recorded the song himself as well, though some 25 years later. It was released in January 1970.

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It's possible that the lyrics inspired Hank Williams in 1946 to write I Don't Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes). Singer Molly O'Day recorded it first. The song, a lament about a lost love, was recorded at Williams' second and final Sterling recording session on February 13, 1947 with Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Dale "Smokey" Lohman (steel guitar), Zeke Turner (electric guitar), and Louis Innis (bass)
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Other versions of Tomorrow Never Comes:

Recorded on March 19, 1958 by Skeets Mc Donald:
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In the arrangement which inspired Elvis, with Roy Orbison's "Running Scared" beginning. Glenn Campbell as released in March 1963:
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B.J. Thomas recorded it in 1965, with a beginning which reminds me of Elvis' version of You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'. Another inspiration for Elvis?
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A woman's take on the song. Dottie West in 1970:
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Elvis recorded his version during the Marathon sessions on June 7, 1970. Elvis on top of his game. Here's the undubbed take 2 of the song:
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The undubbed Master (take 13):
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And the Master as how it finally was released on Elvis Country, sanse the I'm 10,000 Years Old overdub.
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A That's The Way It Is rehearsal of the song:
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Sources
http://davidneale.eu/elvis/originals/list9.html#S1517
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomorrow_Never_Comes_(Ernest_Tubb_song)
https://secondhandsongs.com/work/40237/all
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Don%27t_Care_(If_Tomorrow_Never_Comes)

[colonel snow]

A few other recordings from 1970:

30-01-70 - Slim Whitman (Imperial 66441);
02-03-70 - Dottie West (LP);
00-04-70 - Lynn Anderson (LP);
04-05-70 - Kitty Wells (LP).


+ label from re-release with original version.

colonel snow

[LSP-4445]

Love the take-2 mix on COUNTRY FTD....band and Elvis is great,only downside is the "break" in Elvis voice here and there throughout the song.

[Delboy]

I love these posts that illustrate the background of the songs Elvis recorded. He clearly had a keen ear for music. I like the interview with Robert Plant where he states how knowledgable Presley was on music. Great post.

[Juan Luis]

Great song and performance by Elvis.

[DarrylMac]

This has always been a firm favourite. Can't add much to the original post, which is a really good one - thanks Mike.

Had never seen the TTWII rehearsal version - thanks for sharing.

[Rocker]

Always loved the Possum's version as well:

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[Pete Dube]

One of Elvis' true 70's masterpieces. Anyone who doesn't like this should be strung up by their pecs like Richard Harris in A Man Called Horse!

[stevelecher]

Love the take-2 mix on COUNTRY FTD....band and Elvis is great,only downside is the "break" in Elvis voice here and there throughout the song.

Pretty big downside though. He doesn't make the end note on that TTWII rehearsal either.

I don't think Glen Campbell recorded the song in 1963.

[MikeFromHolland]

I don't think Glen Campbell recorded the song in 1963.

Campbell recorded the song three times during his career.

The 1963 version is on his second album:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Late_to_Worry_-_Too_Blue_to_Cry_album

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[Eggrert]

The finished version is a near-masterpiece, marred only by those infernal cross-fades (and the mix on the 70s box just isn't as good as the album version). So unnecessary...

[Pete Dube]

The finished version is a near-masterpiece, marred only by those infernal cross-fades (and the mix on the 70s box just isn't as good as the album version). So unnecessary...

I like the 70's box mix. The horns are lower and James guitar is higher in the mix.

[stevelecher]

The finished version is a near-masterpiece, marred only by those infernal cross-fades (and the mix on the 70s box just isn't as good as the album version). So unnecessary...

Absolutely agree with you. The master take on the original album is thrilling. The 70's box mix reveals just a bit more fragility in Elvis' voice.

[LSP-4445]

The finished version is a near-masterpiece, marred only by those infernal cross-fades (and the mix on the 70s box just isn't as good as the album version). So unnecessary...

I like the 70's box mix. The horns are lower and James guitar is higher in the mix.

Agree but I dont like the false start at the beginning but it was easy to edit it out and fix the intro so no problem.

[drjohncarpenter]

Glen Campbell's recording, an album track from 1963, is the most influential version on Elvis' 1970 master.



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Glen Campbell "Tomorrow Never Comes" Too Late To Worry - Too Blue To Cry (Capitol ST 1881, May 11, 1963)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Late_to_Worry_-_Too_Blue_to_Cry_(album)

Interestingly, this album also offered versions of "Long Black Limousine" and "I'll Hold You In My Heart," both of which Presley taped in 1969.


Previous topics on this tune worth another look:
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=74658
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77146
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=80213
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=88373

[stevelecher]

I just didn't really realize Glen was recording in 1963.

[brian]

I had never heard Ernest Tubb's original before thanks for posting.

[brian]

Elvis' version is very good it probably would have went to #1 on the Billboard country singles if it had been released as a single in 1971.

[drjohncarpenter]

I just didn't really realize Glen was recording in 1963.

His debut LP came on on Capitol about six months earlier. It includes his first cover of "Long Black Limousine" and has James Burton on acoustic guitar.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bluegrass_Special

[MikeFromHolland]

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Quote from http://elvispresleyphotos.com/glen-campbell-elvis-presley.html:

Glen Campbell worked as a background musician with many artists as he was starting his career.

Glen had a recording session with Elvis and is listed as a participant on the Viva Las Vegas soundtrack and also on the 'B' side of the 45 containing 'What'd I Say', in 1963.

Glen also played and sang demos for Elvis on the following three songs: 'Slowly But Surely', 'Stay Away Joe' and 'All I Need Is the Rain'. On the final cuts it was Elvis & his music, nothing to do with Glen. It is not known what became of those demos and how Glen was paid. Richard Davis thinks the acetates are probably with Graceland, althoughy EP Enterprises ssay they do not have them, and suggest Glen himself has these.
EP Enterprises also stands to the story that Red West targeted Glen for $20 per demo session in hopes of picking up and actually changing the music pace of Elvis' career. They base it upon an extensive book by Ernst Jorgensen called Elvis Presley : A Life in Music. (The book also lists Glen playing on many other demos with Charlie Hodge and Red West - but nothing available as a purchase.)

According to Richard Davis, Glen never worked on any of Elvis' recording sessions as a background musician. As for the demo recordings, he mentioned Glen did a lot of demos for Elvis and that Elvis would listen to them in consideration of recording them. To his knowledge, Glen was never hired by Red West but that Glen apparently went into the recording studio on his own and recorded the demos which were sent to RCA and then to Elvis' publishing company for consideration to be released as singles or soundtracks for movies.

Richard also states that Elvis and Glen did become friends later on in life and one night Glen and Tom Jones came to Elvis' suite at the International Hotel while Elvis was performing. Glen, Tom Jones and Elvis did jam that night for a couple of hours, but no recordings were made to his knowledge. He also stated that 'Glen is indeed a great artist and that Elvis is one of the greatest that have ever lived'.

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[Davelee]

I never rated Elvis' version of this song, until, FTD released their expanded deluxe 2 CD edition which contained the song without the overdubs, i now love it.

[LSP-4445]

Love the take-2 mix on COUNTRY FTD....band and Elvis is great,only downside is the "break" in Elvis voice here and there throughout the song.

Pretty big downside though. He doesn't make the end note on that TTWII rehearsal either.

Maybe its possible to try fixing the take to be better with audio software.
Seen some very clever composite takes made by fans in the past
A lot can be done if a person knows the audio software well as well as the elvis takes available.
Most important his patience

[drjohncarpenter]

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Quote from http://elvispresleyphotos.com/glen-campbell-elvis-presley.html:

Glen Campbell worked as a background musician with many artists as he was starting his career.

Glen had a recording session with Elvis and is listed as a participant on the Viva Las Vegas soundtrack and also on the 'B' side of the 45 containing 'What'd I Say', in 1963.

Glen also played and sang demos for Elvis on the following three songs: 'Slowly But Surely', 'Stay Away Joe' and 'All I Need Is the Rain'. On the final cuts it was Elvis & his music, nothing to do with Glen. It is not known what became of those demos and how Glen was paid. Richard Davis thinks the acetates are probably with Graceland, althoughy EP Enterprises ssay they do not have them, and suggest Glen himself has these.
EP Enterprises also stands to the story that Red West targeted Glen for $20 per demo session in hopes of picking up and actually changing the music pace of Elvis' career. They base it upon an extensive book by Ernst Jorgensen called Elvis Presley : A Life in Music. (The book also lists Glen playing on many other demos with Charlie Hodge and Red West - but nothing available as a purchase.)

According to Richard Davis, Glen never worked on any of Elvis' recording sessions as a background musician. As for the demo recordings, he mentioned Glen did a lot of demos for Elvis and that Elvis would listen to them in consideration of recording them. To his knowledge, Glen was never hired by Red West but that Glen apparently went into the recording studio on his own and recorded the demos which were sent to RCA and then to Elvis' publishing company for consideration to be released as singles or soundtracks for movies.

Richard also states that Elvis and Glen did become friends later on in life and one night Glen and Tom Jones came to Elvis' suite at the International Hotel while Elvis was performing. Glen, Tom Jones and Elvis did jam that night for a couple of hours, but no recordings were made to his knowledge. He also stated that 'Glen is indeed a great artist and that Elvis is one of the greatest that have ever lived'.

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Some errors on that web page:
- Campbell is part of MGM's 8-30-1963 "Viva Las Vegas" session for the song "What'd I Say" only
- P.J. Proby is the singer on the known "Slowly But Surely" demo, never heard of Glen working on those other two

Campbell also toured with the Beach Boys, filling in for Brian Wilson and/or Bruce Johnson at select gigs between December 1964 and April 1965.

Glen is supposed to have played on many hits in his early days as a session man, including:

CHAMPS “TEQUILA”
CRICKETS “DON’T EVER CHANGE”
WAYNE NEWTON “DANKE SCHOEN”
MARKETTS “OUT OF LIMITS”
JAN & DEAN “SURF CITY”
JACK NITZSCHE “THE LONELY SURFER”
BEACH BOYS “I GET AROUND”
HONDELLS “LITTLE HONDA”
RIP CHORDS “HEY LITTLE COBRA”
RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS “YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELIN’”
MONKEES “I’M A BELIEVER”
MONKEES “LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE”
BEACH BOYS “GOOD VIBRATIONS”
NANCY SINATRA “SUGAR TOWN”
FRANK SINATRA “STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT”

[Stvimpe]

Well, what can I say? Great informative thread ON a great song! Thanks, Mike - and all other contributors!

[OnStage55]

Ive been listening to the Legacy Edition of Elvis Country tonight, and Tomorrow Never Comes has always been a big fave of mine.
Elvis volcals in 1970 where so powerful, a clear and finely tuned vocal instrument at one of its peaks, at 35 Elvis was in great shape, physically and vocally.