Tell Me Why........I got shelved till 1965.

[Domino]

Tell Me Why was written by Titus Turner in 1956 .Born in Atlanta, Georgia, a singer/songwriter who had songs recorded by Little Willie John , Ray Charles and others.

lf.jpg

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

The first hit version was by an R & B singer by the name of Marie Knight.
Later that year Gale Storm and the Crew Cuts also had recordings of Tell Me Why.

Marie Knight.

Marie_Knight.jpg

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Gale Storm.

gale.jpg

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The Crew Cuts.

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Elvis recorded Tell Me Why on January 12 1957 and then the song sat unreleased until December 14 1965 when it became the flip side of Blue River, a song recorded on May 28 1963 .
When RCA single 47-8740 was released ,it had a 7 week stay on Billboards Hot 100 peaking at #33.

TellMeWhySleeve.jpg

Recorded at Radio Recorders Studio 1 in Hollywood, California , this recording session had the cream of the crop.
Starting with Steve Sholes Producing and Thorne Nogar Engineering right on down to the players with Scotty Moore,Bill Black,D.J. Fontana to The Jordanaires singing back-up.

From A Life In Music-The Complete Recording Sessions by Ernest Jorgensen.
"With the same sort of sincerity,in almost the same voice ,he next took on Titus Turner's Tell Me Why ,a number he'd found on his own.Turner's only other claim to fame at the moment was writing Hey Doll Baby for one of Elvis's favorite R & B groups,The Clovers,and this new song had already been cut three times(unsuccessfully)the previous year;with Elvis at the mike,it began taking shape in a version that emphasized both spirituality and sensuality .Everything was proceeding nicelt until a sudden concern arose in the control room:As Steve Sholes pointed out,the new song's melody bore a noticeable similarity to the religious standard Just A Closer Walk With Thee.His apprehension wasn't lost on Parker and Diskin,who were worried lest Elvis's newfound respectability be subjected to charges of plagiarism .The songs' apparent similarity might have been artificially highlighted by the sound of I Believe still ringing in their ears,but it was enough in any case to cause the group to shelve the cut.(In a rare instance of unsolicited musical advice,though ,the Colonel was so impressed by Elvis's singing that later he suggested to Elvis that he make a recording of Just A Closer Walk With Thee)."


And as we know,the recording of Just A Closer Walk With Thee only happened in a home recording in 1958.

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So now let's hear the King's awesome bluesy recording of Tell Me Why.

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[Juan Luis]

Good stuff! Thank you.

[drjohncarpenter]

Nice post. Even a shelved outtake like "Tell Me Why" is a fantastic listen because of the magic Elvis invests in his vocal. It was his first session of the new year 1957, and less than a week since he'd been on Ed Sullivan's variety show. The sky was the limit.

[Scarre]

Very enjoyable indeed.

[Steve Morse]

Superb recording.

The first time I heard it, upon release, it sounded just as though it came straight off Elvis Gold Records ("Vol.1"). In his review in Elvis Monthly, Albert Hand wrote : "People have been asking for the old Elvis - well, here you are with the young Elvis!" (or words to that effect).

[drjohncarpenter]

Superb recording.

The first time I heard it, upon release, it sounded just as though it came straight off Elvis Gold Records ("Vol.1"). In his review in Elvis Monthly, Albert Hand wrote : "People have been asking for the old Elvis - well, here you are with the young Elvis!" (or words to that effect).

What a telling comment from a huge U.K. fan. Obviously, "Tell Me Why" was an oasis in the desert that was 1965.

[Will]

A little diamond lost in the rough!

[drjohncarpenter]

A little diamond lost in the rough!

Not entirely lost. It made #33 in the Billboard "Hot 100" for 1-29-1966, and #20 on the Cash Box "Top 100" on 2-12-1966. Nearly a decade-old, "young Elvis" track was still of some appeal to the pop consumer.

[brian]

It's a good ballad I always thought When it rains it really pours and Tell me why would have made a good single back in the fifties.

[poormadpeter2]

Of course, the story about it being too close to Just a Closer Walk to Thee makes little sense, even if it is true.

Firstly, it would be the author of the song, and not the singer, who would face charges of plagiarism.
Secondly, as noted in the opening post, the song had been recorded and released a number of times before Elvis got to it, and there had been no cries of plagiarism.
Thirdly, it's debatable that Just a Closer Walk With Thee was even in copyright at the time anyway, given that the melody is thought to date back a hundred years or so.
Fourthly, it's not even that close to the hymn anyway.

What is interesting in Ernst's summary of the events is that, as early as January 1957, he is referring to Elvis's newfound respectability, thus giving yet more credence to the evidence I gave earlier that a move was being made to have Elvis accepted by a much wider audience long before the army provided a rather convenient cut off point between 50s and 60s Elvis.

[Will]

A little diamond lost in the rough!

Not entirely lost. It made #33 in the Billboard "Hot 100" for 1-29-1966, and #20 on the Cash Box "Top 100" on 2-12-1966. Nearly a decade-old, "young Elvis" track was still of some appeal to the pop consumer.

If I remember correctly it was the b side to Puppet On A String........thats lost enough in my book!!!

[Eggrert]

I've still never understood why this was shelved for so long. I prefer it over quite a few 50s tracks!

[brian]

I've still never understood why this was shelved for so long. I prefer it over quite a few 50s tracks!

Elvis had a lot of material coming out in the fifties and this song got lost in the shuffle as a result.

[drjohncarpenter]

A little diamond lost in the rough!

Not entirely lost. It made #33 in the Billboard "Hot 100" for 1-29-1966, and #20 on the Cash Box "Top 100" on 2-12-1966. Nearly a decade-old, "young Elvis" track was still of some appeal to the pop consumer.

If I remember correctly it was the b side to Puppet On A String........thats lost enough in my book!!!

"Tell Me Why" was actually an A-side, issued around 12-18-1965. The B-side was the previously-unissued 1963 studio track, "Blue River." RCA was getting desperate, and it would be almost three more years before Elvis reclaimed his throne.

Nancy SInatra's signature song, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" and The Mama's and The Papa's "California Dreamin'" came out the same week. Stiff competition. Nancy's would hit #1, the other made it to #4.

Both are still played today. Sadly, not so much for the Elvis cut.

[charroman]

I recall as a fan who grew up in the 70's that "Tell Me Why" was one of those tracks that took ages to locate and get to hear as it was not easily obtained on an album. (not sure which one it turned up on first? Worldwide Hits box set?) Even today it is relatively unknown and rarely if ever used on compilations. It was probably 1980 before i got to hear it on a scratchy secondhand single and it was a "Wow" moment for me and I can understand the reaction of the UK fanbase when it was released in 1965. A powerhouse, confident and assured vocal from a young and vibrant Presley and am surprised it was not picked up as a track on the In Demand album of fan selections in the UK. Still a firm fav and forgotten gem for me

[jetblack]

The UK single of 'Tell Me Why' (RCA 1489) was released in November 1965 backed with 'Puppet On A String'.

It reached #15 and stayed in the Top 40 for 8 weeks with a 10 week total on chart.

The first release on 12" was the 4 LP box set 'The Other Sides - Worldwide Gold Award Hits Vol. 2' in 1971. It was not until 1985 and 'A Valentine Gift For You' that it appeared on a stand alone album.

Demo A side:-






Andy

[charroman]

Usually when a soundtrack song was out on the UK singles it said "from the movie...." etc but no mention of Puppet being from Girl Happy.
Assume this was due to the fact the movie was no longer at movie theaters by the time it was released and they saw no reason ??

[Steve Morse]

I recall as a fan who grew up in the 70's that "Tell Me Why" was one of those tracks that took ages to locate and get to hear as it was not easily obtained on an album. (not sure which one it turned up on first? Worldwide Hits box set?) Even today it is relatively unknown and rarely if ever used on compilations. It was probably 1980 before i got to hear it on a scratchy secondhand single and it was a "Wow" moment for me and I can understand the reaction of the UK fanbase when it was released in 1965. A powerhouse, confident and assured vocal from a young and vibrant Presley and am surprised it was not picked up as a track on the In Demand album of fan selections in the UK. Still a firm fav and forgotten gem for me

Very well put !

[Steve Morse]

Of course, the story about it being too close to Just a Closer Walk to Thee makes little sense, even if it is true.

Firstly, it would be the author of the song, and not the singer, who would face charges of plagiarism.
Secondly, as noted in the opening post, the song had been recorded and released a number of times before Elvis got to it, and there had been no cries of plagiarism.
Thirdly, it's debatable that Just a Closer Walk With Thee was even in copyright at the time anyway, given that the melody is thought to date back a hundred years or so.
Fourthly, it's not even that close to the hymn anyway.

What is interesting in Ernst's summary of the events is that, as early as January 1957, he is referring to Elvis's newfound respectability, thus giving yet more credence to the evidence I gave earlier that a move was being made to have Elvis accepted by a much wider audience long before the army provided a rather convenient cut off point between 50s and 60s Elvis.

I disagree - it's certainly far closer than the oft-repeated, claimed connection between Can't Help Falling In Love and Plaisir D'amour

[Domino]

Of course, the story about it being too close to Just a Closer Walk to Thee makes little sense, even if it is true.

Firstly, it would be the author of the song, and not the singer, who would face charges of plagiarism.
Secondly, as noted in the opening post, the song had been recorded and released a number of times before Elvis got to it, and there had been no cries of plagiarism.
Thirdly, it's debatable that Just a Closer Walk With Thee was even in copyright at the time anyway, given that the melody is thought to date back a hundred years or so.
Fourthly, it's not even that close to the hymn anyway.

What is interesting in Ernst's summary of the events is that, as early as January 1957, he is referring to Elvis's newfound respectability, thus giving yet more credence to the evidence I gave earlier that a move was being made to have Elvis accepted by a much wider audience long before the army provided a rather convenient cut off point between 50s and 60s Elvis.

I'm not sure about that.
True the plagiarism charge would be on the writer but maybe they were guarding Elvis from being even associated with a possibly plagiarized song.
Your second point......maybe this was the first time someone realized the similarity between the 2 songs.
The copyright of the JACWWT song ....I don't know that .Maybe someone does.
And fourth......I hear the similarity between the 2 songs.Never realized it before.Never heard the 2 songs one after the other before.
But fifthly........I'm glad they did eventually release it.It should have been a 50's release but the 60's is better then never.

[r&b]

Upon hearing this single in the 60's, I liked it very much and knew it was the 'old' Elvis, just like I knew Aint That Lovin You Baby was. There was the magic of the 50's Elvis in every groove. Elvis in the mid-60's just did not sound like this. I also knew its sound was now somewhat dated as to what was coming out in 66, for example the 2 songs, Doc mentioned. It was just not the right time for this as a single. It would have made the Elvis For Everyone LP a bit better though. I dont recall ever hearing it on the radio.

[Will]

A little diamond lost in the rough!

Not entirely lost. It made #33 in the Billboard "Hot 100" for 1-29-1966, and #20 on the Cash Box "Top 100" on 2-12-1966. Nearly a decade-old, "young Elvis" track was still of some appeal to the pop consumer.

If I remember correctly it was the b side to Puppet On A String........thats lost enough in my book!!!

"Tell Me Why" was actually an A-side, issued around 12-18-1965. The B-side was the previously-unissued 1963 studio track, "Blue River." RCA was getting desperate, and it would be almost three more years before Elvis reclaimed his throne.

Nancy SInatra's signature song, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" and The Mama's and The Papa's "California Dreamin'" came out the same week. Stiff competition. Nancy's would hit #1, the other made it to #4.

Both are still played today. Sadly, not so much for the Elvis cut.

Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires ‎– Tell Me Why / Puppet On A String
Label:
RCA Victor ‎– 47-8698
Format:
Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country:
Germany
Released:
1965

[Domino]

The UK single of 'Tell Me Why' (RCA 1489) was released in November 1965 backed with 'Puppet On A String'.

It reached #15 and stayed in the Top 40 for 8 weeks with a 10 week total on chart.

The first release on 12" was the 4 LP box set 'The Other Sides - Worldwide Gold Award Hits Vol. 2' in 1971. It was not until 1985 and 'A Valentine Gift For You' that it appeared on a stand alone album.

Demo A side:-






Andy

Interesting that it was released a month before the U.S. release in the U.K. with a different flip side.Thanks for adding this.

[emjel]

Well it must have been shelved for a reason and I guess RCA were getting a little desperate. Should have gone on the Elvis for Everyone album. As mentioned above, has a dated sound for 1965. Would have made a good single in the 50s but not mid 60s.

[drjohncarpenter]

Not entirely lost. It made #33 in the Billboard "Hot 100" for 1-29-1966, and #20 on the Cash Box "Top 100" on 2-12-1966. Nearly a decade-old, "young Elvis" track was still of some appeal to the pop consumer.

If I remember correctly it was the b side to Puppet On A String........thats lost enough in my book!!!

"Tell Me Why" was actually an A-side, issued around 12-18-1965. The B-side was the previously-unissued 1963 studio track, "Blue River." RCA was getting desperate, and it would be almost three more years before Elvis reclaimed his throne.

Nancy SInatra's signature song, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" and The Mama's and The Papa's "California Dreamin'" came out the same week. Stiff competition. Nancy's would hit #1, the other made it to #4.

Both are still played today. Sadly, not so much for the Elvis cut.

Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires ‎– Tell Me Why / Puppet On A String
Label:
RCA Victor ‎– 47-8698
Format:
Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country:
Germany
Released:
1965

Nice to see that, but when we discuss Elvis' singles I'm talking U.S. releases. That's why I posted its chart history in Billboard and Cash Box.