"Promised Land"

[Juan Luis]

The arguably definitive version of Chuck Berry's (melody based on the American folk song "Wabash Cannonball"), "The Promised Land"! This is pure rock n' roll by late career Elvis Presley! I love it!

Recorded on Saturday December 15, 1973 at STAX Studio, Memphis. Produced by Felton Jarvis with Mike Moran and Dick Baxter providing the sound engineering duties. Elvis overdubbed a harmony vocal at STAX, but was not used for final mixed master. On January 2, 1974 at Nashville with Al Pachucki behind the console, an organ and cowbell (Randy cullers), was overdubbed. The organ was not used on the final mix master. And finally on January 15, a tambourine was overdubbed by David Briggs, also in Nashville's RCA Studio A.

Elvis came back rocking hard from the previous night (or rather much earlier in the day), after leaving upset (according to Norbert Putnam) attempting to record Waylon Jennings minor hit "We Had It All", by Seals and Fritts. The band cooks, and James Burton sizzles! Good production including the cowbell which was a very nice touch added later in post.
Nothing I can add or state, other than I wished Elvis had recorded more rock n' roll such as this...but I am grateful to have it. I know hindsight is wonderful!

"In December 1973, Elvis Presley recorded a powerful, driving version. Presley's version of "Promised Land" was released as a single on September 27, 1974. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard charts and 9 on the UK Singles Chart in the fall of 1974. It was included on his 1975 album Promised Land. The Presley version was used in the soundtrack of the 1997 motion picture Men in Black."-Wikipedia.

..
..

"Ah get on!"
..

[fn2drive]

Hardly definitive. That distinction belongs Chuck Berry's version and the guitar work there makes James look like an amateur. The pace is too fast, the harmony vocal (or is it echo or reverb on the master) adds nothing and in keeping with Elvis Vegas pacing of just about everything, it is far far too fast. And the somg does not appear to have been well recorded technically. Having said that, it is clearly the session highlight from Stax 2. It is always enjoyable and nice to here Elvis able to dig in and give a great performance. While not quite exuberant, he is clearly enjoying this song a whole lot. Little of consequence came out of these Stax sessions save this one and a couple of others.

What interests me is who sourced the song and how did it make its way to the table? Was Elvis again forced to be the inspiration or did someone actually do their job for a change. Does anyone have any idea?

[Juan Luis]

Hardly definitive. That distinction belongs Chuck Berry's version and the guitar work there makes James look like an amateur. The pace is too fast, the harmony vocal (or is it echo or reverb on the master) adds nothing and in keeping with Elvis Vegas pacing of just about everything, it is far far too fast. And the somg does not appear to have been well recorded technically. Having said that, it is clearly the session highlight from Stax 2. It is always enjoyable and nice to here Elvis able to dig in and give a great performance. While not quite exuberant, he is clearly enjoying this song a whole lot. Little of consequence came out of these Stax sessions save this one and a couple of others.

What interests me is who sourced the song and how did it make its way to the table? Was Elvis again forced to be the inspiration or did someone actually do their job for a change. Does anyone have any idea?

I wouldn't mind the criticism if it wasn't over the top. Amateur?! It has to be hot or cold. No medium. Alrighty then!

[brian]

What interests me is who sourced the song and how did it make its way to the table? Was Elvis again forced to be the inspiration or did someone actually do their job for a change. Does anyone have any idea?

This song was one of Elvis' favorites so he decided to record it at Stax. Elvis was a pretty big fan of Chuck Berry's songs.

[brian]

This song was one of Elvis' best recordings and his best rocker of the seventies I've always felt it should have been a much bigger hit than it was. Actually it's an underrated song because most fans don't know about it.

[Juan Luis]

This song was one of Elvis' best recordings and his best rocker of the seventies I've always felt it should have been a much bigger hit than it was. Actually it's an underrated song because most fans don't know about it.

Yes. And even in the "Men In Black" film soundtrack CD, it is not included. Such a cool scene with the car upside down!

..

[fn2drive]

Hardly definitive. That distinction belongs Chuck Berry's version and the guitar work there makes James look like an amateur. The pace is too fast, the harmony vocal (or is it echo or reverb on the master) adds nothing and in keeping with Elvis Vegas pacing of just about everything, it is far far too fast. And the somg does not appear to have been well recorded technically. Having said that, it is clearly the session highlight from Stax 2. It is always enjoyable and nice to here Elvis able to dig in and give a great performance. While not quite exuberant, he is clearly enjoying this song a whole lot. Little of consequence came out of these Stax sessions save this one and a couple of others.

What interests me is who sourced the song and how did it make its way to the table? Was Elvis again forced to be the inspiration or did someone actually do their job for a change. Does anyone have any idea?

I wouldn't mind the criticism if it wasn't over the top. Amateur?! It has to be hot or cold. No medium. Alrighty then!

Your smart enough to know the point i was making is that the guitar work on Berry's master is superb. James is great but not in the same league as on Berry's. On the other hand Burton's Johnny B Goode on Live At The International is definitive for me.

[TJ]

Burton's guitar work is superb on this, right up to the cool outro.

[Juan Luis]

More here. https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=88440

[jeanno]

Promised Land is a great rock'n'roll number but no better than Burning Love and Got My Mojo Workin' / Hands Off. 3rd position is still pretty good.

[Lonely Summer]

It always surprises me - but it shouldn't - to see people say "this should have been a bigger hit". I heard it on the radio a lot when it came out; in fact, the most played song since "Burning Love". Elvis' singles usually got at least a few spins, but this was one you couldn't miss if you listened to top 40 or country radio in fall/winter of 74/75. Now, if it had been up to me, it would have been #1 right next to Billy Swan's "I Can Help". Pretty cool that as late as 1974, Elvis could still have a top 20 hit with a Chuck Berry song. Hands down, my favorite Elvis track of the 70's. No need to compare with the original version. Both are great.

[LSP-4445]

In my top 10 of all elvis recordings,love it.
Favorite mix is the one on Promised Land remastered edition from 2000.
Great mix and fade-out starts later than the versions used these days.
Still waiting for the complete harmony version to be released

[Chucky99]

A COOL song. A hard rockin' number between the few recorded in the 70s.
My opinion is that every Chuck Berry song that Elvis recorded was superior to the original (Memphis Tennessee,Too much monkey business, Promised Land), except Johnny B .Goode.
Rock on KING.

[jurasic1968]

Maybe the last great single of Elvis in his life and career.

[JohanD]

It's one of those cool 70's songs, a number in wich Elvis self believed... classic!!

[Ciscoking]

Maybe the last great single of Elvis in his life and career.

Yes...wow..always loved this rocker...well done, Elvis and band.

[Davelee]

Burton's guitar work is superb on this, right up to the cool outro.

I agree. It's probably the best guitar work he ever did with Elvis, in the studio anyway. It's the only song of the 70s, with Elvis in the studio, that Burton actually plays a great R'n'R solo - he had done so many before Elvis but this one with Elvis is his only one, not including live tracks.

[Davelee]

Hardly definitive. That distinction belongs Chuck Berry's version and the guitar work there makes James look like an amateur. The pace is too fast, the harmony vocal (or is it echo or reverb on the master) adds nothing and in keeping with Elvis Vegas pacing of just about everything, it is far far too fast. And the somg does not appear to have been well recorded technically. Having said that, it is clearly the session highlight from Stax 2. It is always enjoyable and nice to here Elvis able to dig in and give a great performance. While not quite exuberant, he is clearly enjoying this song a whole lot. Little of consequence came out of these Stax sessions save this one and a couple of others.

What interests me is who sourced the song and how did it make its way to the table? Was Elvis again forced to be the inspiration or did someone actually do their job for a change. Does anyone have any idea?

I wouldn't mind the criticism if it wasn't over the top. Amateur?! It has to be hot or cold. No medium. Alrighty then!

Your smart enough to know the point i was making is that the guitar work on Berry's master is superb. James is great but not in the same league as on Berry's. On the other hand Burton's Johnny B Goode on Live At The International is definitive for me.

Not quite sure I can agree with you on this one. They are both great versions. Berrys is pretty simple with the guitar work being very simple and straightforward chord playing. Burtons guitar playing on Elvis' cover is a lot busier and there's a lot more going on within Burtons finger work - but then Burton was streets ahead of Berry as a guitar player. But none of this takes any credit away from Berry who is, without a doubt, one of the greatest artists ever.

But as for Johnny B. Goode, Berrys is the definitive version. But Elvis' 69 international version really does kick ass.

I would agree that Promised Land, technically, isn't very well recorded.

[MORERO]

Hardly definitive. That distinction belongs Chuck Berry's version and the guitar work there makes James look like an amateur. The pace is too fast, the harmony vocal (or is it echo or reverb on the master) adds nothing and in keeping with Elvis Vegas pacing of just about everything, it is far far too fast. And the somg does not appear to have been well recorded technically. Having said that, it is clearly the session highlight from Stax 2. It is always enjoyable and nice to here Elvis able to dig in and give a great performance. While not quite exuberant, he is clearly enjoying this song a whole lot. Little of consequence came out of these Stax sessions save this one and a couple of others.

What interests me is who sourced the song and how did it make its way to the table? Was Elvis again forced to be the inspiration or did someone actually do their job for a change. Does anyone have any idea?

wow......
Elvis kicks Chuck all way down to the Promised land with his masterpiece ! A superb rocker !

[rickeap]

One of Elvis' great rockers, from any decade. I love Chuck, but Elvis wins hands down. Yep a masterpiece with vocals and rocking band. fn2drive i've got to wonder about your negativity.

[Pete Dube]

Excellent track. Elvis should've cut tunes like this more often. The Good Times; Promised Land and Today albums could've been great albums if the 2 or 3 lesser tracks on each were replaced with rockers of this caliber.

[jurasic1968]

Right, Pete. Absolutely agree with you.

[LesterB]

For me, the "pure" version of the master take is Elvis at his best along with My baby Left Me 56 and the film version of ALLC.

[Scarre]

The arguably definitive version of Chuck Berry's (melody based on the American folk song "Wabash Cannonball"), "The Promised Land"! This is pure rock n' roll by late career Elvis Presley! I love it!

Recorded on Saturday December 15, 1973 at STAX Studio, Memphis. Produced by Felton Jarvis with Mike Moran and Dick Baxter providing the sound engineering duties. Elvis overdubbed a harmony vocal at STAX, but was not used for final mixed master. On January 2, 1974 at Nashville with Al Pachucki behind the console, an organ and cowbell (Randy cullers), was overdubbed. The organ was not used on the final mix master. And finally on January 15, a tambourine was overdubbed by David Briggs, also in Nashville's RCA Studio A.

Elvis came back rocking hard from the previous night (or rather much earlier in the day), after leaving upset (according to Norbert Putnam) attempting to record Waylon Jennings minor hit "We Had It All", by Seals and Fritts. The band cooks, and James Burton sizzles! Good production including the cowbell which was a very nice touch added later in post.
Nothing I can add or state, other than I wished Elvis had recorded more rock n' roll such as this...but I am grateful to have it. I know hindsight is wonderful!

"In December 1973, Elvis Presley recorded a powerful, driving version. Presley's version of "Promised Land" was released as a single on September 27, 1974. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard charts and 9 on the UK Singles Chart in the fall of 1974. It was included on his 1975 album Promised Land. The Presley version was used in the soundtrack of the 1997 motion picture Men in Black."-Wikipedia.

..
..

"Ah get on!"
..

Good post, Juan. Thanks.

Great song. Great work by Elvis and the musicians.

As much as I like this song, there is something that I can´t quite put my finger on...something that could have made it even better.
But anyway, very enjoyable.

[skatterbrane]

Elvis' Promised Land is preferred to the Chuck Berry version by me! And it was rare breath of fresh air, really a last gasp of Rock n Roll from the King. As for the reverb, always too much, always and forever too much.