Let's Be Friends / You'll Never Walk Alone

From elvisnews.com...



Set for release on September 26, 2006 is the reissue of the original seventies Camden album "Let's Be Friends" on the BMG Special Products label. This album has only been previously available as a bootleg release. The CD is available for pre-order.

Original track listing:

01 Stay Away, Joe
02 If I'm A Fool (For Loving You)
03 Let's Be Friends
04 Mama
05 I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)
06 Almost
07 Change Of Habit
08 Have A Happy
09 Let's Forget About The Stars (not mentioned on Amazon, but on the CD)



Set for release on September 26, 2006 is the reissue of the original seventies Camden album "You'll Never Walk Alone" on the BMG Special Products label. Contrary to the "Let's Be Friends" this album has officially been available since 1987. The CD is available for pre-order.

Original track listing:

You´ll Never Walk Alone
Who Am I?
Let Us Pray
(There´ll Be) Peace In the Valley
We Call On Him
I Believe
It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)
Sing You Children
Take My Hand, Precious Lord

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Great news

Rich

Last edited by Rich_TCB on Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I wonder if 'Let's Be Friends' will contain the original Composite Master of "Mama" as it did when first released on vinyl.

This original version of "Mama" does appear on the CD's "Latino" and "The Heartbreaker" but it seems to be from a vinyl source on these.

The original version of Mama is also on a cheapie CD from the 80's called Double Dynamite (American release). It's one of those Pair/BMG releases that says 2 LPs on 1 CD even though the CD runs less than 45 minutes. It contains most of the contents of the Pickwick Double Dynamite double set from 1976. The sound quality is not very good (very muffled).

I wonder if 'Let's Be Friends' will contain the original Composite Master of "Mama" as it did when first released on vinyl.

This original version of "Mama" does appear on the CD's "Latino" and "The Heartbreaker" but it seems to be from a vinyl source on these.

Yeah, Mama had a strange history, didn't it ?

It was left off the 1962 Girls, Girls, Girls soundtrack album altogether [it was sung in the film by The Amigos alone].

In 1970, we first got the first version of the song, which was Elvis' Take 10 spliced with a take from The Amigos version.

Then we got the short [58 second] stereo Elvis' version on Double Features in 1993.

In 2000, Memory Records gave us some [unofficial] Amigo takes, an instrumental, and the short Elvis version - in binaural.

In 2000, Memory Records gave us some [unofficial] Amigo takes, an instrumental, and the short Elvis version - in binaural.

I think we already had it 1998 on Celluloid Rocks Vol.1.
Just for the records.

Oh, how these alblums bring back fond memories for me (as per shanebrown' words)! Two 'fine' iconic covers! I'm glad you guys brought up 'Mama' btw, because it needed a serious mention! ! Cheers!

Unfortunately they have done nothing to improve the sound on the first two re-releases Elvis Sings
Flaming Star & Almost In Love... I can only assume these will receive the same mis-treatment.

Unfortunately they have done nothing to improve the sound on the first two re-releases Elvis Sings
Flaming Star & Almost In Love... I can only assume these will receive the same mis-treatment.

I think they sound great.

Unfortunately they have done nothing to improve the sound on the first two re-releases Elvis Sings
Flaming Star & Almost In Love... I can only assume these will receive the same mis-treatment.

I think they sound great.

I agree, Claus. I had Almost In Love on cd as released by BMG through Avon many years ago. The sound was horrid. The re-release was 1000% better.

I eagerly await these.

Unfortunately they have done nothing to improve the sound on the first two re-releases Elvis Sings
Flaming Star & Almost In Love... I can only assume these will receive the same mis-treatment.

I think they sound great.

I think so too.

Unfortunately they have done nothing to improve the sound on the first two re-releases Elvis Sings
Flaming Star & Almost In Love... I can only assume these will receive the same mis-treatment.

I think they sound great.

I agree, Claus. I had Almost In Love on cd as released by BMG through Avon many years ago. The sound was horrid. The re-release was 1000% better.

I eagerly await these.

That may be but they sound no better than what's on the original LP's.

That may be but they sound no better than what's on the original LP's.

Either you suffer from severe hearing impedement or you need to ugrade your hifi system.

That may be but they sound no better than what's on the original LP's.

Either you suffer from severe hearing impedement or you need to ugrade your hifi system.

must be ear wax!

That may be but they sound no better than what's on the original LP's.

Either you suffer from severe hearing impedement or you need to ugrade your hifi system.

must be ear wax!

Pardon?

Elvis Information Network is now reporting that the version of Mama on Let's Be Friends will be the shorter :58 version...not the original LP version. Go figure.

I wish that weren't the case (if it is), but I can live with it. I still have the original vinyl album if I must listen to the long version of "Mama". Which I haven't done in years.

I'd rather have the album on cd with the short version of "Mama" than not at all.

Hi Gang,
What I discovered on the 'Almost In Love' CD.
Yeah the audio is better, but not that great. A few anomalies too...

From the EIN review..

This CD has been mastered from the original Camden LP Master tape and so it does feature the original mixes but at the same time has that rather flat-ish sound of the old Camden LPs. Knowing what great sound we can now get from Elvis' original Masters I do find some of the tracks a little disappointing but let's face it, The Colonel was never going to put quality money behind these budget albums! 'Almost In Love' immediately doesn't have the sparkle of the Double Features version and 'Edge Of Reality' is a muffled mono-ish mix. However to be honest some tracks like 'Long Legged Girl' sound fine, (I guess because it was rough to start with!)

The 'Stay Away' error has been fixed here and we do get the Master of the song 'Stay Away' - although the CD cover still (nostalgically?) carries the incorrect tracklisting indicating 'Stay Away Joe.'

There a few anomalies, with 'Almost In Love' having the guitar intro edited down by 4 bars. (The Master runs 3.02 which this "Camden" sleeve indicates, although the track only runs 2.52! )
Similarly 'Edge Of Reality' is shamefully faded out @ 3.13, so it misses that great "Hah!" that Elvis gives towards the end of the full-length Master. The sleeve again incorrectly says 3.27. But what am I doing here? - Picking errors on a Camden LP! The Colonel must be laughing all the way to the bank!

'A Little Less Conversation' is however the "original LP error" and is the earlier Take 10 (Elvis does not start this as on the 45RPM single with "Hey! .. a little less conversation".) However there was also an earlier mistake on the 'Double Features' compile where Take 10 & Take 16 were swapped on that CD! Therefore this Take 10 (outtake) is listed on the Double Features as being the Single version, and it is also the version on the 'Command Performances' Movie box-set. Interestingly the 2002 'A.L.L.C' CD single featured the '68 Comeback Special' take as the "Original version". So strangely it has become the 45RPM original release that is now the rarity!

'My Little Friend' - This is the gem and the only track of genuine rarity since it includes Felton Jarvis' original mix with very different orchestral overdub with sweeping stereo violins! Normally I have problems with these overproduced versions but this is actually a fabulous find & happy memories for me. The version on the later re-issues were much sparser which tended to give a lonelier feel to Elvis' vocal.

The CD cover features a sticker saying 'Original Artwork' but this is nothing more than the photo at the top of this page. It must be the wily Old Colonel up to his usual tricks!


Verdict: If BMG are cutting their Elvis catalogue to make way for these lightweight Camden releases then that is a catastrophe. And unless you are an Elvis completist I can hardly recommend buying the CD for the rarity of one track alone, especially with such a short CD playing time. However it sells at a budget price and, of all the Camden LPs, this tracklisting is particularly enjoyable and the CD will certainly have a particular appeal for fans who bought the originals in their youth.

Cheers
Piers

Are these cd's actually available anywhere? They are not available at Amazon even for a pre-order.

If my memory is right it was out on CD in early 2005, so that may have been a bootleg.

Are these cd's actually available anywhere? They are not available at Amazon even for a pre-order.

They've finally added an order button, but they're not available for immediate shipping.

Finding the first two in this reissue series was a big pain in the butt for several weeks, and it appears we're on that same track with these two.

Because they eventually did become a little easier to find, perhaps I'll try to show a little more patience this time around.

The 2006 reissues of "Almost in Love" and "....Sings Flaming Star" are now quite available in U.S. stores, after a slow start, if that's what you guys mean.

Piers' review brings out some important details I had not noticed at first listen, but I agree with others that the sound is more than adequate to these ears. Put on "Rubberneckin'" and tell me that this isn't a new remastering ...! Quite a few other songs sound really good to me or else it's just from years of hearing these on vinyl, casssette and especially 8-Track!


Piers wrote:

'A Little Less Conversation' is however the "original LP error" and is the earlier Take 10 (Elvis does not start this as on the 45RPM single with "Hey! .. a little less conversation".) However there was also an earlier mistake on the 'Double Features' compile where Take 10 & Take 16 were swapped on that CD! Therefore this Take 10 (outtake) is listed on the Double Features as being the Single version, and it is also the version on the 'Command Performances' Movie box-set. Interestingly the 2002 'A.L.L.C' CD single featured the '68 Comeback Special' take as the "Original version". So strangely it has become the 45RPM original release that is now the rarity!

Hmmm. I guess I follow that. So what CD has the 45 rpm version?

*************

I know some people view these Camden reissues as a waste of space or just as something that doesn't register, but they did come out during his lifetime as "real albums," albeit often crappy, thrown-together compilations. But the better ones, like "Almost In Love" and "Let's Be Friends" really deserve a hearing, even if you missed them the first time.

To protest, as some have, that they only run 20-odd minutes each (admittedly thin, then and now) is to forget that albums didn't always run 40 minutes, let alone 75 minutes. I personally like to throw on a lot of albums and move from one to another , and even one artist to another. "Almost In Love" really works for me as a "hear it in one sitting" disc.

I enjoy hearing these songs in this setting, in this order. And if I was unfortunate enough to miss them the first time in this setting, for the sake of authenticity, I'd say it's worth collecting these for the sake of being original releases that even he knew about, unlike the "Double Features" series, or "Love, Elvis," or "E1" or even FTD's like "So High" or "Out In Hollywood" or "Made In Memphis."

After all, most of us have way too many Elvis Cds as it is, with multiple outtakes and many live shows, so why not have these albums represented in your collection ? That's my persective anyway.

I'm an unambashed fan of a few of these discs and unlike some on some sites, I thank BMG for putting them out. They may be unessential, but they do have a claim for more than say, "Rock" or "Country" or "Live" and the other "genre" releases. I dare say that a release like "Almost In Love" is interesting and entertaining enough that once I had hooked someone as a fan with his major works, I could do worse than to give one of the Camdens as a gift. Many of us were turned on to Elvis via the better Camdens....

Verdict: If BMG are cutting their Elvis catalogue to make way for these lightweight Camden releases then that is a catastrophe. And unless you are an Elvis completist I can hardly recommend buying the CD for the rarity of one track alone, especially with such a short CD playing time. However it sells at a budget price and, of all the Camden LPs, this tracklisting is particularly enjoyable and the CD will certainly have a particular appeal for fans who bought the originals in their youth.

And everyone should remember, no "rarity" ever stays a rarity because BMG/FTD constantly are recycling music on multiple releases. So if you miss something once, don't worry, over time it will reappear.

As an Elvis-completist, i will buy these "new" releases for sure.

However, I wonder...why on earth are the CAMDEN LP's released on (individual) CD's, while most of the SOUNDTRACK LP's have been released as "double features" in the past.

I would have loved to have a normal CD-version (not only FTD) of Girls! Girls! Girls! or Fun in Acapulco. Looking at how the new Camdens sell, I am sure individual movie-albums would sell just fine as well.
I really do not understand BMG's thinking.

But anyway, thank God we have FTD!

I really do not understand BMG's thinking.

You are not alone. BMG runs Elvis' catalogue management in the most disorginized and confusing fashion in the entire music business. No other legacy artist or band has a catalogue in such disarray.

Not sure if I agree with this. The Buddy Holly catalogue is a mess. The Hollies Imperial and early Epic catalogue is a disaster and the Merle Haggard catalogue is so scattershot, it's hard to tell what to buy without consulting an online discography, to name a few. There are many artists from the 50s and early 60s that have catalogues that are a real mess. I think things started to change in the early 60s when Sinatra started the Reprise label and signed on a lot of artists who leased their recordings to the label. After a period of time, the ownership of the recordings went back to the artist. Eventually, it caught on but a lot of early British Invasion artists were signed to poor deals which left their catalogues at the mercy of unscrupulous merchandisers.