"Dark Moon" --> Elvis Takes On Bonnie Guitar

[drjohncarpenter]

One of the most wonderful discoveries from a tape search of the Graceland archives was Elvis' lovely 1966 home demo of Ned Miller's ballad "Dark Moon," with harmonies supplied by pal Charlie Hodge.

Presley's return over and over to the song's chorus, while playing his acoustic, would be a pattern revisited during the incredible June 1968 small combo jams. When Elvis liked a piece of music, he didn't want to let it go.

Check it out!


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Elvis Presley - "Dark Moon" (unedited 1966 home demo, Los Angeles)


But ... did you know the song was a big 1957 pop and country hit for one Bonnie Guitar?




Billboard - March 30, 1957


Below is Bonnie's rendition, for those of you who've not heard it.

Enjoy!


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Bonnie Guitar "Dark Moon" (Dot 15550, March 23, 1957)
Billboard "Honor Roll of Hits" #2, June 17, 1957
Previously issued for the country market only on Fabor 4018.


Bonnie is still with us -- she lives in Tacoma, WA and just celebrated her 87th birthday on March 25.

Rock on, Bonnie!

[Frankie Teardrop]

Nice topic!

This Gale Storm rendition charted even higher on the pop chart that year, and featured the composer Ned Miller on guitar:

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[drjohncarpenter]

I like Bonnie's record better -- what say you?

IIRC, hers was the one that crossed over.

[Jove]

Thanks for the thread,Doc
Here's another version and note the many covers done by Elvis.

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[Frankie Teardrop]

I like Bonnie's record better -- what say you?

IIRC, hers was the one that crossed over.

Bonnie's is the best, for sure, for me even better than Elvis' home recording (I can never deal with when one of Elvis' crew loudly crows "YAWP!" in the middle).

[GuyLambert]

Thanks Doc, that was cool of you to do. Bonnie's 45 is one I play often.

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

And here's a Nashville sound version:

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[keninlincs]

I like Bonnies version and Jim Reeves nails it!

[colonel snow]

The song was recorded too on 13-04-57 by Hawkshaw Hawkins (RCA 20-6910); the version of Gale Storm was recorded on 06-04-57 (Dot 15558) while Bonnie Guitar recorded her version in jan. 1957 (Dot 15550).


colonel snow

[Swingin-Little-Guitar-Man]

Jim Reeves nails everything! Whatever that bloke got his hands on turned to gold!

[drjohncarpenter]

The song was recorded too on 13-04-57 by Hawkshaw Hawkins (RCA 20-6910); the version of Gale Storm was recorded on 06-04-57 (Dot 15558) while Bonnie Guitar recorded her version in jan. 1957 (Dot 15550).

It's interesting that Storm covered Guitar's version, and they were both on the Dot label!

[ColinB]

It's interesting that Storm covered Guitar's version, and they were both on the Dot label!

Bit dotty, really........................

[Marko]

Dark Moon was the track that got my attention when I first listened the Golden Celebration box set. It's good song and a nice performance from Elvis. Out of the versions posted here I prefere the Bonnie Guitar's rendition.

[stupot]

Jim Reeves nails everything! Whatever that bloke got his hands on turned to gold!

He couldn't nail Jailhouse Rock though Swingin...!!

[monkboughtlunch]

I've always loved Elvis informal performance of Dark Moon and would love to hear it in better fidelity. Anyone know the technical background of this home recording and what sources were used on Golden Celebration 1980 Lp issue, and the later 1998 Golden Celebration CD reissue?

Was Elvis' home recording made on a reel to reel tape recorder or acetate? Why is this You Tube version so scratchy? Is this a needledrop from the Golden Celebration Lp?

If the recording was originally made on tape, why hasn't Legacy issued a remastered version? Didn't the 1998 CD reissue of Golden Celebration version of Dark Moon sound like a needle drop?

Or has the original master tape been lost since the 1980 original release of Dark Moon?

[drjohncarpenter]

Anyone know the technical background of this home recording and what sources were used on Golden Celebration 1980 Lp issue, and the later 1998 Golden Celebration CD reissue?

IIRC, the 1966 home recordings at 10550 Rocca Place in Los Angeles were made on reel-to-reel.

The first tracks to be issued though, in 1984 on Elvis: A Golden Celebration, were found on an acetate, and issued from that source:

Write To Me From Naples
My Heart Cries For You
Dark Moon


The 1998 CD reissue apparently used the Joan Deary-produced album source for mastering.

On The Home Recordings (RCA, March 1999), a later-discovered tape source was used for these three tracks, although both "My Heart Cries For You" and "Dark Moon" were edited.


Here's "Dark Moon" from that 1999 release:





Elvis Presley - "Dark Moon" (edited 1966 home demo)



Hear a difference?

[Marko]

The recordings were made on Red West's reel to reel recorder which West bought for recording demos of his compositions.

[bc55]

Chris Isaak's version - he looks so "Elvis" standing in that little studio there .....

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid4020141001?bctid=25769356001

I LOVE this version.

Always makes me think of what Elvis could have done with it if he had recorded it commercially in the 50s.

[JerryNodak]

I prefer the Bonnie Guitar version. Which still comes up in rotatation on the Classic Country format where I work.

[epf]

One of the most wonderful discoveries from a tape search of the Graceland archives was Elvis' lovely 1966 home demo of Ned Miller's ballad "Dark Moon," with harmonies supplied by pal Charlie Hodge.

Presley's return over and over to the song's chorus, while playing his acoustic, would be a pattern revisited during the incredible June 1968 small combo jams. When Elvis liked a piece of music, he didn't want to let it go.

Check it out!


..

Elvis Presley - "Dark Moon" (unedited 1966 home demo)

Thanks doc. I love it when that mood strikes him. Beautiful rendition too, overall.
Good to know he was working on things like this behind the scenes in 1966. 1968 was no coincidence.

[drjohncarpenter]

Nice post, lots of info!

Thanks a lot! It's a cool little song.

[RonBaker2003]

I spoke with Gale about the recording many years ago. She told me she didn't want to do it as she loved Bonnie's version. However, Bonnie told Gale to go ahead and record it (probably urged to do so by Randy Wood). Ned Miller provided the acoustic guitar. I think Gale's recording is, by far, the best recording of the song. There is also a recording by Patti Page (also a single release).

[monkboughtlunch]

Has the source tape been used for any CD release? Or was the source tape lost and NoNoised via a computer to remove the acetate static and pops? Anyone know what source was used on the Complete Masters box? Is it edited on CM or complete?

[drjohncarpenter]

Has the source tape been used for any CD release?

Scroll up, Mr. Question Man
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53723#p774299

[elvisalisellers]

Has the source tape been used for any CD release? Or was the source tape lost and NoNoised via a computer to remove the acetate static and pops? Anyone know what source was used on the Complete Masters box? Is it edited on CM or complete?

Not that I'm aware.

The 1966 home recordings as featured on 'A Golden Celebration' [1984] and 'The Home Recordings' [1999] are BOTH derived from an acetate source [surface noise can still be heard on the latter].
However, on 'THR' said tracks appear to have been cleaned up a touch, although are quite heavily noise reduced in the process. .