Controversial opinion: drop The Jordanaires

[Swedish]

I believe some of the overdub CDs produced by Good Music have the Jordanaires' vocals removed.

Or take a listen to them without E

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[Swedish]

Even a swedish artist hires them for a LP of "spiritual songs"

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[frus75]

I think that not liking the tambourine sound on the 74 shows, or the sherrill solos is one thing, but dropping the Jordanaires is almost like dropping the orchestra out of the Sinatra recordings. Or asking Tom Jones not to sing over the top. It’s not dropping a casual or extra element, is dropping Elvis himself. I go as far as to tell that it’s very difficult to enjoy Elvis if the Jordanaires annoy you. I’m not saying that it could be better or not for you, but that maybe you’re in for the wrong artist, because they’re like melted together.

I'd completely disagree with that. Most of the recordings without the Jords sound much fresher and easier on the ear.

Indeed I think you agree with me: I meant that, as you don’t like the Jordanaires sound, it’ll be difficult for you to enjoy Elvis, as they’re all over his 1956-1968 recordings.

Note that Elvis was very very sensitive not to use back up voices (Jordanaires or others) on certain songs, like jailhouse rock or one night.

I can’t say he may sound dated after the Beatles (I wasn’t there), but the chore of the Jordanaires records come from 1956 to march 1964.

[clambake1967]

I agree. If the time comes to want to change absolutely everything that is the basic career of Elvis in life, one has to wonder if you really like Elvis or maybe not so much.
For that same reason I do not like to change the original instruments.
It is one thing to remix and another to totally alter what was recorded during Elvis's lifetime.
Anyway, if things like the Philharmonic and so on have made Elvis more successful and better known among the general public, perfect. But one has to value above all what is the real work of Elvis.
By the way, I don't like the stereo extracted from mono either, I notice it is still far from the perfection that it may possibly reach in the future.

[frus75]

I agree. If the time comes to want to change absolutely everything that is the basic career of Elvis in life, one has to wonder if you really like Elvis or maybe not so much.
For that same reason I do not like to change the original instruments.
It is one thing to remix and another to totally alter what was recorded during Elvis's lifetime.
Anyway, if things like the Philharmonic and so on have made Elvis more successful and better known among the general public, perfect. But one has to value above all what is the real work of Elvis.
By the way, I don't like the stereo extracted from mono either, I notice it is still far from the perfection that it may possibly reach in the future.

And if we should go deep, psychologically speaking, the tops are there because of the lows. There’ll be no American sessions or nbc special without what paradise Hawaiian style
and the rest made Elvis feel. And Elvis had a weakness that made him prone to addictions, but that vulnerability is what makes his singing on in the ghetto, indescribably blue and hundreds of others so unique. When the song was sad, he sounded sad, not pretending to be sad.

Incidentally, the same quality impregnated the work of Frank Sinatra. Once they asked him about it and he said something like he could sing like that because he was a 18 karat manic depressive, and he meant it.

But, back on topic, the real thing about Elvis is that he sure wanted the Jordanaires there and that in other cases he left them out. So he was sure about when and how to feature them.

[elvisfan51]

I agree. If the time comes to want to change absolutely everything that is the basic career of Elvis in life, one has to wonder if you really like Elvis or maybe not so much.
For that same reason I do not like to change the original instruments.
It is one thing to remix and another to totally alter what was recorded during Elvis's lifetime.
Anyway, if things like the Philharmonic and so on have made Elvis more successful and better known among the general public, perfect. But one has to value above all what is the real work of Elvis.
By the way, I don't like the stereo extracted from mono either, I notice it is still far from the perfection that it may possibly reach in the future.

And if we should go deep, psychologically speaking, the tops are there because of the lows. There’ll be no American sessions or nbc special without what paradise Hawaiian style
and the rest made Elvis feel. And Elvis had a weakness that made him prone to addictions, but that vulnerability is what makes his singing on in the ghetto, indescribably blue and hundreds of others so unique. When the song was sad, he sounded sad, not pretending to be sad.

Incidentally, the same quality impregnated the work of Frank Sinatra. Once they asked him about it and he said something like he could sing like that because he was a 18 karat manic depressive, and he meant it.

But, back on topic, the real thing about Elvis is that he sure wanted the Jordanaires there and that in other cases he left them out. So he was sure about when and how to feature them.

Elvis wanted the Jordanaires to back him when he opened in Vegas 1969, but said he could not get them out of Nashville. He also wanted Scotty and DJ Fontana.

[Alan_K]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

[clambake1967]

I agree. If the time comes to want to change absolutely everything that is the basic career of Elvis in life, one has to wonder if you really like Elvis or maybe not so much.
For that same reason I do not like to change the original instruments.
It is one thing to remix and another to totally alter what was recorded during Elvis's lifetime.
Anyway, if things like the Philharmonic and so on have made Elvis more successful and better known among the general public, perfect. But one has to value above all what is the real work of Elvis.
By the way, I don't like the stereo extracted from mono either, I notice it is still far from the perfection that it may possibly reach in the future.

And if we should go deep, psychologically speaking, the tops are there because of the lows. There’ll be no American sessions or nbc special without what paradise Hawaiian style
and the rest made Elvis feel. And Elvis had a weakness that made him prone to addictions, but that vulnerability is what makes his singing on in the ghetto, indescribably blue and hundreds of others so unique. When the song was sad, he sounded sad, not pretending to be sad.

Incidentally, the same quality impregnated the work of Frank Sinatra. Once they asked him about it and he said something like he could sing like that because he was a 18 karat manic depressive, and he meant it.

But, back on topic, the real thing about Elvis is that he sure wanted the Jordanaires there and that in other cases he left them out. So he was sure about when and how to feature them.

Completely agree with you.
Elvis in Paradise Hawaiian Style is totally credible despite the fact that he is singing songs that are certainly not wonderful, far from it.
But it is believable.
The emotion is always or almost always when Elvis sings.
He feels what he sings. It conveys credibility.
Regarding Frank Sinatra and I would add Nat King Cole, that miracle of credibility also occurs.
I might add Bobby Darin.
The 4 undoubtedly great among the greats.
The 4 with a unique personality, unlike any other, a unique flexibility in the voice, and total credibility when you hear them sing.

[jurasic1968]

Elvis in PHS was totally credible? Take off your rose colored glasses. An abysmal album and film.

[clambake1967]

I reaffirm.
I said these are far from excellent songs, but that doesn't take away from Elvis's singing credibility.
You can see this more in some of the songs like This is my heaven, Sand Castles (bonus track but recorded for the movie), Drums of the Islands, even in my opinion the same song that gives the movie its title.

[Brian Quinn]

The Jordanaires were particularly good on Elvis' 1950's and early 1960's recordings and some others after that time. However, I wonder how many of today's male artists would have a much older group backing them. Very few, if any, I suspect. Not cool in today's parlance. Of course the music scene was drastically different in the early days.

Brian

[Edwin]

I like Elvis the rebel with the neat Jordanaires backing him. Made him stand out even more.

[tinseltown]

It's not a sacrilege if you don't like the overuse of the Jordanaires on some songs or makes you a lesser fan of Elvis or even not an Elvis fan at all.
To state such is ridiculous, arrogant and pretty stupid.
.
Some also don't like the grand orchestration of his Vegas arrangements.
Elvis liked it that way.
People who state that persons who don't always enjoy his choices are not Elvis fans or don't like his music really are out of their mind.
Ignorant and stupid it is to state such.
Get a grip- indeed.

[eligain]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

[Alan_K]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

Yes, all the RCA labels used to say "with the Jordanaires" on Heartbreak Hotel. Here's some examples of the single from 1958 and all the subsequent repressings RCA1088.

[eligain]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

Yes, all the RCA labels used to say "with the Jordanaires" on Heartbreak Hotel. Here's some examples of the single from 1958 and all the subsequent repressings RCA1088.

That must be just the way it was in Great Britain because here in the US it wasn't that way.

[Swedish]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

Yes, all the RCA labels used to say "with the Jordanaires" on Heartbreak Hotel. Here's some examples of the single from 1958 and all the subsequent repressings RCA1088.

But what about this

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[charroman]

There are certainly just a few tracks that to my ears have always sounded slightly off with the Jords backing and thats mainly due to the arrangement or maybe one voice is pitched too high in the mix and of course previously cannot be easily remixed. "In Your Arms" being one and the ending of "Today, Tomorrow and Forever" . As a wider question of backing vocals other than the Jords in the 60's the version of "What'd I Say" released accidentally on Vol 2 of Elvis Forever where it was missing much of the left channel and overloud voices I believe was a revelation although that cannot be blamed on the Jords but the strange mix makes it a better track imho.

With technology nowadays its possible to better seperate and mix tracks and there could be some great and outstanding vocal work and instrumentation still to hear in better clarity and allow for remixing if the vocals can be separated out. Using the kind of technology Giles Martin has used could be worthwhile here

[Alan_K]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

Yes, all the RCA labels used to say "with the Jordanaires" on Heartbreak Hotel. Here's some examples of the single from 1958 and all the subsequent repressings RCA1088.

That must be just the way it was in Great Britain because here in the US it wasn't that way.

I can well believe it. Whether or not other countries were the same I'm unsure. I think they also (UK) got it wrong on LP's as well. It was only RCA, not HMV. HMV got it correct, it was only when RCA set up in the UK and got Decca to press the discs that the problems started.

[Alan_K]

Another on the EP this time, tracks credited to Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires

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[Lonely Summer]

If the Jordanaires had stayed with Elvis, maybe we would have been spared all those divebomber routines in the 70's.
Heartbreak Hotel didn't need the Jordanaires, didn't need any backup singers; but I enjoy their contributions to Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel, Too Much, All Shook Up, That's When Your Heartaches Begin, Teddy Bear, and dozens more.

[drjohncarpenter]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

Yes, all the RCA labels used to say "with the Jordanaires" on Heartbreak Hotel. Here's some examples of the single from 1958 and all the subsequent repressings RCA1088.

"All"? No way.

I'm not aware of any U.S. single or EP release of the song with that erroneous credit. That's the primary market.

If a secondary market like the U.K. made the error on a 78 RPM release, that's pretty insignificant.

[Lee Wood]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

Yes, all the RCA labels used to say "with the Jordanaires" on Heartbreak Hotel. Here's some examples of the single from 1958 and all the subsequent repressings RCA1088.

"All"? No way.

I'm not aware of any U.S. single or EP release of the song with that erroneous credit. That's the primary market.

If a secondary market like the U.K. made the error on a 78 RPM release, that's pretty insignificant.

In the long term, I'd say that the "secondary market" like the U.K. supported Elvis better than the U.S., but what would you know?

[Alan_K]

Go the other way, put the Jordanaires on Heartbreak Hotel - at least it would make all those old RCA labels correct when they said they were on it.

Were the Jord's listen on HH?

Yes, all the RCA labels used to say "with the Jordanaires" on Heartbreak Hotel. Here's some examples of the single from 1958 and all the subsequent repressings RCA1088.

"All"? No way.

I'm not aware of any U.S. single or EP release of the song with that erroneous credit. That's the primary market.

If a secondary market like the U.K. made the error on a 78 RPM release, that's pretty insignificant.

It was UK only as far as I know, They were not 78 rpm's but 45's, though the 78 rpm of RCA1088 may have mentioned the Jordanaires - just checked - it does on all three pressings. The link I gave is of 45rpms and further posts clarify that it was the UK for those hard of hea...reading further.
This wasn't a one off, this carried on through the 60's and includes the orange label re-pressings as well.
All RCA (UK) 45's and 78's credited the Jordanaires up to the release of the Maximillion series.
RCA (UK) even credited the Jordanaires on the 1980 / 1982 re-pressings of the 1977 re-issue (which also included the credit). RCA 2694
The only time in that period where RCA (UK) didn't credit them was on the 1971 Maximillion release.

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[drjohncarpenter]

In the long term, I'd say that the "secondary market" like the U.K. supported Elvis better than the U.S., but what would you know?

Probably more than you.

In the long term, the U.S. state of California supported Elvis better than the U.K.

But of course the discussion here is specifically about some mislabeled, sixty-seven year-old 78 RPM singles from the U.K.

Very insignificant in respect to the millions of RCA singles sold in the U.S. with the correct credit for "Heartbreak Hotel."