"Honey Love" - The McPhatter link, part 27

[Mister Moon]

The session Elvis did in Nashville in June '58 has always sounded special to me. Well, he had a new band, led by the great Hank Garland, and he was probably aware that those songs would be the last ones he would cut officially in that decade.

Starting at 7 pm on June 10, they would work until 5 am on June 11, recording five songs : "I Need Your Love Tonight", "A Big Hunk O' Love", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "A Fool Such As I" and "I Got Stung".

"Ain't That Loving You Baby" was not to be released until 1964, but the other four songs appeared as singles - and also as part of "Elvis' Gold Records Vol. 2" - during the time he was in Germany. Of course, all four were smash hits.

These titles are probably among Elvis' best 50's output. They show him as a total master of the idiom, and the band is really cooking behind him. I love all five titles, but if I had to choose one of them, it would have to be "A Fool Such As I". Elvis takes Hank Snow's classic and, literally, zooms it into The Twilight Zone. And Garland's solo is fabulous - and those handclaps !! What a masterpiece.

It's a blessing that we can now listen to the complete session, and in pristine sound quality, thanks to FTD's edition of "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 2".

Regarding "I Need Your Love Tonight", it has always sounded derivative to me. Well, not always, but since I heard Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters' 1954 recording of "Honey Love" for Atlantic Records.

This song, credited to McPhatter and "Gerald" (a pseudonym for Atlantic's Jerry Wexler), was the third single of the group (the first and the second had been, respectively, "Money Honey" and "Such A Night"), and it was a number 1 hit in 1954. It was also banned from airplay in some radio stations, due to alleged suggestive lyrics. Set to a caribbean beat, the song was immediately covered by many artists.

Well, I can hear "Honey Love" while listening to Elvis' "I Need Your Love Tonight". The bridges are dissimilar, but the choruses are very alike - both the structure, and the theme of the lyrics. Sid Wayne and Bix Reichner were probably more than inspired by The Drifters' classic, and Elvis, being a McPhatter fan, just HAD to know that record.

Judge for yourself :

..
---------
Here are links to other Elvis / Clyde threads I started recently here at FECC, and you may have missed :

**On "Such A Night" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=78519

**On "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=78437

**On "Harbor Lights" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=78217

[drjohncarpenter]

The session Elvis did in Nashville in June '58 has always sounded special to me. Well, he had a new band, led by the great Hank Garland, and he was probably aware that those songs would be the last ones he would cut officially in that decade.

Starting at 7 pm on June 10, they would work until 5 am on June 11, recording five songs : "I Need Your Love Tonight", "A Big Hunk O' Love", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "A Fool Such As I" and "I Got Stung".

"Ain't That Loving You Baby" was not to be released until 1964, but the other four songs appeared as singles - and also as part of "Elvis' Gold Records Vol. 2" - during the time he was in Germany. Of course, all four were smash hits.

These titles are probably among Elvis' best 50's output. They show him as a total master of the idiom, and the band is really cooking behind him. I love all five titles, but if I had to choose one of them, it would have to be "A Fool Such As I". Elvis takes Hank Snow's classic and, literally, zooms it into The Twilight Zone. And Garland's solo is fabulous - and those handclaps !! What a masterpiece.

It's a blessing that we can now listen to the complete session, and in pristine sound quality, thanks to FTD's edition of "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 2".

Regarding "I Need Your Love Tonight", it has always sounded derivative to me. Well, not always, but since I heard Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters' 1954 recording of "Honey Love" for Atlantic Records.

This song, credited to McPhatter and "Gerald" (a pseudonym for Atlantic's Jerry Wexler), was the third single of the group (the first and the second had been, respectively, "Money Honey" and "Such A Night"), and it was a number 1 hit in 1954. It was also banned from airplay in some radio stations, due to alleged suggestive lyrics. Set to a caribbean beat, the song was immediately covered by many artists.

Well, I can hear "Honey Love" while listening to Elvis' "I Need Your Love Tonight". The bridges are dissimilar, but the choruses are very alike - both the structure, and the theme of the lyrics. Sid Wayne and Bix Reichner were probably more than inspired by The Drifters' classic, and Elvis, being a McPhatter fan, just HAD to know that record.

Judge for yourself :

..
---------
Here are links to other Elvis / Clyde threads I started recently here at FECC, and you may have missed :

**On "Such A Night" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=78519

**On "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=78437

**On "Harbor Lights" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=78217

Oh, what a joy to read your contributions. Great topic.

Although I know this fine Drifters recording, I never really connected it to Elvis' sterling master of "I Need Your Love Tonight." But you are 100% spot-on, it is there and incredibly evident. Did you notice both the Atlantic and RCA singles have bongos in the mix? Murrey "Buddy" Harman plays them at the Elvis Nashville session.



..Elvis Presley "I Need Your Love Tonight" (RCA Victor 7506, March 16, 1959)
Billboard U.S. Pop #4, April 20, 1959 ... B-side "A Fool Such As I" charted higher, Billboard U.S. Pop #2, April 27, 1959



"Honey Love" (Atlantic 1029) was a huge success for the Drifters, making Billboard U.S. R&B #1 on July 10, 1954, the week Elvis cut his first single for Sun. It supplanted Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle and Roll," also on Atlantic, and would stay at the top throughout the summer. Of course 19 year-old Elvis must have heard and loved them both.

[Mister Moon]

Many thanks, Doc, for your kind words, and for the additional information on both songs.

[mysterytrainrideson]

Thanks, mister moon. Nice read! Never made the connection between the two songs...but yes, it's there.

[Joe Car]

The session Elvis did in Nashville in June '58 has always sounded special to me. Well, he had a new band, led by the great Hank Garland, and he was probably aware that those songs would be the last ones he would cut officially in that decade.

Starting at 7 pm on June 10, they would work until 5 am on June 11, recording five songs : "I Need Your Love Tonight", "A Big Hunk O' Love", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "A Fool Such As I" and "I Got Stung".

"Ain't That Loving You Baby" was not to be released until 1964, but the other four songs appeared as singles - and also as part of "Elvis' Gold Records Vol. 2" - during the time he was in Germany. Of course, all four were smash hits.

These titles are probably among Elvis' best 50's output. They show him as a total master of the idiom, and the band is really cooking behind him. I love all five titles, but if I had to choose one of them, it would have to be "A Fool Such As I". Elvis takes Hank Snow's classic and, literally, zooms it into The Twilight Zone. And Garland's solo is fabulous - and those handclaps !! What a masterpiece.

It's a blessing that we can now listen to the complete session, and in pristine sound quality, thanks to FTD's edition of "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 2".

Regarding "I Need Your Love Tonight", it has always sounded derivative to me. Well, not always, but since I heard Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters' 1954 recording of "Honey Love" for Atlantic Records.

This song, credited to McPhatter and "Gerald" (a pseudonym for Atlantic's Jerry Wexler), was the third single of the group (the first and the second had been, respectively, "Money Honey" and "Such A Night"), and it was a number 1 hit in 1954. It was also banned from airplay in some radio stations, due to alleged suggestive lyrics. Set to a caribbean beat, the song was immediately covered by many artists.

Well, I can hear "Honey Love" while listening to Elvis' "I Need Your Love Tonight". The bridges are dissimilar, but the choruses are very alike - both the structure, and the theme of the lyrics. Sid Wayne and Bix Reichner were probably more than inspired by The Drifters' classic, and Elvis, being a McPhatter fan, just HAD to know that record.

Judge for yourself :

..
---------
Here are links to other Elvis / Clyde threads I started recently here at FECC, and you may have missed :

**On "Such A Night" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=78519

**On "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=78437

**On "Harbor Lights" : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=78217

Excellent post Mister Moon!

[Mister Moon]

Many thanks, mysterytrainrideson and Joe Car. My pleasure !