Never stopped "Thinking About You"!

[Mike in New Jersey]

I'm hardly naïve about the business dimension of this. All you need do is look at his release schedules and RCA's financial quarters. I dont intend to get back to Jarvis but to say that you cant have both commercial and artistic success is simply not true. You have to be surrounded by a support team that works hard at it and doesn't simply serve up mother's milk. How many consecutive love's lost ballads did he release on singles? By the time you get to From EP Blvd, he might as well been singing funeral dirges. And no one interceded because of greed, laziness and inherent mediocrity. We got it-he laments losing his wife. Find him a project and songs that were worthy. I really wonder how much time Jarvis and Hill and Range spent between sessions developing a plan and finding the right tracks for him. My guess is he got bullied into the studio post 70, a was handed a stack of garbage they had publishing on and he remembered a few songs and off to the races.

Although fn2drives language is a bit more strident than how I'd describe the same thing, this is a fair assessment on the state of affairs on Elvis recording career post 1970.

[Will]

I find this song a complete joy.......always makes me think of hot summer days...Elvis sounds younger for some reason which I put down to his delivery.

[fn2drive]

The steady diet of maudlin ballads (Its a matter of time, Seperate Ways, AOMM, Fool, It's Midnight, Thinking About You etc etc-all one trick ponies served up to him like his beloved cheeseburgers because they knew they had publishing, knew he would eat them and served up to fans as poor Elvis misses his Priscilla, sickens me.)

The music business is just that. A business. And a well established artist that was not composing (not counting independently chosen material by the artist) had to be "sold' or "pitched" what he liked, to go ahead and record it, hoping (with the artist's talent and production) this would be good business, for the public would buy it. And speaking of business. You think Elvis would have fallen for a song about his mom?..... That would not be a "cheeseburger". But a double meat Whopper with cheese! If it happened, of course.

I'm hardly naïve about the business dimension of this. All you need do is look at his release schedules and RCA's financial quarters. I dont intend to get back to Jarvis but to say that you cant have both commercial and artistic success is simply not true. You have to be surrounded by a support team that works hard at it and doesn't simply serve up mother's milk. How many consecutive love's lost ballads did he release on singles?

Well, let's see, after the rocking Burning Love, there was Separate Ways/Always on My Mind, followed by Steamroller Blues, Raised on Rock, I've Got a Thing About You Baby, If You Talk in Your Sleep, Promised Land, My Boy, T-R-O-U-B-L-E, Bringing it Back, Hurt, Moody Blue, Way Down....is that what you call one lost love song after another?

RCA would never really know what would ultimately be A or B. Its a matter of time, Fool, For old times sake, take good care of her, help me, its midnight, my boy b/w thinking about you(another loves lost), mr songman, pieces of my life, hurt, she thinks i still care. Say what you want, his single releases are one maudlin ballad after another and when you flipped the single over when A side was established, thats what you got. Not a single love song in the mix. Depressing and desolute-not to say a few arent good. My core point is they fed him a steady diet of this stuff because they knew he was a sucker for it and RCA released it so the core fans would say poor Elvis still misses his Priscilla. That was his brain trust at work. Just get something, anything recorded. Again if you like the collection of maudlin ballads and how he sang them, great. For Old Time Sake is a great example of a depressing song and despite the trainwreck of Stax 1, Elvis delivers a great performance where you can feel the pain. But at some distance you have understand that it was neither healthy nor artistically inspiring to be fed these over and over again.

[Ciscoking]

I find this song a complete joy.......always makes me think of hot summer days...Elvis sounds younger for some reason which I put down to his delivery.

Absolutely....its all a matter of taste...some like it..some not...its easy..

[goldbelt]

There are worthwhile points to make about the publishing issues, yet despite that, Elvis recorded a lot of material in the 70's that I very much like, particularly a lot of the ballads.

Where is all this great material that Elvis never sang, is it well known or did it never even get written because of Elvis' publishing issues?

I'd be interested in knowing what songs it is that some posters would have had Elvis sing to their satisfaction. The suggestion seems to be that so much of what he didn't sing would be far superior to that which he did sing - would it have been, really?

When I read so many times about Elvis shouldn't have recorded this, this and this, or that, that and that should have never been released, I am grateful those that make such statements were not making the decisions.

That's not to say I wouldn't have wanted great material to get to Elvis if it was out there, but in addition to, not instead of, what he did actually record.

[fn2drive]

There are worthwhile points to make about the publishing issues, yet despite that, Elvis recorded a lot of material in the 70's that I very much like, particularly a lot of the ballads.

Where is all this great material that Elvis never sang, is it well known or did it never even get written because of Elvis' publishing issues?

I'd be interested in knowing what songs it is that some posters would have had Elvis sing to their satisfaction. The suggestion seems to be that so much of what he didn't sing would be far superior to that which he did sing - would it have been, really?

When I read so many times about Elvis shouldn't have recorded this, this and this, or that, that and that should have never been released, I am grateful those that make such statements were not making the decisions.

That's not to say I wouldn't have wanted great material to get to Elvis if it was out there, but in addition to, not instead of, what he did actually record.

This is a great question. My best answer is how did they land such magnificent tracks at American? Within 2 years they were recording This is our Dance, Sylvia, and Life? You have to lay blame on Jarvis and Beinstock. Beinstock was delivering material suitable for Englebert and later for Charles Boyer. Elvis is also accountable-he should have simply left the studio until they delivered suitable material. But he was one until the drugs totally took over to meet his commitments. Finally the release pace was unsustainable to support great work.

[LesterB]

I like the song and Elvis voice - he sounds healthy and sober.

[brian]

There are worthwhile points to make about the publishing issues, yet despite that, Elvis recorded a lot of material in the 70's that I very much like, particularly a lot of the ballads.

Where is all this great material that Elvis never sang, is it well known or did it never even get written because of Elvis' publishing issues?

I'd be interested in knowing what songs it is that some posters would have had Elvis sing to their satisfaction. The suggestion seems to be that so much of what he didn't sing would be far superior to that which he did sing - would it have been, really?

When I read so many times about Elvis shouldn't have recorded this, this and this, or that, that and that should have never been released, I am grateful those that make such statements were not making the decisions.

With the commercial success of the 1969 sessions you've got the think that if Elvis had went back there in 1970 and 1971 that Chips Moman would have gotten him superior singles material.

Rather than record the horrible soundtracks in the mid sixties imagine if Elvis had put his foot down and refused to record them.
Then if he had gotten rid of the publishing issues in 1964 and 1965 he could have gotten songs from Burt Bacharach and Carole King & Gerry Goffin etc.

Marty Lacker told a story about how Elvis missed out at being the first to record the song ''I honestly love you'' at the 1972 L.A. sessions because of Colonel Parker's publishing policy.

[goldbelt]

Marty Lacker told a story about how Elvis missed out at being the first to record the song ''I honestly love you'' at the 1972 L.A. sessions because of Colonel Parker's publishing policy.

Taking this song as an example -It proved to be a great track for Olivia, but lyrically or otherwise, how is that song superior to many of the other 70's ballads Elvis was recording?

[brian]

Marty Lacker told a story about how Elvis missed out at being the first to record the song ''I honestly love you'' at the 1972 L.A. sessions because of Colonel Parker's publishing policy.

Taking this song as an example -It proved to be a great track for Olivia, but lyrically or otherwise, how is that song superior to many of the other 70's ballads Elvis was recording?

It was more commercial than many of Elvis' ballads.

Whether or not the song was better than Elvis' ballads that's a matter of opinion but I'd say it was certainly better than some.

[fn2drive]

Marty Lacker told a story about how Elvis missed out at being the first to record the song ''I honestly love you'' at the 1972 L.A. sessions because of Colonel Parker's publishing policy.

Taking this song as an example -It proved to be a great track for Olivia, but lyrically or otherwise, how is that song superior to many of the other 70's ballads Elvis was recording?

For one thing it was a love song not a loves lost song iirc.

[goldbelt]

Marty Lacker told a story about how Elvis missed out at being the first to record the song ''I honestly love you'' at the 1972 L.A. sessions because of Colonel Parker's publishing policy.

Taking this song as an example -It proved to be a great track for Olivia, but lyrically or otherwise, how is that song superior to many of the other 70's ballads Elvis was recording?

For one thing it was a love song not a loves lost song iirc.

It's a song about someone revealing their love to someone, not a million miles away from I Got A Thing About You Baby, perhaps.

You may find there are other Elvis love songs from the 70's that are also not all about lost love.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

I really enjoy the version on "Unedited Masters 1973" with the even longer extended version.

I love it, almost 5 minutes of pure Elvis! . Bye for now .

..

[fn2drive]

Marty Lacker told a story about how Elvis missed out at being the first to record the song ''I honestly love you'' at the 1972 L.A. sessions because of Colonel Parker's publishing policy.

Taking this song as an example -It proved to be a great track for Olivia, but lyrically or otherwise, how is that song superior to many of the other 70's ballads Elvis was recording?

For one thing it was a love song not a loves lost song iirc.

And i love you so and first time ever are the other 2 i could think of.

[Juan Luis]

Hi there!! .

I really enjoy the version on "Unedited Masters 1973" with the even longer extended version.

I love it, almost 5 minutes of pure Elvis! . Bye for now .

..

Thanks Miguel Windgren!

[goldbelt]

Marty Lacker told a story about how Elvis missed out at being the first to record the song ''I honestly love you'' at the 1972 L.A. sessions because of Colonel Parker's publishing policy.

Taking this song as an example -It proved to be a great track for Olivia, but lyrically or otherwise, how is that song superior to many of the other 70's ballads Elvis was recording?

For one thing it was a love song not a loves lost song iirc.

And i love you so and first time ever are the other 2 i could think of.

Plenty more songs from the 70's not about lost love, here's a few more to tide you over

The Next Step Is Love
Stranger In The Crowd
This Is Our Dance
How The Web Was Woven
I'll Never Know

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

I really enjoy the version on "Unedited Masters 1973" with the even longer extended version.

I love it, almost 5 minutes of pure Elvis! . Bye for now .

..

Thanks Miguel Windgren!

You´re welcome Juanito! . Bye for now .

[rlj4ep]

I have always liked this song. I like Elvis delivery along with the arrangement. I especially like the longer version released later.

rlj

[Scarre]

It´s not a typical EP song, but I like it...

[stedders]

It is a really nice track and his voice echoes 1969 Memphis sessions, being lighter and less grandiose than he became. Any talk of this showing his voice deteriorating is rubbish I'm afraid if you know about vocals and vocal health. What it actually does do is highlight how much elvis had stopped doing more subtle things with his vocals, how he had seemingly lost this charm (listen to It's Midnight or If You Talk In Your Sleep to see examples).

[billyblues]

It is a really nice track and his voice echoes 1969 Memphis sessions, being lighter and less grandiose than he became. Any talk of this showing his voice deteriorating is rubbish I'm afraid if you know about vocals and vocal health. What it actually does do is highlight how much elvis had stopped doing more subtle things with his vocals, how he had seemingly lost this charm (listen to It's Midnight or If You Talk In Your Sleep to see examples).

I wouldn't go as far as drawing a parallel between this one and the '69 sessions, but it surely is a good example of how Elvis could still just sing a song with no exaggeration whatsoever in '73!

Those who couldn't understand what "oversing" means when speaking of It's Midnight and My Boy should listen to this one. He just does the song, and even after the solo (long fade version/unedited), when the beat gets more intense, he just sings it naturally without GOING ALL DRAMATIC LIKE THIS.

[Matthew]

It is a really nice track and his voice echoes 1969 Memphis sessions, being lighter and less grandiose than he became.

I'm sorry, but there is absolute no parallel between the vocals on this track, and anything cut in 1969.

I understand your point though.

[Pete Dube]

It is a really nice track and his voice echoes 1969 Memphis sessions, being lighter and less grandiose than he became.

I'm sorry, but there is absolute no parallel between the vocals on this track, and anything cut in 1969.

I understand your point though.

Matthew, I think what stedders is trying to say is that on Thinking About You (and also Loving Arms) there's an exuberance or vibrancy to Elvis' voice that is reminiscent of some of the '69 Memphis tunes.

[Matthew]

Matthew, I think what stedders is trying to say is that on Thinking About You (and also Loving Arms) there's an exuberance or vibrancy to Elvis' voice that is reminiscent of some of the '69 Memphis tunes.

I don't agree. There is nothing, even of the very best singing from December 1973 that bears a connection to the work done in 1969.

[brian]

To me the song ''Thinking about you'' is a pleasant album track it's not bad.