"Like A Baby"

[Juan Luis]

Jesse Stone's "Like A Baby" (first released in 1957 by Vikki Nelson and The Sounds), was recorded by Elvis Presley for the "Elvis Is Back" album, on April 3, 1960, at RCA Studio B, Nashville. Produced by Steve Sholes with Chet Atkins, and Elvis Presley hands on. The great sound man Bill Porter behind the console. Take four was the master.

This is Elvis Presley at his most powerful, inspired, and flawless blues singing. He was never more powerful than here. Listening to producer Chet Atkins interrupt the song (while working on a take) must have been annoying to Elvis and group. But it most probably helped conserve his voice while likely providing harder emotion. That could only add to the blues... Elvis' singing can be heard on the edge while remaining strong, retaining his tonality, and sexy to boot! Never again. At least on record, in my opinion. The fact that Bill Porter captured this in pristine sound makes this recorded performance even more incredible, and great!

It was an amazing revelation when listening to Elvis get into the song at first with his guitar. It still is. I love it! The band was great as well with kudos to the Jordanaires (plus Elvis on early takes!), Hank Garland guitar, Boots Randolph on sax. This one is for ELVIS!



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[Cheiro]

This is one of my favorite Elvis songs.

[r&b]

Elvis & The Blues - an unbeatable combo. Why oh why didnt this man record a full fledged blues album? It probably would have been the crown LP achievement of his career.

[jetblack]

Elvis was certainly at the top of his game in 1960. He could do no wrong.

'Like A Baby' is OUT-STANDING.



Andy

[minkahed]

Definitely one of my all-time favorite Elvis Presley recordings.

His vocal on this is impeccable.

Looking back in retrospect, it is kind of a shame that Elvis, RCA, The Colonel, who ever, did not craft an LP specifically dedicated to the Blues, given Elvis's lifelong passion and dedication to this genre or style of music.

In 1985, Greg Geller got it almost right when they pieced together the excellent blue album "Reconsider Baby", but excluded this song and placed it on the 1986 album, "Return of the Rocker". Hmmmm

[Juan Luis]

Something had to give with non-commercial music. It was either Gospel or the blues. Elvis was blues inspired, but not more than a few songs at a time. 1960 sessions are an example. My take.

[jetblack]

Definitely one of my all-time favorite Elvis Presley recordings.

His vocal on this is impeccable.

Looking back in retrospect, it is kind of a shame that Elvis, RCA, The Colonel, who ever, did not craft an LP specifically dedicated to the Blues, given Elvis's lifelong passion and dedication to this genre or style of music.

In 1985, Greg Geller got it almost right when they pieced together the excellent blue album "Reconsider Baby", but excluded this song and placed it on the 1986 album, "Return of the Rocker". Hmmmm

A year before 'Reconsider Baby' in 1984, RCA Europe released 'Elvis Sings The Blues' (NL 89169). 'Like A Baby' was indeed included.



"When It Rains It Really Pours
"New Orleans"
"It Feels So Right"
"A Mess Of Blues"
"Like a Baby"
"Reconsider Baby"
"I Feel So Bad"
"Give Me the Right"
"Beach Boy Blues"
"Stranger In My Own Hometown"
"Power Of Love"
"My Babe"
"Got My Mojo Working"
"Steamroller Blues"

Andy

[colonel snow]

Vikki Nelson recorded her version in february 1957 (Vik 0273).

Other versions:
00-02-57 - Toni Arden (Decca 30291);
00-03-57 - The Chordettes (Cadence 1319);
00-09-59 - Priscilla Bowman (Abner 1033).


colonel snow

[minkahed]

Something had to give with non-commercial music. It was either Gospel or the blues. Elvis was blues inspired, but not more than a few songs at a time. 1960 sessions are an example. My take.

Your take, okay point taken well, but what does this have to do with the concept of a blues album produced by the one and only Elvis Presley ?

[Juan Luis]

Something had to give with non-commercial music. It was either Gospel or the blues. Elvis was blues inspired, but not more than a few songs at a time. 1960 sessions are an example. My take.

Your take, okay point taken well, but what does this have to do with the concept of a blues album produced by the one and only Elvis Presley ?

Great concept. That he would work, sit and do it is, another matter. Little commercial value as in $$$, could have been a factor. Gospel to Elvis and many artists of the time (country), would see a redeeming value. Heaven.

[drjohncarpenter]

"Like A Baby" is not a blues, but a very good r&b chanter that got a decent amount of attention in 1957.

The FTD "classic album" release of Elvis Is Back! is the place to get Elvis' powerful master recording, take six, plus neat outtakes, some of which feature Elvis on guitar, in superb fidelity:

http://www.elvisinnorway.no/episbackftd.html

As I noted elsewhere, Vikki Nelson with the Sounds, Toni Arden, and the Chordettes all tackled r&b musician and songwriter Jesse Stone's "Like A Baby" in early 1957. However, none made the Top 40.

Nelson's was the original in the market, and clearly captured Elvis' ear. The other two were white-bread covers.


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Vikki Nelson with the Sounds, "Like A Baby" (VIK 0273, April 13, 1957)
This was Nelson's debut release for VIK, having previously been associated with New Jersey's Premium label.
The B-side was "I Was A Fool For Leaving"
Elvis' 1960 master follows this 1957 single's killer vocal and arrangement.



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Toni Arden, "Like A Baby" (Decca 30291, April 20, 1957)



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Chordettes, "Like A Baby" (Cadence 1319, April 27, 1957)



BONUS VIKKI




Billboard - May 13, 1957
R&B singer Vikki Nelson is prominently featured in this VIK ad.

[King Volcano]

Definitely one of my all-time favorite Elvis Presley recordings.

His vocal on this is impeccable.

Looking back in retrospect, it is kind of a shame that Elvis, RCA, The Colonel, who ever, did not craft an LP specifically dedicated to the Blues, given Elvis's lifelong passion and dedication to this genre or style of music.

In 1985, Greg Geller got it almost right when they pieced together the excellent blue album "Reconsider Baby", but excluded this song and placed it on the 1986 album, "Return of the Rocker". Hmmmm

A year before 'Reconsider Baby' in 1984, RCA Europe released 'Elvis Sings The Blues' (NL 89169). 'Like A Baby' was indeed included.



"When It Rains It Really Pours
"New Orleans"
"It Feels So Right"
"A Mess Of Blues"
"Like a Baby"
"Reconsider Baby"
"I Feel So Bad"
"Give Me the Right"
"Beach Boy Blues"
"Stranger In My Own Hometown"
"Power Of Love"
"My Babe"
"Got My Mojo Working"
"Steamroller Blues"

Andy

I have hardly any Presley vinyl but I bought a beautiful mint LP of that when I was first a fan, for like £1 or something. Goood sound, nice cover, a nice LP. First place I heard Beach Boy Blues which is good stuff, and sounds massive being the opening track on a side IIRC. I didn't own Blue Hawaii until later.

[Juan Luis]

Currently (unjustly) suspended member Steve Morse tells me that he has always regarded "Like A Baby" and Reconsider Baby as 'joined at the hip'. LAB creates the mood and RB just picks it up and immortalizes it. I agree!

[GLAISTER]

Subliminal. Perfect imperfection.

[drjohncarpenter]

I have hardly any Presley vinyl but I bought a beautiful mint LP of that when I was first a fan, for like £1 or something. Goood sound, nice cover, a nice LP. First place I heard Beach Boy Blues which is good stuff, and sounds massive being the opening track on a side IIRC. I didn't own Blue Hawaii until later.

That overseas release is nice, but should be called Elvis Sings The Rhythm and Blues. And the inclusion of "Beach Boy Blues" is a joke. That's a pastiche of the genre and should not have been in a serious collection. "New Orleans" also teeters on that brink. Note that neither one of those soundtrack recordings made 1985's Reconsider Baby. That was not by chance.

Otherwise, in revisiting the three 1957 recordings of "Like A Baby" that I posted above, I'm revising my assessment just a bit. Elvis may have liked bits of all three releases, and they each played a factor in his brilliant 1960 recording.

To wit: from Vikki Nelson he embraces the sassy lead vocal, tough sax and backing vocals. From Toni Arden he likes some of the precision in her vocal, not unlike what he hears in Kay Starr's recording of "Fool, Fool, Fool" and incorporates into his live-in-the-studio, radio station version of that number back in 1955. And parts of the Chordettes backing vocals seem to be mirrored by what the Jordanaires delivered on the Presley master.

Anyone else agree? Check my post and give them a listen!

[r&b]

Definitely one of my all-time favorite Elvis Presley recordings.

His vocal on this is impeccable.

Looking back in retrospect, it is kind of a shame that Elvis, RCA, The Colonel, who ever, did not craft an LP specifically dedicated to the Blues, given Elvis's lifelong passion and dedication to this genre or style of music.

In 1985, Greg Geller got it almost right when they pieced together the excellent blue album "Reconsider Baby", but excluded this song and placed it on the 1986 album, "Return of the Rocker". Hmmmm

A year before 'Reconsider Baby' in 1984, RCA Europe released 'Elvis Sings The Blues' (NL 89169). 'Like A Baby' was indeed included.



"When It Rains It Really Pours
"New Orleans"
"It Feels So Right"
"A Mess Of Blues"
"Like a Baby"
"Reconsider Baby"
"I Feel So Bad"
"Give Me the Right"
"Beach Boy Blues"
"Stranger In My Own Hometown"
"Power Of Love"
"My Babe"
"Got My Mojo Working"
"Steamroller Blues"

Andy

I have hardly any Presley vinyl but I bought a beautiful mint LP of that when I was first a fan, for like £1 or something. Goood sound, nice cover, a nice LP. First place I heard Beach Boy Blues which is good stuff, and sounds massive being the opening track on a side IIRC. I didn't own Blue Hawaii until later.

The only thing about Beach Boy Blues blues oriented is the word Blues in the title. Apparently more sloppiness at RCA when putting that album together. Did anyone even bother listening to the song before slapping it on there? Laughable.

[drjohncarpenter]

The only thing about Beach Boy Blues blues oriented is the word Blues in the title. Apparently more sloppiness at RCA when putting that album together. Did anyone even bother listening to the song before slapping it on there? Laughable.

This compilation was RCA Germany all the way, the disc compiled by Helmut Radermacher of the "Elvis Presley Appreciation Society" fan club in West Germany. My guess is the song choices, for better or worse, are deliberate. An example of this is the closing track on side 2, which gives fans the 1973 rehearsal performance in Hawaii of "Steamroller Blues," which Helmut noted was "sung more relaxed." Unfortunately, it's also not as good as the version from the live broadcast.

A year later, the RCA compilation put together in America by Gregg Geller, Reconsider Baby, was far more astute.

[poormadpeter2]

Definitely one of my all-time favorite Elvis Presley recordings.

His vocal on this is impeccable.

Looking back in retrospect, it is kind of a shame that Elvis, RCA, The Colonel, who ever, did not craft an LP specifically dedicated to the Blues, given Elvis's lifelong passion and dedication to this genre or style of music.

In 1985, Greg Geller got it almost right when they pieced together the excellent blue album "Reconsider Baby", but excluded this song and placed it on the 1986 album, "Return of the Rocker". Hmmmm

You see, I'm not sure he did have the passion and dedication to the genre or style because he recorded so little of it. Even if he didn't record a blues album, he could have included a blues number on each LP he put out. But if he loved the blues so much, where are they? Where are the blues on Something for Everybody? Or Pot Luck? Or in the 1957 sessions? You get When It Rains It Really Pours, and that's the only real blues number of that year. What about when he was struggling to complete the required number of recordings in 1971, 1973 or 1976? He could have easily run off a few blues numbers to fulfil the quota. But he didn't. Even a comp like Reconsider Baby isn't really blues all the way through. Tomorrow Night? Don't think so. And when he was recording covers in the 1970s, where were the blues? Sure, much of his music has a "bluesy" element, but I don't see much evidence of Elvis having much desire to cut a blues album as such or even perform blues songs in particular. They would have been easy additions to his live repertoire, but they're not there. Even in the private recordings of the late 1950s and through the 1960s, is he singing blues? Nope, he's singing country, gospel and show tunes. If he loved them so much, surely he'd be at least singing them in private?

Another loose "blues-ish" collection came from the Uk, with the tracks apparently licensed from RCA. It was released a double LP and double cassette.

https://www.discogs.com/Elvis-Presley-Mess-O-Blues/release/4020615

[fn2drive]

Well it's no Reconsider Baby but man is it it great. It would take 8 years before he would be that good again.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

Listening to producer Chet Atkins interrupt the song (while working on a take) must have been annoying to Elvis and group. But it most probably helped conserve his voice while likely providing harder emotion.

I was "all shook up" when I first heard those outtakes (Takes 1 & 2) of Like A Baby on my U.S long box version of "Elvis-Collectors Gold" 3 cd box set .



What a song, it´s one of my favourite on the Nashville disc of this release! . Thanks for the topic. Bye for now .

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Source: http://www.keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/600403.html#02

[drjohncarpenter]

Well it's no Reconsider Baby but man is it it great. It would take 8 years before he would be that good again.

In terms of that incredible, Samson-tearing-down-the-walls kind of vocal, I suppose you are right.

[Davelee]

A great r&b track through and through... quality! No complaints, everything's perfection. Love the lyrics.

[Chucky99]

What a song dude...what a song..perfect for being in bed with a girl..oh yeah...

[drjohncarpenter]

Otherwise, in revisiting the three 1957 recordings of "Like A Baby" that I posted above, I'm revising my assessment just a bit. Elvis may have liked bits of all three releases, and they each played a factor in his brilliant 1960 recording.

To wit: from Vikki Nelson he embraces the sassy lead vocal, tough sax and backing vocals. From Toni Arden he likes some of the precision in her vocal, not unlike what he hears in Kay Starr's recording of "Fool, Fool, Fool" and incorporates into his live-in-the-studio, radio station version of that number back in 1955. And parts of the Chordettes backing vocals seem to be mirrored by what the Jordanaires delivered on the Presley master.

Anyone else agree? Check my post and give them a listen!

Not all at once, fans of 1960 Elvis!

[jetblack]

ELVIS IN HOLLYWOOD (CBR 1014)


A year after releasing 'Elvis In Hollywood' (1982) another nice compilation was released by Everest in 1983 entitled 'Blue Rhythms' (EPC 1000). This double album was released on both blue and black vinyl.



Side One:
1. Trouble
2. Reconsider Baby
3. A Mess Of Blues
4. Give Me The Right
5. Such A Night
6. When It Rains It Really Pours

Side Two:
7. Trying To Get To You
8. Like A Baby
9. I Want To Be Free
10. Mean Woman Blues
11. Ain't That Loving You Baby
12. One Night

Side Three:
13. Little Sister
14. So Glad You're Mine
15. Big Boss Man
16. I Want You With Me
17. Baby What You Want Me To Do
18. Santa Claus Is Back In Town

Side Four:
19. Stuck On You
20. I Feel So Bad
21. What'd I Say
22. Tomorrow Night
23. It Feels So Right
24. Merry Christmas Baby

Andy