"Slowly But Surely"

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Topic author
Juan Luis

"Slowly But Surely"

Post by Juan Luis »

Great bonus track included on the "Fun In Acapulco" soundtrack album. Recorded on May 28,1963 at RCA Studio B, Nashville. Steve Sholes nominal producer with Bill Porter behind the console.
A very nice addition to the fun soundtrack album. "Slowly But Surely" was included in the final scene of the 1965 "Tickle Me" film.

I love the fuzz guitar sound of Jerry Kennedy. The PJ Proby demo of the Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne composition is excellent, in my opinion.

One of my favorite non-hit single tracks from the Ernst Jorgensen produced compilation... "For The Asking : 'The Lost Album' ".
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jetblack
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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by jetblack »

Always had a lot of time for 'Slowly But Surely'.

It is one of the few songs that work well in 'Tickle Me'.

It was released as the B Side on a 45rpm in the Phillipines in 1965 coupled with 'I Feel That I've Known You Forever'.

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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by bajo »

I've always liked this one, among most of what came from those 1963 sessions. They saved many a soundtrack album following Fun In Acapulco which, imo, still is a fine soundtrack album with Elvis in splendid voice! :smt020


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lovin' EP

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by lovin' EP »

Thanks, Juan, Very catchy tune!

Elvisly,

Linda



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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Domino »

It's a movin groovin catchy tune.Always liked the Fun In Acapulco album and this would be one reason why.Thanks.


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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by brian »

I like the song it would have made a good album track on the 1963 studio album that was cancelled.



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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by goldbelt »

Slowly But Surely is a cool track and the PJ Proby demo is also very good. Probably as good as Elvis' own recording in it's own way, though I do prefer Elvis' just a little more.

There's also PJ's demo recording for the Fun In Acapulco title track, which is well worth a listen.

Note the lyric change following the 'this is no time for siesta' line where it has gone from 'there is work to be done' to 'this is time for fun'.

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Last edited by goldbelt on Mon Jan 23, 2017 11:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.




Topic author
Mister Moon

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Mister Moon »

Sorry, but "Slowly But Surely" it's not one of my favourite tracks from those recorded at the May 1963 dates.

In my opinion, it belongs to the filler category, like "Western Union" or "Blue River", also cut at those sessions.

My favourite track, by far, of the batch is "(You're The) Devil In Disguise", and I'm glad it was chosen as the single. It's a classic.




Topic author
r&b

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by r&b »

Mister Moon wrote:Sorry, but "Slowly But Surely" it's not one of my favourite tracks from those recorded at the May 1963 dates.

In my opinion, it belongs to the filler category, like "Western Union" or "Blue River", also cut at those sessions.

My favourite track, by far, of the batch is "(You're The) Devil In Disguise", and I'm glad it was chosen as the single. It's a classic.
Agree about Devil. Far and away the best track. Slowly is a decent track mostly due to the fuzzy guitar, quite innovative for an Elvis record at the time. It may have been a good follow-up single to Devil as it is pretty catchy. The problem I had with it is Elvis. He sounds bored and seems to sing without much energy. Only 3 years earlier in 1960, this would have been 100% better.




Topic author
Juan Luis

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Juan Luis »

That's why I stated in my OP one of my favorite non hit-single tracks from "The Lost Album".




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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Eggrert »

I knew this song for a while thanks to the 60s box and The Lost Album, but for whatever reason, it never completely clicked with me until I picked up the Fun In Acapulco album. I'd be lying if I said that I thought it was a highlight of the period, but I always enjoy listening to it. In a way, I think it works nicely with the FIA material. Whereas the bonus tracks on albums like Spinout and Double Trouble just seemed tacked on, the two FIA bonus tracks seemed to complement the album proper. I really can't explain why I feel this way, as there's no rational reason to do so...but it is what it is. :D




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poormadpeter2

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by poormadpeter2 »

No, I can't say I'm a fan of this one. If there's an under-rated song from those sessions, then it's the surprising dark Long Lonely Highway (also used to good effect in Tickle Me).




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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Davelee »

Not a great track unfortunately.




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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Fish »

Not a great track but decent as album filler. I do prefer Blue River, Long Lonely Highway and Never Ending.
As a follow up single to Devil, I am pretty sure that Witchcraft would have been a hit, after Devil and LLH, my favourite from these sessions.




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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Chucky99 »

The weakest track from the Lost Album




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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Scarre »

jetblack wrote:Always had a lot of time for 'Slowly But Surely'.

It is one of the few songs that work well in 'Tickle Me'.

It was released as the B Side on a 45rpm in the Phillipines in 1965 coupled with 'I Feel That I've Known You Forever'.

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Andy
Disagree...it´s the one I like the least from Tickle Me...Don´t care much for it.




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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by GLAISTER »

"Cool" is the word for this one, a strong album track - fortunately I have never seen "Tickle Me" (just the title puts me off) so my feelings towards this song are not tainted!




Topic author
Juan Luis

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Juan Luis »

Chucky99 wrote:The weakest track from the Lost Album
"Never Ending" to me for being so repetitive. I like that one too, anyhow.



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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by Rob »

To this fan, it's a fun song to enjoy in an Elvis movie, but nothing more.


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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by elvisalisellers »

poormadpeter2 wrote:If there's an under-rated song from those sessions, then it's the surprising dark Long Lonely Highway (also used to good effect in Tickle Me).
For me, it's Don Robertson's "Love Me Tonight" [the other FIA bonus track].

Yes, it doesn't break any new ground in comparison with the other Robertson recordings, but his reading is absolutely faultless.

Take 1 [taken in a higher key] first heard on Collectors Gold is a standout performance, too.

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Topic author
r&b

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by r&b »

I think these tracks would have made strong single A sides to follow Devil In Disguise from these sessions

Slowly But Surely
Long Lonely Highway
Witchcraft

Memphis


They were all wasted due to the movies. Witchcraft B side to Bossa Nova Baby, and the other 2 thrown away in Tickle Me in 1965 and used as bonus songs to soundtracks which now totally dominated the album front for Elvis. Memphis could and should have been an A side before Rivers. Elvis blames Rivers or so the story goes, but its his own fault and the Cols for giving the movie songs so much priority on the singles scene. There were better songs to be used. So they come up with Blue River 3 years later as a single. One of the weakest songs showing how passe Elvis now was in creating new music for singles against the sounds of the day..



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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by jurasic1968 »

Memphis, Tennessee was the right choice for a single instead of Kissin' Cousins in 1964.




Topic author
r&b

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by r&b »

jurasic1968 wrote:Memphis, Tennessee was the right choice for a single instead of Kissin' Cousins in 1964.
yes or It Hurts Me as the A side to Kissin Cousins but that never would happen when you have a movie to promote.



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Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by jurasic1968 »

Absolutely agree.




Topic author
skatterbrane

Re: "Slowly But Surely"

Post by skatterbrane »

I like For The Asking more than Pot Luck and even Something For Everybody to tell the truth! It is too bad it was never realized as an album back in 1964. Heck, they were desperate to issue a studio album in 1965 and they squandered For The Asking due to soundtrack LP scheduling. Of course after the sales of GI Blues, Blue Hawaii and to a lesser extent Girls-Girls-Girls, and the poor sales of Elvis Is Back, Something For Everybody and Pot Luck, I can see why For The Asking was shelved.

Slowly But Surely sounds like a movie song to me, maybe it is because the first time I heard it was watching Tickle Me. The song that left the strongest impression when watching Tickle Me was the opener Long Lonely Highway. When I bought the Kissin Cousins LP, it was the saving grace that ALMOST made up for Barefoot Ballad (oh how embarrassing).

Double Trouble LP was greatly elevated by 3 songs from these sessions, I liked them all. Devil In Disguise, Long Lonely Highway, Memphis Tennessee, Witchcraft and It Hurt's Me were all worthy of being top 5 hits and this core material is what puts For The Asking in such high esteem in my eyes.

But back to Slowly But Surely, not bad, not bad at all.