"The Next Step Is Love"

[Juan Luis]

Recorded on June 7/8 1970 at RCA Studio B in Nashville. Felton Jarvis Producing with Al Pachucki engineering.

A straight pop song penned by Paul Evans ("I Gotta Know") and Paul Parnes. A nice departure from country and blues which Presley was immersed during these June 1970 sessions. Elvis does a very good job on this breezy number that has a very catchy Beatlesque arrangement, credited to Bergen White (Felton would tap him again in 1976 for arranging duties, special distinction "Moody Blue"), and Gene Mullins (Nashville studio Trombonist).

Ernst Jorgensen comments to Ken Sharp:
"I think it’s a song Tom Jones could have recorded. I like “The Next Step Is Love.” It is a little different for Elvis. You end up liking it a lot when you see That’s The Way It Is where you see Elvis and his band rehearsing it. It was not a very typical song for Elvis. It wasn’t a roots based song deriving from a country, blues or gospel type of writing. I think to some extent it came in because the input to Elvis’ sessions was also partly up to Freddie Bienstock. He had started working in England with English songwriters for Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck and wanted to bring those types of songs into the Elvis repertoire. The song’s writer, Paul Evans, had written “I Gotta Know” which Elvis recorded back in 1960. So he wasn’t part of that new generation of English writers. It was a song that was crafted as straight pop and most of Elvis’ repertoire wasn’t."

I first heard "The Next Step Is Love" when I acquired the "Worldwide Gold Award Hits" way back in 1977-78. I still had yet to get myself a copy of the TTWII long playing album. I have enjoyed it ever since. Bittersweet times!

Interesting Bergen White interview.
..

THE NEXT STEP IS LOVE
..

[MikeFromHolland]

.

Fantastic song. Always loved it and still do.

.

[midnightx]

Fairly clumsy lyrics with elements of heavy-handed post-production detract from the song's potential. It was an attempt at arranging a contemporary pop song and the melody is attractive, but the production turns the song into a hybrid of slick MOR and attempts at something commercially attractive. Perhaps Chips Moman and his staff could have fully realized the track.

[Juan Luis]

Fairly clumsy lyrics with elements of heavy-handed post-production detract from the song's potential. It was an attempt at arranging a contemporary song and the melody is attractive, but the production turns the song into a hybrid of slick MOR and attempts at something commercially attractive. Perhaps Chips Moman and his staff could have fully realized the track.

No he wouldn't. He would not touch a Bienstock number with a ten foot pole. As he didn't with "Power Of My Love" over a year earlier.

[keninlincs]

Love it.

[TINML]

But we've yet to taste the icing on the cake
That we've been baking with the past...

Talk about a cringe worthy lyric! But other than that I love the arrangement and Elvis is in fine voice, pleasant album filler IMO

[MikeFromHolland]

But we've yet to taste the icing on the cake
That we've been baking with the past...

(..)

Pure poetry if you put "and the next step is love" after that last word.



.

[r&b]

Its ok. Liked it more in 1970 and it really is a product of its times. It a bit heavy handed for me, too slick and it sounds dated both musically & lyrically. Kind of like MacArthur Park-ish (icing on the cake reference) . Hard to believe he went in such a totally MOR direction after the soulness of 1969 and American. I thought he took a big step backwards in 1970 in comparison to the step forward between 1968>1969. Ive Lost You/ Next Step made for quite a boring single compared to what came before. 2 sides so similar in the MOR style was overkill

[Juan Luis]

Its ok. Liked it more in 1970 and it really is a product of its times. It a bit heavy handed for me, too slick and it sounds dated both musically & lyrically. Kind of like MacArthur Park-ish (icing on the cake reference) . Hard to believe he went in such a totally MOR direction after the soulness of 1969 and American. I thought he took a big step backwards in 1970 in comparison to the step forward between 1968>1969. Ive Lost You/ Next Step made for quite a boring single compared to what came before. 2 sides so similar in the MOR style was overkill

It was sandwiched between "Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Make The World Go Away" at the recording session.. It is commendable versatility, he ALWAYS had from the beginning at Sun.

[GERRY]

Crying out to be redone with Elvis vocals newly remastered and full. George Martin type arrangements.

[r&b]

Its ok. Liked it more in 1970 and it really is a product of its times. It a bit heavy handed for me, too slick and it sounds dated both musically & lyrically. Kind of like MacArthur Park-ish (icing on the cake reference) . Hard to believe he went in such a totally MOR direction after the soulness of 1969 and American. I thought he took a big step backwards in 1970 in comparison to the step forward between 1968>1969. Ive Lost You/ Next Step made for quite a boring single compared to what came before. 2 sides so similar in the MOR style was overkill

It was sandwiched between "Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Make The World Go Away" at the recording session.. It is commendable versatility, he ALWAYS had from the beginning at Sun.

This has nothing to do with the fact that it was a bad choice to have 2 similar MOR sides released when there was obviously better material cut that summer. The underwhelming chart placings prove it.

[Eggrert]

I'll confess that the lyrics to this song have never bothered me, mainly because the melody is so boring that I always end up tuning out the song (or skipping it) anyway! I suppose Elvis does a decent job, but as a piece of music, TNSIL has never appealed to me.

[poormadpeter2]

Lyrically, it seems to be a distant cousin to the standard A Beautiful Friendship, but without the twist at the end. But both deal with the blossoming of love within what has, for (we assume) years been a friendship. I don't see where such lyrical content is anyway objectionable or syrupy. Instead, they quite easily reflect the fun that love can be, and even the silliness that goes with ("made faces at some people in the park and didn't both to explain.") Surely everyone has felt that kind happiness at some point in their lives - even if some here seem to be such old farts that they've forgotten!

[YDKM]

yes always liked it!~

[Juan Luis]

Its ok. Liked it more in 1970 and it really is a product of its times. It a bit heavy handed for me, too slick and it sounds dated both musically & lyrically. Kind of like MacArthur Park-ish (icing on the cake reference) . Hard to believe he went in such a totally MOR direction after the soulness of 1969 and American. I thought he took a big step backwards in 1970 in comparison to the step forward between 1968>1969. Ive Lost You/ Next Step made for quite a boring single compared to what came before. 2 sides so similar in the MOR style was overkill

It was sandwiched between "Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Make The World Go Away" at the recording session.. It is commendable versatility, he ALWAYS had from the beginning at Sun.

This has nothing to do with the fact that it was a bad choice to have 2 similar MOR sides released when there was obviously better material cut that summer. The underwhelming chart placings prove it.

It wasn't a fact. The public is finicky. Same as T R O U B L E single should have been a top 5.

[mike edwards66]

Recorded on June 7/8 1970 at RCA Studio B in Nashville. Felton Jarvis Producing with Al Pachucki engineering.

A straight pop song penned by Paul Evans ("I Gotta Know") and Paul Parnes. A nice departure from country and blues which Presley was immersed during these June 1970 sessions. Elvis does a very good job on this breezy number that has a very catchy Beatlesque arrangement......

The Beatlesque arrangement was intentional. Not that Elvis knew anything about it. Great track, bright and breezy pop, perfectly suited to Presley, he could communicate a lyric so well. This was just what he needed at the time, something that he hadn't got at Memphis '69, musical direction. In a perfect world this and other choice selections from Nashville '70 would have provided the blueprint for Elvis that would have stood him in good stead for the best part of the 70s.

[Juan Luis]

Lyrically, it seems to be a distant cousin to the standard A Beautiful Friendship, but without the twist at the end. But both deal with the blossoming of love within what has, for (we assume) years been a friendship. I don't see where such lyrical content is anyway objectionable or syrupy. Instead, they quite easily reflect the fun that love can be, and even the silliness that goes with ("made faces at some people in the park and didn't both to explain.") Surely everyone has felt that kind happiness at some point in their lives - even if some here seem to be such old farts that they've forgotten!

Good one.

[minkahed]

Its ok. Liked it more in 1970 and it really is a product of its times. It a bit heavy handed for me, too slick and it sounds dated both musically & lyrically. Kind of like MacArthur Park-ish (icing on the cake reference) . Hard to believe he went in such a totally MOR direction after the soulness of 1969 and American. I thought he took a big step backwards in 1970 in comparison to the step forward between 1968>1969. Ive Lost You/ Next Step made for quite a boring single compared to what came before. 2 sides so similar in the MOR style was overkill

It was sandwiched between "Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Make The World Go Away" at the recording session.. It is commendable versatility, he ALWAYS had from the beginning at Sun.

This has nothing to do with the fact that it was a bad choice to have 2 similar MOR sides released when there was obviously better material cut that summer. The underwhelming chart placings prove it.

While this true, it's 500,000 sales were/are pretty respectable, regardless of chart placing.

It's not a bad song, not one that I listen to often, but still not bad.

[lucio]

Always been one of my top 10 favourite tracks along with Stranger In The Crowd from the TTWII album. I couldn't imagine anyone not liking this wonderful song until I saw some of opposing comments here.

Interesting how we differ in opinions.

[poormadpeter2]

Always been one of my top 10 favourite tracks along with Stranger In The Crowd from the TTWII album. I couldn't imagine anyone not liking this wonderful song until I saw some of opposing comments here.

Interesting how we differ in opinions.

Indeed. That said, I think the live version is a bit of a stinker.

[skatterbrane]

I have always liked this song and the A side as well.

[stevelecher]

Always been one of my top 10 favourite tracks along with Stranger In The Crowd from the TTWII album. I couldn't imagine anyone not liking this wonderful song until I saw some of opposing comments here.

Interesting how we differ in opinions.

It's one of your top ten favorites from the 12 track album? That's what you said. Haha! Anyway, this is not one of my favorites from that very enjoyable album. It's only ok overall.

[Ciscoking]

Fantastic song.

[fn2drive]

Awful awful song. Good singing. If Icing was good enough for MacArthur Park, Elvis team of crack songrunners would surely find a song with some for him. The Elvis system shows large cracks in its foundation at these sessions. Elvis at his prime singing about icing.

[r&b]

Its ok. Liked it more in 1970 and it really is a product of its times. It a bit heavy handed for me, too slick and it sounds dated both musically & lyrically. Kind of like MacArthur Park-ish (icing on the cake reference) . Hard to believe he went in such a totally MOR direction after the soulness of 1969 and American. I thought he took a big step backwards in 1970 in comparison to the step forward between 1968>1969. Ive Lost You/ Next Step made for quite a boring single compared to what came before. 2 sides so similar in the MOR style was overkill

It was sandwiched between "Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Make The World Go Away" at the recording session.. It is commendable versatility, he ALWAYS had from the beginning at Sun.

This has nothing to do with the fact that it was a bad choice to have 2 similar MOR sides released when there was obviously better material cut that summer. The underwhelming chart placings prove it.

While this true, it's 500,000 sales were/are pretty respectable, regardless of chart placing.

It's not a bad song, not one that I listen to often, but still not bad.

This sold 500k at the time of its release in 1970 or over time? Please verify. In either case, after a nice string of big hits throughout 1969, and a million seller in The Wonder of You a few months prior, this record was considered a flop and the start of wayward releases for Elvis. The comeback had taken a turn, and he was only to return to the top 10 one more time for the rest of his life. The material from writers simply was not as good, and Felton was no Chips. There was no pushing Elvis anymore into making great records. It was all contractual. Plain & simple. I like this song, but it fits better on an album than a single.