"Make The World Go Away"

[Juan Luis]

Recorded by Elvis Presley on June 8, 1970 at RCA Studio B, Nashville. Produced by Felton Jarvis with Al Pachucki behind the console.

This great country classic standard was composed by Hank Cochran, and first recorded and released by Ray Price in 1963. A major hit for Eddie Arnold in 1965, scoring a #1 country and adult contemporary, plus a very respectable #6 in the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.

"Make The World Go Away" in my opinion, provides a nice heartfelt closing to the great "Elvis Country" 1971 released album.

I was overjoyed when I saw and heard Elvis's live (8-70) version when it was first released on the "Lost Performances" VHS/Laserdisc. I love it, still!
I was a bit perplexed about the "Roy Acuff" joke, and what on Earth did he have to do with the song. Later, years later. I noticed the publishing for the song had Rose and Roy Acuff ! That's a possible reason his name popped inside Elvis's head and came out with the little joke (I know Elvis just meant an old recorded song),... "before Roy Acuff was born..which was around eighteen hundred"!
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[Chucky99]

Very Nice song.I like the live version better.

[r&b]

Good version and good close to the Elvis Country album.

[fn2drive]

Grew up on Eddy Arnold's version. Elvis' studio master is definitive even with overdubs. Great album closer. Live version didn't come close. The last track on his last great album. So many possibilities all squandered away carelessly. Sad.

[Scarre]

The studio version is just beautiful. Gotta love that guitar...and the voice of course.

[jetblack]

I love both the studio and live versions.

I agree 'The Lost Performances' (1992) was an amazing release. Now here we are 25 years later and STILL no official DVD. It's a crime.

Andy

[Johnny2523]

Always liked it live.
He also performed a nice version in 73.
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[Scarre]

Always liked it live.
He also performed a nice version in 73.
..

I like it live too...

[midnightx]

The studio version is just beautiful. Gotta love that guitar...and the voice of course.

And the lovely post-production.

[mike edwards66]

Recorded by Elvis Presley on June 8, 1970 at RCA Studio B, Nashville. Produced by Felton Jarvis with Al Pachucki behind the console.

This great country classic standard was composed by Hank Cochran, and first recorded and released by Ray Price in 1963. A major hit for Eddie Arnold in 1965, scoring a #1 country and adult contemporary, plus a very respectable #6 in the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.

"Make The World Go Away" in my opinion, provides a nice heartfelt closing to the great "Elvis Country" 1971 released album.

I was overjoyed when I saw and heard Elvis's live (8-70) version when it was first released on the "Lost Performances" VHS/Laserdisc. I love it, still!
I was a bit perplexed about the "Roy Acuff" joke, and what on Earth did he have to do with the song. Later, years later. I noticed the publishing for the song had Rose and Roy Acuff ! That's a possible reason his name popped inside Elvis's head and came out with the little joke (I know Elvis just meant an old recorded song),... "before Roy Acuff was born..which was around eighteen hundred"!
..
..
..

Thanks, Juan. The master is one of the most delicious vocals the King ever put on tape. Just perfect.

[SteamrollerBlues]

Good version and good close to the Elvis Country album.

I echo your words here, r&b. I do wish Elvis would have kept it in his show regularly, but only as long as he stayed committed with the vocal -- but I feel this song was right up his alley, and he did really well with it.

[Scarre]

The studio version is just beautiful. Gotta love that guitar...and the voice of course.

And the lovely post-production.

Yes, makes the result sounding great. I´m in it for the music...and it sounds great.

[Juan Luis]

The studio version is just beautiful. Gotta love that guitar...and the voice of course.

And the lovely post-production.

Yes, makes the result sounding great. I´m in it for the music...and it sounds great.

Yes. I believe by 1970 Elvis mastered country music, with his soulful and sometimes bluesy delivery, making it palatable to a mainstream public that otherwise would not embrace it. The "sweetening" adds great contrast. Just perfect, in my opinion.

[keninlincs]

Classic song sung with great care,excellent.

[Eggrert]

I've always hated Elvis' version of the song, but I guess I'm in the minority on that one! It comes across as plodding rather than mournful, imo, and the backing vocals are some of the most annoying of his studio career.

I'm not a big fan of the song in any case, though I do think that the Mickey Gilley version is pretty decent.

[The Pirate]

Other than Elvis', my favorite version would be the one by Donny and Marie Osmond which came out in 1975. And before anybody asks, no, I didn't come out the following year.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[rlj4ep]

Thanks Juan for reminding us of this great Elvis cover. I really like the studio arrangement of this song. The arrangement (yes, even the strings and horns, etc) suits Elvis well for that time period. The arrangement and Elvis voice come together for a nicely produced performance.
I too like the live performance from TTWII and the one on the FTD release The Impossible Dream CD.
Thanks also for the possible insight to the Roy Acuff "joke." I never got that either!

rlj

[Juan Luis]

Thanks Juan for reminding us of this great Elvis cover. I really like the studio arrangement of this song. The arrangement (yes, even the strings and horns, etc) suits Elvis well for that time period. The arrangement and Elvis voice come together for a nicely produced performance.
I too like the live performance from TTWII and the one on the FTD release The Impossible Dream CD.
Thanks also for the possible insight to the Roy Acuff "joke." I never got that either!

rlj

You're very welcome!

[TINML]

Great performance and damn good production work on the master. But I'm partial to the live 1970 version.

[stevelecher]

The live version in Lost Performances was the only TTWII performance that I felt was good enough to have been in the original movie. It's great. Of course, the studio take is better.

[Ciscoking]

Thanks Juan Luis for another great posting....I really love this performance by Elvis be it live or studio...its a country master piece ...

[Juan Luis]

Thanks Juan Luis for another great posting....I really love this performance by Elvis be it live or studio...its a country master piece ...

You'e welcome and thanks!

[musiclover1979]

Eddy Arnold capitalized on the death of Jim Reeves.

He dressed up in the style of Reeves and recorded his own version of "Make the World Go Away" which was one of Reeves' last recordings. Shameful!

He managed to get the hit because Jim Reeves' version wasn't released yet. I think Reeves version never made it to a single.

Eddy Arnold surely was no Jim Reeves. His vocal pales compared to the masterful vocal by Reeves.

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[Juan Luis]

Eddy Arnold capitalized on the death of Jim Reeves.

He dressed up in the style of Reeves and recorded his own version of "Make the World Go Away" which was one of Reeves' last recordings. Shameful!

He managed to get the hit because Jim Reeves' version wasn't released yet. I think Reeves version never made it to a single.

Eddy Arnold surely was no Jim Reeves. His vocal pales compared to the masterful vocal by Reeves.

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But the song was out already for two years. Eddie Arnold wasn't the first to release it.

[Johnny 99]

Love the Alison Krauss version too ..