She Thinks I Still Care

[bajo]

According to Country Rebel it's "pure heartbreak". https://countryrebel.com/blogs/videos/elvis-presleys-home-recording-of-she-thinks-i-still-care-is-pure-Heartbreak
I still think it is a great rendition by Our man. Always liked it!

[dennyelvis]

Agreed, one of my faves from MB!

[elvisjock]

He certainly worked hard on it. Three different arrangements and many takes.

[Ciscoking]

Great country tune....love it..
Thanks for bringing it up..

[brian]

I like the song and I liked Elvis' version of it. However since many singers have covered the song it be nice if the uptempo alternate take had been picked as the master. Seeing as how so many other singers have covered this song and most of them follow George Jones arrangement it would've been something different. Elvis recorded a few good songs during the Jungle room sessions but most of it wasn't very good. Elvis was very inconsistent when it came to coming out with quality material. three good songs out of a total of ten isn't going to get much praise.

[Juan Luis]

I love it! https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90564

[LSP-4445]

Love the master and later outtakes,never been a fan of the uptempo one....I always skip it.
Anyway I was a little dissapointed that we didnt get the complete master on MB-FTD release.
At least we have it in great quality on boots.

[elvislady1964]

This is a beautiful version by elvis, reminds me of why i bevame a fan in the first place...thank you for sharing.

[Dan_T]

Always loved the Master, never been keen on the Up tempo version.

[drjohncarpenter]

According to Country Rebel it's "pure heartbreak".
https://countryrebel.com/blogs/videos/elvis-presleys-home-recording-of-she-thinks-i-still-care-is-pure-Heartbreak
I still think it is a great rendition by Our man. Always liked it!

That's a nice blog, and the author has posted other essays on Elvis worth reading.

As for his cover of "She Thinks I Still Care," the 1976 master is a bit lugubrious, and does not come close to besting one of George Jones' "signature" songs. The 1995 release of the unfettered alternate, uptempo version, on the '70s box, brought fans a more lively effort that perhaps should have been worked on further and become the original master release.

A big problem with Elvis' rendition is the fact that there are so many covers of this Dickey Lee and Steve Duffy composition. One wonders why it became the second song tackled at the February 1976 Graceland sessions. Who gave the OK?

Perhaps Elvis got excited by the Conway Twitty version released the month before, or the very nice recording released not long before by Freddy Fender on single, and as the title track to an LP.



..

Conway Twitty "She Thinks I Still Care" Twitty (MCA 2176, January 11, 1976)
Note that several of the musicians on this track were Presley session veterans:

Grady Martin - lead guitar
Ray Edenton - rhythm guitar
John Hughey - steel guitar
Harold Bradley - bass
Bob Moore - acoustic bass



..

Freddy Fender "She Thinks I Still Care" She Thinks I Still Care (ARV LP 1030, August 9, 1975)

[brian]

Perhaps Elvis had always liked George Jones hit version and just finally decided to record it right then.

[SenseiHoots]

Although my favourite rendition of the song was by Mike Nesmith, I do like Elvis' version a lot as well. Especially the uptempo take.

[drjohncarpenter]

Perhaps Elvis had always liked George Jones hit version and just finally decided to record it right then.

There's no evidence Elvis was a fan of the country chart-topping 1962 George Jones single at the time, or in the 14 years to follow. It's unclear if he liked Jones at all. So it would have been very unusual for him to complete his first song of the session date and suddenly want to cut that number because he was such a big fan of the original single.

[brian]

We do know that Elvis was a fan of country music though and probably spent time listening to country radio in 1962.

[drjohncarpenter]

We do know that Elvis was a fan of country music though and probably spent time listening to country radio in 1962.

He always liked country music. But there is nothing I've ever seen or read that indicates any passion for George Jones. I've also been surprised to see a similar distance from another artist I thought sure he'd love, r&b vocalist supreme Sam Cooke. Cooke was even on RCA beginning in 1960, scoring lots of hits. But, nothing.

[brian]

Elvis could have liked Sam Cooke but just didn't get around to covering anything by him.

[drjohncarpenter]

Elvis could have liked Sam Cooke but just didn't get around to covering anything by him.

As with George Jones, there is no evidence I know of that he liked Sam Cooke. Elvis' cover of "She Thinks I Still Care" does not appear to have been inspired by the 1962 Jones country hit. The two examples in my earlier post are more likely.

[brian]

Who doesn't like Sam Cooke.

[drjohncarpenter]

Who doesn't like Sam Cooke.

Bertha Franklin, for one.

Back on topic:

Anyone have a better idea than mine over whose recording of "She Thinks I Still Care" inspired Elvis?

[brian]

I suppose Elvis could have been reminded of the song after hearing Anne Murray's hit cover. I have heard that Elvis liked her.

[jeanno]

I've never cared for the slow STISC. Too slow, too many mannerisms, too country too. The more lively uptempo take was a nice addition to the 70s boxset.

[minkahed]

The up-tempo version of the song would have made the "Moody Blue" Album a notch better, imo.

[rickeap]

I agree minkahad, the uptempo version is excellent and would have been well suited to the album.

[Juan Luis]

We do know that Elvis was a fan of country music though and probably spent time listening to country radio in 1962.

That's right. And he liked many songs that he got around to recording years later. This is one of them. No evidence needed.

[Ciscoking]

Elvis loved country music and his later shows and albums were more or less country. I guess he heard the song and liked it and decided to record it. No matter who inspired him. Or someone played it to him. I am quite sure he knew George Jones...too.