Hi Heel Sneakers - another of my favorites

[lovin' EP]

How do you guys like this little gem?

Elvisly,

Linda


..

[Juan Luis]

Love it! Thanks for reminding me. On my playlist again.

[midnightx]

Definitely a quality track, one of those few forgotten gems lost in the mid-late 1960's soundtrack era. Sadly, it was not part of a secular, non-soundtrack studio album that he so badly needed during that era.

[brian]

It was one of the best covers that Elvis did. I don't think it gets enough recognition I like it much better than Tommy Tucker's original or any other version that I've heard. I wish Elvis had recorded more gritty R&B music like that.

[minkahed]

Definitely a quality track, one of those few forgotten gems lost in the mid-late 1960's soundtrack era. Sadly, it was not part of a secular, non-soundtrack studio album that he so badly needed during that era.

Absolutely, the song kicks ass and it's a downright shame that these secular sessions never got a proper release during that '67 era before the "Comeback", when he so needed it.

The single 45rpm of "Guitar Man", b/w "Hi Heel Sneakers" was a stellar release.

[Juan Luis]

I started a thread about this song almost a year ago for those interested in session detail. http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95411

[When In Rome]

I remember when I first saw the track listing for 'The Essential Sixties Masters' and Hi Heel Sneakers was listed as unedited. I was in disbelief, how could the single version be edited, it sounded tight and full to me. How wrong I was and what a treat was lay in store...

[Eggrert]

I never liked the song until I heard the Elvis Aron Presley version (I'm not sure if it's the original single mix or a latter-day remix...either way, it cooks). The unedited version isn't my cup of tea.

[midnightx]

Definitely a quality track, one of those few forgotten gems lost in the mid-late 1960's soundtrack era. Sadly, it was not part of a secular, non-soundtrack studio album that he so badly needed during that era.

Absolutely, the song kicks ass and it's a downright shame that these secular sessions never got a proper release during that '67 era before the "Comeback", when he so needed it.

The single 45rpm of "Guitar Man", b/w "Hi Heel Sneakers" was a stellar release.

Not only was management not in the mindset to release a non-soundtrack, secular commercial album circa 1967, but there was not enough material available at one time to do so. While Jarvis certainly injected some much needed life into Elvis' secular session work, he was unable to focus Elvis' attention towards completing a full-length album of material. So, any relevant, viable results that Elvis and Jarvis completed in the studio were quickly overlooked and/or forgotten.

[Juan Luis]

Definitely a quality track, one of those few forgotten gems lost in the mid-late 1960's soundtrack era. Sadly, it was not part of a secular, non-soundtrack studio album that he so badly needed during that era.

Absolutely, the song kicks ass and it's a downright shame that these secular sessions never got a proper release during that '67 era before the "Comeback", when he so needed it.

The single 45rpm of "Guitar Man", b/w "Hi Heel Sneakers" was a stellar release.

Not only was management not in the mindset to release a non-soundtrack, secular commercial album circa 1967, but there was not enough material available at one time to do so. While Jarvis certainly injected some much needed life into Elvis' secular session work, he was unable to focus Elvis' attention towards completing a full-length album of material. So, any relevant, viable results that Elvis and Jarvis completed in the studio were quickly overlooked and/or forgotten.

The "How Great Thou Art" album is a full album masterpiece. That is not and has ever been a producers job. To focus attention. No one did that with Elvis. No one. Not even Sam Phillips. He just let the kid sing. And then guided him to a master take.

[GuyLambert]

Love the sax solo in the unedited version. I think a different but great single edit could've be done to include it.

[midnightx]

Definitely a quality track, one of those few forgotten gems lost in the mid-late 1960's soundtrack era. Sadly, it was not part of a secular, non-soundtrack studio album that he so badly needed during that era.

Absolutely, the song kicks ass and it's a downright shame that these secular sessions never got a proper release during that '67 era before the "Comeback", when he so needed it.

The single 45rpm of "Guitar Man", b/w "Hi Heel Sneakers" was a stellar release.

Not only was management not in the mindset to release a non-soundtrack, secular commercial album circa 1967, but there was not enough material available at one time to do so. While Jarvis certainly injected some much needed life into Elvis' secular session work, he was unable to focus Elvis' attention towards completing a full-length album of material. So, any relevant, viable results that Elvis and Jarvis completed in the studio were quickly overlooked and/or forgotten.

The "How Great Thou Art" album is a full album masterpiece. That is not and has ever been a producers job. To focus attention. No one did that with Elvis. No one. Not even Sam Phillips. He just let the kid sing. And then guided him to a master take.

Yes, the HGTA is a great album -- but if you read more carefully, you will see that I was referring to secular recordings from the 1967 time period. You can defend Jarvis all you like, but the reality is that a primary role of a producer is "to focus attention" towards a vision, towards a finished product. You overlook that key function because Jarvis rarely focused Elvis' attention in the studio. He called out takes, encouraged him with "it's a gas," and simply tried to get him to record as many as songs as possible with little-to-no direction. Jarvis provided no vision. He was a glorified cheerleader. And to top it off, he took the masters and poured MOR schmaltz post-production all over the recordings, usually drowning out any magic or authenticity.

[Juan Luis]

Definitely a quality track, one of those few forgotten gems lost in the mid-late 1960's soundtrack era. Sadly, it was not part of a secular, non-soundtrack studio album that he so badly needed during that era.

Absolutely, the song kicks ass and it's a downright shame that these secular sessions never got a proper release during that '67 era before the "Comeback", when he so needed it.

The single 45rpm of "Guitar Man", b/w "Hi Heel Sneakers" was a stellar release.

Not only was management not in the mindset to release a non-soundtrack, secular commercial album circa 1967, but there was not enough material available at one time to do so. While Jarvis certainly injected some much needed life into Elvis' secular session work, he was unable to focus Elvis' attention towards completing a full-length album of material. So, any relevant, viable results that Elvis and Jarvis completed in the studio were quickly overlooked and/or forgotten.

The "How Great Thou Art" album is a full album masterpiece. That is not and has ever been a producers job. To focus attention. No one did that with Elvis. No one. Not even Sam Phillips. He just let the kid sing. And then guided him to a master take.

Yes, the HGTA is a great album -- but if you read more carefully, you will see that I was referring to secular recordings from the 1967 time period. You can defend Jarvis all you like, but the reality is that a primary role of a producer is "to focus attention" towards a vision, towards a finished product. You overlook that key function because Jarvis rarely focused Elvis' attention in the studio. He called out takes, encouraged him with "it's a gas," and simply tried to get him to record as many as songs as possible with little-to-no direction. Jarvis provided no vision. He was a glorified cheerleader. And to top it off, he took the masters and poured MOR schmaltz post-production all over the recordings, usually drowning out any magic or authenticity.

Recordings are recordings. And HGTA is a legitimate album anyway you look at it. It counts. A lot of work done there. Great work by all involved, especially ELVIS. What direction with Moman or anyone? Feb 1969 was all RCA chosen material. You know that. Don't pretend or ignore you do not.

Likethebike said it well for the most part:


"The problem was often that Elvis simply did not want to work. The confrontational producer is a romantic idea that fans like. "You gotta tough with these artists." But a confrontational producer with an artist who doesn't want to work will result in an artist walking out of the studio. As anyone who walked through these waters in real life knows, "tough love" is a very dicey proposition. If it's not done just right and with the right subject you very often lose or alienate the person.

Felton said he tried to sway Elvis towards recording more rock type songs but Elvis was not as interested in those type songs as he once was. In a session like July 1973 he's barely interested in anything. That you got a song like "Burning Love" the year before is a minor tribute to Felton because that song was from his publishing connections, not Elvis, and he basically had to enlist the entire MM to beg Elvis to record it. That record contains probably Jarvis' most inspired production stroke in the electric guitar overdub by Dennis Linde. It's the difference between a good and a great record.
There is no question that Felton "got" Elvis. The first night they met they stayed awake past dawn talking about music long after the other musicians had gone home. And for the most part their early collaborations were splendid How Great Thou Art, the "Guitar Man" sessions, even the June 1970 sessions which I guess you could consider the middle period and which yielded Elvis' only concept LP. The trouble with Felton was that by 1973 he was same old, same old. He had given Elvis most of what he was going to give him from his end. And because Felton was now an employee rather than a stimulating outsider, and also because of Elvis' boredom and disinterest in recording, Felton's ideas and opinions became less interesting to him. By 1973 they had a dozen studio sessions in the can not counting live work and the stuff with Moman. It would get a little stale. All the other productions that people point so longingly towards were very short collaborations. Moman two times in two months. Binder one time. (Counting all the sessions there as one.) Leiber and Stoller three sessions in about nine or ten months. Sam Phillips the longest of these production relationships took place over a period of approximately 16 months. That's it.

Elvis was with Felton for 12 years. And it was every studio session. It wasn't no Sinatra I'll use Billy May here, Gordon Jenkins (they were mostly arrangers but you get the point) there. It was Felton every time out. Save the Moman session and Felton was still present at that. This for an artist who burned through things extremely quickly.

Felton was no hack. He was no Phil Spector, but he was no hack. In sports there are two types of coaches; the one soothes the players egos and gets them to play that way. The other challenges the player's manhood and gets him to play that way. Over the years, they've both gotten results. It's worth noting though that the second type of coach is almost non-existent in today's environment.

Finally, it's worth noting again and again that the definitive producer on any Elvis record was Elvis himself. It's also worth noting that very little got through without Elvis' overt approval. To paraphrase Robert Christgau's assessment Elvis liked the goop."

[poormadpeter2]

LTB is very much missed.

[Juan Luis]

LTB is very much missed.

Yes he is. I pm'ed with him once or twice. Very nice gentleman.

[brian]

likethebike was also a defender and a champion of Felton Jarvis. I don't know why but he was. Several people disagreed with what he had to say about that including me.

[fn2drive]

Solid track and an awakening but with a better producer it would have been more inspired. Always enjoy it but Jarrett Lee Lewis’ live version is definitive to me.

We are repeatedly treated to posts of the Wonder of Felton. A million words could be written but all we need do is listen to the post 1970 hodge podge of overproduced tracks whose sole artistic merit was pile em high and deep. Producers need to inspire not cheerlead unless it leads somewhere. Familiarity breeds contempt-that explains the Felton Jarvis years. Ah but Binder and Moman demonstrated what Elvis could do when surrounded by leaders who knew what they were doing.

[Juan Luis]

It was refreshing for me to discover posts I hadn't read until recently. On the same page. He was right.

http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60045#p891430
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60045#p891458

[midnightx]

It was refreshing for me to discover posts I hadn't read until recently. On the same page. He was right.

http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60045#p891430
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60045#p891458

Or perhaps my response to LTB was more accurate:

Do you really think Elvis believed that was his "then best music?" The recording sessions lacked direction and vision. Jarvis ran the sessions as producer and Elvis' A&R representative. His role in these fragmented, directionless ordeals should not be diminished. Jarvis came into the sessions with an arm-full of material with no cohesive link. Elvis was just laying down vocals on a wide range of material, much of it mediocre. He lost interest because there was nothing to work towards. Recording sessions meant nothing. There was nothing fulfilling about the process -- and some of the blame has to go to Jarvis since he ran and orchestrated the sessions. The fact that he exerted so little control and yielded so little respect from his star speaks volumes. Yes, we can all commend his role in getting Elvis to record Burning Love or the How Great Thou Art sessions, but after 1970, he doesn’t deserve the praise you continue to heap on him.

[Juan Luis]

No. He defended his view well. And independently he was 99% with my views about this...and with extra credit for him, cause he did not have the information we have today.

[midnightx]

No. He defended his view well. And independently he was 99% with my views about this...and with extra credit for him, cause he did not have the information we have today.

What, your history rewrite? Okay....

[Juan Luis]

No. He defended his view well. And independently he was 99% with my views about this...and with extra credit for him, cause he did not have the information we have today.

What, your history rewrite? Okay....

Quoting Jorgensen interviews and book, Guralnick book, and Keith Flynn's website, is more than enough evidence brought forth. New found facts discovered, amend the historical record. That's the way it is.

[jurasic1968]

Great song.

[poormadpeter2]

likethebike was also a defender and a champion of Felton Jarvis. I don't know why but he was. Several people disagreed with what he had to say about that including me.

I don't care who he defended and who he didnt. My point was that be made his arguments with intelligence, style and flair, and without insult or condescension. All are attributes that are missing far too often in this forum and, indeed, in many other debating platforms. LTB's passing was all our loss.

[r&b]

Great track! Great 2 sided single, arguably the best since Little Sister/Latest Flame, and most welcome after a string of unexciting movie singles. I played them do death in my local juke joint and finally some people began to give Elvis some thought again. But yet, once again, both songs failed to appear in any Elvis live performances in the 70's Either one would have been fitting over the mundane cover songs. Other arguments like he thought his 50's songs were childish and he didnt want to do them anymore, well I somewhat get that. But these and a lot of other 60's classics? I will never understand why they were ignored.