Elvis Disco

July 1st 2000 was the date when Long Lonely Highway was being released on the Follow That Dream-records label. It is the fifth volume already on BMG’s Collectors Label, and it spans the period from 1960 to 1968.
All the songs - 23 in total - are presented here in chronological order. Only two songs have been previously released. The first one is A Mess Of Blues (take 1) which can be found on Platinum. The second one (It’s A) Long Lonely Highway was accidently released as the B-side of the I’m Yours single (47-8657). But how many of us have this single in their collection ? Not many I guess, so I welcome it warmly.

All the songs that are unreleased are marked with a * on the back of the CD-cover. It Feels So Right (take 2) has no such *, which would mean that it has been out already. But it is not. The only alternate take that is available of this song is take 3 on Platinum. It is only a minor flaw I could find in the packaging, which is quite attractive ! As you can see they have used the same lay-out which was used on ELVIS’ GOLD RECORDS - VOL.2 (december 1959). So the idea is not very original, but I must say that the picture they have used this time is very attractive and relatively unknown. The picture was made during the filming of Girls, Girls, Girls in 1962. (Isn’t this a He-man or what ?)
The overall art-work deserves a big compliment. I like the lettering a lot !
I must say that the FTD-designs are getting better as the series progresses, despite the limited space of the format.

All the songs are complete versions with a beginning and an end. And the producers have chosen for a lot of early takes.
Most times you will hear take 1,2,3 or 4. The sound is remarkable. It is like Elvis is sitting on your lap singing. No really, whether it is the ticking of the drumsticks on It’s Now Or Never or the bells on Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello; everything is cristal clear.

This CD makes it once again clear how versatile Elvis’ voice was in the sixties. He really shows his abilities in the ballads. And there are quite a few of them on this album. Especially the Don Robertson songs are as smooth as a baby bottom. Elvis delivers them (Anything That’s Part Of You and I’m Yours) in a very sensitive and intense manner. And the honey really started dripping from my speakers after I Feel That I’ve Known You Forever and Never Ending. Doesn’t bring the latter the singer out in all of us ?

One of the very few songs Elvis wrote in co-operation with Red West and Charlie Hodge is also featured. It is You’ll Be Gone (take 4) and personally I consider it as an odd song. It is an opera inspired piece of work with an oriental flavour that builds its way up to a climax. It is the kind of song that tends a little towards It’s Now Or Never. And one of the big scoops of this CD is take 1 of this very song ! It was believed that the session tapes of this millionseller (that was nailed in just 4 takes) were lost forever. It is a good version, though the piano work is basic in this stage. The recognizable piano-riff is not present yet.

Like the previous volumes space is made for some studio chat. And there is quite a lot of it. Elvis can be heard saying “Da mnit Lamar !”, just before She’s Not You, but it is not said viciously. (By the way She’s Not You is NOT take 2, but take 1). Actually the atmosphere in the studio is pretty relaxed with the guys cracking jokes. For instance, the laughter before Stay Away comes from the ending of take 1, where Elvis makes a funny remark. And Buddy Harmon and D.J. Fontana have to be called to order by engineer Jim Malloy just before By And By. They were fooling around, much to the amusement of Elvis. But then again it shows the professionalism of the Nashville A-Team. Once the tape starts rolling, the guys are in control and do their thing seriously.

Their class can be heard on the two most underrated jivers: Clyde MacPhatter’s Come What May and The Drifter’s Fools Fall In Love. Both songs were stashed away on B-sides of bad selling singles. But they deserved better, so it is nice to have these outtakes on this album. To my ears Fools Fall In Love was its time ahead. The guitar sounds just the same like in the 70s song Show Me The Way, as sung by Peter Frampton.

And while we are on the subject of guitar players. Jerry Reed’s picking is present as he is a guest player on Guitar Man and Too Much Monkey Business. Elvis has discovered by take 10 that the ending of Guitar Man perfectly flows over into What’d I Say. He starts clowning around with it, but not as long as during take 12 what would become the master take.

The highlight of this CD is Too Much Monkey Business. It really is a gem, as the arrangement is totally different to what we know of the official released version. Jerry Reed’s acoustic guitar dominates the pace and his riff just won’t stop throughout this Chuck Berry song. The creativity of Elvis shows during the instrumental break, where he starts singing bass: “Oomba-Oomba-Oomba”. And the verse Blond hair/Good looking/Trying to get me hooked/For me to marry/Get a home/Settle down/And write a book, is sung one key lower !

It is just too bad that The Essential Elvis series has stopped as this complete album would have been a fine addition. Now these pearls are kept away from the non-collectors. Everybody with a good set of ears buys this stuff ! (The same can be said about the previous FTD release Jungle Room Sessions).
I guess I have made my point: This really is a WINNER !

Emiel Maier

Follow That Dream Records
74321 76749-2
Review published:Elvis Unlimited
Issue 8 - 2000 | page 14 -15