Most of the selected tracks were Elvis' Master versions with some but not all of the overdubs removed. Sometimes backing vocals were left in but usually the backing vocals that were recorded at the original studio session with Elvis were faded out. These tracks were almost never the "Undubbed Masters" that are now being released on FTD.
Both 'Our Memories Of Elvis' Volume 1 and Volume 2 were released in 1979 and even then the LP cover announced a new "series" of releases. One crucial marketing mistake was NOT using a photo of Elvis on the first album cover but using a picture of Colonel Parker & Vernon.
If anything indicated that this might be a "rip-off product" using their picture rather than Elvis’ almost confirmed fans’ suspicions!
While they sold relatively well, without a big hit single they didn’t even chart in the US Top 100.
Once RCA started work on their 'Elvis Aron Presley' box-set the "Pure Elvis Sound" idea was then dropped.
These "Pure Elvis" albums however are definite favourites amongst Elvis vinyl collectors and the 2010 Bootleg Victrola release proved that they deserved a proper re-release.
However there is no doubt that a fair number of Elvis 70’s releases were ruined by the excessive overdubs which often hid or removed the true emotion of Elvis’ singing. Tracks like ‘Solitaire’ and ‘The Last Farewell’, even 1970’s ‘Heart Of Rome’ were ruined by bombastic excessive overdubs.
In some ways the weaker Elvis’ voice was (due to tiredness or strain) the more emotional and touching it could sound. Felton would see this as a weakness and instead would try and bury Elvis’ wavering under a pile of backing-vocals or violins. Inevitably this would leave Elvis’ vocal track muffled and very hidden. In this case Col Parker was right!
While this is true in some respects it is also true that these tracks, mixed by engineer Dick Bogert, were NOT the undubbed Masters, rather the Masters with some backing tracks and overdubs faded out.
In the studio sessions and even in the ‘Jungle Room’ the backing musicians were there with Elvis and Elvis was singing along with them – yet here these vocals are usually faded out.
Often you can hear the faded-out backing vocalists bleeding through into the background via Elvis’ microphone.
In general Dick Bogert increased the level of Elvis’ vocal, dropped any overdubs that Felton Jarvis has added and faded out the original studio backing vocals if they were present. If the original Masters were not overdubbed he usually changed the mix of the band’s instruments instead.
(EIN indepth examination of all the individual tracks is shown below)
Whatever the genuine purity of each individual track, these albums were a great concept at the time and a true relief to any fan who suffered through the overdubbed messes of Elvis last two studio albums that Jarvis produced. The original 'From EP Boulevard' was a particular stinker with Elvis' vocal buried under layers of mush.
Joan Deary was aware that it was Elvis’ slower ballads were the songs most altered by Felton’s excessive overdubs so the first compiled album 'Our Memories Of Elvis, Vol.1' was an album focussed on love and loss (except for the delicious 'Spanish Eyes').
On the second album she chose a more up-tempo mix including the extended 'Don't Think Twice It's All Right' jam. Here the faster rocking numbers like ‘For The Heart’ and ‘Way Down’ sound a little odd without the funky backing-vocals that were there in the Jungle Room helping push a tired Elvis on towards the Master.
But there is no doubt that tracks like 'Are You Sincere', 'Take Good Care Of Her', 'Thinking About You', ‘I Got A Feelin’ In My Body’, ‘Sweet Angeline’ and 'Spanish Eyes' all sound remarkably clear and with a more touching and appropriate emotional sentiment compared to the Masters.
There are also several tracks like ‘Never Again’, ‘Mr Songman’, ‘Girl Of Mine’ and ‘The Last Farewell’ (I’m not sure why Elvis even touched this dreadful song!) that I found unlistenable in their excessively mushy overdubbed original form but really enjoy as "Pure" Elvis versions.
The REAL TREAT here is getting the 10 never released tracks selected for scrapped ‘Our Memories Of Elvis Vol.3’ as well as seven other "Pure Elvis" tracks prepared by Dick Bogert.
The front cover (as taken from the second album) is excellent and should have been the one used on the original first album instead of those old cronies outside Graceland!
The Audio
For fans who enjoy FTD’s usual high quality audio upgrading and new remastering courtesy of Vic Anesini, Sebastian Jeansson etc will be disappointed with the audio quality here.
Several keen audiophiles have emailed EIN in regard to this....
.. Like his artist, Felton Jarvis seems to have lived in a musical vacuum, unable to understand or assimilate changing musical tastes and simply incapable of developing a more contemporary post-production approach. So once again, cliched horns, heavy strings and an ever-present sea of backing vocals continued to dominate. Songs like 'Sylvia' and 'Heart Of Rome' were never going to be classics anyway, but in their undubbed form they exhibit a charm and a directness that Jarvis' mixing once again utterly destroyed. And that, fairly and squarely, was his fault.
Concerns about Jarvis' abilities were also being raised within RCA, where Joan Deary made no effort to disguise her lack of respect for his work. The relative failure of albums like 'Fool' and 'Raised On Rock' only strengthened her view, but any hopes she may have had of displacing Jarvis were lost when Elvis came down firmly in the producer's camp. "Your husband is a jewel", he told Mary Jarvis, effectively cutting off any debate. But it's worth noting that for the December '73 Stax sessions, Deary sent four of RCA's New York engineers to run the sessions, and crucially,to mix the results too. And her concerns were shared by others. RCA executive Joe Galante said, "The company was at the point where it wasn't a matter of control or direction anymore, it was containment". But still nobody stepped in. And the quality and the frequency of the recordings continued to fluctuate wildly.
The July '73 Stax sessions were expected to produce 24 masters - Elvis recorded only nine, and after throwing another tantrum left the studio and refused to return. Jarvis had no option but to cancel the remaining dates. Elvis didn't even bother to record in 1974 and the March '75 sessions that produced 'Elvis Today' were also expected to produce a further three stand alone singles - none of which ever materialised. The February '76 Graceland dates produced barely enough material for one new album and the October dates only half of that - Elvis preferring to ride around on a motorbike instead. Worse, when sessions were scheduled for Nashville in January '77, Elvis simply didn't show up at all.
More distressingly, most of what was recorded were either hurriedly executed cover versions or syrupy, middle-of-the-road ballads that catered to Elvis' increasingly melancholic, maudlin outlook - a situation that Jarvis simply couldn't control. 'Moody Blue' showed a definite improvement - even if it was another cover version - but the album of the same name was awash with the usual strings and horns, arranged again by Bergen White in a style that had long since become outdated. Undubbed session outtakes reveal just how ham-fisted these arrangements really were, with Jarvis' astonishingly inept handling of 'It's Easy For You' being especially abhorrent. But always it would seem with Elvis' approval. "Ronnie", Jarvis is said to have told drummer Ronnie Tutt, "I'm just there to make him happy". And it continued that way to the end.
Would a different producer have made a difference? Would a more challenging artistic environment have forestalled Elvis' descent? It's difficult to say. Elvis certainly wasn't an easy artist to control or direct; he did pretty much as he liked. "He thought he was Superman", said Parker of his client, in a mid-'80's interview. "He thought he could do anything." And as he got older that feeling only intensified. And, of course, nobody ever disabused him of the notion.
What can't be denied is that for the first three or four years of their association Jarvis and Elvis made some terrific records that certainly re-energised a seriously deflated artist. After that, I think it got stale and complacent - on both sides. The spark dimmed, and familiarity took the place of innovation and challenge. More pointedly, I don't think Jarvis was capable of steering Elvis towards a more challenging musical path anyway. He was, after all, a middle-of-the-road country and western producer from the Countrypolitan era, with all the baggage and influences that that background implies. Anything more creative was
simply beyond his reach.
Below EIN's track-by-track detailed analysis...
| Track title |
Details of 'Our Memories' version |
Undubbed Master |
| Are You Sincere |
Higher Elvis vocal & cleaner mix than same take on 'ROR' FTD |
|
| It’s Midnight |
Sensational solo Elvis vocal
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
Overdubbed strings removed.
"It’s midnight and I miss you" sounds more emotional without the backing vocals repeating his phrase.
|
Not released |
| My Boy |
Delightful pure Elvis vocal with no echo.
Sounds very different bringing up Elvis’ emotional, quavering vocal
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
Over-The-Top orchestra overdub removed
|
On Good Times FTD
With studio backing-vocals and louder band mix.
|
| Girl Of Mine |
Much better than syrupy overdubbed original
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
Over-The-Top orchestra overdub removed
|
Not released |
| Take Good Care Of Her |
Lovely simple mix
Organ lower in the mix
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
Strings overdub removed
|
On Good Times FTD
Has studio backing-vocals with annoying soaring soprano
Different mix.
|
| I’ll Never Fall In Love Again |
Original had awful OTT overdubbed stings from the very start.
This is an excellent version with Elvis vocal very clear and excessive echo removed.
Over-The- Top orchestra overdub removed
Listen out for Elvis’ final quavering notes, faded out on the original.
|
Not released |
| Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming |
Great pure Elvis vocal.
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
(You can easily hear the bleed-through via Elvis’ mic)
"Duet vocal" also removed
Piano nicely prominent in the mix
Strings overdub removed
|
Unedited Undubbed Master on Promised Land FTD
This has the extra verse edited out on the Master
With studio backing-vocals & soaring Kathy Westmoreland soprano
Different mix. |
| Spanish Eyes |
Great mix.
Louder pure Elvis vocal and sounds more emotional.
Unnecessary Strings overdub removed
Sherill Nielsen duet vocal removed.
|
On Good Times FTD
Has studio backing-vocals and Sherill Nielsen duet vocal
|
| Never Again |
Excellent version - Original had excessive overdubbed strings from the very start.
As with all Jungle Room tracks, if Felton was trying to hide Elvis’ unsure vocal with overdubs he managed to destroy the emotion of the song in the process.
Listen out at 02.38 as Elvis’ vocal quivers.
Over-The-Top orchestra overdub removed
Extra overdubbed backing vocals also removed |
Not released |
| She Thinks I Still Care |
Elvis fragile solo vocal sounds more emotional and pleading.
The master has a much earlier fade, this runs full length
Jungle Room Backing-Vocals faded out.
Strings overdub removed
One of Felton’s lighter string arrangements but which still removed the feel of the original "country" recording.
|
Not released |
| Solitaire |
"There was a man, a lonely man" sounds perfect as an Elvis solo vocal.
Excellent compared to the messy Master.
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out.
Excessive Strings overdub removed
|
Not released |
| I Got A Feelin’ In My Body |
Much higher Elvis vocal.
Still has soulful studio backing vocals.
Great mix with Elvis’ singing along during solos.
|
On Good Times FTD
Different mix, less Elvis vocal.
|
| Green, Green Grass Of Home |
Great emotional vocal
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
While the string overdubs sounded ok for 1975 here they are removed.
|
Rough Mix on 'Today' FTD
With Studio backing vocals
Less Elvis vocal.
|
| For The Heart |
Solo Elvis vocal but on this rocker the backing-vocals actually helped push the song along.
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out.
Nice to hear Elvis’ providing his own backing-vocals
Extra backing-vocal overdub also missing.
|
Not released |
| She Wears My Ring |
Clean Elvis vocal
Great alternate version as all studio versions have the backing-vocals.
The studio backing-vocals had an OTT arrangement and thankfully they are faded out here.
You can hear them bleeding through Elvis’ mic.
Excessive strings overdub (especially towards the end) removed.
|
On Good Times FTD
Less Elvis vocal and with studio backing-vocals.
|
| I Can Help |
Higher Elvis vocal
Great to hear Elvis in-between fills and singing along to solos.
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
More of a rhythm section mix.
The "dueling guitars" were off kilter on this original and removed for the Master.
Listen to Elvis’ great laugh at 02:22
|
On Today FTD
With Studio backing vocals
Different guitar solos overdubbed
|
| Way Down |
Solo Elvis vocal is interesting however here the Jungle Room backing-vocals were important to help drive the song along.
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out (you can easily hear the bleed through and JD!)
Elvis’ false start to the final verse is present.
Piano missing in the mix.
Extra backing-vocal overdub also missing.
|
Not released |
| There’s A Honky Tonk Angel |
Great version with solo Elvis vocal and with less added echo
Studio backing-vocals faded out.
Different mix with keyboards faded.
Excessive strings overdub removed.
Listen out for Elvis’ sign of satisfaction at 03:01
The ending is delicious without the orchestra.
|
Rough Mix on 'Promised Land' FTD
With Studio backing vocals
Less Elvis vocal. |
| Find Out What’s Happening |
Louder Elvis solo vocal - but this sounds better with backing-vocals that are not here.
Studio backing-vocals faded out.
Nice to hear Elvis’ own vocal during solos, sadly faded on the Master.
|
‘Rough Mix’ on ROR FTD
Master actually has no overdubs.
With studio backing-vocals.
|
| Thinking About You |
Great version with pure Elvis vocal and less added echo
You can hear Elvis’ breaths and him humming along – a treat.
Studio backing-vocals faded out (you can hear bleed through).
Excessive strings overdub removed.
Released version was edited.
|
Unedited Undubbed Master can be found only on bootleg.
|
| Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – long version |
Extended studio jam - 8:36
Stereo mix is fairly "narrow" and starts later than the actual tape.
|
On 'Elvis Now' FTD
Richer more modern mix.
Full band intro before Master version starts
Great sound, runs 9:16 |
| DISC 2 |
Unreleased Volume 3 and Bonus Material |
|
| Woman Without Love |
Louder Elvis vocal.
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
OTT string overdubs removed.
A lesser song (with non-pc lyrics!) sounding much better here.
|
On Today FTD
With Studio backing vocals
Elvis vocal mixed lower
|
| Moody Blue |
Higher Elvis vocal – good to hear not buried in overdubs.
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out
Country- style strings overdubs removed.
Master was edited and here we get the full-length version as Elvis keeps going with the chorus an extra minute.
|
Not released |
| When I’m Over You |
Great Clean Studio mix with solo Elvis vocal.
Backing Vocal overdubs removed
Overly twee string overdubs removed.
Simple rhythm band mix with organ faded out.
Was only 1 take, so great to have another version.
|
‘Rough Mix’ on Elvis Country FTD
Different mix
Runs longer until the end of the take. |
| It’s A Matter Of Time |
Solo Elvis vocal sounds very nice.
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
You can hear the bleed-through in the background
|
Not released |
| Sweet Angeline |
Excellent Solo Elvis version recorded in his Palm Springs home.
The fragility of the original song was ruined by overdubs
Backing Vocals faded out & soprano removed
Spanish guitar higher in the mix
No longer with those string overdubs and terrible OTT ending
|
Not released |
| Hurt |
Lovely solo Elvis vocal emotional version
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out
Piano and extra backing vocal overdub removed
Other Jungle Room FTD alternate takes have backing-vocals present.
|
Undubbed Master Not released. But note that Take 2 on the 'Platinum' box-set is another fabulous "Pure Elvis" version with the backing-vocals mixed out.
|
| Shake A Hand |
Louder Elvis vocal, but here the Gospel backing-vocals are needed.
Studio Backing Vocals faded out.
Gospel organ mixed lower
Brass overdub removed.
|
Rough Mix on 'Today' FTD
A nice gospel mix
Studio backing-vocals mixed with Elvis’ vocal as part of the group. |
| Promised Land |
Elvis vocal is louder.
Studio Backing Vocals faded out (not that there were many)
This mix includes the ORGAN overdub (which was never used on the Master) and sounds very wrong.
Driving tambourine overdub removed
With the guitars also lower in the mix the important rocking feel is lost.
|
On Promised Land FTD
Higher Elvis vocal
Undubbed Master sounds great. |
| Heart Of Rome |
Great mix without those bombastic orchestra overdubs
Studio Backing Vocals kept
Charlie Hodge "harmony vocal" still present
Piano faded in the mix |
On Love Letters FTD
Memories is a cleaner, superior mix
The Master was a splice.
Love Letters has undubbed Take 3, not the undubbed splice. |
| If You Don’t Come Back |
Much louder Elvis vocal raised above the band.
Has louder backing-vocals than Master!
Master is without overdubs
|
Rough Mix on ROR FTD
Similar mix but with more percussion. |
| Mr. Songman |
Louder Elvis solo vocal opens up the fragility of the emotion.
Studio backing-vocals faded out.
Strings overdubs removed.
Not a great song in the first place but much better here.
Alternate takes all have studio backing-vocals so this is a treat.
|
Not released |
| For Ol’ Time Sake |
Higher vocal and with less echo - just beautiful
Master had no overdubs so this is very similar
|
Rough Mix on 'ROR' FTD
Similar mix but with echo. |
| Love Coming Down |
Higher solo Elvis vocal nicely captures desperation of the lyric
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out
Excessive overdubs removed.
Extra backing-vocal overdub removed
Great to hear compared to messy overdubbed Master
|
Not released |
| Pledging My Love |
Higher solo Elvis vocal
Excellent full length version without the fade
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out
Clavinet higher in the mix
Can hear Elvis singing along to solos
Extra backing-vocal overdub removed
Added Master echo removed
|
Unedited Undubbed Studio Mix on Jungle Room Sessions FTD
Without overdubs but has Jungle Room Backing Vocals |
| Raised On Rock |
Higher Elvis vocal
Studio backing-vocals present but a lower level
Lead guitar faded down which unfortunately reduces the "Rock" impact
Master had no overdubs |
Rough Mix on ROR FTD
Master had no overdubs
With full backing-vocals and a better mix than the Master not drowned in echo
Goes for extra 20 seconds longer. |
| The Last Farewell |
Higher solo Elvis vocal makes this a treat
Jungle Room Backing Vocals faded out
Excessive Orchestral overdubs removed.
Extra backing-vocal overdub removed
Original Master was an OTT mess.
This is one of the best treats here
|
Not released |
| Fool |
Solo Elvis vocal.
Studio Backing Vocals faded out (can hear bleed-through)
Strings overdub removed.
Listen out for Elvis’ "Oh" at 01:45
Fades 10 seconds earlier then Master
|
‘Fool’ FTD - has several rough mixes which all contain backing-vocals. |
