Episode eighty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looked at “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Elvis Presley, examining how his promising comeback after leaving the Army was quickly overshadowed. This period is crucial for understanding the evolution of Elvis Presley Old Songs, marking a significant transition in his career from rock and roll icon to movie star.
Before delving into Elvis’s story, it is important to note the passing of the great Little Richard. His influence on twentieth-century music is undeniable, particularly on the rock and roll genre that Elvis himself helped define. Without artists like Little Richard, the musical landscape, and subsequently the Elvis Presley Old Songs we cherish today, would be vastly different. His work, covered in episodes on “Tutti Frutti” and “Keep A Knockin’,” established a vital link in the historical chain of rock and roll.
A Changed World, A Changed Man
Elvis Presley’s two years serving in the Army profoundly impacted him. He experienced personal loss with the death of his mother, separation from his familiar circle, and met Priscilla, who would later become his wife. The music world hadn’t stood still in his absence. Rockabilly, the genre that propelled him to fame, had largely faded from the charts. Many contemporaries had shifted towards orchestrated pop or pure country, leaving Elvis’s former sound less prominent.
Despite this, Elvis maintained his presence on the charts thanks to a stockpile of recordings made before his enlistment in 1958. Hits like “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck”, “Hard-Headed Woman”, “One Night”, “I Need Your Love Tonight”, and “A Big Hunk O’ Love” were released periodically. RCA also repackaged existing singles into new albums, ensuring Elvis remained in the public eye even without new material.
This strategy was orchestrated by Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s manager. Parker’s approach was to record only the minimum material required by RCA’s contracts. This tactic was designed to provide leverage during future contract negotiations, ensuring Elvis and his management retained control over his valuable recordings.
Upon his discharge, Elvis had only a couple of weeks to readjust at Graceland before returning to the studio. Graceland, the home he purchased for his mother but barely inhabited before the draft, now housed Elvis, his father, and his father’s new, much younger girlfriend – a living situation Elvis reportedly did not favor. During this brief respite, he visited local entertainment venues and, most significantly for him, visited his mother’s grave for the first time.
The Colonel’s Strategy and Early Sessions
Just over two weeks after his discharge, Elvis was back in the recording studio in Nashville, ready to record his first new material since his Christmas album two and a half years prior. To avoid crowds, RCA staff were told the session was for country singer Jim Reeves, who was having hits with the emerging “Nashville Sound.”
Many of the prominent “Nashville A-team” musicians who had played on Elvis’s last session before the Army were present, including guitarist Hank “Sugarfoot” Garland, pianist Floyd Cramer, drummer Buddy Harman, and bassist Bob Moore. The Jordanaires, long-time backing vocalists for Elvis and also part of the Nashville session scene, were also there. Notably absent from the core band was Bill Black, who had moved on to success with his own combo. Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana were present but in reduced roles compared to the 1950s.
The initial session was reportedly slow to start, with an hour spent on non-recording activities. The first song attempted, Otis Blackwell’s “Make Me Know It,” required nineteen takes to achieve a satisfactory result.
Elvis Presley in 1960 after returning from the army, during his musical comeback period.
Despite some initial hesitation, Elvis’s voice showed significant improvement, having reportedly gained a full octave in range during his Army service through practice. He was keen to explore different musical styles, but the early sessions also included bluesy numbers. One of the strongest tracks from this first session was Pomus and Shuman’s “A Mess of Blues.”
However, the song chosen for the first single was “Stuck on You,” a track by Aaron Schroeder and Leslie McFarland. Such was the anticipation for new elvis presley old songs that the single, backed with “Fame and Fortune,” was released within seventy-two hours. RCA printed 1.4 million copies purely to meet advance orders, using generic sleeves stating “Elvis’ 1st New Recording For His 50,000,000 Fans All Over The World” because the specific songs hadn’t been decided when the sleeves were printed. This highlights the immense demand for any new Presley song.
The “Welcome Home Elvis” Special
Around the time “Stuck on You” was released, Elvis made what would be his only television appearance for the next eight years. Colonel Parker arranged a TV special hosted by Frank Sinatra, titled The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis.
The special featured typical Rat Pack elements. Sinatra, who had previously been critical of Elvis, put on a public show of camaraderie, driven by the financial opportunity. The train journey to Florida for the taping was described by Scotty Moore as attracting crowds comparable to the funeral trains of Lincoln and Roosevelt, illustrating Elvis’s enduring fame. Moore also recalled Elvis offering him pills for alertness during the trip.
While friendly on the train, Scotty Moore, DJ Fontana, and the Jordanaires were reportedly forbidden from socializing with Elvis during rehearsals in Miami, by the Colonel’s orders.
The TV special offered a rare glimpse of Elvis performing live in the early 1960s. Dressed formally, seemingly aiming for a family-friendly image, he appeared initially uncomfortable performing “Fame and Fortune.” He found his rhythm with “Stuck on You,” and a highlight was the duet with Sinatra, where Sinatra sang “Love Me Tender” and Elvis sang Sinatra’s “Witchcraft.” Footage reveals Elvis regaining his stage presence, arguably outperforming Sinatra.
The duet has been analyzed in terms of cultural shifts. Sinatra’s performance, seemingly mocking “Love Me Tender,” can be seen as modernist – dismissing a cliche. Elvis’s take on “Witchcraft,” performed seriously while also acknowledging the absurdity of the situation, could be interpreted as postmodernist – embracing and commenting on the cliche, allowing for a form of sincerity. This complexity is evident even in the audio recording. You can find a list of Elvis Presley songs from this era and his extensive catalog online.
Recording “Elvis Is Back!”
A week after the Sinatra special, Elvis returned to the studio with the same core musicians, plus saxophonist Boots Randolph, to complete recording for his new album, Elvis is Back!
Many consider Elvis is Back! one of Elvis’s most consistent studio albums. The second 1960 session produced some of its most impressive material. They recorded a version of “Fever,” matching the quality of Little Willie John’s original and Peggy Lee’s famous rendition, featuring minimal backing from bass and drums. They also tackled “Like a Baby,” showcasing some of Elvis’s best blues vocals on a song originally by Vikki Nelson and written by R&B classic writer Jesse Stone.
A significant departure was the recording of “It’s Now or Never.” Elvis had long admired Tony Martin’s 1950 hit “There’s No Tomorrow,” based on the Neapolitan standard “O Sole Mio.” Hill and Range, Elvis’s publishing company, commissioned new English lyrics, resulting in “It’s Now or Never.”
Elvis was determined to perfect the song, which required a powerful, sustained final note. Despite near-perfect takes with difficult endings, he insisted on performing it all the way through. His eventual successful take was extraordinary, showcasing a vocal performance unlike his earlier work. “It’s Now or Never” became a number one hit, solidifying his comeback.
“Are You Lonesome Tonight?” – A Unique Recording
Another non-album single from this session was the only song Colonel Parker ever personally asked Elvis to record: “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”. Written in 1926, it had been a hit for several artists, including Al Jolson. Parker’s request stemmed from two reasons: his sentimental association with the song from managing Gene Austin, and because it was his wife Marie’s favorite.
For this recording, Elvis requested that the studio lights be turned off, with only a few musicians present – featuring acoustic guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. He did one take, which reportedly contained a mistake by the Jordanaires. After a false start, he initially considered abandoning the song, but RCA’s A&R man, Steve Sholes, insisted on its potential. They completed the recording, though the final take famously includes the sound of someone bumping into a microphone during the spoken bridge, a result of recording in the dark.
Despite this minor flaw, the track was released and became a massive success, remaining a staple in Elvis’s live performances throughout his career. It is a classic example of elvis presley old songs that transcended genres and eras.
Across these two 1960 sessions, Elvis recorded eighteen tracks – enough for three singles and a twelve-track album. The material covered an astonishing stylistic range, from rockers and blues to Latin pop and gospel. While slicker than his raw Sun recordings, the Elvis Is Back! sessions produced work arguably just as artistically successful. The three singles (“Stuck on You,” “It’s Now or Never,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”) all reached number one, and the Elvis Is Back! album peaked at number two, selling half a million copies. This period showcased a matured artist still capable of creating impactful elvis presley old songs.
The Shift to Film Soundtracks
Just three weeks after the critically acclaimed Elvis Is Back! sessions, Elvis was in a different studio cutting vastly different material for his first post-Army film, “GI Blues.” Intended as a light comedy to present a wholesome image, Elvis disliked the script. He was further displeased to find he wouldn’t be recording songs by Lieber and Stoller, his previous collaborators, due to the Colonel’s “business reasons” (they had become persona non grata).
Instead, he recorded songs primarily by journeymen songwriters with little background in rock and roll. A typical example was “Wooden Heart,” based on a German folk song. The songs for the film soundtracks marked a clear departure from the dynamic sound of his earlier work and the artistic ambition shown on Elvis Is Back! Many fans seeking elvis presley old songs often focus on the pre-film era or specific later periods, distinguishing them from the soundtrack output. For a comprehensive look, you can explore top songs from Elvis Gold Records Volume 4 by Elvis Presley, which includes hits from various periods.
The Nature of Film Songs
It is important to consider the context of these film songs. They were written to drive the movie plot and exist within the film’s narrative, not necessarily as standalone singles or album tracks. Critiquing them solely as songs outside this context misses their original purpose.
However, the original text notes that Elvis often seemed uninspired performing these songs. Bones Howe, who worked on the sessions, felt Elvis lacked the natural performance ability of his earlier days when tackling this material. Comparing them to the Elvis Is Back! sessions suggests the issue wasn’t post-Army rust, but Elvis’s clear lack of enthusiasm for the soundtrack genre.
Elvis reportedly told the Colonel that half the songs for “GI Blues” should be scrapped, but was told he was contractually obligated. He performed them professionally, both in the film and on record, but his passion was clearly elsewhere. The contrast between the depth of the elvis presley old songs on his studio albums and the often formulaic film tracks became increasingly apparent. You can find some of these classic hits featured on compilation albums like Elvis Gold Records Volume 4 songs.
Brief Artistic Detours: Serious Films and Gospel
Elvis was initially placated by the promise that his next films would be “proper films” like his pre-Army movies. He made two such films back-to-back: “Flaming Star,” a Western with a social message where he played a mixed-race character (a role originally intended for Marlon Brando) and sang only one song, and “Wild in the Country,” a drama where he played a troubled young man. While opinions on the films and Elvis’s acting vary, they were clear attempts at serious dramatic roles.
Following these films, Elvis returned to the studio for another overnight session, resulting in his first full-length gospel album, His Hand in Mine. This album was perhaps the purest expression of Elvis’s personal musical passion, allowing him to sing gospel in a quartet setting with the Jordanaires, fulfilling a long-held desire. It stands as a testament to his versatility beyond rock and roll and soundtrack material.
Thus, 1960 saw Elvis record two artistically satisfying albums (Elvis Is Back! and His Hand in Mine) and make three films, two of which aimed for dramatic merit.
The Die is Cast: Commercial Success vs. Artistic Vision
Unfortunately for Elvis’s artistic ambitions, it was the film he disliked, “GI Blues,” that proved to be a massive commercial success. While Elvis Is Back! reached number two and sold half a million copies (a respectable number), the “GI Blues” soundtrack hit number one, stayed there for eleven weeks, and sold a million copies – an extraordinary figure for an album at the time. His Hand in Mine, despite its artistic merit, only reached number thirteen.
This pattern repeated the following year. A studio album was outsold significantly by the soundtrack to “Blue Hawaii,” a lighthearted film featuring songs widely considered dreadful.
Additional films like “Kid Galahad” and “Follow That Dream” in 1961 and 1962 attempted slightly more substance but were not as successful as “Blue Hawaii.”
Elvis in the Sixties: The Treadmill Years
From this point, the path for Elvis’s career in the 1960s was largely set. Colonel Parker leaned into the commercially successful formula of light comedies set in exotic locations, featuring formulaic songs. This routine of three films a year, often interchangeable, trapped Elvis on a “treadmill” until 1968. While he occasionally had studio sessions producing high-quality music outside the film context, the film career dominated.
As a result, Elvis largely seemed disconnected from the major musical shifts of the 1960s. To a new generation of musicians, he was seen as less relevant, as famously summarized by John Lennon’s quote that “Elvis died when he went into the Army.” The artistic dynamism of his early elvis presley old songs seemed a distant memory compared to his film output during this decade. We will revisit his story in 1968, when he finally broke free from this cycle.
References
- Guralnick, Peter. Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley.
- Jorgensen, Ernst. Reconsider Baby: The Definitive Elvis Sessionography 1954-1977.
- From Nashville to Memphis (box set).
- Back in Living Stereo (box set).
