from elvis in memphis

Elvis Presley returned to his roots and found a vital new sound for this serious and soulful statement. Having tired of the series of singles and movie soundtracks that his manager had set up for him for the past decade, Presley had a pile of songs that he wanted to record.  The success of his 'Elvis' television special had given him a boost of confidence; and he was looking for a different studio in which to record.   Presley had expressed to producer Steve Binder:  "I'll never sing another song that I don't believe in, I'm never going to make another movie that I don't believe in."

 After trying to get into several other studios, Presley was able to secure the up and coming American Sound Studio at 827 Thomas Street in Memphis, Tennessee.  Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis produced the sessions, which had to be broken up to resolve some publishing issues over the songs that Presley was choosing to record.  'From Elvis in Memphis' features Elvis Presley on vocals, guitar, and piano;  with String and Horn Arrangements by Glen Spreen;  American Sound Studio engineer Ed Kollis on harmonica;  John Hughey on pedal steel guitar;  Reggie Young and Dan Penn on electric guitar;  Bobby Wood on piano;  Bobby Emmons on organ;  Tommy Cogbill and Mike Leech on bass;  and Gene Chrisman on drums;   with overdubs recorded with Wayne Jackson, Dick Steff, and R.F. Taylor on trumpets;  Ed Logan, Jack Hale, and Gerald Richardson on trombones;  Tony Cason and Joe D'Gerolamo on french horns;  Andrew Love, Jackie Thomas, Glen Spreen, and J.P. Luper on saxophones;  and  Joe Babcock, Dolores Edgin, Mary Greene, Charlie Hodge, Ginger Holladay, Mary Holladay, Millie Kirkham, Ronnie Milsap, Sonja Montgomery, June Page, Susan Pilkington, Sandy Posey, Donna Thatcher, and Hurschel Wiginton on backing vocals.  

Presley considered:  "I want to change the type of scripts I have been doing...Something with meaning. I’m going after more serious material. I couldn’t dig always playing the guy who’d get into a fight, beat the guy up, and in the next shot sing to him...When you do ten songs in a movie, they can’t all be good songs...I don’t know. I kinda got tired of beating up guys and then having to sing a song to them, or maybe their horses."

 'From Elvis in Memphis' went to number thirteen in the US, ten in Canada, and number one in Norway and the UK.  The fruitful sessions would be repackaged and rereleased in many different forms; but the music still shines through as some of the most powerful of his entire career.  






http://www.elvis.com/





'In the Ghetto' became a huge hit for Presley and showed a more serious side that was a big change from his movie image.  Presley would remark:  "Ghetto was such a great song. I just couldn’t pass it up after I’d heard it. There are a lot of new records out now that have the same sound I started but they’re better. I mean, you can’t compare a song like Yesterday with Hound Dog, can you?"  The single went to number sixty on the US country singles chart, eight on the Canadian and US adult contemporary charts, three on the US pop chart, and number two in Canada.


As the snow flies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto

And his mama cries
Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
It's another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto

People, don't you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Take a look at you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Do we simply turn our heads

And look the other way
Well the world turns
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto

And his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And he learns how to steal
And he learns how to fight
In the ghetto

Then one night in desperation
A young man breaks away
He buys a gun, steals a car,
Tries to run, but he don't get far
And his mama cries
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto

As her young man dies,
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin',
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto

And his mama cries














'From Elvis in Memphis'
full album:




Side one
1. "Wearin' That Loved On Look" Dallas Frazier, A.L. Owens January 13, 1969 2:46
2. "Only the Strong Survive" Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff February 19, 1969 2:42
3. "I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)" Eddy Arnold, Thomas Dilbeck, Vaughan Horton January 22, 1969 4:34
4. "Long Black Limousine" Bobby George, Vern Stovall January 13, 1969 3:38
5. "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'" Johnny Tillotson February 20, 1969 2:36
6. "I'm Movin' On" Hank Snow January 14, 1969 2:43

Side two
1. "Power of My Love" Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye February 18, 1969 2:36
2. "Gentle on My Mind" John Hartford January 14, 1969 3:21
3. "After Loving You" Janet Lantz, Eddie Miller February 18, 1969 3:05
4. "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" Dallas Frazier, A.L. Owens February 17, 1969 2:38
5. "Any Day Now" Burt Bacharach, Bob Hilliard February 20, 1969 2:59
6. "In the Ghetto" Mac Davis January 20, 1969 2:57