Only because you mention Irving Berlin and some other pop songwriters, as well as the ups and downs of reception history, a basically unrelated anecdote I just learned about Harry Warren. Warren had more hit #1 songs than anybody, but Irving Berlin always remained America's Songwriter. As a result, Warren became incredibly jealous. In the 1950s, as his sort of Tin Pan Alley songwriter vanished into history (replaced by Elvis etc.), he'd tell his friends, “In WWII they bombed the wrong Berlin.”
A great piece. And you’re right I think about Elvis’s 21st-century cultural capital. Time to remind myself of his, yes, syncretic and spellbinding genius. Thanks for the homework!
I think Elvis went through a sort of "cancel culture" thing for a bit. He was The King, then he was "Akshually just a hack who ripped off more deserving black artists" and now it seems like its coming back around. He was from the same southern country milieu as a lot of those black artists and was just as "authentic". Its not his fault that America's cultural prejudices elevated him above other, equally deserving artists of the time. It doesn't make him less good.
Make mine The Sun Sessions. And Blue Christmas is on a very short list of Christmas songs that are good any time of year.
Dead-on. I took a brief listen on streaming and knew this wasn't one to own, even if I love most of this material. They've been doing "undubbed" mixes of the 1969 American stuff since the 1999 "Suspicious Mind" comp, the FTD releases etc. No-one should be introduced to this material this way, but I fear that's what will happen.
Great piece - we are very much of the same mind when it comes to Elvis. Duly warned about this set, which sounds like a real waste. All of those additions - the horns, strings, and choirs were 100% part of his vision.
I guess I'm in the minority but I think about Elvis a lot - there's no artist I've listened to more or whose catalogue I know as deeply. The new boxset seems to me like Sony is grasping at straws, re-releasing material that has already been recently re-released. From my perspective, his early- and late-sixties Nashville sessions are just begging to be re-discovered - to my ears, they are a strong part of your argument that Elvis was a genius at synthesis.
I'm not 100% sure of that but they were definitely recorded on super primitive equipment. Check out this link for a detailed description of what kind of gear Sam Phillips was working with before he sold Elvis's contract to RCA, and was thus able to upgrade:
I get it that there’s enough Elvis on the market. But the sets are meant to keep his name on minds of listeners. If Dylan, Hendrix, Beatles, Beach Boys can keep doing it. So can Elvis
I was overjoyed by your praise of the One and Only Elvis. I had the privilege and the pleasure of of attending the last of the February 1970 concerts at the International Hotel in Vegas and to hang out at the after party with the only Star that I ever looked up to and had been a fan of since my preteen years. Everyone from the Beatles to the Who, via Jimi Hendrix and the Stones were friends but I was never a fan in the way I loved Elvis. Your comments are spot on and you deserve to be heartily complimented
Your criticism seems based in part on the notion that this could introduce Elvis to new fans and will do them a disservice. But a multi-disc set isn’t a logical entry point. It will take another “A Little Less Conversation“ moment to penetrate pop culture in that way, I fear. In the meantime, hearing the songs this way is at least interesting to this fan, as it allows the ear to hear how the songs were built, to discern the unadorned foundation. You are correct: no one will or should make this their source for Elvis music during this era, but I’d rather have it out there than not. It’s like the demo disc on almost every reissue. I’ll listen once, take what I need from the experience, and then probably never pull it out again.
Only because you mention Irving Berlin and some other pop songwriters, as well as the ups and downs of reception history, a basically unrelated anecdote I just learned about Harry Warren. Warren had more hit #1 songs than anybody, but Irving Berlin always remained America's Songwriter. As a result, Warren became incredibly jealous. In the 1950s, as his sort of Tin Pan Alley songwriter vanished into history (replaced by Elvis etc.), he'd tell his friends, “In WWII they bombed the wrong Berlin.”
Really nice survey of elvis but i comment to say great to see a reference to joe carducci!
A great piece. And you’re right I think about Elvis’s 21st-century cultural capital. Time to remind myself of his, yes, syncretic and spellbinding genius. Thanks for the homework!
I think Elvis went through a sort of "cancel culture" thing for a bit. He was The King, then he was "Akshually just a hack who ripped off more deserving black artists" and now it seems like its coming back around. He was from the same southern country milieu as a lot of those black artists and was just as "authentic". Its not his fault that America's cultural prejudices elevated him above other, equally deserving artists of the time. It doesn't make him less good.
Make mine The Sun Sessions. And Blue Christmas is on a very short list of Christmas songs that are good any time of year.
Dead-on. I took a brief listen on streaming and knew this wasn't one to own, even if I love most of this material. They've been doing "undubbed" mixes of the 1969 American stuff since the 1999 "Suspicious Mind" comp, the FTD releases etc. No-one should be introduced to this material this way, but I fear that's what will happen.
Great piece - we are very much of the same mind when it comes to Elvis. Duly warned about this set, which sounds like a real waste. All of those additions - the horns, strings, and choirs were 100% part of his vision.
I guess I'm in the minority but I think about Elvis a lot - there's no artist I've listened to more or whose catalogue I know as deeply. The new boxset seems to me like Sony is grasping at straws, re-releasing material that has already been recently re-released. From my perspective, his early- and late-sixties Nashville sessions are just begging to be re-discovered - to my ears, they are a strong part of your argument that Elvis was a genius at synthesis.
The Sun sessions were 2 track!??
I'm not 100% sure of that but they were definitely recorded on super primitive equipment. Check out this link for a detailed description of what kind of gear Sam Phillips was working with before he sold Elvis's contract to RCA, and was thus able to upgrade:
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/sun-records-echo-how-did-sam-phillips-achieve-it.81850/page-3
This article suggests that they used a mono (i.e. one track )machine.
Whatever
I get it that there’s enough Elvis on the market. But the sets are meant to keep his name on minds of listeners. If Dylan, Hendrix, Beatles, Beach Boys can keep doing it. So can Elvis
I was overjoyed by your praise of the One and Only Elvis. I had the privilege and the pleasure of of attending the last of the February 1970 concerts at the International Hotel in Vegas and to hang out at the after party with the only Star that I ever looked up to and had been a fan of since my preteen years. Everyone from the Beatles to the Who, via Jimi Hendrix and the Stones were friends but I was never a fan in the way I loved Elvis. Your comments are spot on and you deserve to be heartily complimented
Your criticism seems based in part on the notion that this could introduce Elvis to new fans and will do them a disservice. But a multi-disc set isn’t a logical entry point. It will take another “A Little Less Conversation“ moment to penetrate pop culture in that way, I fear. In the meantime, hearing the songs this way is at least interesting to this fan, as it allows the ear to hear how the songs were built, to discern the unadorned foundation. You are correct: no one will or should make this their source for Elvis music during this era, but I’d rather have it out there than not. It’s like the demo disc on almost every reissue. I’ll listen once, take what I need from the experience, and then probably never pull it out again.