Twenty Days And Twenty Nights

[Sonny]

Twenty Days And Twenty Nights

http://www.tcb-world.com/pictures/2/Import Forum/twentydays.jpg

Tracks:

01. Runaway (instrumental)
02. Cotton fields
03. Stagger Lee
04. Alla En El Rancho Grande (unedited version)
05. Peter Gunn theme (instrumental)
06. Twenty days and twenty nights
07. Crying time
08. Froggy went a courtin' (unedited version)
09. Ghostriders in the sky
10. My country tis of thee
11. Havana gila
12. Cattle call / Yodel (Las Vegas, Int.Hotel Conv.Room, August 4, 1970)
13. The Lord's prayer
14. Polk salad Annie (1)
15. Polk salad Annie (2)
16. Patch it up
17. Bridge over troubled water
18. Can't help falling in love
19. Don't be cruel (instrumental) (On Tour rehearsal, March 31, 1972)
20. Cattle call / Over the rainbow (one liner) (On Tour rehearsal, April 1972)
21. El Paso (one liner) (On Tour rehearsal, March 30, 1972)
22. Lighthouse / I John / I need you lovin' (On Tour rehearsal, April 1972)
23. I didn't make it on playing guitar (longer version)
24. The first time ever I saw your face (duet with Ginger Holladay)
25. Don't think twice (studio jam, longer version)
26. Radio/tv spot That's The Way It Is (1)
27. Radio/tv spot That's The Way It Is (2)
28. Radio/tv spot Elvis On Tour (1)
29. Radio/tv spot Elvis On Tour (2)

Label: CJC Records 001
Released: 2004
Sound quality: very good

Date - tracks 01-07,09 : July 15, 1970 (rehearsal)
Date - tracks 08,10,11,13 : July 29, 1970 (rehearsal)
Location: Culver City, MGM Studios, Stage 1

Date - tracks 14-18 : August 10, 1970
Location: Las Vegas, International Hotel, stage rehearsal

Reviews: n/a

Everything here was released before on several (good) imports and even on some RCA/BMG releases. Nevertheless this is a very fine collection of songs, recorded during rehearsals and in the studio.
Since it's a tough job to track down all of the cd's this material was first released on, this might be a nice alternative.

[Sonny]

Twenty Days And Twenty Nights
(review by Sonny, May 2005)



Almost all of the tracks on this cd come from very strong periods in Elvis' life. (1970-1972) After his return to live performing in 1969 and working on a new series of kick *** shows in the Summer of 1970 he created some of his finest work.
This cd shows Elvis working and having fun in the studio in 1970 and 1972.
All of these tracks have been released on several imports and rca/bmg cd's, but this collection is good fun nevertheless.


01. RUNAWAY

This is a nice opener to this cd and a very good instrumental version at that. It has a very strong bass/drum line during the part where Elvis does the "I Wonder" part. That bass line simply works for this instrumental and makes it a treat to listen to.

What follows is a very short part of "It's Your Baby You Rock It".

02. Cotton Fields

A fun version of a song which Elvis probably just tried out because he remembered it from way back. It obviously was never intended for release. Despite the mike overload a very nice version.

03. Stagger Lee

Once again a song Elvis tried because he liked it's original. At first the mike overload makes it sound kinda loud and messy, but it's great fun to listen to actually. Elvis changes the lyrics into: "I got threehundred little kids and a very horny wife". Right after that he turns a line into "Love Me Tender", which is followed by "screw Stagger Lee".

04. Alla En El Rancho Grande

The version featured here (also on the "A Profile" box) is slightly longer than the official release on the Seventies box. The first part of this traditional is unreleased. After that it goes into the released part which we know from the forementioned boxset. Here it almost sounds as if Elvis is more upfront.

05. Peter Gunn Theme

Cool, short instrumental version, just for fun. Elvis probably fooled around with this 'cause it's the theme to a Seventies detective tv-series.

06. Twenty Days And Twenty Nights

Just one of my favorite Elvis songs. Our man is not taking this particular rendition to serious. He's briefly breaking up and laughing during this version, while singing "to prove her wrong and make me right".

07. Crying Time

This is the well known funny and very false sounding TTWII version. Here we have the piano much more upfront.

08. Froggy Went A Courtin'

The version we know from the Seventies boxset, just longer and unedited. It being longer does not add to it's quality though.

09. Ghostriders In The Sky

Cool song, though this is the "off mike" version and not the version which came with the "The Way It Was" book, which featured part of the lyrics. Still a very nice song to listen to.

10. My Country Tis Of Thee

This starts out as just fooling around and doesn't get much more serious than that.

11. Havana Gila

A real traditional and a real treat when it was first released on the initial import it was on. This version's been cut and edited, probably to shorten it and to get rid of some dialogue.

12. Cattle Call / Yodel

This "medley" is taken directly from the That's The Way It Is Special Edition and sounds very nice actually.

13. The Lord's Prayer

Knowing how much Elvis was into gospel music the attempt here probably was meant more serious than it sounds. A very short try to this hymn on top of that.

14. Polk Salad Annie
15. Polk Salad Annie

Though these versions suffer from a lot of hiss they sound slightly better than on the "Hang Loose" release. Elvis is just fooling around with this song, rehearsing it on stage, with lots of lyric changes and funny adlibs. Cool versions! (Las Vegas, August 18, 1970)

16. Patch It Up

Rockin' "rough" version. Very good! (Las Vegas, August 18, 1970)

17. Bridge Over Troubled Water
18. Can't Help Falling In Love

These two tracks are incomplete rehearsals, Las Vegas, August 18, 1970

19. Don't Be Cruel

This is the instrumental version from "Elvis On Tour".

20. Cattle Call / Over The Rainbow

Just very short "little things" as Elvis calls them. One line only, that's it.

21. El Paso

The same version which was released on the FTD label on "The On Tour Rehearsals". A short "two line" rendition, nothing more.

22. Lighthouse / I John / I Need Your Lovin'

Most of the time Elvis did not sing on "Lighthouse". This particular version has Elvis singing lead. I John forms the longest part of this so called medley. It's like a full version of this gospel. I Need Your Lovin' is just a short one liner.

23. I Didn't Make It On Playing Guitar

A very nice instrumental (almost) which first got released by RCA/BMG on volume 4 of their "Essential Elvis" series, subtitled: "A Hundred Years From Now". On this cd this track is a little longer and unedited.

24. The First Time Ever I saw Your Face

Since there never was an official release of Elvis singing this as a duet with Ginger Holladay, this version is a nice addition to this cd. It's taken from an LP album I'm sure, because there's enough crackin' of vinyl. But it's a cool version because it never got an official (or better sounding) release.

25. Don't Think Twice It's Allright

The uncut (14:25 minutes) studio jam. I'm not sure here, but could this have been tampered with in some way? Is this the original version or did they mix it to make it last a little longer?


As a special bonus we get like four radio/tv spots. Two of these spots come from "That's The Way It Is", the other two from "Elvis On Tour".


To wrap things up: a very nice cd to listen to, even when you own all of the other imports these tracks are taken from, mostly because you get a nice collection of all of these Seventies rehearsals on one cd.
The sound quality is pretty good, considering the different sources these tracks are taken from.

The cd sleeve is very simple but efficient.

review by Sonny, May 2005

[Sonny]

review added