Songs That Elvis Might have sung..

[howardrobardhughes]

Does anyone know if ANY of these are on Compact Disc ??



1969-1977 live and rehearsals, 1970-1976 studio
Too Late Too Worry, Too Blue To Cry - may have been done in the studio in the '60s

Ring Of Bright Water - live 8/69 (part only)

Rock Of Ages - live 8/69

Land Of 1000 Dances - live 8/69

Bad Moon Rising - live 8/69

Goodnight, My Love - live 8/69 (part only)

Born To Lose - live 8/69 (part only); may be 1969 rehearsal; live '70s; a British fan told me in the early '80s that he had a 1969 rehearsal of this song on tape

Hooked On A Feeling - live 8/69; live or studio, 1970

When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano - live 1969 or 1970; part sung 2/3/70 (DS) in Las Vegas; recorded by the Ink Spots and Billy Ward and His Dominoes

House Of The Rising Sun - live 1969-1971

Chain Gang - 8/69 live (part only); live '70s

Lodi - 1/26/70 Las Vegas opening show: mentioned in an error in 2/7/70 "Billboard" magazine which reviewed the opening show -- the correct title was "Proud Mary" (both are Creedence songs); rumors that it was done live 1969-71, but the one instance where it is in print (as mentioned) is wrong; article reads: "...Tony Joe White's "Polk Salad Annie" and "Lodi"...", which not only confuses the song, but also credits it to the wrong composer

Funky Feeling, Funny Feeling - 1970 (see next listing)

Funny Feeling - live 11/14/70 Los Angeles; probably the same song as above; Variety (11/25/70) review of the show lists it as a "contemporary ballad", and I am certain it was a misidentification of "Funny How Time Slips Away", which Elvis did that night (my tape of the concert is not great sound, but good enough that I'm certain this is a falsely rumored song); Bobby Darin did a song called "That Funny Feeling" which may be a candidate but I doubt it was done on that date (for one thing, a brief one-liner is unlikely to rate a mention in the newspaper, though "Everybody Loves Somebody" (Elvis didn?t even sing the whole of the first word!) did when he did it on 1/26/70

Funky Fingers - 6/6/70; ZPA4 1611; RCA says this is not an Elvis track

Your Song - 6/6/70; ZPA4 1612; RCA says this is not an Elvis track; probably not the Elton John song of the same name


N.B.: following the 1995 release of "A Hundred Years From Now", one has to wonder how RCA managed to omit that particular song from their session records. Perhaps there is hope that some of the songs on this list were similarly overlooked -- if not, as the 1995 "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" set shows, between-take jams may be fertile ground for unreleased performances.
Holly Holy -1970; part sung live in Las Vegas 8/21/70 (MS), a show attended by Neil Diamond (Elvis introduced him); Ernst Jorgensen said that Glen Hardin wrote an arrangement for the song before the January-February, 1970 Las Vegas season, so Elvis may have also rehearsed it then

It's Only Make Believe - 1970

The Tips Of My Fingers - 1970; recorded by Roy Clark

The Twelfth Of Never - live 1970; now released by RCA as a rehearsal from 1974 (8/16/74); also rehearsed for the January, 1973 "Aloha" shows and the August, 1973 Las Vegas season

Lonely Teardrops - live 1970


N.B.: the two songs above, along with the Sun "Uncle Penn", appeared on the '70s bootleg "Elvis Special", Volumes 1&3. I believe that these are really Elvis, live at the International, perhaps in August. On Vol 3 two other tracks are listed -- "Stage Fright" and "Venue". Any information on what these are would be appreciated, but I suspect that they're bits of dialog, perhaps even taken from the "Elvis On Tour" soundtrack, rather than actual songs. Just another way that this list could be even more inflated than it already is!
You Are My Good-Looking Woman - 1970; both Muddy Waters and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown recorded a blues song called "Good Looking Woman", which is a possible candidate for this rumored tune's real identity

Rainy Night In Georgia - 1970 studio; scheduled for the studio in January, 1977, but Elvis never showed at the session; 1970 live (part only); big hit in 1970; snippet in "Elvis On Tour"

Cattle Call - live 1970 (part sung 9/4/70 Las Vegas DS); also may be from '50s concert (now available on bootleg from 3/30/72 rehearsals, and also done during the July 29, 1970 rehearsals seen on "The Lost Performances" video)

Detroit City - live 1970 (part only); sung live at 9/11/70 Detroit show

Close To You - 9/14/70 Mobile, AL; possibly sung live 9/10/70 St Louis

Keep On Chooglin' - live '70s, probably 1970-71; another Creedence song

Walking Down The Line - 1971

Three Good Reasons - 1971

Say You Love Me One More Time - 1971

One Too Many Mornings - 1971 (a.k.a. "One Too Many Rumors") (Bob Dylan song)

All I Really Want To Do - live or studio, 1971 (Bob Dylan song)

It Ain't Me, Babe - live and/or studio, 1971 (Bob Dylan song)

She Belongs To Me - live and/or studio, 1971 (Bob Dylan song); also recorded by Ricky Nelson and Leon Russell, two singers Elvis liked a lot

Like A Rolling Stone - 1971 (Bob Dylan song)

Subterranean Homesick Blues - studio 1971 (Bob Dylan song)

If Not For You - 1971 studio (Bob Dylan song)

Mr Tambourine Man - live 1971 (Bob Dylan song)

Blowin' In the Wind - live and/or studio, 1971 (Bob Dylan song); part sung live in Las Vegas 9/7/70 closing show; 1966 home-recorded version released by RCA in 1997


N.B.: most of these Bob Dylan songs are usually said to have been recorded in May, 1971, in the Nashville studios. It is quite possible that Elvis was on a Bob Dylan kick and broke up the Christmas recordings with a Bob Dylan jam session (if not actually recording what would have essentially have been an "Elvis sings Dylan" album!). "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" comes from just such a jam session, so maybe there's some truth here. The existence of "I Shall Be Released", a snippet of which has been released on the '70's box set, also lends credence to the possibility that Elvis may have done a Dylan jam at these sessions. Regardless, 1971 seems to have been a year in which Elvis was really into folk music
Jingle Bells - 1971; probably studio, 5/15 or 5/16/71; instrumental version done by band during the closing show, 4/1/75, in Las Vegas (no Elvis vocal); small part sung live in Las Vegas 12/6/76

Merry Christmas, Darling - 1971; probably studio, 5/15 or 5/16/71; 1970s studio

Silent Night - 1971 studio remake; probably 5/15 or 5/16/71

Me And Bobby McGee - 1971 studio

Jody And The Kid - 1971

Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) - 1971

The Ghetto - 1971


N.B.: Me And Bobby McGee", "Jody And The Kid", and "Loving Her Was Easier Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again" (and "The Ghetto", I think) are Kris Kristofferson songs (Elvis recorded another of his compositions, "Help Me Make It Through The Night", on 5/17/71, and "For The Good Times" the following March)
My Garden Of Prayer - 1971; maybe intended for the "He Touched Me" LP

Alone Again, Naturally - live 1972

I Can See Clearly Now - live from 1972 or later; original by Johnny Nash in 1972

What Does It Matter? - Iive 1972; I would bet this is "Never Been To Spain"

Portrait Of My Love - live 1972; available on a bootleg from a 1969 or 1970 (perhaps it is 1972) rehearsal; also rehearsed for the August, 1973 Las Vegas season

El Paso - Marty Robbins song done live 1972 (perhaps 11/10 in El Paso); 1972 rehearsal available on bootleg; part sung live 6/4/76 Atlanta, GA

My Love For You - live 1972

Mickey Mouse Club March - live 1972; subsequently done on stage on 4/1/75 (Las Vegas closing show), 5/2/75 (Atlanta, GA evening show), 5/9/76 (Lake Tahoe closing show), 5/30/76 (Odessa, TX), and probably on other occasions

Burning Love #2 - no idea, but I remember it being listed on the bootleg "To Know Him Is To Love Him", which did not contain a different version of the song; has to be some weird notation for the 1972 classic "Burning Love"

American Trilogy - '70s studio version; possible that a collector who had the 3/30/72 rehearsal tapes, which includes this song, was referring to it (now available on bootleg) rather than some other studio recording of the song

Separate Ways - 1/14/73 after the "Aloha" concert, to go with other songs in the US TV version

A Shoulder To Cry On - 1973; Charley Pride recorded a song with this title

Don't Let The Sunshine Fool You - 1973; recorded by Townes Van Zandt

No Lonesome Tune - 1973; recorded by Townes Van Zandt

Snow Don't Fall - 1973; recorded by Townes Van Zandt


NB: In 1973, Elvis supposedly recorded three Roy Wood compositions (I believe this is attributable directly to a quote by Wood, a British singer-songwriter), which may be the three Townes Van Zandt songs above, going by my vague recollection of seeing Wood's and Van Zandt's names linked somewhere. It is possible that Roy Wood merely had demos sent to Elvis, for his consideration, in 1973.
Feelings - 1973 and/or 1976; 10/31/76 or 2/76 at Graceland, with no satisfactory take resulting after a lot of trying -- no indication that a recording was done or that it survived (it may have been taped over)
Let Me Make Believe - three minute ballad which surfaced in 1995, possibly recorded for Dick Grob in the '70s or recorded in the '60s; sold at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas in October, 1995; played on German radio

Carolyn - 1973 live or studio; July 1973 studio; Steve Wynn recorded a song of this title...don't know if it's the one; Merle Haggard also recorded a song called "Carolyn"

Good, Bad, But Beautiful - CPA5 4770; track recorded 7/24/73; written by Clive Westlake, who also wrote (in addition to "It's A Matter Of Time" and other songs for Elvis) "It's Diff'rent Now", which Elvis gives a preliminary run-through at this session, released on the 1995 '70s box set

Color My Rainbow - CPA5 4771; track recorded 7/25/73; written by Mark James, who also delivered "Burning Love"

The Wonders You Perform - CPA5 4773; track recorded 7/25/73; written by Jerry Chestnut


N.B.: All three songs above were recorded by the second of two bands on the July session, and Elvis had left the studio -- no evidence of vocal tracks being laid for these songs, though they were for "Sweet Angeline" (9/24/73 in Elvis' Palm Springs home). On the other hand, a rehearsal of "It's Diff'rent Now" was not listed for the session, but a vocal exists -- from this apparently chaotic session, perhaps the only chance of any of the three songs above showing up is in rehearsal form.
Christmas songs - July, 1973

A Blues Jam - live 1972-73; RCA misnamed "Reconsider, Baby" from the 6/10/72 afternoon show in New York City, which was scheduled to be on the 1973 "Elvis ('Fool')" LP; Elvis performed this live in 1969 (maybe just once), 1972, 1976, and 1977

Are You Sincere - live in August 1973, which would pre-date the recorded 9/24/73 version

Brown Eyed Handsome Man, School Day, Promised Land, No Particular Place To Go, Rock And Roll Music, and others - 1973 jam session taped by Felton Jarvis; may have been in 12/73, because released studio version of "Promised Land" (recorded 12/15/73) supposedly resulted from a studio jam (at least, that's how the old story goes -- Ernst Jorgensen makes no mention of it in his book on Elvis' studio sessions; in a posting to the alt.elvis.king newsgroup in November, 2000, someone named "CatGOD29" mentioned a list of these Chuck Berry songs that was published in the '80s, the source supposedly being Felton Jarvis -- "Nadine," "Maybelline," "Johnny B. Goode," "Too Much Monkey Business" and "Memphis, Tennessee" are additional titles mentioned and the jam alledgedly came from 1972.

We Had It All - a Waylon Jennings song that Elvis spent an awful lot of studio time on 12/14/73 trying out...there is no indication that he recorded it but I have decided to list this song here solely on the possibility that at least one of the run-throughs or rehearsals was recorded (or that it was preserved in part as a between-take ad-lib later in the sessions) and kept and that it might show up one day

We Shall Overcome - live 1974; part apparently sung live in Las Vegas 8/27/74 (MS)

Hello, Josephine - rumored to have been sung in rehearsal for the August, 1974 Las Vegas season and recorded by Elvis on his own equipment; the song was also slated as a possibility for recording in August, 1967, but the session was cancelled; Ernst Jorgensen writes that the song was also initially considered for inclusion in the "Aloha from Hawaii" satellite-broadcast concert (and its live rehearsal two days earlier) of January, 1973

I Can't Make It Without You - 9/2/74 Las Vegas; sung by Charlie Hodge; don't know if Elvis is somewhere in the backing vocals

The Great Pretender - live or in the studio, 1975; part sung live in Las Vegas 4/1/75 (DS); may have also done live in the '50s

Blue Monday - live 1975; Fats Domino song; July, 1975 tour?; part apparently sung live in Las Vegas 2/4/74 (DS) and 12/8/75

I Write The Songs - live 1976-77 or studio 1975-76

Love Will Keep Us Together - live and/or studio, 1975-76

Thinking About That Woman - 1975

All Right, Okay, You Win - 1975

Dancin' Jones - 1975; recorded by the Neville Brothers

The Best Thing - 1975; Carly Simon released a song of this title in 1971 Pearl's A Singer - 1975; studio 1975-76

You Touch Me Softly In The Morning - 1975

Being King Is A Lonely Life (a.k.a. "It's Lonely Being King") - 1976; I doubt Elvis would record a title like that; the closest I can find among the songs Elvis did perform is "It's No Fun Being Lonely," a song by Red West, that Elvis recorded at home in 1966 or 1967 and that RCA-BMG released around 1999

Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast - 1976; may have been done on 3/21/76, in Cincinnatti; Wayne Newton song

If Ever You Leave Me - 1976; a.k.a "If Ever You Would Leave Me", which is a title very similar to "Camelot's "If Ever I Would Leave You"

Loving You, Baby - 1976; same title as a song recorded by Aretha Franklin

My Woman, My Woman, My Wife - 4/24/76, San Diego; I didn't see it mentioned in the newspaper accounts I've read and wonder if it's been confused with the other Marty Robbins song Elvis did at the two concerts that day ("You Gave Me A Mountain")?

There's A Fire Down Below - 10/76 Graceland; track (FWA5 1051) recorded 10/30/76 in the Jungle Room at Graceland; a Jerry Scheff song; Felton Jarvis said Elvis put a vocal on it; the instrumental track (Sherrill Nielsen's guide vocal was removed for legal reasons) was released on the 2000 FTD release "The Jungle Room Sessions"...could have been a great Elvis song, on the uptempo side)

America, The Beautiful - 1976 studio version; the book which came with the 1995 box set of '70s material says that this track was recorded in February and erased; more recent evidence suggests that at least part of the song may exist; and yes, it does -- update as of 2000 is that a few seconds of the song was added to the 2000 FTD release "The Jungle Room Sessions" -- basically just the ending...it's rumored that Elvis changed the lyrics to be less than patriotic and that may be why the original tape was erased (Felton Jarvis' wife, for example, burned the tape that included the master of the "X-rated" version of "Hurt")

It's Over - a Roy Orbison song; live in Las Vegas; sung live 12/4/76 (DS) in Las Vegas

Crying - 1976 Graceland; 12/76 (don't know if RCA still had recording equipment there at that time) with no satisfactory take resulting

Running Scared - 1976 Graceland; 12/76 (don't know if RCA still had recording equipment there at that time) with no satisfactory take resulting; a snippet of this song recorded 6/70 before "Tomorrow Never Comes" and released in 1995 by RCA; a snippet was also recorded between takes in 1969, and released on bootleg


N.B.: Elvis had a mobile studio in his home, so it's quite possible he might have tried more songs in 1976 than are listed by RCA
Delta Lady - 4/30/77 St Paul -- perhaps from other venues around the same time, though I suspect that this was a band instrumental to which Elvis may not have vocalized (it WAS played as an instrumental on this tour, during the band introductions); Elvis may have rehearsed this as a possible part of his repertoire before the January-February, 1970, season in Las Vegas (and perhaps at other times); a Leon Russell song, also recorded by Joe Cocker

Those songs I think may have some basis of reality and might be released by RCA (I expect more of the rumored concert songs to show up courtesy of bootleggers) include:

Born To Lose
Hooked On A Feeling
Lonely Teardrops
The Twelfth Of Never
Rainy Night In Georgia
Silent Night
Portrait Of My Love
Feelings
There's A Fire Down Below
It's Over
Crying
Running Scared
America, The Beautiful
... and the Chuck Berry jam session

[Little Sister]

Great list, sorry I can't help you!! But I'm sure that someone else here can though. I was especially intrigued by Hooked On A Feeling, it would be great to hear Elvis sing that one!!

[spinout-designs]

Wow, that's some list !

Having just skimmed through it now I will elaborate on two tracks to get the ball rolling.

It's Over - a Roy Orbison song; live in Las Vegas; sung live 12/4/76 (DS) in Las Vegas

this show exists as an audience recording entitled 'Love Letters From Nevada' and the song in question amounts to a one liner during the introductions (Roy Orbison being in the audience that show).

All Right, Okay, You Win - 1975

a recording from the soundboard can be found on the FTD disc 'Dragonhheart' though it was performed in 1974

There is more to be commented on but I will have to come back to it another time. I'm sure some more info will have been added by that time by others.

[Lonniebealestreet]

Amazing list indeed.

A couple possibilities:

I wonder if the Funny Feeling one could be Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feelings, which Elvis would have seen Tom Jones perform.

More likely is that If Ever You Leave Me could possibly have been intended to mean If You Ever Leave Me. Elvis was certainly fond of B.J. Thomas' catalogue (and vice-versa).

Merry Christmas, Darling is very intriguing to me. I love the Carpenters' Christmas albums, and that song is definitely special. I am sure Elvis was drawn to Karen's angelic voice, though I've never heard them mentioned as being a favorite of his. I can see him being equally as impressed, if not more, with most of Karen's performances as he was with Rita Coolidge on The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. So it doesn't seem that unlikely that he might have given this song a shot. An Elvis version of this song--as with most all the others you've mentioned--would be awesome.

Another Kristofferson tune I would add to that bunch is Sunday Morning Coming Down, which I hope like hell will turn up someday.

Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast, if performed, most likely was not on March 21, 1976 in Cincinnati. It's not on the soundboard recording anyway. If a new tape had to be started in the middle of a song, then the incomplete song was not included, which seems highly unlikely considering how rare that song would have been.

The thought of a jam session of Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, or Roy Orbison (seems like he has been rumored to have gotten into some more Roy Hamilton and possibly Ink Spots songs in the Jungle Room sessions as well) is to say the least, intriguing.

Most of the items on this list may just be the stuff dreams are made of, but it's fun to speculate anyway.