My thoughts on Stax 73

[Brian]

Hi everyone

I'm going to give my thoughts on the Memphis sessions of 1973 and I would like all of your thoughts as well.

In the summer of 1973 Elvis bored with recording and being pressured to record new material by the Colonel and RCA finally agrees to do a recording session he asks Marty Lacker to set one up in Memphis because he doesn't want to travel out of town to record so Marty chooses Stax because of the excellent security that is at the facility including a very high fence, Sessions are scheduled for July and another one in December.

Marty hoping Elvis might record some good material while he is there recruits American Studio musicians Bobby Wood, Tommy Cogbill and Reggie Young along with Stax musicians Bobby Manuel,Donald Dunn and Al Jackson Jr. they along with Elvis touring guitarist James Burton make up the band for the July Sessions. The Stax band in particular are thinking that Elvis will do a Stax style soul album are disappointed when Elvis comes in and seems disinterested in everything and begins singing what they call goofy pop songs where Elvis just sings the songs the way it is on the demos and the band are instructed by Elvis entourage to just copy the demos. Issac Hayes who pops by the Studio for a visit isn't asked by anyone connected with Elvis to contribute a song. Al Jackson, Dunn and Manuel not liking what's going on leave after the second night. Marty Lacker always complaining about Hill and Range brings Elvis the Mark James written Raised on Rock which I think is a bad song and kind of weird to hear him singing it because it talks about him listening to Johnny B. Goode on the radio when he was a kid along with other songs I think it's Elvis doing a crocodile rock type song but it fails. The goofy pop songs must be Ray Price's ''She Wears my ring'', Isn't that love, the Charlie Rich cheap imitation Girl of mine and a cover of Spanish eyes not exactly the type of material that you would expect coming out of Stax!
Two great songs came out of stax imo and those would be the Tony Joe White compositions For old time Sake and I've got a thing about you baby. Tony Joe was called by Felton Jarvis and came to the sessions I think it's a shame Elvis didn't record more of his material. Other songs I think weren't bad were ''If you don't come back and Find out what's happening they were okay but I think overall the July 73 sessions could have been a lot more productive and more of a success because with the great band he had in the begining and the prospect of getting some good material from the Stax songwriting team this session was really below par.

The December 73 sessions featured Elvis in a better mood working with his own band recording better material imo than he had in July. Marty Lacker brought Elvis 2 songs ''Lovin Arms'' and a song Elvis didn't record called ''We had it all'' he got both songs off of a Dobie Gray LP, Elvis likes the song We had it all and listens to it 30 times in a row and everyone expects him to cut the song including David Briggs (who had the publishing) they are surprised when Elvis turns it down by saying if he were to record people would think he was singing about Priscilla and he doesn't want to give people that impression.
Red West brings in a song he wrote the funky ''If you talk in your sleep'' and other songs include the Jerry Reed uptempo country song ''Talk about the good times'', Larry Gaitlin's country gospel song ''help me'', Jerry Chesnutt's country ballad ''it's Midnight'', another uptempo funky song Dennis Linde's ''I got a feeling in my body'' along with a cover of Waylon Jenning's ''You Asked me to'',a splendid country ballad ''There's a honkytonk Angel'' (that Conway Twitty beat Elvis to the punch with by releasing his first and getting a #1 Country hit in 1974) and good covers of Chuck Berry's Promised Land and Danny O' Keefe's Good Time Charlie's got the blues'' make the session pretty good overall.
I think instead of combining the December 1973 sessions to make one good album RCA wrongly separated the songs into two average albums.
The stax sessions in terms of chart hits were Elvis most successful since 1969
on the pop charts Promised Land hit #14, if you talk in your sleep hit #17 and ''My boy'' hit #20 while hitting #1 on the Easy listening charts. On the country charts ''I've got a thing about you baby'' hit #4 while ''help me'' hit #6
When released as a single in 1979 ''There's a honky tonk angel'' hit #6 while a remixed version of ''Lovin arms" hit #8 in 1980.

Overall I think if you take both Stax sessions they are average but they did produce some quality songs. This is what I was talking about when I said when the material was good anything Elvis recorded in Nashville, L.A. or New york could match what Elvis recorded in Memphis.
I think the 1970 Nashville session was Elvis best session of the 70's.

What do you all think of the entire Stax sessions?

[Albert]

It's a missed opportunity from Elvis after the celebrated Aloha. Although it brought some nice songs, most of the sessions showed an uninspired Elvis, not willing to try something new.

It should have been a '1973' version of the '69 sessions. All but one ingredients were there: a studio in his hometown, young musicians willing to experiment, access to new contemporary material, a studio with its own sound....only ingredient missing: passion with Elvis.

WHat's left when an artist isn't interest anymore in creating art, not interested in performing live... just going with the flow, doing what's asked or told to do... what's left is basicly nothing more than a moneymaking machine.

If Elvis couldn't be helped in 1973 by people who shared his biggest passion, music, what could have helped him to survive August 16 1977?

[ehollier]

Although the December Stax 1973 session was marginally better than the July session, Elvis did not appear inspired in 1973 to record anything. The material that was selected for these sessions is a little auto-biographical and much of it is not very strong or unique, although others may argue the contrary. Although some of these song were released and did chart, the evidence shows that he had fallen far from his 1969 days at American Studios.

Elvis' ability to put his personal mark on anything he sang when he was inspired was absolutely phenomenal. No one has ever been able to compare with him when he is fully engaged and passionate about what he is singing. I believe that the sessions in 1973 reflect what happens when his inspiration and passion seem to dissipate and he squanders his talent.

[KPM]

Personally I felt the Stax sessions had some great moments and Elvis still had some fire, but its obvious the excitement of recording is not high.
The big moment of Aloha had come and gone, Vegas was not the fun it once was, his marital problems and divorce were still fresh-and the stories of why the divorce were all over the tabloids and magazines his frame of mind was not the best I would imagine.
Failure at anything is a bummer and the stories that Priscilla had a lover had to crush his ego-plus he had to worry what the world was thinking about it all.
Found this info on the net:
In July and December 1973, the Stax studios were taken over by another pop giant: Elvis Presley, who recorded several sides, including "If You Talk in Your Sleep," "I've Got a Thing About You Baby," "My Boy," and a cover of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" at 926 East McLemore.

"The staff was notified that after-hours the building wouldn't be available to us because Elvis' production crew asked for privacy," says Parker. "It was off-limits to us for a week. I didn't even go into the studio, because I could see Elvis around Memphis. Anytime I'd drive down Bellevue, he might be out on his motorcycle. Having Elvis at Stax was just matter-of-fact, just another session."

"By the time Elvis showed up, I had already left to start my own studio, Trans-Maximus," Steve Cropper says. "But I think George Klein influenced him and made him aware of what was going on at Stax. George called me one day when I was still over there and said, 'Elvis would like you to write him a song.' We never really came up with anything, but Elvis had some gospel chops, and he knew his soul."

Elvis’ first Stax session lasted the week of July 21 - 25 and resulted in about ten finished tracks, most by the Elvis band led by his great guitarist James Burton, but with Al Jackson, Jr., Duck Dunn and guitarist Bobby Manuel working out a few too. These more or less thirty tracks were spread across three Elvis albums: Most of the July sessions ended up on Raised on Rock, including two tunes by the classic rock songwriting team of Leiber-Stoller. Elvis’ management split the remainder between Good Times and Promised Land, which covers a Chuck Berry tune as its title track.

[Trelane P]

The Stax sessions are were the best of the 70's.

If you weed out the odd weak songs you are left with his greatest studio album of the 1970s in my opinion. The ballads are beautiful, Promised Land is his best 70's rocker and you have the funk of I Got A Feeling In My Body, If U Don't Come Back and more.

[Ematt]

Elvis sounds bored and half asleep on the July sessions not in great voice at all. But by the end of the year he was sounding good again and is by far the stronger of the two Stax sessions. As has been said, there was always enough material from Elvis` sessions for at least one good solid album, but RCA spread the material around too much. When all is said and done, Elvis and Parker were out of touch in the 70`s in that Elvis should never have had to supply so much material his contract required of him. One studio album a year is enough for any artist to record.

[Brian]

thanks everyone for your opinions, it seems we all pretty much agree on Stax sessions.

[artfromtex]

It should have been a '1973' version of the '69 sessions. All but one ingredients were there: a studio in his hometown, young musicians willing to experiment, access to new contemporary material, a studio with its own sound....only ingredient missing: passion with Elvis.

couldn't have said it better. some great songs came out, but overall it got watered down.

Side 1:
I Got A Thing About You Baby
Find Out What's Happening
If You Talk In Your Sleep
I Got A Feeling In My Body
If You Don't Come Back
Just A Little Bit

Side 2:
Promised Land
Lovin' Arms
Honky-Tonk Angel
Help Me
You Asked Me To (less background vocals more James Burton wah)
Talk About The Good Times

now that's an album.

[EnigmaticSun]

The goofy pop songs must be Ray Price's ''She Wears my ring'', Isn't that love, the Charlie Rich cheap imitation Girl of mine and a cover of Spanish eyes not exactly the type of material that you would expect coming out of Stax!

At least it proved he could take on his own course, though one could always find something else to prove just the opposite and I suppose people will (do just that) around here.

"She Wears My Ring" is ****ing beautiful, man. The original was in Spanish (I love Spanish music) and I prefer Elvis' carefully articulated version over Roy Orbison's, which featured bigger vibrato and such.

The funny thing is that if Elvis were alive today you'd all be licking him, even if he didn't look healthy, since the smell of money makes a lot of things acceptable.

[TotallyInsane]

At least it proved he could take on his own course, though one could always find something else to prove just the opposite and I suppose people will (do just that) around here.

"She Wears My Ring" is ****ing beautiful, man. The original was in Spanish (I love Spanish music) and I prefer Elvis' carefully articulated version over Roy Orbison's, which featured bigger vibrato and such.

The funny thing is that if Elvis were alive today you'd all be licking him, even if he didn't look healthy, since the smell of money makes a lot of things acceptable.

Excuse me????

[EnigmaticSun]

Scusilo????

Only read it as such if you feel spoken to..

[TotallyInsane]

I only read it as it was typed. Guess you weren't worried about it though as you typed it. Forgot you were Santa who drops off his little presents periodically!

[EnigmaticSun]

It'd become rather intricate otherwise: "all those who aren't doing this posthumously would be licking him if he were alive today except for those who wouldn't fancy doing this at all"?

Forza Ferrari anyway. I mean it.

[Brian]

At least it proved he could take on his own course, though one could always find something else to prove just the opposite and I suppose people will (do just that) around here.

"She Wears My Ring" is ****ing beautiful, man. The original was in Spanish (I love Spanish music) and I prefer Elvis' carefully articulated version over Roy Orbison's, which featured bigger vibrato and such.

The funny thing is that if Elvis were alive today you'd all be licking him, even if he didn't look healthy, since the smell of money makes a lot of things acceptable.

I do not lick people but I thank you for your opinion on the songs

Does anyone else have any opinions on the stax sessions?

[utmom2008]

I do not lick people but I thank you for your opinion on the songs

[rocknroll]

It'd become rather intricate otherwise: "all those who aren't doing this posthumously would be licking him if he were alive today except for those who wouldn't fancy doing this at all"?

Forza Ferrari anyway. I mean it.

Man you say some weird stuff.

[Jungleroom76]

Basically, I have to agree that while the July Stax Sessions were lackluster to say the least (with a couple of exceptions), the December sessions were much better and produced much better material!!!

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

couldn't have said it better. some great songs came out, but overall it got watered down.

Side 1:
I Got A Thing About You Baby
Find Out What's Happening
If You Talk In Your Sleep
I Got A Feeling In My Body
If You Don't Come Back
Just A Little Bit

Side 2:
Promised Land
Lovin' Arms
Honky-Tonk Angel
Help Me
You Asked Me To (less background vocals more James Burton wah)
Talk About The Good Times

now that's an album.

For the most part Art, I would agree with your assessment. Instead of releasing 2 albums with the Stax material, just 1 album with the best tracks might have been a MUCH BETTER seller than the PROMISED LAND and GOOD TIMES albums were.

I would personally argue with a couple of your choices though....if it were my decision, I would replace FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING and JUST A LITTLE BIT with IT'S MIDNIGHT and TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER.

Just my opinion...

TCB!
Mike

[waymore44]

If anyone has heard the song "We Had It All" by Waylon Jennings, it is obvious that it is a PERFECT song for Elvis. It's a shame he didn't record it after listening to it 30 times. I've never heard the Dobie Gray version, and wasn't aware he did it. I would have figured he listened to Waylon's version since that song and "you Asked Me To" are both on the same album "Honky Tonk Heroes". If you listen to it though it is obvious that it would have seemed like it was about Priscilla. I don't know what he was so concerned about though, because other songs had the same thing going on. I wish he had recorded it. It would have been a masterpiece, I'm sure.

[Brian]

If anyone has heard the song "We Had It All" by Waylon Jennings, it is obvious that it is a PERFECT song for Elvis. It's a shame he didn't record it after listening to it 30 times. I've never heard the Dobie Gray version, and wasn't aware he did it. I would have figured he listened to Waylon's version since that song and "you Asked Me To" are both on the same album "Honky Tonk Heroes". If you listen to it though it is obvious that it would have seemed like it was about Priscilla. I don't know what he was so concerned about though, because other songs had the same thing going on. I wish he had recorded it. It would have been a masterpiece, I'm sure.

Hi waymore44

Dobie Gray version is on the album the Soulful sounds of Dobie Gray available at amazon.com which also includes his versions of ''Lovin arms'' and ''honky tonk angel''. Dobie's version of ''We had it all'' is more soulful than Waylon's and in my opinion better.