The Colonel and song publishing royalties - a "black mark" to the COlonel and a bonus for Olivia Newton John: Marty Lacker sent EIN this message:
Here's an interesting tidbit you might want to share with your readers.
In the 70's, mainly because Colonel Parker and Freddy Bienstock didn't want me to bring any good songs to Elvis, as I had been doing, because they didn't have the publishing on them, they told people like Esposito and Felton Jarvis not to tell me when a recording session was coming up. That resulted in Elvis not being the first to hear the demo of a great song that turned out to be a big hit by someone else.
In my Memphis Music business, Mempro Inc., I represented a number of national music publishing companies as well as record labels. Elvis of course knew all about this because I never kept anything from him, including the fact that when I got a song recorded I made money from it as that was part of my business. He also knew that when I played a song for him sometimes but not always, I would earn money from him doing that and he had no problems with it.
He also knew I played songs for him that I did not make money from, I just thought they'd be good for him.
The demo I was the first to have as it was given to me by my good friend Alan Ryder of Irving/Almo music, the publishing company owned by A&M Records, was,"I Honestly Love You", written by Peter Allen who sang the demo. As most know, Olivia Newton John had her biggest hit with that beautiful song. Elvis never got to hear it.
If he had, Olivia might not have had as big of a career.
source: http://www.elvisinfonet.com/
I believe this story some people on this board don't though
I remember posting a similar thread about this story and it turned into a debate as to whether or not Marty Lacker is telling the truth about the song.
A couple of sources on the internet say that Jeff Barry and Peter Allen wrote the song in 1974 while Marty has claimed for years that he got the song to bring to Elvis' 1972 Hollywood studio sessions.
If I recall the original debate-that is the sticking point-the date Lacker says he was privy to the song-did not jive with when it was written.Originally Posted by Brian
So either Lacker got the date wrong-or he got the song mixed up with some other ONJ song ......at least thats what I remember of the other thread on this subject.
Work in Progress!
Marty Lacker apparently is not getting the song mixed up with another ONJ song he's said for years that it's the song ''I honestly love you'' he even told this story in Revelations of Memphis mafia.
Well he may be sure-and he may tell the story as he tells it but since the dates do not jive he either has the date wrong or the song-is that not a logical assumption?
Another would be he is just totally wrong-and thats up to everyone to decide on their own. I just think its either the wrong date or wrong song.
Work in Progress!
he's telling the story this way on purpose.
He's not mistaken about the song or the date it's the way he's telling it.
Marty Lacker is saying he was going to bring the song to Elvis at his recording sessions in L.A. he can't mean any recording sessions in 74 because Elvis didn't have any sessions that year
He's been saying for years ''I honest love you'' and never mentions trying to bring any other songs to Elvis that ONJ ended up recording.
Marty has a section on the Elvis Express Radio site where you can ask him any questions you like, and he'll reply back.
Check it out.....
http://www.elvis-express.com/elvisradio_askmarty7.html
"Don't tamper with the property of the U.S. Male"
All Marty Lacker will do is say the same things he always says.
he's very predictable and he would get mad about the fact that some fans question his story about ''I honestly love you''
Thanks, for posting Jen.I like this song and I now wonder how it would sound with Elvis singing it.
franny
Well Brian the problem with being mistaken-is if you realized it you would not be mistaken. He thinks he is not mistaken-but could very well be.
Also the problem with telling the story the same way over and over-is that it becomes more cemented in your mind as fact-but if your are mistaken-you are cementing mistaken information. I am not saying he is doing it on purpose but the dates and times just do not jive-so if he tells it exactly the same-I have to say it just does not add up somewhere.
If there was no problem with the date-there would be no question of the story. Thats all I have ever said.
Work in Progress!
What i'm trying to tell you is Marty Lacker is either lying about this or telling the truth.
He's not mistaken on the details like the date and which song it was.
that aside I couldn't see Elvis doing the song real well anyway it was better suited to a woman singer imo.
and just because Olivia Newton John had a #1 hit with the song in 1974 doesn't mean it would've had the same results with Elvis.
Last edited by Brian; 08-27-2009 at 11:27 PM.
Well you see it your way I understand-I see it mine.
I would rather not think he is lying-but if you think thats a possibility fine.
I have no idea.....none......zip......nada of the thought process of Marty-nor the memory ability of Marty, nor the rate that he can be mistaken or can misremember-how could I? How could anyone?
If his dates jived-no question no problem-they just don't.
But since I myself can misremember things-and have. Since I know its possible for all people to just get things wrong at times that is still my assumption on this subject.
You have decided hes either lying or hes telling the truth-thats a way to go-but the possibility of mistaken is plausable also.
Work in Progress!
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