Studio versions of......

[Glenn]

I just want to say that i really would had liked Elvis too have recorded studio versions of: Little darlin and Unchained melody.

[Lildarling]

Yeah...Little darling could be sung in 50's or 60's...imagine...with Jordanairies...mmm And Unchained Melody...full orchestra...with violins and piano...with the echo sound...

[Lildarling]

Glenn, you have been listening to Moody blue, rightch?LOL

[Albert]

Those two songs shouldn't have been recorded in a studio. Unchained Melody would miss the passion and drama that the live versions had. ELvis would only sing it live when he'd feel like to, but a studio version would be a "must have to" recording.

"Little Darlin" is only sung in concerts where he felt like goofing around. So a song like that would be impossible in a scheduled 70s recordingsession.

[Sonny]

Well, I have my doubts here, Albert.

If that were the case, then a lot of songs wouldn't have been recorded in the studio, right?

Think: "My Boy", think "My Way" and I'm sure there would be more which don't come to mind right now.
I think "Unchained Melody" would've made a terrific studio version, since it was a showcase performance for our man. He could've given it all rehearsing it in the studio.

I agree on Little Darlin'. Elvis probably always thought of that as a short, fun, "throwaway" tune...

Sonny

[nabelt24]

I agree with you Sonny. I think it would have been possible for him to record those songs in the studio. I think "Unchained Melody" would have been great!

[Tommy]

Yes, our man El could have made a lot of songs sound so much better than the original artist who performed them. I oftened wondered what this or that song would have sounded like had El singed it. So many good songs left for him to sing. Wish he were still here with us.

Tommy

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

I'm pretty sure that live song could be overdubbed in such a way that they could be palletable (Just don't let Felton Jarvis near).

Of course I thinks thinks should be left as they are

Matt

[EnigmaticSun]

I must admit that Elvis was very capable of achieving grace in the studio. Take for example the studio versions of Hurt, It's Now Or Never, How Great Thou Art... these were true gems, both live and in the studio.

I would have loved to hear a studio version of You Gave Me A Mountain (not like a rehearsal but a professional take for an ablum.. album!).. Unchained Melody would have been a nice choice, that's for sure.

It's true that Elvis' versions are often better than the original. I'd like to note that Unchained Melody is better than the version we hear in The Naked Gun 2?, which was the Righteous Brothers' version. It's the scene were Frank Drebin and Jane Spencer are baking pots together. You've got these funny gags, like three pairs of hands touching the pots and a pretty muscular Frank Drebin..

I don't know exactly who recorded the song first - was it Roy Hamilton? I find Hamilton's voice to be more powerful than the Righteous Bro's but Elvis' version stands out in particular because of it's passion, drama and the piano playing done by our man.

[Jungleroom76]

While I LOVE listening to Elvis perform UNCHAINED MELODY live in concert, I have a feeling that if he had chosen to try and record a studio version of that song, the results would probably be similiar to the attempted studio version of MY WAY....lacking the power and passion that makes the live recordings so superb!!!

As for a studio version of LITTLE DARLIN', I just don't see Elvis being able to pull that one off....that's just one of those odd little songs that really wouldn't make the translation from the concert stage to the studio very well, again in my opinion!!

TCB!
Mike

[EnigmaticSun]

Well, that comment sounds credible enough JUNGLEROOM!!!!!

But my question is, do you consider the studio versions of HURT, HOW GREAT THOU ART and IT'S NOW OR NEVER to be 'lacking' in some way??

I'm very curious to find out what's on your mind in the context of these songs!!!!!

[Jungleroom76]

Well, that comment sounds credible enough JUNGLEROOM!!!!!

But my question is, do you consider the studio versions of HURT, HOW GREAT THOU ART and IT'S NOW OR NEVER to be 'lacking' in some way??

I'm very curious to find out what's on your mind in the context of these songs!!!!!

Interesting question EnigmaticSun...

Of the songs you asked about, the weakest studio version of the 3 (in my opinion) is HOW GREAT THOU ART. Don't get me wrong....the studio version is indeed a beautiful performance, no question about it! But it just always seems that Elvis put so much more power into his delivery of HOW GREAT THOU ART when he was on stage....even during shows where the rest of his performance was subpar....Elvis always seemed to be able to pull each and every word of that song out of the bottom of his heart and soul! After all, Elvis not only won a Grammy Award for the studio version of the song, but for a LIVE performance of the song as well!! Not an easy feat to accomplish, I am sure! But once again, Elvis did it!

As for IT'S NOW OR NEVER, this is an example (in my opinion) of a song that I don't think completely translated to the concert stage as well as others. While I certainly feel that Elvis delivered strong performances of IT'S NOW OR NEVER on stage, I honestly can't think of a performance that stands out as being equal to, or better than the original studio version! One thing that has always kind of bugged me a bit is that Elvis allowed Sherill Nielsen to perform O' SOLE MIO before singing IT'S NOW OR NEVER....of course, I realize that IT'S NOW OR NEVER is based on the Italian version of O' SOLE MIO, but simply mentioning this before singing IT'S NOW OR NEVER would have been better than allowing Sherill to sing it...again, only my opinion. That's why I kind of prefer the earlier live versions of IT'S NOW OR NEVER from 1974, when Elvis just started the song instead of going through the whole Sherill Nielsen thing.

As for HURT....personally, I like both the studio version as well as the live version. I think this song translated to the stage very well, and even though Elvis really seemed to deliver a powerful performance of this song in the studio, he always seemed to be able to take this song up one level higher when performing it live....and I truly think that Elvis being able to hear the audience reaction to him hitting the final notes of HURT on stage is what gave him the incentive to push the limits of his voice just one step further than he did on the studio version!

There you go....I don't know how much sense that all made, but I appreciate you asking my thoughts on these songs!

TCB!
Mike