1996

Review: A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW CD [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 21 when I wrote this review back in 1996 for The Elvis Beat #15, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

A Hundred Years From Now (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, 1970 and 1971, RCA Studios (Nashville). Released: July 1996 (CD).

A Hundred Years From Now is volume 4 of the Essential Elvis series. It contains 22 tracks recorded in 1970 and 1971, including 17 previously unreleased performances.

1970 is one of my favorite Elvis years, but A Hundred Years From Now is rather disappointing. Quite often alternate takes of Elvis songs are as good or better than the master releases. Or at least they are notable for the variations from the released versions. Unfortunately, most of the alternates on this album either are not significantly different from the originals or are surpassed by the originals.

“I Didn’t Make It On Playing Guitar” is an informal instrumental jam and a song never released before in any form. Although Elvis and the band sound great, unfortunately the track itself is boring and hard to listen to more than once or twice.

The other song never released before by Elvis on A Hundred Years From Now is “The Lord’s Prayer,” which is also disappointing and an informal recording.

The title song, “A Hundred Years From Now,” is great and was first released last year in the ELVIS: Walk A Mile In My Shoes – The Essential 70s Masters boxed set, though it sounds a bit different here.

The alternates of “I’ve Lost You” and “Just Pretend,” two of my favorite songs, are disappointing. The original master releases of these two incredible songs are far superior. The same could be said for nearly all the other songs presented here.

Two highlights are a beautiful performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and an extended version of “The Fool.” It should also be noted that this album, like most RCA releases in the last six or seven years, is beautifully packaged despite the poor quality cover art.

For collectors of Elvis’ 1970s songs, this album is a requirement in order to be complete. Others would be better advised to purchase the original source material, such as the album That’s The Way It Is.

Songs:

  1. I Didn’t Make It On Playing Guitar
  2. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water
  3. Little Cabin On The Hill
  4. A Hundred Years From Now
  5. I’ve Lost You
  6. Got My Mojo Working/Keep Your Hands Off Of It
  7. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
  8. It Ain’t No Big Thing
  9. Cindy, Cindy
  10. Faded Love
  11. The Fool
  12. Rags To Riches
  13. Just Pretend
  14. If I Were You
  15. Faded Love
  16. Where Did They Go, Lord
  17. It’s Only Love
  18. Until It’s Time For You To Go
  19. Patch It Up
  20. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
  21. Bridge Over Troubled Water
  22. The Lord’s Prayer

Rating: 7 out of 10

New releases highlight Elvis in the 1970s [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 21 when I wrote this article back in 1996 for The Elvis Beat #15, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

“It don’t take much to spark you guys off,” proclaims Elvis to the studio band in A Hundred Years From Now, a new CD of alternate takes from RCA.

The disc features 17 previously unreleased tracks, including new versions of “I’ve Lost You” and “Just Pretend.” Nearly all of the songs were recorded in 1970, one of Elvis’ most productive years, while the remainder are from 1971. The album represents the fourth volume in the Essential Elvis series. Previous entries focused on the 1950s.

New from Lightyear Entertainment is the home video release of Elvis: The Alternate Aloha Concert. This dress rehearsal concert was taped as a backup before an audience two days prior to 1973’s legendary Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii television special. Elvis is much more relaxed and seems more into the songs than the formal version. Elvis’ hair is also longer in the rehearsal, as he had it cut before the actual show two days later.

Twenty songs are performed, including “Suspicious Minds” and “What Now My Love.” The song selection is nearly identical to the official Aloha From Hawaii show, for which three songs were added. Audio for this one was first released in 1988 by RCA on The Alternate Aloha.

ELVIS 56 CD out now; LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS movie coming soon [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 21 when I wrote this article back in 1996 for The Elvis Beat #14, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

In March, RCA released a new compilation album, Elvis 56. As the title indicates, the CD features Elvis songs from the year 1956, including a previously unreleased alternate take of “Heartbreak Hotel.” [. . . .]

A movie version of Peter Guralnick’s book Last Train To Memphis: The Rise Of Elvis Presley is in pre-production stages, according to Elvis World magazine. Last Train To Memphis is the definitive book about Elvis’ early life and career, spanning 1935-1958. Guralnick is now at work on the second volume, covering 1959-1977.

The movie will be released in theaters, with filming to begin in Memphis as early as 1997. [. . . .] Jerry Schilling, long-time Elvis friend and associate of Elvis Presley Enterprises, has been hired as a consultant to the film. Schilling was co-producer of the excellent 1990 ABC television series Elvis, which also covered his early years. [. . . .]

Elvis World also reports that the movie will include the first release of “I’ll Never Stand In Your Way.” This is one of two songs performed by Elvis in 1954 on his second amateur record, which he paid to record at the Memphis Recording Service prior to being discovered.

Answer to last issue’s Elvis Trivia Challenge [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 21 when I wrote this piece back in 1996 for The Elvis Beat #14, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

“Reconsider Baby” is the only song to appear on all three of the main Elvis boxed sets. A studio jam version was released on ELVIS: The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50s Masters. A formal studio recording of the song was on ELVIS: From Nashville To Memphis – The Essential 60s Masters I, and a live concert version was included on ELVIS: Walk A Mile In My Shoes – The Essential 70s Masters.

Lisa Marie files for divorce from Michael Jackson [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 21 when I wrote this article back in 1996 for The Elvis Beat #14, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Citing irreconcilable differences, Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson filed for divorce from Michael Jackson on January 18 in a Los Angeles court. Her petition also asks for the restoration of her maiden name, Presley.

The divorce is expected to be finalized in June, attorneys said. Representatives for both sides have indicated that the split will be amicable.

In a television interview last year in which the couple appeared together, Jackson spoke about prenuptial agreements. “We’ve worked out things, and we’ve signed certain things, but, of course, that’s very confidential,” he said.

The marriage seemed to be haunted by controversy from the start when they were secretly wed on May 26, 1994, in the Dominican Republic. The media soon had word of the event, although it was not announced formally until August of that year.

Some even speculated that the entire marriage was only a shrewd publicity ploy, which Lisa Marie and Jackson both continue to deny. “I’m not going to marry somebody for any reason other than the fact that I fall in love with them,” Lisa Marie said last year.

This was the second marriage for Lisa Marie, 28. She has two children from her previous marriage to musician Danny Keough. Jackson, 37, had never been married before.