Continuing on from yesterday’s post, I thought of a couple more “lost” Christmas songs by Elvis.
See Thomas’ “The Missing Christmas Song” on Elvis Today, which inspired both posts.
Thomas has been doing a terrific job of covering Christmas this month over on the Elvis Today blog. His post today is about a certain tune from Viva Las Vegas that is considered a Christmas song in Sweden. When Thomas makes up Elvis Christmas compilations, this recording makes the list. Check out “The Missing Christmas Song” to find out more.
Thomas’ post reminded me of another “lost” Christmas song by Elvis. Elvis’ 1968 recording “Stay Away” for the movie Stay Away, Joe was based on the melody “Greensleeves.” Though never recorded by Elvis, the Christmas classic “What Child Is This?” is based on this same melody. Something to think about the next time you listen to “Stay Away.” It’s a Christmas song in disguise.
In response to the following Elvis Today on Facebook post:
Playing Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas right now. Which Christmas song is your favorite? My vote goes to ‘Merry Christmas Baby’.”
I’m not on the Facebook, so I’m just going to take the easy route and answer the question right here. My favorite Christmas song is 1957’s “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” from Elvis’ Christmas Album. I also love his brief take of the same song on the Tiger Man album, a concert recorded for the ELVIS (’68 Comeback) TV special.
Of course, I can’t play by the rules and choose just one. Another favorite is 1971’s “I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day,” including the original version on Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas and an alternate version on Today, Tomorrow & Forever.
Truth is, I love all of his Christmas music, though. I love this time of year. I’m a bit of a Christmas music fanatic. I probably have 500 Christmas songs. Now that the season is here, I’ve set my iPod to start placing Christmas music into the rotation. I up the percentage each week until Christmas Eve, when it is 100% Christmas music for two days. I’m not sure why I can’t just do things like normal people, but I guess I wasn’t designed that way.
Also, why is it when I plan to write a six word response that I end up writing six paragraphs?
Anyway, right now I’m listening to “Tiger Man” on 1969’s From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis album. Not a Christmas song, but one of the greats! He really rocked that one. I wish he were still here.
Thomas over at the Elvis Today blog has written a great review of the latest FTD classic album release, 1973’s Elvis (Fool). “Of the three ‘Elvis at the piano’ songs, my favorite has always been ‘It’s Still Here,'” he says.
“It’s Still Here” is definitely my favorite as well, by a long shot over “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” and “I Will Be True.” I first heard “It’s Still Here” on a 1988 compilation album called Elvis In Nashville. I remember listening to that record over and over, and particularly loving that song because it featured Elvis on piano. It’s one of those sad “Always On My Mind” style songs that I gravitate towards, anyway. Wonderful performance.
I just pulled out Elvis In Nashville from my record collection and decided to give it a spin. I haven’t played it in years. Wow, what a track listing! While it may just have been a compilation of previously released songs, it was my first exposure to many of them.
Side A
I Got A Woman
A Big Hunk O’ Love
Working On The Building
Judy
Anything That’s Part Of You
Night Rider
Where No One Stands Alone
Side B
Just Call Me Lonesome
Guitar Man
Little Cabin Home On The Hill
It’s Your Baby, You Rock It
Early Mornin’ Rain
It’s Still Here
I, John
This album made for a fascinating listening experience, showing how Elvis music from various time periods really blended much better together than some people would have you believe.
I also remember that “Night Rider” always skipped at a certain point of the song, even the first time I played the record. It wasn’t until I obtained ELVIS: From Nashville To Memphis-The Essential 60s Masters I several years later on CD that I was finally able to hear the song without the skip. As much as I love my old records, I can still pull out From Nashville To Memphis on CD and the sound quality is as perfect as the day I bought it. I do miss the pops and crackles of the record sound sometimes, though. Elvis In Nashville has a lot of that. I must’ve really played the heck out of this one back then.
Anyway, be sure to check out Thomas’ review of Elvis (Fool), which also features “It’s Still Here,” over on Elvis Today.
Elvis Today
If you frequent Elvis sites, you may know Thomas – the world’s greatest Elvis blogger and the man behind Elvis Today. He and his wife recently celebrated the birth of their first child, a baby girl.
As a small gesture to honor this special occasion, I wrote a guest blog. Check it out over at Elvis Today.
Congratulations again to Thomas and his wife on their new family, and thanks for letting me play over in the Elvis Today sandbox.
Thanks to a YouTube link posted on the sidebar of the Elvis Today blog, I just heard the Viva Elvis remix version of “Suspicious Minds” for the first time.
To say the least, it was incredible. Viva Elvis-The Album has now gone from being a release I was mildly interested in to a must-have due to this fantastic, modern-sounding version of “Suspicious Minds.”
Do not take “remix” the wrong way. This is not a sound-effects-filled dance remix like the JXL version of “A Little Less Conversation” (which, incidentally, I loved), but instead is a fresh take on the background to the original vocals – sounding closer to what one might imagine an Elvis song would be like if he recorded in 2010.
The album hits stores in November, though the “Suspicious Minds” single is apparently out in some locations now.
This may be yet another game-changer for the Elvis legacy.
Now that we’re starting to get back to “normal” here on The Mystery Train Elvis Blog after wall-to-wall coverage of Elvis On Tour, I thought it would be a good chance to catch up on some of the other things going on in the Elvis world.
Too much, plus tax
While I’ve got some book and Blu-ray reviews in the works, one upcoming Elvis release I’m not likely to be reviewing anytime soon is The Complete Elvis Presley Masters collection, formally announced by Sony Legacy this week and available for pre-order. This 30-CD set checks in at $749 US, plus tax and shipping.
The initial run is limited to only 1,000 units worldwide. You get 814 recordings, a new 240-page hardcover book, and a display case.
Don’t get me wrong here. This looks like a terrific set, and I’m drooling over it as we speak! $749 is simply too much for me personally, especially considering I already have all of the songs (though not always in the same sound quality as what will no doubt be included on this set).
Checking out the other Elvis blogs
Over on Elvis Today, Thomas recently reviewed the FTD edition of How Great Thou Art. He notes, “Getting a front seat in RCA’s Studio B in Nashville and being able to listen to Elvis’ new producer Felton Jarvis directing the session with his supportive comments and encouragement, offers a valuable insight into how the recordings took place and how the songs evolved.” Certainly, a must-read post and, apparently, a must-listen CD set as well.
Phil has some great coverage this week on ElvisBlog about what he calls “Two Very Rare, Weird, and Valuable Elvis Records.” Each one of those rare records will actually cost far more than the 30-CD set referenced above, by the way. One features “Doncha’ Think It’s Time” by Elvis accidentally pressed by RCA on a record labeled as “One For The Money (Part 1)” by The Whispers. How Elvis’ 1958 recording ended up on this 1976 single is anyone’s guess.
This reminded me of a similar mistake that Sony Legacy recently made – in reverse! Some editions of their 2-CD reissue of On Stage-February 1970 have an Alice In Chains album as the first CD – though it is still labeled as Elvis. Sony is offering a disc exchange, but that’s one I’d recommend keeping if you happen to have it, even if you don’t like Alice In Chains. It’s kind of a double collectible, for Alice In Chains fans may want to obtain this unique disc as well.
Continue keeping Myrna Smith in your prayers
One of the beautiful voices you’ll hear on the real version of On Stage is that of Myrna Smith. Because of Elvis, I’ve been listening to Myrna for all of my life.
I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, but I want to bring it up again. If you’re going to be in Memphis during Elvis Week, be sure to attend Elvis Unlimited‘s Back In Memphis concert, which will benefit Myrna – a founding member of the Sweet Inspirations vocal group that backed Elvis in concert performances from 1969 until his death in 1977. Myrna is hospitalized with a serious illness in California and the medical bills are quickly adding up. Kudos to Elvis Unlimited for taking the initiative to bring fans together to help her.
Even if you can’t attend the show, keep Myrna in your prayers, everyone. May she recover soon.
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