Elvis 1969

In the very first post here on the Boogie Woogie Flu, we listened to some records that more than likely Elvis had in his record collection. Today we'll do the same, with a few of the tracks Elvis recorded on The Memphis Record in 1969 - the greatest recordings and best batch of songs he cut outside of his Sun sessions. Elvis, fearing he'd lost his vitality with the younger portion of the record buying public, returned to Memphis to make this record with the very hot American Studio house band, produced by "Chips" Moman. Neil Diamond had been at American the previous year to record "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show"and "Sweet Caroline." Dusty Springfield would be in after Elvis (I think) to record Dusty In Memphis, as were a cavalcade of other stars preceding and following Elvis's sessions including Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Dionne Warwick, The Box Tops, James Carr and B.J. Thomas. They were churning out the hits. The Memphis strategy worked for Elvis and he had three top ten hits from this record, including "Suspicious Minds" which was his first #1 since 1962. So, let's boldly spin the axis of Elvis and listen to some tracks from The Memphis Record, some artists who recorded these songs first, and the some post-Elvis versions.

Please enjoy.

Download:

"Any Day Now" mp3
"Suspicious Minds" mp3
"Long Black Limousine" mp3
"I'm Movin' On" mp3
"Gentle On My Mind" mp3
"True Love Travels on A Gravel Road" mp3

Elvis Presley
from The Memphis Record, 1969.
Buy at Amazon or at your local independently owned record store.

Download:

"Any Day Now" mp3
by Chuck Jackson
available on The Very Best of Chuck Jackson 1961-1967

"Suspicious Minds" mp3
by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, 1976.
available on Wanted! The Outlaws

"Long Black Limousine" mp3
by Wynn Stewart, 1958.
available on California Country

"I'm Movin' On" mp3
by Hank Snow, 1950.
available on RCA Country Legends

"Gentle On My Mind" mp3
by Glen Campbell, 1967.
available on Gentle On My Mind

"True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" mp3
by Nick Lowe, 1994.
available on The Impossible Bird

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Bonus:

Yet another (and maybe the best) version of Joe South's classic, also recorded at American Studio with "Chips" Moman and company. Brenda Lee recorded the great country soul LP Memphis Portrait there on the heels of Dusty In Memphis. Pick it up if you can find a copy.

"Walk a Mile In My Shoes" mp3
by Brenda Lee, 1970.
available on Memphis Portrait
Out of Print

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For more on American Studio in Memphis TN,
check out the Soulful Music blog.