Elvis Presley | September 1-3, 1956 Recording Sessions

By David English

Elvis Presley : Sunday 2nd / Monday 3rd September 1956, L-R Gordon Stoker, Elvis Presley and )Hugh Jarrett.

The September 1-3, 1956 session at Radio Recorders was the first-ever time, that Elvis has visited the studios. Many more would follow in the next ten years. At 12:00pm Colonel Parker, Elvis and Gene Smith, Elvis' cousin arrived at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, where a large studio about the size of two large living rooms was reserved for Elvis' recording session. The doors were locked on the outside, inside sat a special guard, sitting watch over an 'ADMIT ONLY list. After greeting the Colonel, he guided us to a side door.

Elvis Presley: August 31, 1956, on the set of Love Me Tender (Great photo)

Elvis walks across the studio, seating himself at the piano, his cousin takes one of a dozen folding chairs leaning against the wall and seats himself just outside the glassed-in sound booth. Colonel Parker enters the booth to greet Mr.Steve Sholes, RCA manager of Specialty Artists and Repertoire, Mr W.W. Bullock, Manager of RCA records Division, Mr Robert Mosley, RCA Victor's West Coast Sales Promotion Manager and Engineer Thorne Nogar, all the men are dressed in casual denims and sport shirts. Elvis is wearing black slacks, yellow socks, red checked shirt, and black oxfords with red inserts. Warming at the piano, Elvis runs his hands idly along the keys.At the sound of the first note, The Jordanaires, led by Gordon Stoker, came in from the hall coffee machine, cups in hand, they join Elvis around the piano.After a few opening bars of the old standard 'Blue Moon' which Elvis plays hauntingly, eyes almost closed, he breaks into a raucous 'Hound Dog', singing playing, and tapping both feet at the same time, the music penetrating the end of the corridor, summons guitarist Scotty Moore, drummer D.J Fontana and Bass player Bill Black from the coffee machine

Bones Howe Recording Engineer : I'd worked with Elvis as an engineer at Radio Recorders back in the 50's and he really ran his own recording sessions. I mean, Steve Sholes, the RCA guy from Nashville, just sat there and ran the clock. So what it boils down to was Elvis produced his own records. He came to the session, picked the songs, and if something in the arrangement was changed, he was the one to change it. Everything was worked out spontaneously. Nothing was really rehearsed. Many of the important decisions normally made previous to a recording session were made during the session. What it was was a look to the future. Today everybody makes records this way. Back then Elvis was the only one.

He was the forerunner of everything that's record production these days. Consciously or unconsciously, everyone imitated him. People started doing what Elvis did. It was always about the music, he would keep working on a song, and he would listen to it played back, and his criterion was always, did it make him feel good? He didn't care if there were little mistakes, he was interested in anything that would make magic out of the record. The sessions were always fun, there was great energy, he was always doing something that was innovative. It was always about whether you had a feeling for music or not, whether you felt what he felt, that's why he liked Thorne (Nogar) so much. Thorne was a very genuine, sincere person, and he wanted Elvis to be completely happy with the records. The trick was that there was no trick. Thorne was there, and the studio was there-it was a level playing field. So he could just come in and do what felt good.

Gordon Stoker : We didn't rehearse much, when he came to a session you'd had demo's to listen to.

He didn't know, and we didn't know what we were going to do at a recording session until he got there.

Freddy Bienstock brought in a stack of demo's and we'd listen to them for hours before he'd decide.

Hugh Jarrett : He used us on everything that required vocal backing. We worked on almost every side he cut during those years. Not everything because some things didn't require a vocal group, but we were on most of his records from that time.We had been doing a lot of studio work and these were 'head' sessions - somebody would say 'Let's try this here' we'd run through it, he'd sing the song and we'd contribute what we felt. If we liked it, we did it, and if we didn't, we didn't, and of course if he did't like it, nobody did it. He was very acceptable to our ideas as far as the vocal background was concerned, but at the same time he did not hesitate to let us know if he had an idea that he wanted to try out. He was the boss.

Scotty Moore : If the band wasn't able to do it the way he wanted, he'd just say, well, do whatever you can do, then. Thorne Nogar : He ran the session, he would be right in the centre of everything, like with the Jordanaires when he sang, we would set it up with a unidirectional mike, so he would be standing right in front of them, facing them, and they would have their own directional microphone, and they would be singing to one another. He could spend two hours on a tune and then just throw it away.

Paraylzed

Songwriter Otis Blackwell : I had the chance a couple of times (to meet Elvis) I was invited down by the Presley people. But, things were going so well, I was - considered one of the top writers and was doing a lot of records. I figured that if I split, I might've lost' it, so I didn't go anywhere.(Why 'Paralyzed' was never released as a single)The story I got was that, because of the word 'paralyzed' a lot of organizations got down on the thing, so they wouldn't release it as a single. At least that was the case here in the US - in Europe. It didn't hurt anybody. I used to sing all my own demos, and I thought that (he) did justice to the songs, and put the kind of feeling into it that I felt. The number would continue to be pushed, such as on the Ed Sullivan show.

From Colonel Parker - 'Regarding the ballad for your next show, I would like to make the following suggestions. At present we plan to use the other side of the new record titled 'Any Way You Want Me' and also the new novelty tune 'Paralized'.'The songs for the Sullivan Show will be 'Anyway Way You Want Me', 'Paralyzed', and 'Love Me' You can check with Hill and Range, Mr Freddy Bienstock for further details'.

L-R Neal Mattews, Hugh Jarrett, Elvis at the piano, Gene Smith and Steve Sholes.

A wonderful insight into Elvis' thoughts on the number can be found on the BMG The Complete Million Dollar Quartet CD , with Elvis introducing the number whilst talking about 'Billy Ward and the Dominoes' version of 'Don't Be Cruel' recorded on December 4th at Sun Studios, Memphis.

Elvis : What key did I do that 'Paralyzed ' end?...You know Carl?(Perkins)....All I got do is stand there Paralyzed...that's that's the way I thought about recording it, after it came out, I thought about doing it, the same way he done 'Don't Be Cruel' you know...'It says errr .....When you looked into my eyes, Slow you know'.

This may have been how Elvis approached the various live versions during 1957.

Long Tall Sally

Take 1-4, take 4 is the master.

Art Rupe - Long Tall Sally I produced out here in Los Angeles, the version that came out, what they had done in New Orleans wasn't acceptable and the title of it then was called 'The Thing', there was a horror movie out at the time, and Richard called it 'The Thing'. When I told them I didn't like that, they came up with 'Bald Head Sally and then we came up with 'Long Tall Sally'.

Writer and A & R man (for Specialty Records) Robert Blackwell, and Little Richard's dismay, the song 'Tutti Frutti' was covered by pop crooner Pat Boone who took the song higher on the pop charts (#12) than their original version had. They then decided that their next single would have faster-paced lyrics that Pat Boone couldn't replicate. Around this time, popular disc jockey Honey Chile introduced Robert to a young girl named Enortis Johnson who had the notion of writing a song for Little Richard to record to raise money for an operation needed by her Aunt Mary. The 'song' was actually a piece of paper which read: 'Saw Uncle John with Long Tall Sally, they saw Aunt Mary coming so they ducked back in the alley'.

Above, L-R Steve Sholes sat foreground, Hugh Jarrett stood behind him, Elvis centre, with Hoyt Hawkins and Gordon Stoker look over to Scotty Moore on the right of frame with his 1954 L5 CESN.

Not wanting to upset this influential DJ, Robert took the song to Little Richard. They decided, after experimenting with the lyrics, that the phrasing could be sung rather quickly which would suit their purposes. Between Robert and Little Richard, they finished the song and recorded it for their follow-up single. Although the working titles used for the song included 'The Thing' and 'Bald Headed Sally, ' they went with 'Long Tall Sally' as the title and it became his biggest hit to date, scoring a #6 hit on the Billboard pop charts .Little Richard recorded his version on February 10th 1956, and released in March 1956.

Note : Elvis is said to have performed this number live as early as April 13th 1956, in Texas.RCA released a live version from Las Vegas Venus Room, New Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas, on May 6th 1956.

Old Shep

Elvis was back at the piano, rehearsing again, They worked for half an hour cutting one record after another, but, each time Elvis reached the middle of the song, he burst out laughing, 'I can't help, those words reminds me of my dog back home, 'They tried a third and fourth time, but each time, halfway through Elvis broke up the song, finally, he disciplined himself, and the song was finished.

Take 1-5, Take 1 is the master, take 5 was used by mistake on 'Elvis'.

Too Much

Scotty Moore remembers recording 'Too Much', with a description of it being 'ancient psychedelia' : We did several takes, but I got lost on that one, but back in those days you didn't have multi-track, you didn't go back and fix somethin', and you did't stop until they stopped you from the control room - you kept goin'. I just kept chunking away, I didn't make any mistakes, but it wasn't the same solo I played on the other takes, somehow I came out of it exactly where I was supposed to be. I forgot what key the thing was in, an oddball key for guitar to begin with, and I got absolutely lost and just kept on playing and finally recovered somehow or another. I have never been able to duplicate it exactly, I've come close, but not to the exact notes, that must have been the take they liked, it felt better than the others, so they released it. If someone missed a note or somethin' back then it wasn't a big deal - it was the feel that was important, if it feels good it's fine.

I can listen back to that stuff and find bunches of clinkers, y'know - Bill would be playin' in one key and we'd be playin' in another. He (Elvis) knew I had gotten lost, but he loved the way it turned out, when the song ended(playback), he raised up and said, 'That's it', and he did it for damned meanness.

He knew I had gotten lost and he knew damned well I would have to live with it.

D.J. Fontana : Too Much is a classic, it really is. The overall track was really good, Scotty wasn't happy with the guitar solo, and still isn't. Scotty got to his guitar solo and said he got lost completely and didn't know where he was. He couldn't get back and he tried to get Elvis to do it again. Elvis said 'Aw no, we're not doing that ever again' (laughs). He said 'That was too good, Scotty we're not gonna do it again'.

Takes 1-12, take 12 is the Master.

Take 1-2, (Insert) take 2 used for composite.master

Composite - Spliced Master

Note : Elvis performed the number on the Ed Sullivan Show on 6th January 1957. This version is completely different in the order of the lyrics and the structure to the studio version. Scotty Moore's guitar solo was reduced from 22 seconds on the studio version to 15 seconds on the Sullivan version.

Reddy Teddy

Elvis walks to the corner of the studio, picking up his guitar and tuning it, returning to the microphone. At this moment his hands move across the strings, his expression changes. Singing or playing, his body is in tension. Elvis is completely wrapped up in his delivery. It is like an aura about him, and it isn't something that he turns on for his audiences.Elvis the perfecttionist is dissatisfied with one arrangement after another, he stops frequently, replaying a phrase, saying to the group at large, 'Here listen to this' adding a new variation. As Elvis practices matching his singing to the guitar, the rhythm is so infectious that the Jordanaires clap hands in the background, accentuating the beat, no one has suggested they do this.

Takes 1-12, take 12 is the Master.

Elvis Performed the number on September the 9th on the Ed Sullivan Show, just under a week from the studio recording, and unsurprisingly is very close to the studio cut. It's worth noting that Gordon Stoker can be seen playing the piano on this performance, therefore the conclusion would be that Mr.Stoker also played the piano on the studio version. No piano player had been booked, and the duties were shared between Gordon Stoker and Elvis. Elvis was the sole producer of his recordings, and he made the decisions. The producers names that are on those recordings..they just sat there in the control room.

First In Line

At the piano Elvis sits, feeling his way through the new number, a slow and melancholy tune, none of the music is written out, Elvis and his group play everything from memory and by ear, sometimes the other musicians will read a portion of the score, but Elvis, never.Elvis plays through the number for almost an hour but is never satisfied, time after time something goes wrong.When halfway through, Elvis throws up his arms, his sign for everything to stop, then turns to discuss with the band the effect for which they have been trying.

'Okay' says Elvis finally, 'this sounds better' just then one of the instruments goes flat, Elvis has perfect pitch. He throws up his hands again exclaiming, 'Oh, no!'

Takes 1-27, Take 27 is the Master.

Rip It Up

Takes 1-19, take 19 is the Master.

After the session Thorne Nogar had this to say : Real nice to work with him, no problem with him, I wish all clients were as nice to work with, lets say it that way, he is one of our better artists as far as technically working with him.(He was an) awful nice kid-he came in there were no pretensions, just a kid off the street.

Elvis | LPM-1382, October 19, 1956

Side 1:

1. Rip It Up - Robert Blackwell/John Marscalco
2. Love Me - Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller
3. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - Wiley Walker/Gene Sullivan
4. Long Tall Sally - Enotis Johnson/Richard Penniman (Little Richard)/Robert Blackwell
5. First In Line - Aaron Schroeder/Ben Weisman
6. Paralyzed - Otis Blackwell/Elvis Presley

Side 2:

1. So Glad You're Mine - Arthur Crudup
2. Old Shep - Writer: Red Foley
3. Ready Teddy - Robert Blackwell/John Marscalco
4. Anyplace Is Paradise - Joe Thomas
5. How's The World Treating You - Chet Atkins/Boudleaux Bryant
6. How Do You Think I Feel - Walker/Pierce

Elvis Presley on ther Love Me Tender Movie Set

January 1956

= Elvis on TV | 1956 One incredible year !!!

Elvis Presley RCA's McGavock St Studio | January 10 and 11, April 14, 1956
1956 business contract signed by Colonel Parker and Elvis for The Elvis Presley Show
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | January 28, 1956

What is an Elvis Presley?

February

Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | February 4, 1956
Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and Bill Black | February 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Backstage February 10, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show| February 11, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | February 18, 1956

March

Elvis Presley 1956 | March/June/July
Elvis Presley's 1956 Home | 1034 Audubon Drive, Memphis, TN

Elvis Presley The Lousinana Hayride | March 10, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | March 17, 1956
Elvis Presley singing and playing gospel music | March 17, 1956
Jimmy Dean and Elvis Presley on the Jimmy Dean WMAL-TV Show, March 23, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | March 24, 1956

April

Elvis Presley The Milton Berle Show | April 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Arena | San Diego | April 4, 1956
Elvis Presley Wichita Falls, Texas | April 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Fair Park Coliseum, Lubbock, TX | April 10, 1956
Elvis Presley RCA's McGavock St Studio | January 10 and 11, April 14, 1956
Elvis Presley San Antonio | April 15, 1956
Elvis Gives Out With Crazy Cool Interview | April 17, 1956
Elvis thrilled Tulsa teens at fairgrounds April 18, 1956
Elvis Presley Oklahoma City | April 19, 1956
Elvis Presley April 20, 1956 | North Side Coliseum, Forth Worth
Elvis Presley, New Singing Find, Booked Into New Frontier | April 21, 1956
Elvis Presley at The New Frontier Hotel | From April 23, 1956
Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas Sun | April 26, 1956
Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas SUN | April 28, 1956

May

Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas SUN | May 1, 1956
Letter to the editor | Las Vegas SUN | May 12, 1956
Elvis Presley Auditorium in St. Paul, Minnesota | May 13, 1956
Elvis Presley May 14, 1956 | LaCrosse Wisconsin
Elvis Presley May 15, 1956 | Ellis Auditorium
Elvis Presley Detroit, MI. Fox Theater May 25, 1956
Elvis Presley Columbus, Ohio | May 26, 1956
Elvis, Scotty, Bill and DJ performed two shows at the UD Fieldhouse in Dayton | May 27, 1956
Elvis Presley Dayton, Oh., as Elvis left for Memphis | May 28, 1956
Elvis greeting fans at Los Angeles Airport, 1956

June

Elvis Presley 1956 | March/ June/ July
Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley swap autographs, Memphis | June 1, 1956
Elvis Presley Arriving in Oakland | June 3, 1956
Elvis Presley In Concert | Oakland California | June 3, 1956
The Milton Berle Show Los Angeles | June 5, 1956
Elvis Presley June 7, 1956 | Long Beach Municipal Auditorium
Elvis Presley June 8, 1956
Elvis Presley | Wink Martindale Show | June 16, 1956
Elvis Presley Interview with Wink and Sandy Martindale
Elvis Presley and Red West at Elvis' 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 14, 1956
Vernon, Gladys and Elvis Presley sing at the piano | 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 17, 1956
Elvis Presley and Barbara Hearn | June 19, 1956 | Fairgrounds Amusement Park, Memphis
Elvis Presley and Barbara Hearn at Elvis' 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 19, 1956
Elvis Presley with Susan Hayward | June 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Mosque Theater, Richmond, Va | June 30, 1956

July

Elvis Presley 1956 | March | June | July
Elvis Presley Hudson Theater | New York City | Steve Allen Show | July 1, 1956
Elvis Presley RCA Studio One, Memphis, Tennessee | July 2, 1956
Elvis Presley On The Train to, Memphis, Tennessee | July 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Russwood Park, Memphis, Tennessee | July 4, 1956
Elvis Presley St. Joseph's Hospital Memphis Tennessee | July 5, 1956
Elvis Presley Ocean Springs, MS. | Thursday, July 12, 1956
Elvis performs with The Statesman Quartet at Ellis Auditorium | July 27, 1956
Elvis Presley Water Skiing | Biloxi July 31, 1956

August

Who The Hell Is Elvis Presley? By Leonard Bennett Cabaret, August 1956

Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Movie Set Photos
Elvis Presley Olympia Theater, Miami, Florida | August 3, 1956
Elvis Presley August 5, 1956 | Tampa Florida
Elvis Presley Florida Theatre St. Petersburg | August 7, 1956
Elvis Presley Jacksonville, FL. Florida Theater (3 shows per day) | August 10-11, 1956
Elvis Presley August 7, 1956 | Candid Photos
Elvis Presley at the Knickerbocker Hotel, Hollywood | August 18, 1956
Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Recording Sessions | August 24, 1956
Elvis Presley August 31, 1956 | On the set of Love Me Tender

September

Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show 1956-1957
Elvis Presley September 1-3, 1956 Recording Sessions
Elvis Presley First Appearance | The Ed Sullivan Show | September 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Asleep In Flight | Back To Memphis September 23, 1956
Elvis Presley September 26, 1956 | Tupelo, MS. Mississippi-Alabama Fairgrounds
Elvis Presley wearing the new 'Elvis Presley hat', backstage in Tupelo, September 26, 1956
Elvis Presley at the Mid-South Fair | Memphis September 29, 1956

October

Elvis Presley October 5, 1956
Elvis Presley Cotton Bowl, Dallas | October 11, 1956
Elvis Presley October 18, 1956
Elvis Presley October 19, 1956 | Assault Charge
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals | October 26-28, 1956
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | Dress Rehearsals | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | Press Conference | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley gets his Polio Shot | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | October 28, 1956
Natalie Wood and Elvis Presley outside the Hotel Chisca | October 31, 1956

November

Elvis | Toledo | November 22, 1956
Elvis Presley Cleveland Arena, Ohio | November 23, 1956
Elvis Presley E.H. Crump Memorial Football Game | November 30, 1956

December

What is an Elvis Presley?
The Million Dollar Quartet (December 4, 1956)
Elvis Presley December 11, 1956 | Mobbed by fans in Memphis after running out of gas
Elvis Presley's Last Louisiana Hayride Performance | December 15, 1956
Elvis Presley Touch Football | Dave Wells Community Center | December 27, 1956

1957

Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | His third and final Appearance | January 6, 1957

Elvis Presley The King of Rock 'n' Roll

The Movies Of 1956

1956, Love Me Tender, Twentieth Century Fox

The Movies In Photos

Love Me Tender

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