COME WHAT MAY

Many people, in concerns of music, sports, politics and many more genres just love to ask: What If.....? Elvis fans do that as well! So let ́s get to the point: What If RCA had released an LP album like our brandnew REEL TRAX release in November of 1966? We don ́t know for sure of course, but we assume that the view on Elvis ́ career in the Sixties would probably be significantly different. But since this obviously did not happen the way we wish it had, Elvis is mainly being remembered in this decade as a celluloid artist. His last studio album that had nothing to do with “typical” movie songs had been ''Pot Luck'' and it had been released way back in 1962. In the meantime the majority of Elvis ́ album releases had clearly been dominated by his movie soundtracks (which showed in releases on singles and EP ́s as well – plus we all know that there would have to be that so-called “Lost Album” in  ́63 which never had been realized ). It seemed to be a perfect formula to maximize financial success to release movie soundtrack after movie soundtrack. Even considering taking the risk to lose credibility as a performer who once was known as being a “rebel”, a man who changed just about everything in contemporary pop music business only 10 years earlier.

Lost Album – Missed opportunity?

Tracks 1 – 12 are taken from the forthcoming REEL TRAX vinyl release “Come What May” (LSP 3718), which deals with a so-called “Lost Album” theory for November 1966. All other songs used for this CD release are mainly based on international 45 r.p.m single releases of 1966. While some of the titles are almost common knowledge when it comes to be known as single tracks on Elvis ́ official RCA-Label (like “Tell Me Why” and “Blue River” for instance), the “Girl Happy” songs ‘’Do Not Disturb’’ and ‘’Spring Fever’’ have been released that year only on a single in India. The “Paradise Hawaiian Style” LP tracks “Drums Of The Islands”, “This Is My Heaven”, “House Of Sand” and the title track of the movie only showed up on single releases in the Philippines (all on RCA as well).

  

By the mid-1960 ́s it was about time to reflect Elvis ́ musical career, to think about changes, to have respect for new influences in terms of songs and sounds. History tells us that this most likely never has happened. And still, there were opportunities to bring back some of that old magic from a couple of years earlier. One of those “chances” took its start in May of 1966 when Elvis returned to “Studio B” in Nashville for a recording session with material for two albums! One of them would become a Grammy-Award winning album full of Gospel music (just like in 1960), titled “How Great Thou Art”! The other one could have been similar to the one you hold in your hands now. Elvis was highly motivated to do the sessions and he did a mighty good job on the material which consisted of Gospel songs and well chosen Covers of genres from Folk to Rhythm n ́ Blues titles.

The ''How Great Thou Art'' LP became a gold album and sure made Elvis very proud of it. But what about the rest of the songs from the sessions in May of 1966? What happened to the possible second album? Well, there was no second album! The songs, which could have been used for another pretty solid “concept” (and therefore artistically much more valuable) album finally appeared on singles and as bonus songs on upcoming soundtrack albums. A big disappointment indeed and again we would like to ask: What if.....?

To give it a fresh ambience, the best / most interesting alternate takes for the songs have been chosen. Disc 2 comprises more complete and partly spliced outtakes of the titles from Disc 1. Discover a stand-out and never before released version of the title “God ́s Gonna Cut ém Down” (also known as “Run On”) which features a splice of Takes 1 and 6. Also included are the original demos of four songs sung by Bobby "Red " West. Two of them were even written by him!

TRACKLISTING:

Disc 1:

Come What May (Take 2) - Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Take 2) - Love Letters (Take 7) - Fools Fall In Love (Take 4) - Beyond The Reef (Take 2 - Rejected Master) - Tell Me Why (Stereo Version  - Master) - Down In The Alley (Take 1) - I'll Remember You (Take 2) - All That I Am (Take 2) - Run On (Take 2) - Indescribably Blue (Take 1) - If Everyday Was Like Christmas (Take 2) - Joshua Fit The Battle (Take 1) - Blue River (Take 2) - Spinout (Take 2) - Known Only To Him (Take 2) - Milky White Way (Take 5) - Frankie And Johnny (Take 1) - Please Don't Stop Loving Me (Take 3 - Lower Key) - Swing Down Sweet Chariot (Take 3) - How Would You Like To Be (Take 1) - Do Not Disturb (Take 27 - RCA India On 45rpm) - Spring Fever (Take 4 - RCA India On 45rpm) - This Is My Heaven (Take 3 - RCA Phillippines On 45rpm) - Drums Of The Islands (Take 5 - RCA Phillippines On 45rpm) - Paradise Hawaiian Style (Take 1 - RCA Phillippines On 45rpm) - House Of Sand (Take 3 - RCA Phillippines on 45rpm)

Disc 2:

Run On (Take 1 & 6 - Spliced) - Come What May (Take 3, 4) - Fools Fall In Love (Take 5 - Master) - Love Letters (Take 2) - Down In The Alley (Take 6) - Spinout (Take 3 - 5 M) - Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Take 3 - Master) - Beyond The Reef (Take 1 & 2 - Undubbed) - I’ll Remember You (Take 1) - All That I Am (Take 4) - Joshua Fit The Battle (Take 2) - Swing Down, Sweet Chariot (Take 1) - Known Only To Him (Take 5) - Frankie And Johnny (Take 4 & 6 M) - Milky White Way (Take 3) - Please Don’t Stop Loving Me (Take 7) - Do Not Disturb (Take 35) - Spring Fever (Take 21) - This Is My Heaven (Take 7) - Paradise Hawaiian Style (Take 1 & 4 - Spliced) - Indescribably Blue (Master - Take 2) - I’ll Remember You (Demo - Red West) - If Every Day Was Like Christmas (Demo - Red West) - Indescribably Blue (Demo - Red West) - Sleepless Nights Endless Days (Demo Red West)

IN THE GHETTO

Straight Arrow is very pleased to bring you, as a first for the label, concert from January / February 1971 season: The Las Vegas February 19, 1971 Midnight Show. This concert was previously released 13 years ago in very bad sound quality on “SETTING THE SEASON” 2CD.

Straight Arrow was fortunate enough to obtain recently recovered 1st generation copy of the original reel to reel audience-recorded tape of this show, coming from collection of British fan Rex Martin. This historic concert was never before available in good sound quality - until now! Every second was enhanced to achieve the optimal listening experience. The sound was remastered to the correct speed. If you have enjoyed our previous 1971 CDs, we believe that you will love this one as well. Ask your local CD vendor for audio teasers!

Presented in the usual Straight Arrow fashion with the top notch digipak including the photos of Elvis in Las Vegas 1971 and local press reviews.

Tracklist:
All tracks recorded live from audience on February 19th, 1971 Midnight Show.

01. Rex Martin comment
02. Opening Vamp / That's All Right
03. I Got A Woman 
04. Can't Help Falling In Love
05. Sweet Caroline 
06. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
07. Polk Salad Annie 
08. Johnny B. Goode 
09. Something
10. How Great Thou Art 
11. Mystery Train / Tiger Man
12. Love Me
13. Don't Be Cruel
14. Bridge Over Troubled Water
15. Blue Suede Shoes
16. Heartbreak Hotel
17. Little Sister / Get Back
18. It's Now Or Never
19. Hound Dog
20. Suspicious Minds
21. Introductions of singers, musicians, orchestra
22. Lawdy Miss Clawdy
23. Help Me Make It Through The Night
24. There Goes My Everything 
25. Just Pretend
26. In The Ghetto
27. Also Sprach Zarathustra
28. Snowbird
29. The Impossible Dream
30. Closing Vamp