Elvis Today - Revisited

When replying to the long running and interesting thread about what was and wasn’t included on the ‘70’s box set over at the "For Elvis CD Collectors" message board , I started thinking abut why the “Promised Land” album was given the upgrade treatment whilst “Elvis Today” was passed over. To me both of these albums are very similar. Ten track modern country/rock albums which in both cases opened with good examples of the mid ‘70’s Elvis proving he could still make fine rock ‘n’ roll records with “Promised Land” and “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” respectively. 

Although both issued in 1975 “Promised Land” featured songs recorded at Stax Studios, Memphis in December 1973, whilst “Elvis Today” contained material recorded in the year of it’s release at RCA’s Hollywood Studios. The Hollywood sessions produced only the ten masters that were eventually issued on the “Today” album. A jam version of “Tiger Man” was also committed to tape, and released on the ‘70’s box set in 1995, but whether any additional material was recorded during the jam sessions is anybody’s guess. 

In contrast to the “Today” sessions, Elvis’ December 1973 Stax sessions that produced the “Promised Land” album had also produced eight additional masters which had already been issued on the “Good Times” album in 1974. Therefore, when BMG came to upgrade the “Promised Land” album their choice of bonus songs was an obvious one. Add the eight tracks from the “Good Times” album to the new “Promised Land” set, and this makes the complete December 1973 Stax session available on one CD. Good value for both the fan and the casual buyer. 

As the “Today” sessions produced only ten tracks an upgrade of the “Today” album would need a different approach as with the exception of the “Tiger Man” jam there are no additional songs left over that could extend the programme. There are of course alternate takes, and I personally feel that this approach could work well. The upgraded versions of The Byrd’s albums on the Columbia/Legacy label used this format, and it made for some interesting releases. Working with what has already been issued from the “Today” sessions here is how I would upgrade this release: 

Original Programme:

1. T-R-O-U-B-L-E
2. And I Love You So
3. Susan When She Tried
4. Woman Without Love
5. Shake A Hand
6. Pieces Of My Life
7. Fairytale
8. I Can Help
9. Bringing It Back
10. Green Green Grass Of Home

Bonus Tracks:

11. T-R-O-U-B-L-E – take 1 (6363 Sunset)
12. And I Love You So – take 1 (6363 Sunset)
13. And I Love You So – take 2 (Platinum – A Life In Music)
14. Susan When She Tried – takes 1 & 2 (6363 Sunset)
15. Shake A Hand  - take 2 (6363 Sunset)
16. Pieces Of My Life - take 1 (Today Tomorrow And Forever)
17. Fairytale – take 2 (Great Country Songs)  
18. I Can Help – undubbed master (Our Memories Of Elvis Volume 2)
19. Bringing It Back – takes 2 & 3  (6363 Sunset)
20. Green Green Grass Of Home – take 1 (Great Country Songs)
21. Green Green Grass Of Home – takes 2 & 3 (6363 Sunset)
22. Tiger Man – informal jam (Walk A Mile In My Shoes)

With the exception of “Woman Without Love” which was recorded in one take, and “I Can Help” (the master was take two, so it’s quite possible that the first take was an incomplete false start), RCA/BMG have already released an alternate album from these sessions. The alternates are also all early takes, so it makes a nice work in progress for the listener at the end of the original programme.  If you would like to compile your own upgraded version of this release, the cover art is featured below:

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