Elvis for Everyone
Encyclopedia
Elvis for Everyone! is the twenty-third album
by Elvis Presley
, issued on RCA Victor in mono
and stereo
, LPM/LSP 3450, in August 1965. Recording sessions took place over a ten-year span at Sun Studio
in Memphis
, RCA Studio B
in Nashville
, Tennessee
, and Radio Recorders
in Hollywood, California. It peaked at #10 on the Top Pop Albums
chart, and is currently out of print.
of the 1960s, and by 1965 Presley's musical output had been focused exclusively on his movie career and soundtrack
output. He had not released a proper studio album since Pot Luck with Elvis
in June 1962, although seven non-movie singles
had been issued since. RCA invented the concept of an "Anniversary Album" to celebrate Presley's tenth year on their label, which became Elvis For Everyone. Given the cover depicting Elvis standing next to the RCA mascot
Nipper
sitting atop a cash register
, one can infer exactly what this album would be celebrating. Since May 1963, Presley had only made one non-movie session in January 1964 that yielded a mere three tracks, two of which had already been issued as sides for singles. Bereft of new material, RCA assembled this album from unused tracks going all the way back to the Sun Records
years, from sessions for both soundtracks and regular commercial releases. Possibly owing to its assembly from scraps and rejects, although it made the top ten on the LP chart, it was the first Presley album to sell fewer than 300,000 copies during the decade.
Of the tracks on the album only "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears," recorded for but not used in the film Flaming Star
, had previously been issued, on the extended play single
Elvis By Request. Several tracks had appeared on film, but had not been issued on record before. "In My Way" had appeared in the 1961 film Wild in the Country
, "Sound Advice" in the 1962 film Follow That Dream
, and the traditional Neapolitan
ballad "Santa Lucia
" in the 1964 outing Viva Las Vegas
. The remaining eight tracks had been unissued in any form. The Sun ballad "Tomorrow Night
" had overdubs added for release on this album; it would not be officially issued in its original form for another two decades on the first attempt at an exhaustive Sun compilation, The Complete Sun Sessions in 1987.
RCA had intended to include the unreleased Sun Records track "Tennessee Saturday Night
," but withdrew it from the album and replaced it with "Tomorrow Night". Neither has reference to a Presley Sun recording with this title ever been mentioned in any other source, nor has a Presley Sun recording with this title ever been discovered, although a song entitled "Tennessee Saturday Night" was slated for Loving You but not recorded.
In its format as a compilation of mostly unissued leftovers from various sessions, and given its rather short running time, this album anticipated the Presley budget releases with a similar concept that would appear during the late 1960s and early 1970s on the RCA Camden
label. RCA opted not to include it as part of its reissue program, appending its songs as bonus tracks to other albums as appropriate.
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, issued on RCA Victor in mono
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
and stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
, LPM/LSP 3450, in August 1965. Recording sessions took place over a ten-year span at Sun Studio
Sun Studio
Sun Studio is a recording studio opened by rock pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. It was originally called Memphis Recording Service, sharing the same building with the Sun Records label business...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, RCA Studio B
RCA Studio B
RCA Studio B is a noted recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Situated at 30 Music Square W and originally known simply as RCA Studios, it became famous in the 1960s for being a part of what many refer to as the Nashville Sound...
in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and Radio Recorders
Radio Recorders
Radio Recorders, Inc. was a recording studio based in Los Angeles, California. Famous musicians to have been recorded in the studio include Charlie Parker, Jimmie Rodgers, Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and The Carpenters among others. In its prime, the studio was known...
in Hollywood, California. It peaked at #10 on the Top Pop Albums
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, and is currently out of print.
Content
Sessions in late May 1963 failed to coalesce into his fifth studio albumStudio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
of the 1960s, and by 1965 Presley's musical output had been focused exclusively on his movie career and soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
output. He had not released a proper studio album since Pot Luck with Elvis
Pot Luck (album)
Pot Luck with Elvis is the fifteenth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2523, in June 1962. Recording sessions took place on March 22, 1961, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, and on June 25 and October 15, 1961, and March 18 and March 19, 1962, at RCA Studio B...
in June 1962, although seven non-movie singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
had been issued since. RCA invented the concept of an "Anniversary Album" to celebrate Presley's tenth year on their label, which became Elvis For Everyone. Given the cover depicting Elvis standing next to the RCA mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
Nipper
Nipper
Nipper was a dog that served as the model for a painting titled His Late Master's Voice. This image was the basis for the dog and trumpet logo used by several audio recording and associated brands: His Master's Voice, HMV, RCA, Victor Talking Machine Company, RCA Victor and JVC.- Biography :Nipper...
sitting atop a cash register
Cash register
A cash register or till is a mechanical or electronic device for calculating and recording sales transactions, and an attached cash drawer for storing cash...
, one can infer exactly what this album would be celebrating. Since May 1963, Presley had only made one non-movie session in January 1964 that yielded a mere three tracks, two of which had already been issued as sides for singles. Bereft of new material, RCA assembled this album from unused tracks going all the way back to the Sun Records
Sun Records
Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
years, from sessions for both soundtracks and regular commercial releases. Possibly owing to its assembly from scraps and rejects, although it made the top ten on the LP chart, it was the first Presley album to sell fewer than 300,000 copies during the decade.
Of the tracks on the album only "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears," recorded for but not used in the film Flaming Star
Flaming Star
Flaming Star is a 1960 western film starring Elvis Presley, based on the book Flaming Lance by Clair Huffaker. Critics agreed that Presley gave one of his best acting performances as the mixed-blood "Pacer Burton", a dramatic role. The film was directed by Don Siegel, and had a working title of...
, had previously been issued, on the extended play single
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Elvis By Request. Several tracks had appeared on film, but had not been issued on record before. "In My Way" had appeared in the 1961 film Wild in the Country
Wild in the Country
Wild in the Country is a 1961 film drama starring Elvis Presley in which he portrays a troubled young man from a dysfunctional family who pursues a literary career. The screenplay was written by playwright Clifford Odets.-Synopsis:...
, "Sound Advice" in the 1962 film Follow That Dream
Follow that Dream
Follow That Dream is a 1962 musical film starring Elvis Presley made by Mirisch Productions. The movie was based on the 1959 novel Pioneer, Go Home! by Richard P. Powell. Producer Walter Mirisch liked the song Follow that Dream and retitled the picture...
, and the traditional Neapolitan
Music of Naples
Naples has played an important and vibrant role over the centuries not just in the music of Italy, but in the general history of western European musical traditions. This influence extends from the early music conservatories in the 16th century through the music of Alessandro Scarlatti during the...
ballad "Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia is a traditional Neapolitan song. It was transcribed by Teodoro Cottrau and published by the Cottrau firm, as a "barcarolla", at Naples in 1849. Cottrau translated it from Napuletano into Italian during the first stage of the Risorgimento, the first Neapolitan song to be given Italian...
" in the 1964 outing Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas is a 1964 American romantic musical movie starring music icon Elvis Presley and actress/dancer Ann-Margret. This movie is regarded by many fans of these actors and by film critics as one of Presley's best movies, and it is noted for the apparent on-screen chemistry between Presley...
. The remaining eight tracks had been unissued in any form. The Sun ballad "Tomorrow Night
Tomorrow Night
"Tomorrow Night" is a 1939 song written by Sam Coslow and Will Grosz. The same year Horace Heidt peaked at number sixteen with his version of the song. In 1948, Lonnie Johnson had a crossover hit with the song, which had Simeon Hatch on piano...
" had overdubs added for release on this album; it would not be officially issued in its original form for another two decades on the first attempt at an exhaustive Sun compilation, The Complete Sun Sessions in 1987.
RCA had intended to include the unreleased Sun Records track "Tennessee Saturday Night
Tennessee Saturday Night
"Tennessee Saturday Night" is a Western swing ballad written by Billy Hughes. The song tells of Tennesseans having a good time on a Saturday night. Each verse ends with the refrain:...
," but withdrew it from the album and replaced it with "Tomorrow Night". Neither has reference to a Presley Sun recording with this title ever been mentioned in any other source, nor has a Presley Sun recording with this title ever been discovered, although a song entitled "Tennessee Saturday Night" was slated for Loving You but not recorded.
In its format as a compilation of mostly unissued leftovers from various sessions, and given its rather short running time, this album anticipated the Presley budget releases with a similar concept that would appear during the late 1960s and early 1970s on the RCA Camden
RCA Camden
RCA Camden was a budget record label of recordings, first introduced by RCA Victor.-History:The label was named after Camden, New Jersey, original home to the Victor Talking Machine Company, later RCA Records. It specialized in reissuing historic classical and popular recordings from the RCA catalog...
label. RCA opted not to include it as part of its reissue program, appending its songs as bonus tracks to other albums as appropriate.
Collective Personnel
- Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Scotty MooreScotty MooreWinfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III is an American guitarist. He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, between 1954 and the beginning of Elvis' Hollywood years...
– guitar - Tiny TimbrellTiny TimbrellHilmer J. Timbrell was a Canadian-born session musician and master guitarist.Hilmer J. "Tiny" Timbrell was born in Canada but moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue his career in music...
- guitar - Howard RobertsHoward RobertsHoward Roberts was an American jazz guitarist, educator and session musician.-Biography:Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and began playing guitar at age 8. By the time he was 15 he was playing professionally locally....
- guitar - Hank GarlandHank GarlandWalter Louis Garland , better known as Hank Garland, was a Nashville studio musician who performed with Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and many others.-Biography:...
- guitar - Neal Matthews - guitar
- Harold BradleyHarold BradleyHarold Bradley is a pop guitarist and an American country guitarist.Harold played banjo as a child but switched to guitar on the advice of his elder brother, Owen Bradley. Owen arranged for Harold to tour with Ernest Tubb while Harold was still in high school. After graduation, Harold joined the...
- guitar - Grady MartinGrady MartinThomas Grady Martin was one of the most renowned, inventive and historically significant American session musicians in country music and rockabilly....
- guitar - Billy StrangeBilly StrangeWilliam E. "Billy" Strange is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor.-Recordings and songwriting:...
- guitar - Jerry KennedyJerry KennedyJerry Glenn Kennedy is an American record producer, songwriter and guitar player.-Early years:Kennedy was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. As a child, he recalls "beating on broomsticks and other things" as his initial forays into music-making...
- guitar - Dudley Brooks - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Floyd CramerFloyd CramerFloyd Cramer was an American Hall of Fame pianist who was one of the architects of the "Nashville sound." He popularized the "slip note" piano style where an out-of-tune note slides effortlessly into the correct note...
- piano
- Jimmie HaskellJimmie HaskellJimmie Haskell born Sheridan Pearlman 1936 in Brooklyn, New York is a prolific American composer and arranger for a variety of popular singers and motion pictures.-Biography:...
- accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist.... - Gordon Stoker - accordion
- Bill BlackBill BlackWilliam Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician who is noted as one of the pioneers of rockabilly music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio and the leader of Bill Black's Combo....
- double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Meyer Rubin - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Bob MooreBob MooreBob Loyce Moore is an American session musician, orchestra leader, and bassist who was a member of the legendary Nashville A-Team during the 1950s and 60s.-Biography:...
- bass - D.J. Fontana - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Bernie Mattinson - drums
- Buddy HarmanBuddy HarmanBuddy Harman was an American session musician.-Career:Born in Nashville, Tennessee, he played drums on over 18,000 sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, Connie Francis, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, Roger Miller,...
– drums - Boots RandolphBoots RandolphHomer Louis "Boots" Randolph III was an American musician best known for his 1963 saxophone hit, "Yakety Sax"...
- saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed... - The JordanairesThe JordanairesThe Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
- backing vocals - Millie KirkhamMillie KirkhamMildred 'Millie' Kirkham is an American singer who was featured on many classic hit recordings from the mid 1950s through the 1980s.-Early life:Kirkham was born in Nashville, Tennessee...
- backing vocals
Side one
| Track | Recorded | Original EP Issue | Catalogue | Release Date | Chart Peak | Song Title | Writer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 2/1/58 | Your Cheatin' Heart Your Cheatin' Heart "Your Cheatin' Heart" is a song written and recorded by the American country music singer and songwriter Hank Williams in 1952, but released after his death in 1953.. It is often considered one of his greatest songs, and one of the great songs of country music... |
Hank Williams | 2:24 | ||||
| 2. | 8/8/60 | Elvis By Request | LPC 128 | 2/61 | #14 | Summer Kisses, Winter Tears | Fred Wise, Ben Weisman Ben Weisman Ben Weisman was an eccentric American composer significant for having written more songs recorded by Elvis Presley than any other songwriter in history. The "Mad Professor" as Weisman was nicknamed by Elvis, worked with the King from 1956 to 1971... , Jack Lloyd |
2:17 |
| 3. | 5/26/63 | Finders Keepers Losers Weepers | Dory Jones and Ollie Jones | 1:47 | ||||
| 4. | 11/7/60 | In My Way | Fred Wise and Ben Weisman Ben Weisman Ben Weisman was an eccentric American composer significant for having written more songs recorded by Elvis Presley than any other songwriter in history. The "Mad Professor" as Weisman was nicknamed by Elvis, worked with the King from 1956 to 1971... |
1:19 | ||||
| 5. | 9/10/54 | Tomorrow Night Tomorrow Night "Tomorrow Night" is a 1939 song written by Sam Coslow and Will Grosz. The same year Horace Heidt peaked at number sixteen with his version of the song. In 1948, Lonnie Johnson had a crossover hit with the song, which had Simeon Hatch on piano... |
Sam Coslow Sam Coslow Sam Coslow was an American songwriter, singer, film producer, publisher, and market analyst. Coslow was born in New York City. He began writing songs as a teenager... and Will Grocz |
2:58 | ||||
| 6. | 1/12/64 | Memphis Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee (song) "Memphis, Tennessee" is a song by rock & roll singer-songwriter Chuck Berry. It is sometimes shortened to "Memphis". In the UK, the song charted at #6 in 1963, at the same time Decca Records issued a cover version in the UK by Dave Berry and the Cruisers, who came from Sheffield, Yorkshire... |
Chuck Berry Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B... |
2:08 |
Side two
| Track | Recorded | Song Title | Writer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 10/15/61 | For the Millionth and the Last Time | Roy C. Bennett Roy C. Bennett Roy C. Bennett is an American songwriter known for the songs he wrote with Sid Tepper, which spawned several hits for Elvis Presley... and Sid Tepper Sid Tepper Sid Tepper is an American songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roy C. Bennett, which spawned several hits for Elvis Presley. Between 1945 and 1970, Tepper and Bennett published over 300 songs.-Biography:... |
2:05 |
| 2. | 11/7/60 | Forget Me Never | Fred Wise and Ben Weisman Ben Weisman Ben Weisman was an eccentric American composer significant for having written more songs recorded by Elvis Presley than any other songwriter in history. The "Mad Professor" as Weisman was nicknamed by Elvis, worked with the King from 1956 to 1971... |
1:35 |
| 3. | 7/2/61 | Sound Advice | Bernie Baum Bernie Baum Bernie Baum was a songwriter who worked extensively with Elvis Presley. He grew up in New York City and later worked with Harvey Zimmerman and Florence Kaye. The majority of their songs were used in Presley's musicals. Their work was also credited in the American version of Kimba the White Lion... , Bill Giant, Florence Kaye Florence Kaye Florence Kaye was a member of a song-writing trio that also included Harvey Zimmerman and Bernie Baum. She was born in New York City. She performed a radio show in Georgia and entertained troops for United Service Organizations... |
1:45 |
| 4. | 7/10/63 | Santa Lucia Santa Lucia Santa Lucia is a traditional Neapolitan song. It was transcribed by Teodoro Cottrau and published by the Cottrau firm, as a "barcarolla", at Naples in 1849. Cottrau translated it from Napuletano into Italian during the first stage of the Risorgimento, the first Neapolitan song to be given Italian... |
Traditional | 1:11 |
| 5. | 10/15/61 | I Met Her Today | Hal Blair and Don Robertson | 2:42 |
| 6. | 2/24/57 | When It Rains It Really Pours | William Emerson William Emerson William Emerson is the name of:* William Emerson * William Emerson , Unitarian minister, father of Ralph Waldo Emerson* William Emerson , British architect.... |
1:47 |