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RCA/Legacy Recordings has celebrated the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s sessions at Stax studios in Memphis with a 55-track (28 masters and 27 outtakes) 3-CD collection titled “Elvis At Stax”. A cut-down version featuring 17 tracks is also available on CD and vinyl.

The recordings on “Elvis At Stax” were made over two sessions in July and December 1973. Stax had established an enviable hitmaking pedigree over the previous decade, with the likes of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Sam & Dave all recording at the Memphis studio. However, this meeting of the iconic star and the iconic studio happened more because it was a convenient local place to record than because Elvis made a creative decision to explore the famed Stax soul sound. Elvis stuck with his usual producer, for the most part used musicians he had played with before (some with Stax experience), and for the second session didn’t even use the Stax sound board (RCA sent a mobile recording unit to the studio as their equipment was more advanced).

The quality of recordings made at the Stax sessions varied from disappointing to excellent, as by this time Elvis’ personal problems and health issues led to inconsistency, dips in motivation and lack of enthusiasm for the recording process. Anecdotal evidence from those present tells us that Elvis was much more up for the December session, and that’s very clear when you listen to the recordings. The latter session also generally featured stronger material.

The Stax sessions provided content for three albums (“Raised On Rock,” “Good Times,” and “Promised Land”), from which several singles were released, the most successful of which were “Promised Land” b/w “It’s Midnight”, “If You Talk In Your Sleep” b/w “Help Me” and “My Boy” b/w “Thinking About You”. The cover of Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land” is one of the highlights of the December 1973 session, with Elvis committing to the kind of all out rock ‘n’ roll material that many fans wanted him to do more of in this period. It also features James Burton’s finest guitar work from the sessions. In contrast, “Raised On Rock” from the July session has Elvis far less inspired and singing a ludicrous lyric which has the singer claiming to have been raised on the very music that he helped create and inspire (the “Hound Dog” reference alone should have prompted either a lyric change or the song to be abandoned).

Other frustrating offerings from the Stax sessions include “Three Corn Patches,” which isn’t fit to be compared to other Leiber/Stoller and Elvis collaborations; “Girl Of Mine,” which is fine for what it is but better suited to Engelbert Humperdinck; and “If You Don’t Come Back” and “Just A Little Bit,” both of which are good songs but feature Elvis too laid-back – you find yourself wishing they had been recorded in a higher key.

Let’s not get gloomy though as there is much to enjoy here, including excellent performances on the country ballads “Loving Arms,” “Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues,” and “There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In),” a spirited rendition of the Jerry Reed-penned “Talk About the Good Times,” and a cool take on the funky Red West song “If You Talk In Your Sleep,” complete with a great horn arrangement. Elvis also enjoys himself and sings very well on “Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming,” “You Asked Me To,” “I Got A Feelin’ In My Body,” and “Help Me.” All of these make the single disc version of “Elvis at Stax,” some as outtake versions.

The sessions at Stax marked Elvis’ return to recording in Memphis, following the triumphant 1969 sessions at American Studios which yielded one of the best albums of his career and hit singles such as “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto”. The music on “Elvis at Stax” doesn’t reach the heights of those earlier recordings, but there are some excellent performances that have been delighting fans for 40 years and which new listeners will enjoy exploring. With the material currently spread across so many different releases, it’s also good to have the songs contained within one package.

“Elvis At Stax” comes with a 44-page colour booklet that includes in-depth, day-by-day liner notes by award-winning Memphis journalist Robert Gordon, who wrote the books “The King on the Road: Elvis Live on Tour 1954 to 1977” (St. Martin’s, 1996), and “The Elvis Treasures” (Random House, 2002). Gordon also co-wrote the liner notes essay for RCA/Legacy’s “From Elvis In Memphis: Legacy Edition” (2009).

“Elvis At Stax – Deluxe Edition” tracklist

The three themed discs contain the following recordings:

Disc One – “R&B and Country Sessions – Outtakes”

1. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body (Take 1)
2. Find Out What’s Happening (Takes 8-7)
3. Promised Land (Take 4)
4. For Ol’ Times Sake (Take 4)
5. I’ve Got A Thing About You Baby (Take 14)
6. It’s Midnight (Take 7)
7. If You Talk In Your Sleep (Take 5)
8. Loving Arms (Take 2)
9. You Asked Me To (Take 3A)
10. Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues (Take 8)
11. Talk About the Good Times (Take 3)
12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Take 1)
13. She Wears My Ring (Take 8)
14. Three Corn Patches (Take 14)
15. I Got A Feelin’ in My Body (Take 4)
16. If You Don’t Come Back (Take 3)
17. Promised Land (Take 5).

Disc Two – “The Pop Sessions – Outtakes” and “The July 1973 Masters”

1. Mr. Songman (Take 2)
2. Your Love’s Been a Long Time Coming (Take 4)
3. Spanish Eyes (Take 2)
4. Take Good Care Of Her (Takes 1, 2, 3)
5. It’s Diff’rent Now (Unfinished Recording)
6. Thinking About You (Take 6)
7. My Boy (Take 1)
8. Girl Of Mine (Take 9)
9. Love Song Of The Year (Take 1)
10. If That Isn’t Love (Take 1)
11. Raised on Rock
12. For Ol’ Times Sake
13. I’ve Got a Thing About You Baby
14. Take Good Care Of Her
15. If You Don’t Come Back
16. Three Corn Patches
17. Girl Of Mine
18. Just A Little Bit
19. Find Out What’s Happening
20. Sweet Angeline.

Disc Three – “The December 1973 Masters”

1. Promised Land
2. It’s Midnight
3. If You Talk in Your Sleep
4. Help Me
5. My Boy
6. Thinking About You
7. Mr. Songman
8. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body
9. Loving Arms
10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues
11. You Asked Me To
12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In)
13. Talk About The Good Times
14. She Wears My Ring
15. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming
16. Love Song Of The Year
17. Spanish Eyes
18. If That Isn’t Love.

The single CD version of “Elvis At Stax” and 2-LP vinyl version both feature the following selection of masters and outtakes:

1. Promised Land
2. I’ve Got A Thing About You Baby
3. If You Talk In Your Sleep
4. Raised On Rock
5. Help Me
6. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body (Take 4)
7. For Ol’ Times Sake (Take 4)
8. Talk About The Good Times (Take 3)
9. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues (Take 8)
10. You Asked Me To (Take 3A)
11. Loving Arms (Take 2)
12. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming (Take 4)
13. Spanish Eyes (Take 2)
14. It’s Midnight (Take 7)
15. Find Out What’s Happening (Takes 8-7)
16. Three Corn Patches (Take 14)
17. My Boy (Take 1).

The “Elvis At Stax” release was celebrated this week by RCA/Legacy Recordings with a “Listening Party” at the Stax Museum. The event took place as part of the annual Elvis Week in Memphis, which marks the anniversary of Elvis’ death in 1977. Enjoy it below.

“Elvis At Stax” Listening Party

You can order “Elvis At Stax” standard and deluxe editions now via the links below:

Title
Elvis At Stax – Deluxe	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now
Elvis At Stax – Highlights	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now
Elvis At Stax – Highlights (Vinyl)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	N/A	N/A