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‘The Pot Luck Sessions' FTD Box-set REVIEW The Pot Luck Sessions Since returning from the army Col Parker was pushing Elvis’ focus towards his film commitments and soundtrack albums. Between August 1960 and August 1961 Elvis filmed four movies, Flaming Star, Wild In The Country, Blue Hawaii and Follow That Dream. The Blue Hawaii soundtrack album, recorded in March 1961, would go on to be Elvis’ biggest selling album and only confirmed Parker’s money-making priorities So while one can consider that the ‘Pot Luck’ sessions started with ‘Kiss Me Quick’ recorded in June 1961, that was in fact a planned RCA 45rpm session that in the end supplied three ‘left-overs’ for the future 1962 album. The October 1961 ‘45rpm’ session similarly provided RCA with a #1 single - Good Luck Charm - and three further leftovers and so it was really the March 1962 session, nine months since ‘Kiss Me Quick’, that supplied the core content of the Pot Luck album. With FTD including ‘His Latest Flame’ and ‘Little Sister’ as part of the complete Pot Luck sessions (unlike their earlier Pot Luck ‘Classic Album’ release) this five CD set not only contains some of Elvis’ best sixties material but also an incredibly interesting musical journey over these key nine months. There would be no similarly creative session until Elvis started re-focussing with Felton Jarvis at the How Great Thou Art sessions, Steve Binder at the ’68 Comeback and finally the Chips Moman resurrection at the Memphis Sessions. Any recording sessions set that starts with His Latest Flame / Little Sister, Good Luck Charm / Anything That’s Part Of You has to be impressive. Even the leftovers that were deemed not worthy of release at the time ‘You’ll Be Gone’, ‘For The Millionth And The Last’, ‘I Met Her Today’ were far superior than the movie soundtrack material Elvis would soon be recording. While FTD rightly describe this as “one of the most commercially successful recording sessions of Elvis’ career” these twenty tracks, recorded over ten months, can hardly be compared in importance with the 1960 “Elvis Is Back!” session and its outstanding 7 million-seller singles all recorded in just two nights’ work.
The Package The 5 CDs are in a four panel fold-out with the joy of fans being able to pore over various RCA paperwork and tape boxes. Bill Porter was the supervising engineer at Nashville’s Studio B. The large 8-inch 28-page booklet is a neat upgrade from the previous Classic Album booklet with surprisingly few images being repeated and plenty of new candid images included here. This essay has basically been copied from his essential ‘A Life In Music’ book. Unfortunately this means that Ernst’s comment ‘The “real strong songs” that Freddy had referred to in his note’ doesn’t make clear sense within this article as it refers back to a paragraph in the book (about Follow That Dream) that has not been included here. With the recordings supplying so many key single releases over the years there are plenty of pages dedicated to all the individual releases - from the Pot Luck album in May 1962 to the US ‘Kiss Me Quick / Suspicion’ 45rm release in April 1964 including contemporary reviews. The later 1965 releases are also noted. The weird anomaly of Blue Hawaii’s ‘Steppin’ Out Of Line’ being part of the original album track-list hardly gets a mention. While I understand that this recording should not be included in this session it’s a true oddity that Parker selected it for the album instead of perhaps ‘You’ll Be Gone’ or ‘For The Millionth And The Last’. I always thought that ‘Steppin’ Out Of Line’ would have made a better single B-side or EP track.
One of the strengths of this Pot Luck set is the way the CDs are compiled. Some of the weaker tracks, that Elvis perhaps worked a little too long on, ie Kiss Me Quick and I Met Her Today happen to be spread across two cds while key singles have all the session takes on one CD. And it is listening to the hard studio work and creativity of Elvis and his A-Team musicians that makes this set so enjoyable.
Previously spread across various FTD “Classic Album” releases (including ‘Gold Records Vol 3 & Vol 4’, ‘Elvis For Everyone’ etc) it is a real joy to have the whole session assembled here. The previously unreleased outtakes - more than expected – all help to demonstrate Elvis dedication to getting this perfect. The following are officially previously unreleased – most of them false starts
There are also plenty of examples of where the previously released "Classic Album" outtakes were edited with these complete versions offering an even better look at the sessions. Some interesting examples I discovered were.. Another neat bonus is getting all the Masters in full. This, for instance, means that we now get to hear the full studio discussion “We weren’t right… Gordon? Stoker?” before ‘His Latest Flame’ master, the extra false start before ‘I Met Her Today’ master, some joyous laughter before ‘Night Rider’ master, as well as plenty of studio discussion before ‘Something Blue’. ‘Gotta Get Back Home Somehow’ master also includes a new false start and we get the full ‘Suspicion’ master take 5 which had the end spliced for release. While the previous FTD ‘Something For Everybody Sessions’ was somewhat diluted by the addition of ‘Wild In the Country’ this set has to impress any Elvis collector.
The Audio The Music CD1: The Single and Albums Master - 71 minutes. Of course Parker should have kept his boy down to one movie soundtrack album and one creative Studio album per year but that’s a discussion for another time The first cd also includes the first nine attempts of ‘Kiss Me Quick’, which is convenient if you feel like skipping the last few similar outtakes.
CD2: The June 25, 1961 sessions – (continued) - 79 minutes This deluxe set is of course about listening to the complete sessions and it’s fascinating hearing Elvis and the band struggle through twelve takes of the lightweight ‘Kiss Me Quick’ and spending so long over ‘I’m Yours’ when you know that the classics ‘His Latest Flame’ and ‘Little Sister’ are going to be recorded at the end of this “singles” session. The first take of ‘Kiss Me Quick’ Take 1 is so amazingly close to the final release that it’s a surprise that it took so long for Elvis to get to his chosen version. The first four attempts are unusually complete takes, so close yet so far. Take 5 fails with some notable humour after Scotty slips up.... “Much better up to there” notes Bill Porter- “I liked it too” says Elvis. It was a lot of work for a track not released at the time. 'That’s Someone You Never Forget' - the second track from the session was a Red West composition and it is important to hear Elvis asking, “How do like that arrangement, Red?” before they start. Take 7 is exquisite for still having the light feeling of Elvis working with the melody, while Take 8 would be the master. With every attempt you can hear Elvis perfecting the arrangement. ‘I’m Yours’ that follows is another track with several previously unreleased outtakes. It was apparently prioritised by Elvis after composer Don Robertson’s excellent contributions to Something For Everybody. The work-part features Elvis trying to hit the perfect – spliced - final note, while the many “Harmony Vocal” takes are fascinating for showing just how hard it is to harmonise successfully with your own voice. ‘His Latest Flame’ ends the cd and it is absolute collectors’ GOLD to hear the session in full for the first time. It’s extraordinary to hear the progress from the very basic Bo Diddley rhythm version to the final single. Take 2 and Take 3 are all rhythm with just Elvis’ vocal providing the melody and the piano only creeping in at points. On Take 4 the Hank Garland tic-tac bass drives the chorus along with Floyd Cramer’s piano. Take 5 ramps up the acoustic guitar - "Just don’t get it too fast" Elvis explains to D.J. Fontana who is not sure of the drum pattern.
Two candids from the booklet of Elvis in July 1961
CD3: The June 25, 1961 sessions – (continued) - 78 minutes. The complete ‘Little Sister’ session is the sensational start to the third disc. Nothing can beat the, "We’ve got a classic in here" early takes as they progress towards the Master. The earlier takes "I can hardly hear you" are rough and ready with timings messed up and some sloppy lead guitar but it is so damn funky for the last recording of the evening and by now it was 5am with the sun soon coming up. As DJ jokes to Scotty Moore, “You slept all night?” with the Scotty Moore sounding reply, “I wish I had!” With Takes 10 and 11 “It might have been a little bit slow there fellows” previously relegated to the FTD ‘Golden Records Vol. 3’ at last they are now all in their rightful place. Take 12 with Elvis putting his soul into the lyrics, “But you’ve been growing, and baby it’s been showin’ from your head down to your toes” along with the immaculate Ray Walker bass-line was what Elvis was searching for. Seventeen minutes of musical magic. The rest of the CD features the ‘The October 15 1961 sessions (Part1)’ It’s impossible to detail every marvellous moment of these sessions in a simple review but it is worth pointing some other highlights - as well as the previously unreleased new material included in this set. ‘For The Millionth And The Last Time’ – Interesting that Elvis worked so hard to perfect this song that would then not be selected for the album. The arrangement changes as Elvis tried to get the right feeling. Take 2 is a gem with the wonderful moment towards the end when Elvis forgets the lyrics and hums the words instead, while the group still continues to the finale. There is a notable chuckle in his vocal and happy sigh at the end. This early take also does not feature the accordion arrangement of the master. By Take 6 the accordion has been added, as well as the arrangement having the more obvious tango-rhythm rather than the smoothness of the earlier takes. Gordon Stoker had to play the accordion and just before Take 10 as Stoker expands his squeezebox Elvis jokes, “Damn Gordon, stop breathing so heavy!” Elvis then cuts the attempt with the classic, “Say, would you be so kind as to hold it!” ‘Good Luck Charm’ – a classic number 1 wrapped up in only two complete takes. With Elvis stating, "If we goof up, just keep going" the first attempt is 3 minutes of studio magic. Halfway through the lead guitar slips off melody and mid-song Elvis notes, "Somebody goofed!" - but they do keep going. Take 3 is interesting for being a little fast and missing that effortless cool-swing of the Master. It breaks down after 1 ½ minutes with a lovely "You’ll be sorry" from bass singer Ray Walker. ‘Anything That’s Part Of You’ was another Don Roberston composition and one of Elvis’ saddest ballads. The first attempt features a strummed acoustic guitar arrangement that is very different and was dropped by the second take. For once the arrangement got less complicated as they headed for the Master, with the final blueprint basically set on Take 2. Bob Moore’s double-bass work sounds sensational here along with Floyd Cramer’s piano. Further takes are only messed up by chair squeaks or slightly missed timing by the band, but this certainly proves, once again, how Elvis strived for perfection ‘I Met Her Today’ yet another by Don Roberston was more of a vocal challenge with Elvis having to slide octaves, “when the last bit of pride..” Take 1 has a cool-swing compared to the final release with Elvis clicking his fingers to keep the beat.
CD4: The October 15 1961 Part 2 / March 18 1962 sessions - 78 minutes The final ten attempts at ‘I Met Her Today’ brilliantly start with Take 8 and Bill Porter asking, “Let’s clear our throats and try again!” The two later false-starts both with a simpler piano / bass intro, “I like that note” jokes Elvis, show that he still wasn’t satisfied even after twenty attempts, but it was time to up the tempo. ‘Night Rider’ Once again it was 4am and everyone was tired running down a quick three attempts working on a Phil Spector produced demo. Rocking along with a Boots Randolph sax line this sounded more like a “SFE” contribution. All over in three takes - and 7 minutes - Elvis would try for something better six months later at the Album session. The March 18 1962 Session. ‘Something Blue’ is a delight with Take 1 including the “Here comes the bride” intro. Really a rehearsal the Jordanaires and band go marvellously off key mid-song but Elvis still continues. Harold Bradley places neat lead guitar. By Take 2 the final arrangement was in place. “The time is cut” jokes Elvis when Take 5 doesn’t get past the intro. The final arrangement was absolutely exquisite with delicious Floyd Cramer piano and, for a change, a very subdued Boots Randolph saxophone. Here we get a short previously unreleased practice including Millie Kirkham saying, “Right there I got a little flat. I couldn’t get up there” before the Master.
‘Gonna Get Back Home Somehow’ is a great Pomus/ Shuman rocker. Take 1 is fabulously rough and driven by Bob Moore’s bass. Take 4 is an “Alternate Master” as shown on the tape box (above) with Take 7 crossed out. On penultimate Take 6 Elvis says “Hot Diggity! Watch me Bob!” Elvis as they all roar into a brilliant outtake that features more unbelievable tight drumming from Buddy Harman. ‘(Such An) Easy Question’ starting with Elvis joking, “At an altitude of 42 hundred feet. Now if I can just get this big son-of-a-beach off the ground we gonna’ take off” this song shows the delightfully relaxed atmosphere of the session. Changing tempos “It needs to be a little faster, it’s too slow” the song, with tic-tac bass and duelling guitars plus Elvis finger clicks, has a great swing. Previously unreleased false start Take 4 stops at the intro. The latino sounding ‘Fountain Of Love’ with it’s cool spanish-guitar playing from Grady Martin includes previously unreleased Takes 3, 5, 6, 7, 8. Take 3 is two false starts with Elvis explaining the timing to the Jordanaires, “Hold it. It’s got the guitar break fellows”. Take 5 has Elvis saying, “I like that intro” as well as Bill Porter telling Boots Randolph that he can play the Claves harder. Again these new insights all help explain how these studio sessions were produced and it wasn't all plain-sailing. By the final four takes and the released Master (all on CD5) the earlier solo Spanish guitar picking is mixed in with the dual acoustic guitar strumming mix of the final arrangement plus sweet Jordanaires vocals.
CD5: The March 18 1962 Session (continues) – 78 minutes. ‘Just For Ol’ Times Sake’ Even this simple ballad changes arrangement over the five takes. Take 1 has a sweet acoustic guitar feel whereas the Master drops it for the rather bland piano lead. Here we get an extra false start on Take 2 plus some studio discussion before Take 4. ‘Night Rider’ (remake) The rocking blues jam before and after Take 1 is a revelation and makes you want to hear more of the A-Team having fun rather than laying down routine album tracks. Elvis wanted to try for a better version but unusually the band still don’t gell together. “Somebody blew a cork” notes Elvis and it still sounds more like a soundtrack-faux-rocker. Previously unreleased Take 4 False start, “sorry, I didn’t know you were going!” says Elvis, is fun. Take 5 was the never used ‘Alternate Master’ ‘You’ll Be Gone’ It is fascinating to hear the complete session of the one song that Elvis truly helped to compose. The EPE release ‘Elvis By The Presleys’ explained.. "When Priscilla came to visit Elvis in the U.S. in the spring of 1962, Elvis proudly played her the new recordings he had just made in Nashville. One of these was ‘You'll Be Gone’, a song that he had written himself with his good friends Red West and Charlie Hodge. To his deep frustration, Priscilla remarked that she liked his rock 'n' roll recordings better. Elvis had a fit, Priscilla was devastated, and Elvis never tried to write a song again." With the fabulous Spanish atmosphere, similar “Surender” latino-passion, and excellent guitar picking from Harold Bradley, how could Priscilla not appreciate this track? At the end of Take 2 there is a nice snort from Elvis as if he knows it wasn’t quite right. The double-bass sounds fabulous here and the most interesting version is actually the one post the Master. Beforehand Elvis notes, “Hold it just one second” as if to prepare himself. After the false start Elvis sings, “Down Mexico way, that’s where I fell in love” and then follows the tremendous final Take 4 where everyone sounds in full-flight. This surely should have been on Pot Luck - or at least a 1962 single B-Side. ‘I Feel That I’ve Known You Forever’ kicked off the final day of the session with Floyd Cramer playing the cools slip-note piano lead. The challenge is matching The Jordanaires harmonies and Elvis explains before the final Take, “You guys, at the ending you know, you gotta’ to push me” ‘Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello’ with its cool, smooth swing this sure had “Single” potential written all over it. Take 1 is a dream being in a slower tempo and without that damn annoying triangle that dominates the final release. By Take 3 the triangle had started to overshadow the arrangement but, with Elvis still having such a cool time sliding up and down the octaves with ease, it is still a joy. At the end of Take 4 in the fade out Elvis sings “Just tell her Red says hello!” The previously unreleased post Take 4 Rehearsal with added vamping organ is a revelation. Did Elvis really think this was a good idea? Elvis however kills the idea noting a dismissive “Ok” as the experiment ends. On the following take the annoying triangle is back and the Master is cut. Two brilliant tracks end the session. ‘Suspicion’ Another potential single smash. (A 1964 Billboard #3 by Elvis sound-a-like Terry Stafford!). The arrangements again change as the recording progresses from electric guitar driven Take 1 to the final acoustic guitar version. Here we get the full version of Take 4, the end of which was used for the spliced Master. ‘She’s Not You’ another classic single, Number 1 in the UK. Take 1 already has that dreamy cool feel although misses a repeated chorus and only runs a little over 90 seconds. Hearing Elvis saying, "If Lamar can get his big ass and sit down, then we can make it" before Take 2 is worth the price of admission alone with everyone bursting into laughter as Lamar adds, “I didn’t know you was trying to cut right now, wait a second!”. In good humour, and not angry with his buddy Elvis notes, “Lamar, just cool it.” For some reason Elvis thought the final line wasn’t strong enough – thinking a delayed Ray walker bass-slide might help - and the end of this set includes the full “work part” section where Elvis tries to improve on the ending. Elvis even instructs, “Hey Ray, a little more Oooh, ya’ know”. It was never used, sometimes less is more! By the time I got to the end of this glorious Pot Luck set I realised that it was six and a half hours since I first played the Masters on CD1, so felt it was time to play them all over again. It’s that good!
Overall Verdict: What a brilliant “complete sessions” set. Elvis’ last great blast of musical creativity before the fluffy movie soundtracks took over. Unlike the recent FTD ‘His Hand In Mine Sessions’ this set features plenty of previously unreleased material and all the little bits of new studio discussion also help collectors understand even more of how Elvis worked in the studio. Including the full ‘His Latest Flame / Little Sister’ session of course elevates this release way above the previous Pot Luck FTD Classic Album release. With a crack team of musicians, Elvis showing off his glorious vocal range, a brilliant set of songs plus a delightful 28-page booklet, this is one of the best sets that FTD have ever released. Essential for any Elvis sessions collector.
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