MRS Camden

AUDIO QUALITY: As always MRS’ “Studio D” audio engineer has done an excellent job in removing crackles, buzz and hiss from the original tapes. The badly distorted recordings have sensibly been left off this compile however, due to the nature of the original amateur set-up, on a few essential songs there is at times still some of the original distortion present.

The Package. The fold-out digipack also includes an 8-page booklet featuring some key photos of Elvis in Germany. The photos of Elvis jamming on his guitar, playing piano and using his gramophone nicely capture the home-recordings atmosphere. Fans need to realise that these tapes were recorded very basically in a Hotel room or at home so they really should be played back on Loud-Speakers to recreate that “room” ambience. They do sound better played back that way.

The Music.
The 28-track CD kicks off with the charming ‘I’m Beginning to Forget You’ with Elvis delightful comment beforehand of, “Don’t come back in here if you hear me singing, Lamar!”

The treats continue with Elvis’ attempts at Nat King Cole’s ‘Mona Lisa’, Hanks Williams’ ‘I Can’t Help It’ and two charming versions of ‘Danny Boy’. Who knew that the fifties Rock’n’Roll Elvis would be fascinated by this old Irish lament and how extraordinary that Elvis would not officially record it until his Jungle Room sessions almost 20 years later.

Historians always talk about Elvis vast knowledge of every musical genre and here is proof of his influences.

From his own catalogue Elvis delves in to a few lines of ‘Loving You’ getting a little naughty at the end singing, “I’ll be screwed, blowing you”.

‘He Knows Just What I Need’ – a track that would of course be a key song on Elvis’ first Gospel album recorded over a year later – is also tried out with harmonies provided by Charlie Hodge and probably Red West and Rex Mansfield.

A delightful romp through The Sons of the Pioneers old Western song ‘Cool Water’ follows before the real fascination of an attempt on ‘Elvis Is Back’s ‘Like A Baby’. It’s short and sweet and only one verse although the gang keep jamming on it for a few minutes. Elvis then decides to work on The Statesmen Quartet ‘His Hand In Mine’ with Red West and Charlie Hodge providing harmonies. They then go on, changing the lyrics, to try out ‘Her Hand In Mine’ as well as adding a bluesy guitar to it at times. One wonders whether Elvis was considering recording a secular version for the future ‘Elvis Is Back’. There is no doubt that “I will never walk alone, if she hold my hand” sounds very cute. Elvis also kicks around Dean Martin’s Italiano-style ‘Return To Me’ which would have been charting at the time. Once back in the US Elvis would of course record several Italian-influenced songs taking them to the top of the charts!

Hearing Elvis attempt ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’ as a home-recording, including the full narration, is a revelation. The private jam is so close to Elvis’ studio version it is a stunning find. This could of course have been part of Parker’s plan to release some “Home-recordings” while Elvis was overseas. Had Parker sent over an acetate to inspire Elvis?

The guitar-jam ends with a cute jam on Don Gibson’s country song ‘Oh Lonesome Me’ a big hit in 1958 which by chance had his classic ‘I Can't Stop Loving You’ on the flip side.

The second half of this compilation features highlights of Elvis playing piano rather than guitar. Five of these songs were chosen for release on RCA’s 1985’s ‘A Golden Celebration’ box-set.

The marvellous ‘Soldier Boy’ (which Elvis would record for RCA 12 months later) starts this section and it is a real stunner. Two tender versions with mid-way an amazing break for one line of Elvis singing ‘Such A Night’!

Elvis then tackles the beautiful ‘Earth Angel’ – originally a 1954 doo-wop hit by ‘The Penguins’ but a song that perfectly suited Elvis’ delightful vocal.

‘I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen’ is a song that Elvis would professionally record over a decade later and here he starts with a very nice Jerry Lee Lewis type boogie on a speeded-up version. Afterwards Elvis tries an alternate “slow” version surprisingly similar to Elvis’ 1971 RCA version.

Elvis would also record Ivory Joe Hunter’s ‘I Will Be True’ at RCA in 1971 and here we get another superb personal recording with Elvis providing a beautiful yearning vocal.

‘It’s Been So Long Darling’, an old Ernest Tubb country number, gets the similar Elvis piano-boogie treatment.

It is on this tape that Elvis tries the well-known home-recording of Tony Martin’s 1949 hit ‘There's No Tomorrow’ which would later be transformed to his stunning ‘It’s Now Or Never’. Elvis would also have been familiar with the 1957 version recorded by The Clovers and released as the B-side of their single ‘Down In The Alley’ another song Elvis would later record professionally. Afterwards Elvis jokes, “Are you ready to get married yet?”

The R&B flavoured ‘The Titles Will Tell’ (as recorded by SUN artist Barbara Pittman) again features a brilliant, fiery vocal which, along with Elvis’ pounding piano, sounds surprisingly similar to the passion Elvis poured into ‘I’ll Hold You In My Heart’ twelve years later at his Memphis sessions. Other treats include a quick verse of ‘At The Hop’, ‘Give Me My Oil Lamp’, a naughty ‘Que Sera Sera’ “When I was just a little queer” segued into “Will I be a Hound Dog”.   The previous full-length release of Elvis playing Little Richard’s ‘Send Me Some Lovin’ had some very annoying distortion but here MRS cleverly include the least-distorted and best version of this great song. It's now very enjoyable.

The 77 minute packed CD wraps up with the delight of Elvis and Red West jamming on Sanford Clark’s 1956 hit ‘The Fool’ at his Goethestrasse home in Bad Nauheim and in fine audio quality too. Elvis would return to this song in 1970 for his marvellous ‘Elvis Country’ album.

 

Overall Verdict: This release is a brilliantly compiled ‘Best Of’ Elvis’ German home-recordings. The fact that fans can eavesdrop on Elvis and his friends relaxing and having fun while jamming on such a variety of music - Rock’n’roll, Country, Ballads, Gospel - is a real privilege. Hearing Elvis at home trying out some of his future RCA recordings - ‘His Hand In Mine’, ‘Like A Baby’, ‘Danny Boy’, ‘Soldier Boy’ etc - is a real insight into how Elvis often added his own personal favourites to RCA’s suggested session list. It also reveals that Col Parker really should have let Elvis record at least a few songs while overseas. Yet another poor managerial decision! With 28 tracks and 77 minutes of pure Elvis, this is another fine MRS Camden budget release.

If you order today, Amazon UK will deliver it to your UK home before Christmas!

Go here >> Amazon UK - MRS CAMDEN 'Made In Germany: Private Recordings'

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