Thursday, June 30, 2016

94. Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions

 
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This is one of my first works and  it was because when I started, I chose the cover designs based on the  500 Greatest of All Time  listed by Rolling Stone Magazine. And then I realized there were lots of
interesting album covers that were not included in the list but I chose this  one because I am a fan of Elvis.  He was 20 years old when I was born halfway  across the globe from where,  in 1955, he was
becoming popular. We were both born on January 8.

I could not find the proper credits for the photo although I found that this album has other cover designs too.  I chose to work on this one because it is the King in action in his early days. The image of a
record on top of a turntable disc with the tone arm on it and the album sleeve leaning on the upright turntable cover - which I gazed as I listened to the music - this is exactly what I was doing at home. 

On this work the original image is at right. There are seven images in each of the four columns at left, but only one image in each column is a whole. The reproductions of the upper and lower halves of
the image above and below the whole are meant to give the impression of several Elvises dancing in sync, and perhaps deceive the looker that one of the pairs of legs out there is out of sync.


The Pelvis alone is in sync with Elvis.



No. 11, Rolling Stone,  The 500 Greatest  Albums of All Time;  No. 15,  Rate Your Music,  The 100 Greatest  Albums of All Time.


Art direction by Ria Lewerke, design by Pietro Alfieri, hand tinting by Theresa Alfieri-Weinberg.
Album produced by Sam Phillips from recordings at the Sun Studios, 1954-55. RCA 1976. albumlinernotes.com 


The album  features most of the tracks  recorded at  Sun studio by Sam Phillips,  the head of Sun Studios.  Phillips  signed Presley
after hearing a song that he had  recorded for  his mother on his birthday. It includes  "That's All Right" one of the few recordings
regarded as "the first rock and roll record." wikipedia


Many believe  rock & roll was born on July 5th, 1954,  at Sun Studio in Memphis.  Elvis Presley,  guitarist  Scotty Moore and bassist
Bill Black were  horsing  around with "That's All Right, Mama,"  a tune by  bluesman  Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup,  when producer Sam
Phillips stopped them and asked, "What are you doing?" "We don't know," they said. Phillips told them to "back up and do it again."

The A side of Presley's first single (backed with a version of Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky"), "That's All Right" was issued by
Sun on July 19th. It may or may not be the first rock & roll record. But the man who would be King was officially on wax. Bridging
black and white,  country and blues, his sound was playful and revolutionary,  charged by a spontaneity and freedom that changed
the world.  "It's the blues,"  critic Greil Marcus  wrote in his classic book Mystery Train. "But free of all worry,  all sin;  a simple joy
with no price to pay." Rolling Stone


(A) That's All Right (Mama) - Blue Moon of Kentucky - I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine - Good Rockin' Tonight - Milkcow Blues Boggie -
You're a Heartbreaker - I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone - Baby, Let's Play House

(B) Mystery Train - I Forgot to Remember to Forget - I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') - I Love You Because (First Version) -
Tryin' to Get to You - Blue Moon - Just Because - I Love You Because (Second Version)



"I Love You Because" music video from Frances (kindhearted) on YouTube


    

www.elvis.com


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