Fact: Elvis Presley and Engelbert Humperdinck were great friends.
Elvis Presley’s signature sideburns were a copied from his pal Engelbert and when he went to Stax to make his recording in the late 60s he also covered songs already recorded by Engelbert.
The new ‘Elvis At Stax’ 3-disc is a compilation of all of Elvis’ Stax recordings put together in one collection. Elvis recorded the songs at Stax studios in his hometown of Memphis from July to December, 1973.
During these sessions Elvis covered ‘Spanish Eyes’, also recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck in 1969 and originally a hit for Al Martino in 1966).
“He was wonderful. Probably one of the dearest people I have ever met in my life,” Engelbert said in an interview with Noise11.com. “He was one of the most kind-hearted, benevolent people you will ever come across. He would be driving in his car and see somebody barefoot on the street and whatever he had in his pocket he would take and he would give it to them and say ‘get yourself a pair of shoes’. He was that kind of guy”.
Engelbert says the people around him are probably the reason Elvis isn’t with us anymore. “I don’t think he was misunderstood. I think he was mishandled by his friends,” Engelbert said.
Watch the Engelbert Humperdinck interview with Noise11:
‘Elvis At Stax’ is out now through Sony Music. The tracklisting is:
Elvis At Stax: Deluxe Edition (RCA/Legacy 88883 72418 2) Disc 1: The R&B and Country Sessions : The Outtakes: Selections : 1. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body – take 1 (I) • 2. Find Out What’s Happening – takes 8-7 (B) • 3. Promised Land – take 4 (I) • 4. For Ol’ Times Sake – take 4 (I) • 5. I’ve Got A Thing About You, Babe – take 14 (I) • 6. It’s Midnight – take 7 (F) • 7. If You Talk In Your Sleep – take 5 (J) • 8. Loving Arms – take 2 (I) • 9. You Asked Me To – take 3A (F) • 10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues – take 8 (I) • 11. Talk About The Good Times – take 3 (I) • 12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – take 1 (I) • 13. She Wears My Ring – take 8 (I) • 14. Three Corn Patches – take 14 (I) • 15. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body – take 4 (J) • 16. If You Don’t Come Back – take 3 (I) • 17. Promised Land – take 5 (H).
Disc 2: Part 1 : The Pop Sessions : The Outtakes: Selections : 1. Mr. Songman – take 2 (F) • 2. Your Love’s Been A Long time Coming – take 4 (I) • 3. Spanish Eyes – take 2 (I) • 4. Take Good Care Of Her – takes 1,2,3 (D) • 5. It’s Diff’rent Now (unfinished recording) (G) • 6. Thinking About You – take 4 (I) • 7. My Boy – take 1 (D) • 8. Girl Of Mine – take 9 (I) • 9. Love Song Of The Year – take 1 (F) • 10. If That Isn’t Love – take 1 (I) • Part 2 : The July 1973 Masters: • 11. Raised On Rock (Hot 100 #41, country #42) (A) • 12. For Ol’ Time Sake (charts same as track 11) (A) • 13. I’ve Got A Thing About You Baby (Hot 100 #39, country #4) (C) • 14. Take Good Care Of Her (charts same as track 13) (C) • 15. If You Don’t Come Back (A) • 16. Three Corn Patches (A) • 17. Girl Of Mine (A) • 18. Just A Little Bit (A) • 19. Find Out What’s Happening (A) • 20. Sweet Angeline (A) .
Disc 3: The December 1973 Masters: Selections : 1. Promised Land (Hot 100 #14, country #9) (E) • 2. It’s Midnight (charts same as track 1) (E) • 3. If You Talk In Your Sleep (Hot 100 #17, country #6) (E) • 4. Help Me (charts same as track 3) (E) • 5. My Boy (Hot 100 #20, country #14) (C) • 6. Thinking About You (charts same as track 5) (E) • 7. Mr. Songman (Hot 100 #35, country #11) (E) • 8. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body (C) • 9. Loving Arms (C) • 10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues (C) • 11. You Asked Me To (E) • 12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In) (E) • 13. Talk About The Good Times (C) • 14. She Wears My Ring (C) • 15. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming (E) • 16. Love Song Of The Year (E) • 17. Spanish Eyes (C) • 18. If That Isn’t Love (C).
