Songs For Elvis...And Then I Wrote [IMPORT]

Don Robertson

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 15, 2003)
• Original Release Date: November 25, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B0000AN0UK
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #455,033 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Here's a rare treat for Elvis collectors. No more endless out-takes, these are the original demos that Elvis heard of some of his greatest songs, all performed by the songwriter, Don Robertson. Among the Elvis classics heard in their absolutely original version are They Remind Too Much Of You; Anything That's Part Of You; Starting Today; There's Always Me; Love Me Tonight; I Met Her Today; What Now, What Next, Where To; and I'm Counting On You. In addition to writing for Elvis, Don Robertson also invented the famous 'slip-note' piano style popularized by Floyd Cramer, and we hear several great examples of his work on this collection.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A surprise from Bear Family: the Elvis CD I've always wanted!, September 11, 2006

By	Frank M. Young III "eubiecat" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found a copy of this yesterday. I didn't know it existed. I also didn't know that it was the Elvis-related CD I've always wanted to have.

Short of a collection of Otis Blackwell's vintage Elvis demos, this is THE dream disc for students of Elvis' style and influences. It is instantly evident that Elvis was heavily influenced by Don Robertson's vocal stylings. If you compare any of the demos here with the released Elvis version, it's eerie to note how proficiently Presley mimics every quaver and swoop of the songwriter's voice.

Elvis was certainly more than a stylistic parrot. He had a great ear, and Robertson possessed an uncanny knack for writing sympathetic songs. They complemented Elvis' singing style, his sense of drama and rhythm, and his charisma.

There are several songs here that Elvis didn't record. All are from acetate demos, save the first track, "Stand-In," from a 1962 RCA single in full "Nashville Sound" mode. These are some of my favorites, as they allow me to appreciate Robertson's abilities most clearly. "Hummingbird," "Feather In The Wind," "What Now, What Next, Where To" and the moody, minor-keyed "Road To Heartbreak" are all major killers.

The sound quality might shock some listeners. The acetate discs from which 25 tracks derive are gritty, sometimes distorted, and often pebbled with clicks and scratches. Jurgen Crasser did a great job of cleaning these up without compromising their essential sound. Thus, you are in for a compelling but imperfect listening experience.

My biggest complaint with Bear Family releases, of late, is that the liner notes are generally weak. Not so with this disc. Robertson provides in-depth anecdotes on each of the songs, and is extensively interviewed in Rudiger Bloemeke's long essay. Lots of great pictures, including several of Robertson with some fellow Nashville songwriting legends.

Anyone with a passion for country music and pop of the '50s and '60s needs this CD. You don't even have to like Elvis to appreciate its portrait of a sincere, talented songwriter at his best.

Disc comes in a slickly designed digipak foldout. Bear Family's sense of graphic design is rudimentary, to say the least, but it's usually functional. This is one of their better-looking packages in quite some time.

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST for ELVIS fans!!!, September 11, 2003

By A Customer

This CD is a treasure especially for ELVIS fans. Elvis songs as ELVIS first heard them. Don Robertson has a beautiful voice & I think he sounds just like Elvis. I love this CD!