Elvis Presley - Promised Land (RCA Victor APL1-0873)

Promised Land is the sixty-fifth album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records (APL1-0873) on January 15, 1975. It was recorded in December 10, 11, 12 and 15, 1973 at Stax Records Studios in Memphis, Tennessee and released on Presley's 40th birthday in January, 1975. In the US, the album reached #47 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, remaining 12 weeks on chart, #1 for 1 week in Billboard's Top Country LP's chart, remaining 25 weeks on chart, as well at #1 as the Cashbox Country Albums chart, and #40 on the Record World Albums chart, remaining 8 weeks on chart. The album initially sold over 425,000 copies in the US, and over 1,000,000 copies later! In the UK, the album reached #21 on the Guinness Albums chart, remaining 4 weeks on chart, #25 on the NME Albums chart, remaining 1 week on chart, and sold over 100,000 copies at time. In Canada, the album reached #84, and in Japan, it reached #71, remaining 5 weeks on chart. The album sold over 1,300,000 copies worldwide by 1977! Content: The material was the second pick from the December 1973 session, as the songs considered strongest had been issued on "Good Times". The title track, a cover of the 1965 hit by Chuck Berry, was issued earlier as a single on September 27, 1974, and hit #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Top 10. Its flip side, "It's Midnight", reached #9 on the Country chart. Another hit single from the album was "If You Talk In Your Sleep" reaching #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Promised Land" was used for the 1997 film "Men In Black". Reissues: RCA reissued the album on CD in 2000, and it added all the tracks of the album "Good Times" as tracks 11–18 (except "Taking Care Of Her" and "I've Got A Thing About You, Baby", which are from the July 1973 sessions) – in effect compiling the Stax sessions of December 1973. In 2011, the FTD (Follow That Dream) collectors label released an expanded, 48-track version of the album including outtakes. Personnel: Elvis Presley – lead vocals; harmony vocals on "Promised Land"; James Burton – lead guitar; Johnny Christopher – rhythm guitar; Charlie Hodge – acoustic rhythm guitar; Norbert Putnam – bass guitar; David Briggs – piano, Hammond organ, overdubbed tambourine on "Promised Land"; Per Erik "Pete" Hallin – clavinet on "Promised Land", piano on "Help Me" and "Love Song Of The Year"; Ronnie Tutt – drums; JD Sumner & The Stamps (Bill Baize, Ed Enoch, David Rowland) – backing vocals; Jeannie Greene – backing vocals; Mary and Ginger Holladay – backing vocals; Susan Pilkington – backing vocals; Voice (Donnie Sumner, Sherrill Nielsen, Tim Baty, Per Eric "Pete" Hallin) – backing vocals; Kathy Westmoreland – backing vocals. Overdubbed: Dennis Linde, Alan Rush – guitar on "Promised Land"; Bobby Ogdin – piano on "Promised Land"; Randy Cullers – cowbell on "Promised Land"; Mike Leech – string and brass arrangements; Bobby Taylor – oboe; Technical: Felton Jarvis – producer; Mike Moran, Dick Baxter, Al Pachucki, Mickey Crofford – engineers. Note: "Promised Land" was recorded at Stax Studio in Memphis, Tennessee on December 15, 1973. In December 1973, Elvis Presley recorded a powerful, driving version. Presley's version of "Promised Land" was released as a single (RCA Victor PB-10074) with "It's Midnight" on the A-side in September 27, 1974. The B-side "Promised Land" peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, remaining 13 weeks on chart. It also peaked at #9 as a double A-sided on Billboard Country, remaining 5 weeks on chart in January 1975, #8 as a double A-sided on Billboard Adult Contemporary, remaining 11 weeks on chart, #22 on Cash Box Top 100, remaining 14 weeks on chart, #28 on Record World, remaining 14 weeks on chart. The A-side "It's Midnight" reached #14 on Billboard Hot Country Songs in December 1974, remaining 9 weeks on chart and #9 as a double A-sided, remaining 5 weeks on chart in January 1975, and #8 as a double A-sided on Billboard Adult Contemporary, remaining 11 weeks on chart. The single initially sold over 400,000 copies in the US, and over 670,000/800,000 copies later! The single peaked at #9 on the UK Record Retailers Music Week Singles chart in the fall of 1974, remaining 8 weeks on chart, and sold over 150,000 copies (BPI = Gold) in England at time. It was included on his 1975 album "Promised Land". The Presley version was used in the soundtrack of the 1997 motion picture "Men In Black". World Charts: UK #9 (Guinness / 8 weeks on chart) and #7 (NME / 6 weeks on chart) / Malaysia #1 / Ireland #7 (IRMA) / Canada #19 (RPM Top Singles) / Spain #25 / Belgium #29 (BRT) / France #40 on December 1974 (19 weeks on chart) and #25 on February 1975 (4 weeks on chart) / Australia #41 as a double A-sided (ARIA) (12 weeks on chart). "It's Midnight"/"Promised Land" sold over 1,600,000 copies worldwide!