"A Day in the life"
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 1, 1973, (Saturday)
No information.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (singles)
HOT 100:
"Top of the World" by the Carpenters.
EASY LISTENING (TOP 40):
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" by Helen Reddy.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY CHART (singles)
HOT COUNTRY SINGLES:
"The Most Beautiful Girl" by Charlie Rich.
"For Ol' Times Sake" by Elvis Presley. #56.
BEST BETS FOR CHRISTMAS ALBUMS:
"Christmas Album" by the Jackson 5.
"Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas"
by Elvis Presley. #2.
BILLBOARD SOUL CHART (singles)
BEST SELLING SOUL SIDES:
"The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (LP's & TAPE)
TOP LP's
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John.
"Raised On Rock" by Elvis Presley. #159.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY CHART (LP)
HOT COUNTRY LP'S
"Paper Roses" by Marie Osmond.
BILLBOARD SOUL CHART (LP)
BEST SELLING SOUL LP'S
"Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 2, 1973, (Sunday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 3, 1973, (Monday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 4, 1973, (Tuesday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 5, 1973, (Wednesday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 6, 1973, (Thursday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 7, 1973, (Friday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 8, 1973, (Saturday)
No information.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (singles)
HOT 100:
"Top of the World" by the Carpenters.
EASY LISTENING (TOP 40):
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" by Helen Reddy.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY CHART (singles)
HOT COUNTRY SINGLES:
"The Most Beautiful Girl" by Charlie Rich.
"For Ol' Times Sake" by Elvis Presley. #59.
BEST BETS FOR CHRISTMAS ALBUMS:
"Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas"
by Elvis Presley.
BILLBOARD SOUL CHART (singles)
BEST SELLING SOUL SIDES:
"If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" by the Staple Singers.
BEST BETS FOR CHRISTMAS SINGLES:
"Merry Christmas Darling" by the Carpenters.
"Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley. #6.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (LP's & TAPE)
TOP LP's
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John.
"Raised On Rock" by Elvis Presley. #110.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY CHART (LP)
HOT COUNTRY LP'S
"Primrose Lane/Don't Give Up On Me" by Jerry Wallace.
BILLBOARD SOUL CHART (LP)
BEST SELLING SOUL LP'S
"Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 9, 1973, (Sunday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 10, 1973, (Monday)
RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)
Stax Studios, 926 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. (9:00 pm - 4:30 am)
Producer(s): Felton Jarvis.
Engineer: Mike Moran/Dick Baxter.
Musicians: Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: James Burton - Guitar: Johnny Christopher - Guitar: Charlie Hodge - Bass Guitar: Norbert Putnam - Drums: Ronnie Tutt - Piano/Organ: David Briggs - Piano: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin.
Backup Vocals: J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet: Lead: Ed Enoch - Tenor: Bill Baize - Baritone: Dave Rowland - Bass: J.D. Sumner.
Backup Vocals: Voice: Lead: Donnie Sumner - Tenor: Sean 'Sherrill' Nielsen - Piano/Vocals: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin - Bass Guitar/Vocals: Tim Baty.
Backup Vocals: Soprano: Kathy Westmoreland - Mary Holladay - Susan Pilkington - Mary 'Jeanie' Greene.
Elvis returned to the Stax Studios for a weeklong session. To guarantee that there would not be any issues as in July, RCA sent it's recording truck, along with four engineers. A new addition to the musicians that wasn't on the July sessions was Muscle Shoal bassist Norbert Putnam.
Elvis had a TV set brought in so they could watch the New York Giants play the Los Angeles Rams on ABC's Monday Night Football.
The session started at 9.00 pm and they worked until 4.30 am and completed two masters.
Songs recorded: "I Got a Feelin' In My Body" (Undubbed M), "It's Midnight" (Undubbed M) (audio)
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 11, 1973, (Tuesday)
RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)
Stax Studios, 926 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. (9:00 pm - 2:00 am)
Producer(s): Felton Jarvis.
Engineer: Mike Moran/Dick Baxter.
Musicians: Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: James Burton - Guitar: Johnny Christopher - Guitar: Charlie Hodge - Bass Guitar: Norbert Putnam - Drums: Ronnie Tutt - Piano/Organ: David Briggs - Piano: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin.
Backup Vocals: J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet: Lead: Ed Enoch - Tenor: Bill Baize - Baritone: Dave Rowland - Bass: J.D. Sumner.
Backup Vocals: Voice: Lead: Donnie Sumner - Tenor: Sean 'Sherrill' Nielsen - Piano/Vocals: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin - Bass Guitar/Vocals: Tim Baty.
Backup Vocals: Soprano: Kathy Westmoreland - Mary Holladay - Susan Pilkington - Mary 'Jeanie' Greene.
Still in the Stax Studios, Elvis recorded two more songs, including "If You Talk In Your Sleep". He left at 2:00 am with an apology after he realised that there was no food available.
Songs recorded: "You Asked Me To" (Undubbed M), "If You Talk in Your Sleep" (Undubbed M) (audio)
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 12, 1973, (Wednesday)
RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)
Stax Studios, 926 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. (9:00 pm - 12:00 am) (1:00 am - 5:00 am)
Producer(s): Felton Jarvis.
Engineer: Mike Moran/Dick Baxter.
Musicians: Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: James Burton - Guitar: Johnny Christopher - Guitar: Charlie Hodge - Bass Guitar: Norbert Putnam - Drums: Ronnie Tutt - Piano/Organ: David Briggs - Piano: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin.
Backup Vocals: J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet: Lead: Ed Enoch - Tenor: Bill Baize - Baritone: Dave Rowland - Bass: J.D. Sumner.
Backup Vocals: Voice: Lead: Donnie Sumner - Tenor: Sean 'Sherrill' Nielsen - Piano/Vocals: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin - Bass Guitar/Vocals: Tim Baty.
Backup Vocals: Soprano: Kathy Westmoreland - Mary Holladay - Susan Pilkington - Mary 'Jeanie' Greene.
Elvis worked hard in the Stax Studios until 5.00 am. He focused on four songs written or brought to him by Voice.
Songs recorded: "Mr. Songman" (Undubbed M), "Thinking About You" (Undubbed M), "Love Song of the Year" (Undubbed M), "Help Me" (Undubbed M) (audio)
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 13, 1973, (Thursday)
RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)
Stax Studios, 926 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. (9:00 pm - 12:00 am) (1:00 am - 5:00 am)
Producer(s): Felton Jarvis.
Engineer: Mike Moran/Dick Baxter.
Musicians: Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: James Burton - Guitar: Johnny Christopher - Guitar: Charlie Hodge - Bass Guitar: Norbert Putnam - Drums: Ronnie Tutt - Piano/Organ: David Briggs - Piano: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin.
Backup Vocals: J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet: Lead: Ed Enoch - Tenor: Bill Baize - Baritone: Dave Rowland - Bass: J.D. Sumner.
Backup Vocals: Voice: Lead: Donnie Sumner - Tenor: Sean 'Sherrill' Nielsen - Piano/Vocals: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin - Bass Guitar/Vocals: Tim Baty.
Backup Vocals: Soprano: Kathy Westmoreland - Mary Holladay - Susan Pilkington - Mary 'Jeanie' Greene.
Elvis produced three masters at Stax, including "My Boy" a hit for Richard Harris in 1971.
Songs recorded: "My Boy" (Undubbed M), "Loving Arms" (Undubbed M), "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" (Undubbed M) (audio)
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 14, 1973, (Friday)
RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)
Stax Studios, 926 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. (9:00 pm - 12:00 am) (1:00 am - 3:00 am)
Producer(s): Felton Jarvis.
Engineer: Mike Moran/Dick Baxter.
Musicians: Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: James Burton - Guitar: Johnny Christopher - Guitar: Charlie Hodge - Bass Guitar: Norbert Putnam - Drums: Ronnie Tutt - Piano/Organ: David Briggs - Piano: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin.
Backup Vocals: J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet: Lead: Ed Enoch - Tenor: Bill Baize - Baritone: Dave Rowland - Bass: J.D. Sumner.
Backup Vocals: Voice: Lead: Donnie Sumner - Tenor: Sean 'Sherrill' Nielsen - Piano/Vocals: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin - Bass Guitar/Vocals: Tim Baty.
Backup Vocals: Soprano: Kathy Westmoreland - Mary Holladay - Susan Pilkington - Mary 'Jeanie' Greene.
Elvis only managed one solitary master at Stax. "We Had It All" was a song brought to Elvis at the session by Marty Lacker. He really liked the song but chose not to record it because he didn't want the fans to think it was about Priscilla. Around 3:00 am again there was no food ordered for the group so they packed up and went home.
Songs recorded: "Talk About the Good Times" (Undubbed M), "We Had It All" (abandoned) (audio)
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" December 15, 1973, (Saturday)
RECORDING SESSION: - (RCA)
Stax Studios, 926 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. (9:00 pm - 12:00 am) (1:00 am - 6:00 am)
Producer(s): Felton Jarvis.
Engineer: Mike Moran/Dick Baxter.
Musicians: Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: James Burton - Guitar: Johnny Christopher - Guitar: Charlie Hodge - Bass Guitar: Norbert Putnam - Drums: Ronnie Tutt - Piano/Organ: David Briggs - Piano: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin.
Backup Vocals: J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet: Lead: Ed Enoch - Tenor: Bill Baize - Baritone: Dave Rowland - Bass: J.D. Sumner.
Backup Vocals: Voice: Lead: Donnie Sumner - Tenor: Sean 'Sherrill' Nielsen - Piano/Vocals: Per-Erik 'Pete' Hallin - Bass Guitar/Vocals: Tim Baty.
Backup Vocals: Soprano: Kathy Westmoreland - Mary Holladay - Susan Pilkington - Mary 'Jeanie' Greene.
The session that was stopped earlier that morning was picked up again and ran from 9.00 pm to 6.00 am. They recorded a rocking version of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land".
Songs recorded: "Promised Land" (Undubbed M), "Your Love's Been a Long Time Coming" (Undubbed M), "There's a Honky Tonk Angel (who will take me back in" (Undubbed M) (audio)
BILLBOARD POP CHART (singles)
HOT 100:
"The Most Beautiful Girl" by Charlie Rich.
EASY LISTENING (TOP 40):
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" by Helen Reddy.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY CHART (singles)
HOT COUNTRY SINGLES:
"Amazing Love" by Charley Pride.
BEST BETS FOR CHRISTMAS ALBUMS:
"Motown Christmas Album" by Various Artists.
"Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas"
by Elvis Presley. #2
BILLBOARD SOUL CHART (singles)
BEST SELLING SOUL SIDES:
"If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" by the Staple Singers.
BEST BETS FOR CHRISTMAS SINGLES:
"Stepping into Christmas" by Elton John.
"Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley. #5.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (LP's & TAPE)
TOP LP's
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John.
"Raised On Rock" by Elvis Presley. #52.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY CHART (LP)
HOT COUNTRY LP'S
"Behind Closed Doors" by Charlie Rich.
BILLBOARD SOUL CHART (LP)
BEST SELLING SOUL LP'S
"Imagination" by Gladys Knight & the Pips.