home
Recording Sessions
Essential lists
Essential Magazines
Elvis Movies
Elvis The Story
Video footage
Elvis website links
May 6 1960
(+ means you need both    ~ means same material    °° means stereo or binaural    ° means mono)
(SFS = Short False Start | FS = False Start | LFS or BD (Breakdown) = Long False Start | PB (Playback) or Complete = Complete Take)

Radio Recorders Studio B - Hollywood, California
Soundtrack Session for Paramount's G.I. Blues
Paramount Producer : Joseph Lilley
Engineer : Thorne Nogar
(1.00pm - 7.00pm / 8.15pm - 10.30pm)

Musicians:   Backup Vocals:
Guitar: Scotty Moore The Jordanaires: Gordon Stoker; Neal Matthews; Hoyt Hawkins; Ray
Guitar: Neal Matthews Walker
Mandolin / Guitar: Hilmer J. 'Tiny' Timbrell  
Bass & Tuba: Ray Siegel  
Drums: D.J. Fontana  
Drums: Bernie Mattinson  
Piano: Dudley Brooks  
Accordion: Jimmie Haskell  
Tambourine: Hoyt Hawkins  

Big Boots (medium tempo)
WPA5 2545
M1O-X May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 Complete 1:18   GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Close Up 2°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 2 M 1:11   Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°° (count-in)
~GI Blues Volume 1 (FTD)°°~La Legende - GI Blues (BMG France)°°
~GI Blues (BMG '97)°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°

Shoppin' Around (remake)
L2PB 3684
BO-X May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 FS 0:20   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 2 Complete 2:40   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~The Comp. Movie Masters 1960-62 3 (MRS)°°
+Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°~GI Blues
Anniversary Edition°°
Take 3 FS 0:37   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 4 FS 0:19   GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Close Up 2°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 5 Complete 2:34   GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Close Up 2°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 6 FS 0:31   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 7 M 2:24 (2:34 with count-in) Complete Elvis Presley Masters 5 (Sony)°°~Soldier Boy (Franklin Mint
Complete Masters Collection 15)°°~GI Blues (remastered soundtrack)°°
~GI Blues Vol. 1 (FTD)°°~GI Blues (24 Bit)°°~(BMG '97)°°~Command
Performances°°~La Legende - GI Blues (BMG France)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 1 (MRS)°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°~The Comp. Movie
Masters 1960-62 1 (MRS)°°~From Memphis To Hollywood (FTD)°
+GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°~Cafe
Europa Sessions 4°° (count-in)

Pocketful Of Rainbows (remake)
L2PB 3683
NO-X May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 FS 1:05   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 2 M 2:36 (3:07 with count-in) Complete Elvis Presley Masters 5 (Sony)°°~Soldier Boy (Franklin Mint
Complete Masters Collection 15)°°~Elvis 75 - Good Rockin' Tonight 2
(Legacy)°°~GI Blues (remastered soundtrack)°°~GI Blues Vol 1 (FTD)°°
~GI Blues (24 Bit)°°~(BMG '97)°°~La Legende - GI Blues (BMG France)°°
~Cafe Europa Sessions 1 (MRS)°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°~The
Comp. Movie Masters 1960-62 1 (MRS)°°~From Memphis To Hollywood
(FTD)° (2:35)+GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 3 (MRS)°°
~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°° (count-in)
Take 3 Complete 3:06   GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Today, Tomorrow & Forever 2°°+Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°° (count-in)

Frankfort Special (remake - medium tempo)
L2PB 3680
HO-X May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 FS 0:48   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 2 LFS 1:44   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 3 FS 0:55   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 4 FS 0:56   GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Close Up 2°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 5 Complete 3:13   GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Close Up 2°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 6 LFS 2:14   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 7 LFS 0:25   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 8 Complete 3:13   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+The Comp. Movie Masters 1960-62 3 (MRS)°°
+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 9 LFS 1:15 "Ave Maria" GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 10 M 2:55 (3:18 with count-in) Complete Elvis Presley Masters 5 (Sony)°°~Soldier Boy (Franklin Mint
Complete Masters Collection 15)°°~GI Blues (Remastered Soundtrack)°°
~GI Blues Vol. 1 (FTD)°°~GI Blues (24 Bit)°°~(BMG '97)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 1 (MRS)°°~La Legende - GI Blues (BMG France)°°~The Comp.
Movie Masters 1960-62 1 (MRS)°°~From Memphis To Hollywood (FTD)°
+GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe
Europa Sessions 4°° (count-in)

Tonight's All Right For Love
WPA1 8124
R1O May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 Complete 1:33   GI Blues Vol. 1 (FTD)°°~The Comp. Movie Masters 1960-62 3 (MRS)°°
+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°~GI Blues
Anniversary Edition°°
Take 2 FS 0:15 (KPA5 9559) GI Blues Vol 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°~Elvis Aron Presley 2°°
Take 3 LFS 1:19 (KPA5 9559) GI Blues Vol 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°~Elvis Aron Presley 2°°
~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 4 FS 0:19 (KPA5 9559) GI Blues Vol 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°~Elvis Aron Presley 2°°
~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 5a LFS 0:58 (announced as Take 5) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 5b Complete 1:39 (announced again as Take 5) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°~GI Blues Anniversary Edition°°
Take 6 Complete 1:33 (announced as Take 6) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 7 FS 0:31 (announced as Take 7)
(KPA5 9559)
GI Blues Vol 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°~Elvis Aron Presley 2°°
Take 8 Complete 1:31 (announced as Take 8) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 9 LFS 1:11 (announced as Take 9) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 10 Complete 2:00 (announced as Take 10)
(used for composite master)
GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 11 FS 0:13 (announced as Take 11) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 12 Complete 1:34 (announced as Take 12) "Loving You" GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 13     (no take 13 announcement)  
Take 14 FS 0:19 (announced as Take 14) GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Close Up 2°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 15 Complete 1:37   GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Close Up 2°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 16 FS 0:38   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 17 Complete 1:40 (KPA5 9559) GI Blues Vol 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°~Elvis Aron Presley 2°°

Tonight's All Right For Love (tempo - insert)
R2O May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 Complete 1:00   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°+Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 2 Complete 0:49 (used for composite master) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°

Tonight's All Right For Love (composite)
L2PB 3975
   
Spliced M 1:21 Composite of R-1O Take 10
& R-2O Take 2 (WPA1 8124)
Complete Elvis Presley Masters 5 (Sony)°°~Soldier Boy (Franklin Mint
Comp. Masters Collection 15)°°~GI Blues Vol. 1 (FTD)°°~A Legendary
Performer Volume 1°+GI Blues (BMG '97)°°~La Legende - GI Blues (BMG
France)°° (diff. splice)+Single°~The Best Of British - 1959-1960 (FTD)°°
~Elvis In Germany°° (German Record Club - extended 2:10)

Big Boots (slow tempo - remake)
MO-X May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 FS 0:29   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 2 FS 0:37   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 3 FS 0:32   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 4 FS 0:30   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 5 FS 0:31   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 6 LFS 1:26 (solo) (not used) The Best Of British - 1959-1960 (FTD)°°+GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe
Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°° (count-in)

Big Boots (slow tempo - insert)
M2O-X May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 Complete 1:01   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 2 LFS 0:43   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 3 FS 0:18   GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°
Take 4 Complete 0:53 (used for composite master) GI Blues Vol. 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa
Sessions 4°°

Big Boots (slow tempo - composite)
L2PB 3685
SO (July 1960)
Take 1        
Take 2        
Take 3 M 1:32 Composite of MO-04 & M2O-X-04 Complete Elvis Presley Masters 5 (Sony)°°~Soldier Boy (Franklin Mint
Complete Masters Collection 15)°°~GI Blues (Remastered Soundtrack)°°
~GI Blues Vol. 1 (FTD)°°~GI Blues (24 Bit)°°~(BMG '97)°°~Cafe Europa
Sess. 1 (MRS)°°~La Legende - GI Blues (BMG France)°°~The Complete
Movie Masters 1960-62 1 (MRS)°°~From Memphis To Hollywood (FTD)°
+Tape° (no intro - SO-03 count-in)
Take 4        
Take 5 (M) 1:35 Composite of MO-04 & M2O-X-04
(used for movie version)
Acetate°

Tonight's All Right For Love (music & chorus -
"Tales From The Vienna Woods")
WPA1 8125
RO May 6 1960 (Fri)
Take 1 FS 0:31 Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 2 FS 0:33 Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 3 FS 0:21 Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 4 Complete 2:30 Cafe Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°°
Take 5 M 2:20 La Legende - GI Blues (BMG France)°°+GI Blues Volume 2 (FTD)°°~Cafe
Europa Sessions 4 (MRS)°°~Cafe Europa Sessions 4°° (count-in)

Notes

The movie version of 'Shoppin' Around' has some extra vocals / instruments overdubbed to the record version and is edited by cutting off the last verse.

The movie version of 'Frankfort Special' has some extra vocals / horns and is edited to 2:20 (the repeated last verse in the record version is cut off).

The ending of the movie version of 'Big Boots' is extended, where Elvis sings the last line twice in the movie.

Some of the take numbers listed for 'Tonight's All RightFor Love' (R1O) on Elvis Aron Presley and Rare Elvis Volume 2 are incorrect. The correct take order is 3, 4, 2, 7 (announced as Take 7) and 17.

The original length (mono) master of 'Tonight's All Right For Love' issued on Elvis - A Legendary Performer Volume 1 is spliced at 0:59, but on the 1997 G.I. Blues CD it is spliced at 1:10. The original splice is used again on Sony's Complete Elvis Presley Masters collection and the Franklin Mint package, and FTD on their classic albums of G.I. Blues.

A 2:10 minute extended master of 'Tonight's All Right For Love' was released on the mono and stereo German pressings of the G.I. Blues album in 1960 (1st pressing), and a German single in 1960 (47-9340) in mono. It can also be found on the German Record Club RCA CD Elvis In Germany (18565-2) in stereo. It appears that after a second pressing of the album was done (in 1963?) they used the original length (1:18) master from then on, although strangely, some later orange label pressings of the G.I. Blues album also contain the longer edit.

Most of these sessions are available on the UK based Memphis Recording Service official release G.I. Blues - The Cafe Europa Sessions. Due to public domain copyright issues, this set does not contain tracks officially released by RCA in the last 50 years.

FTD's classic album releases of G.I. Blues are undoubtedly the best source for these sessions, although edited.

All timings in the 'Musical Breakdown' below are taken from the Blu-Ray release of the movie.

In March of 2007, Sony decided to go through all of Elvis' masters. They retransferred everything and remastered all tracks including repairing as many clicks, pops, bad edits and dropouts as they could. They have used these newly mastered recordings on their new releases since 2007 including budget soundtracks, Legacy releases, the 30 disc Complete Elvis Presley Masters collection and the Franklin Mint package.

Thanks to Ray Reeves for the 'Big Boots' comparisons.

Thanks to David English for info regarding Loulie Jean Norman providing the vocal for the movie version of 'Pocketful Of Rainbows'.

Session Logs
Recording Information
G.I. Blues (April / May 1960)
G.I. Blues
Tape Legends
May 6 1960
Tape Legend - May 6 1960
Musical Breakdown
G.I. Blues
G.I. Blues

Acetate
Big Boots (medium tempo)
Big Boots (M1O-X-02)
Acetate
Shoppin' Around (remake)
Shoppin' Around (remake) (BO-X-07)
Acetate
Pocketful Of Rainbows (remake)
Pocketful Of Rainbows (remake) (NO-X-02)

Acetate
Frankfort Special (remake)
Frankfort Special (remake) (HO-X-12)
Acetate
Tonight's All Right For Love
Tonight's All Right For Love (R1O-10)
Acetate
Big Boots (composite)
Big Boots (composite) (SO-03)

 
Acetate
Tonight's All Right For Love (music)
Tonight's All Right For Love (music & chorus) (RO-05)
 


Music Sheets
Music Sheet
Big Boots
Big Boots
Music Sheet
Shoppin' Around
Shoppin' Around
Music Sheet
Pocketful Of Rainbows
Pocketful Of Rainbows (Thanks to Christopher Brown)

Music Sheet
Frankfort Special
Frankfort Special
Music Sheet
Tonight's All Right For Love
Tonight's All Right For Love (Thanks to Christopher Brown)
 

back