home
Recording Sessions
Essential lists
Essential Magazines
Elvis Movies
Elvis The Story
Video footage
Elvis website links
May 27 / 28 1966
(+ 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)

RCA Studio B - Nashville, Tennessee
Producer : Felton Jarvis
Engineer : Jim Malloy

Musicians:   Backup Vocals:
Guitar:
Scotty Moore The Jordanaires: Gordon Stoker; Neal Matthews; Hoyt Hawkins; Ray
Guitar: Chip Young Walker
Drums / Tympani: Murrey 'Buddy' Harman The Imperials: Armond Morales; Jake Hess; Gary McSpadden; Sherrill
Drums: D.J. Fontana 'Shaun' Nielsen
Piano: Floyd Cramer Millie Kirkham; June Page; Dolores Edgin
Bass: Bob Moore  
Steel Guitar: Peter Drake  
Saxophone: Homer 'Boots' Randolph  
Saxophone: Rufus Long  
Piano: Henry Slaughter  
Bass / Harmonica / Guitar: Charlie McCoy  

Somebody Bigger Than You And I
  May 27 1966 (Fri: 7.00pm - 10.00pm)
Take 1 FS
0:17   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 2 LFS 0:53 (lower key) Unsurp. Masters 3-11° (faded)+Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~Where
No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions Vol. 1°
(count-in & extra dialogue)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 3 LFS 1:54   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How
Great Thou Art Sess. Vol. 1°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 4 Reh'sal 1:38 (bridge only) Unsurp. Masters 3-11° (faded)+Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~You'll
Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°
(count-in & extra dialogue)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 5 Reh'sal
+FS
0:44   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How
Great Thou Art Sess. Vol. 1°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 6 FS 0:19   Back In Living Stereo 5 (MRS)°~You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How
Great Thou Art Sess. Vol. 1°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 7 FS 0:19   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How
Great Thou Art Sess. Vol. 1°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 8 LFS 1:53   Unsurp'd Masters 3-11°+Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~You'll Never
Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions Vol. 1° (count-in)
+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 9 FS 0:25   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How
Great Thou Art Sess. Vol. 1°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 10 LFS 0:36   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How
Great Thou Art Sess. Vol. 1°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 11 Complete 2:37   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~So High (FTD)°°~Where No One Stands
Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1° (count-in)
~Unsurpassed Mast. 3-11°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 12 Complete 2:46   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~Easter Special (FTD)°°~Unsurpassed
Masters 3-11°+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou
Art Sess. Vol. 1° (count-in)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 13 FS 0:21   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 14 LFS 0:45   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (count-in only)+Where No One Stands Alone
(Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How Great
Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 15 FS+Comp 2:54   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~Close Up 3°° (complete only)+Unsurpassed
Masters 3-11°(FS+complete)+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Vol 1° (count-in+FS+complete)+The How
Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 16 (M) 2:48 (used for composite master) Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 1° (part used for master - cut from tape)+Tape° (complete)
+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°° (complete)

Somebody Bigger Than You And I (work part - ending)
  May 27 1966 (Fri: 7.00pm - 10.00pm)
Take 1 LFS
0:37   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 2 LFS 1:34   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 3 LFS 1:09   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 4 Complete 1:25   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 5 Complete 1:25   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (extra dialogue)~Where No One Stands
Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 1°+The How
Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 6 (M) 1:35 (used for composite master) Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 1° (part used for master - cut from tape)+Tape° (complete)
+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°° (complete)

Somebody Bigger Than You And I (composite)
TPA4 0920
   
Spliced M 2:26 Composite of Take 16
& work part - Take 6
Comp. Elvis Presley Masters 13 (Sony)°°~Moved By Faith (Franklin Mint
Complete Masters Collection 13)°°~I Believe - The Gospel Masters 2°°
~How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~(24 Bit)°°~Peace In The Valley 1°°~The
How Great Thou Art Sessions 1 (FTD)°°~Amazing Grace°°+The How
Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°

Without Him
TPA4 0921
  May 27 1966 (Fri: 10.00pm - 1.00am)
Take 1 Complete
3:07   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (count-in)~So High (FTD)°°+Unsurpassed
Masters 4-12° (dialogue from before Take 3)+Where No One Stands
Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2° (count-in)
+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 2 FS 0:17   Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 3 FS 0:16   Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 4 FS+LFS 2:49 (preceded & followed by rehearsal) How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (1st FS)+Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°
(LFS)+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art
Sessions Volume 2° (count-in+FS+LFS)+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 5 FS 0:12   Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 6 FS 0:13   Unsurpassed Masters 4-12°+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Vol. 2° (count-in)+The How Great Thou
Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 7 LFS 1:39   Back In Living Stereo 4 (MRS)°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 8 FS+Comp 2:41   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (complete only)+Close Up 3°°~Unsurpassed
Masters 4-12°+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou
Art Sessions Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 9 FS 0:27   Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 10 2xFS 0:19   Unsurpassed Masters 4-12°~Stand By Me Volume 2° (Count-in & 1st FS)
+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Vol. 2° (count-in+FS+FS)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 11 LFS 0:58   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 12 No Take 0:10   Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Vol. 1° (dialogue)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 13 LFS 0:56 (no take announced) How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art
Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 14 Complete 2:34   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (count-in)~Unsurpassed Masters 4-12°
+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 2° (count-in)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 15 M 2:27 (no take announced) Complete Elvis Presley Masters 13 (Sony)°°~Hymns From The Heart
(Franklin Mint Complete Masters Collection 34)°°~I Believe - The Gospel
Masters 2°°~How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~(24 Bit)°°~The How Great
Thou Art Sessions 1 (FTD)°°~Peace In The Valley 1°°~Amazing Grace°°
(master only)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°

If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side
TPA4 0922
  May 28 1966 (Sat: 1.00am - 5.00am)
Take 1 Complete
2:25   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~Today, Tomorrow & Forever 3°° (listed as
Take 4)~Unsurp. Masters 4-12°+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2° (count-in & extra dialogue)
+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 2 LFS 1:28 (followed by rehearsal) How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°
~How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2° (extra dialogue)+The How
Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 3 FS 0:20   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (Count-in)~You'll Never Walk Alone
(Reeltrax)°+How Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2° (count-in & extra
dialogue)~Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)° (count-in only)
+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 4 Complete 1:44   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (count-in)~Unsurpassed Masters 4-12°
+You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 2° (count-in)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 5 M 1:36 (1:47 with count-in) Comp. Elvis Presley Masters 13 (Sony)°°~Gospel Jubilee (Franklin Mint
Complete Masters Collection 11)°°~I Believe - The Gospel Masters 2°°
~How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~(24 Bit)~Ultimate Gospel°°~Peace In The
Valley 1°°~The How Great Thou Art Sessions 1 (FTD)°°~Amazing Grace°°
(master only)+You'll Never Walk Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art
Sess' Vol. 2° (count-in only)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
(count-in +M)
Take 6 Complete 1:51   How Great Thou Art (FTD)°° (count-in)~So High (FTD)°°+You'll Never
Walk Alone (Reeltrax)° (not listed)~Unsurpassed Masters 4-12°~How
Great Thou Art Sessions Volume 2° (count-in & extra dialogue)
+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°

Where Could I Go But To The Lord
TPA4 0923
  May 28 1966 (Sat: 1.00am - 5.00am)
Take 1 FS 0:31   Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou Art Sessions
Volume 2°+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4 (FTD)°°
Take 2 FS+M 3:35 (3:53 with count-in) Complete Elvis Presley Masters 13 (Sony)°°~Moved By Faith (Franklin
Mint Comp. Masters Collection 13)°°~I Believe - The Gospel Masters 2°°
~How Great Thou Art (FTD)°°~(24 Bit)°°~Ultimate Gospel°°~Peace In The
Valley 1°°~The How Great Thou Art Sessions 1 (FTD)°°~Amazing Grace°°
(master only)+Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax)°~How Great Thou
Art Sessions Vol. 2° (count-in only)+The How Great Thou Art Sessions 4
(FTD)°° (count-in+FS+M)+The Definitive Gospel Album°° (edited)

Notes

Although slightly edited, the definitive release of these sessions can be found on Follow That Dream's limited edition The How Great Thou Art Sessions 5xCD set, where everything has been compiled and remastered from scratch, from the original 3-track tapes, and all masters and outtakes are presented in the best possible sound.

Some of the mono sessions as released on the 2001 bootlegs The How Great Thou Art Sessions - Volumes 1, 2 and 3 sound heavily compressed, as if they were taken from an MP3 source. The stereo sessions on the same releases however, actually sound better than the same takes released by BMG, as they are clipped, and too loud, on some of the BMG releases.

Takes 3 and 4 of 'Somebody Bigger Than You And I' are listed on the bootleg Where No One Stands Alone (Reeltrax) when in fact it's takes 1 and 2.

The takes of 'Somebody Bigger Than You And I' and 'Without Him' on the Memphis Recording Service book and 6xCD set Back In Living Stereo are actually mono but have been manipulated to create a strange stereo sound effect.

Take 1 of 'If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side' appears on the Today, Tomorrow And Forever box-set but is wrongly listed as Take 4.

An edited (2:03) version of 'Where Could I Go But To The Lord', with omitted verses (leaving only the first and last verse), was released in 1987 on the BMG Ariola release The Definitive Gospel Album.

Thanks to Adrian V Stokes regarding the edited versions of songs on the BMG Ariola set of Definitive albums.

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.

Session Logs
 
Recording Information
May 27 1966
May 27 1966
 


Music Sheets
Music Sheet
Somebody Bigger than You And I
Somebody Bigger than You And I (Thanks to Christopher Brown)
Music Sheet
Without Him
Without Him
Music Sheet
If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side
If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side

 
Music Sheet
Where Could I Go But To The Lord?
Where Could I Go But To the Lord?
 

back