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May 15 / 16 1971
(+ 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: Al Pachucki
(6.00pm - 9.00pm / 9.00pm - 12.00am / 1.00am - 4.00am)

Musicians:    
Guitar: James Burton  
Guitar: Chip Young  
Guitar: Charlie Hodge  
Guitar: Joe Esposito  
Drums: Jerry Carrigan  
Piano: David Briggs  
Bass: Norbert Putnam  
Marimba: Charlie McCoy ('Padre')  
Organ / Percussion / Harmonica: Charlie McCoy  

Miracle Of The Rosary
APA4 1259
  May 15 / 16 1971 (Sat / Sun)
Take 1 FS+Comp 2:21   Platinum 4°° (complete - 1:53)+Elvis Now (FTD)°° (2:06)+Elvis Back In
Nashville 4°°
Take 2 Complete      
Take 3 FS+FS 0:16   Elvis Back In Nashville 2°° (not listed)
Take 4 (M) 1:53 Undubbed master For The Good Times°°~It's Different Now°° (cuts off - 1:23)+Unedited
Masters - Nashville 1971 (Venus)°°~His Songs Of Praise Vol. 1 (FTD)°°
(1:49)+Elvis Back In Nashville 2°° (count-in)
         
V.O. (M) 1:49 Harmony v.o. by Elvis on May 19 Acetate°°
Overdub (M) 1:54 Backup vocal overdubs on May 19 American Sound - From The Acetates (Madison)°° (count-in)
Overdub (M)   Brass & string overdubs on May 25  
Overdub M 1:52 Additional string overdubs on June 22 Comp. Elvis Presley Masters 21 (Sony)°°~Moved By Faith (Franklin Mint
Complete Masters Collection 13)°°~Elvis Now (FTD)°°~(20 Bit)°°~Ultimate
Gospel (DSD)°°~Peace In The Valley 2°°+He Walks Beside Me°° (remixed)

It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)
APA4 1260
  May 15 / 16 1971 (Sat / Sun)
Take 1 FS
0:50 "Merry Christmas Baby" Elvis Back In Nashville 4°° (count-in & one-liner)+The Wonderful World
Of Christmas (FTD)°° (count-in, one-liner & FS)
Take 2 LFS 0:46   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
Take 3 Complete 2:58   I Sing All Kinds (FTD)°° (2:37)+Wonderful World of Christmas (FTD)°°
(extra dialogue)~TV Guide (CD - Dec. 11/17 2006)° (count-in)
Take 4 FS 0:14   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
Take 5 Complete 2:44   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
Take 6 Complete 3:15 (followed by rehearsal) The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°+Elvis Back In Nashville 4°°
(rehearsal edited in before take)~If Everyday Was Like Christmas°°
~O Come All Ye Faithful°°
Take 7 (M) 2:40 Undubbed master Christmas Today°° (acetate)+Elvis Back In Nashville 2°°
         
Overdub (M)   Backup vocal overdubs on May 24  
Overdub M 2:41 String overdubs on June 22 Complete Elvis Presley Masters 21 (Sony)°°~Christmas With Elvis
(Franklin Mint Comp. Masters Collection 4)°°~The Wonderful World Of
Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Peace (DSD)°°~If Everyday Was Like
Christmas°°~The Wonderful World Of Christmas°°

If I Get Home On Christmas Day
APA4 1261
  May 15 / 16 1971 (Sat / Sun)
Take 1 Complete 3:37 (preceded by rehearsal) The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°° (count-in)~I Sing All Kinds
(FTD)°° (2:56)
Take 2 FS 0:52 (preceded by rehearsal) The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
Take 3 Complete 2:58   Elvis Back In Nashville 4°°+The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
(count-in)
Take 4        
Take 5 Complete 2:59   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
Take 6 FS 0:14   The Joan Deary Tapes Vol. 1°°
Take 7 Complete 3:03   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°° (2:56)+The Joan Deary Tapes
Vol. 1°° (count-in)
Take 8 (M) 2:50 Undubbed master Christmas Today°° (acetate)+Elvis Back In Nashville 2°°
         
Overdub (M)   Backup vocal overdubs on May 24  
Overdub M 2:52 Brass & string overdubs on June 21 Complete Elvis Presley Masters 21 (Sony)°°~Christmas With Elvis
(Franklin Mint Comp. Masters Collection 4)°°~The Wonderful World Of
Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Peace (DSD)°°~If Everyday Was Like
Christmas°°~The Wonderful World Of Christmas°°
         
Duet   2:55 2008 re-recorded backing track Christmas Duets°°

Padre
APA4 1262
  May 15 / 16 1971 (Sat / Sun)
Take 1 Reh'sal 0:43   Elvis Fool (FTD)°° (0:38)+Elvis Back In Nashville 3°°
Take 2 FS+Comp 3:06 (count-in+FS / 2nd count-in+comp.) Elvis Fool (FTD)°° (FS+2nd count-in+complete)+I Sing All Kinds (FTD)°°
(1st count-in+comp)+Fool (FTD - 1st pressing)°° (complete - listed as
Take 11 - different mixes)+Elvis Back In Nashville 3°° (FS - not listed)
Take 3        
Take 4        
Take 5        
Take 6        
Take 7        
Take 8     (used for spliced master)  
Take 9 FS      
Take 10 LFS 1:33   The Joan Deary Tapes Vol. 2°° (wrongly listed as Take 9)
Take 11 Complete 2:35 (used for spliced master) Fool (FTD - 2nd pressing)°° (faded - 2:25)+A Leg. Performer Volume 9°°
(edited ending - listed as take 10)+Elvis Back In Nashville 3°° (complete)
         
Spliced (M) 2:34 Spliced from Take 8 & ending
of Take 11 - Undubbed master
Elvis Back In Nashville 1°°
         
Overdub M 2:28 Brass & string overdubs on June 21 Complete Elvis Presley Masters 21 (Sony)°°~In The Mood (Franklin Mint
Comp. Masters Collection 24)°°~Elvis Fool (FTD)°° (track 16)~(20 Bit)°°
+Elvis Fool (FTD)°° (tr'k 7)+He Walks Beside Me°°+His Songs Of Praise
Volume 2 (FTD)°

Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees
APA4 1263
  May 15 / 16 1971 (Sat / Sun)
Take 1 3xFS 0:42   Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°° (count-in)~Christmas Today°°
Take 2 Complete 2:29   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Today°°
Take 3 Complete 2:30   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Today°°
Take 4 Complete 2:35   I Sing All Kinds (FTD)°°+The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
~Christmas Today°° (extra dialogue)+Elvis Back In Nashville 4°°
Take 5 FS+LFS 0:30   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°+Christmas Today°° (extra
dialogue)
Take 6 LFS 0:47   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Today°°
Take 7 FS 0:08   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°
Take 8 Complete 2:15   The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°° (count-in)~If Everyday Was
Like Christmas°°~O Come All Ye Faithful°°
Take 9        
Take 10 (M) 2:21 Undubbed master Elvis Back In Nashville 2°°+Christmas Today°° (acetate) (count-in)
         
Overdub (M)   Backup vocal overdubs on May 24  
Overdub M 2:13 String overdubs on June 22 Complete Elvis Presley Masters 21 (Sony)°°~Christmas With Elvis
(Franklin Mint Comp. Masters Collection 4)°°~The Wonderful World Of
Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Peace (DSD)°°~If Everyday Was Like
Christmas°°~The Wonderful World Of Christmas°°

Merry Christmas Baby
APA4 1264
  May 15 / 16 1971 (Sat / Sun)
Take 1 (M) 8:43
(preceded by rehearsal)
Unedited undubbed master
(MWA5 9086)
The Wonderful World of Christmas (FTD)°° (with rehearsal)~Memories
Of Christmas°° (7:59)~O Come All Ye Faithful°° (see note)+Christmas
Today°° (acetate - 7:55)+Unedited Masters - Nashville Revisited (Venus)°°
(unedited)+Tape°°+Elvis Back In Nashville 2°° (unedited)
  (M) 7:16 Edited undubbed master Reconsider Baby°° (edited at 3:31 - verse removed)~The Wonderful
World Of Christmas°° (CD)
  (M) 4:28 Edited undubbed master
(PPA1 4406)
Merry Christmas Baby / Santa Claus Is Back In Town (1985 single)°°
  (M) 5:45 Edited undubbed master  
         
Overdub M 5:45 Guitar overdubbed on July 26 Complete Elvis Presley Masters 21 (Sony)°°~Christmas With Elvis
(Franklin Mint Comp. Masters Collection 4)°°~The Wonderful World Of
Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Peace (DSD)°°~The Wonderful World Of
Christmas°° (LP)~70s Box 4°°
Edited M 3:14 (APA4 1849) Complete Single Collection Volume 7°°~Single°°+The Mono Masters CD4
(Venus)°
         
Overdub (M) 2:50 Further overdubs on Feb 18 1981
(edited)(LPA5 5811)
This Is Elvis°°~O Come All Ye Faithful°°
         
Duet   2:13 2008 re-recorded backing track
and vocals
Christmas Duets°° (with Gretchen Wilson)
Re-Recording 4:51 2017 re-recorded backing track Elvis: Christmas With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra°°

Silver Bells
APA4 1265
  May 15 / 16 1971 (Sat / Sun)
Rehearsal+FS 0:46 (announced as Take 1)
The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°+Christmas Today°° (track 5
- rehearsal+Take 1 complete take edited in instead of FS)+Christmas
Today°° (track 22 - FS)+Elvis Back In Nashville 4°°
Rehearsal 1:15 (announced as Take 2) The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Today°° (track 22)
+Elvis Back In Nashville 4°°
Take 1 Complete 2:39 (announced again as Take 1)
(ZWA5-2721)
The Wonderful World Of Christmas (FTD)°°~If Everyday Was Like
Christmas°°~Country (cassette & single 62411 4/7 - ZWA5-2721)°°
+Christmas Today°° (track 22 - listed as Take 2/M)+Christmas Today°°
(track 5 - edited in after Take 1 rehearsal)+Elvis Back In Nashville 4°°
Take 2 (M) 2:28 Undubbed master Christmas Today°° (acetate - track 14)~O Come All Ye Faithful°
+Elvis Back In Nashville 2°°
Take 3 No Take 1:03   Elvis Back In Nashville 4°° (not listed)+Christmas Today°° (track 22)
         
Overdub (M)   Backup vocal overdubs on May 24  
Overdub (M)   String overdubs on June 22  
Overdub M 2:28 Bells overdubbed on July 26 Complete Elvis Presley Masters 21 (Sony)°°~Christmas With Elvis
(Franklin Mint Comp. Masters Collection 4)°°~The Wonderful World Of
Christmas (FTD)°°~Christmas Peace (DSD)°°~If Everyday Was Like
Christmas°°~The Wonderful World Of Christmas°°+Blue Christmas°°
(different mixes)
         
Duet   2:27 2008 re-recorded backing vocals Christmas Duets°° (with Anne Murray & The Jordanaires)
Re-Recording 2:56 2017 re-recorded backing track Elvis: Christmas With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra°°

Notes

On the session reel for 'Padre', Take 8 was cut out of the reel, and consequently that is what was thought to be the master. However, the ending of Take 11 has been cut out as well, indicating that they have spliced that ending on to Take 8, supposedly because the ending of Take 8 was not as good.

Take 7 of 'Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees' is incorrectly listed as being on the bootleg Christmas Today, but it isn't.

The original LP master of 'Merry Christmas Baby' was edited and had a guitar overdub by Eddie Hinton mixed directly with the two-track mixdown.

The unedited master of 'Merry Christmas Baby' (7:59) was first released in 1982 on Memories Of Christmas at which point it was issued a new master serial number (MWA5 9086). This seemed to be a new mix, but at approximately 4:30 the previous mix was re-inserted for about a minute and ten seconds. This can also be found on the FTD classic album release of The Wonderful World Of Christmas, along with the rehearsal beforehand. The complete new mix and unfaded ending can be found on the Venus bootleg Unedited Masters - Nashville Revisited but the rehearsal is edited in at the beginning from an acetate source.

On Reconsider Baby, there is a slightly shorter edit of 'Merry Christmas Baby' (7:16), but this time we have a perfect mix of the original undubbed studio jam.

On the bootleg Christmas Today we have what is supposed to be the unedited undubbed master of 'Merry Christmas Baby' . Although this is the original session mix as originally recorded, along with the rehearsal preceding the song, it is cut short at the end and stops at James Burton's solo.

The re-recordings of 'Merry Christmas Baby' and 'Silver Bells' can found on the 2017 album Elvis: Christmas With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which contained Elvis' original vocals but with new backings by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

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.

All outtakes and undubbed masters used on the Sony 4xCD set Elvis Back In Nashville have been completely remixed and remastered from scratch.

Session Logs
Recording Information
May 15 1971
May 15 1971
Recording Information
Merry Christmas Baby - 1985
Merry Christmas Baby
Single Release
Merry Christmas Baby - 1985
Merry Christmas Baby

Recording Information
16-Track Tape Log
16-Track Tape Log
Recording Information
Tape Log
Tape Log
 


Music Sheets
Music Sheet
Miracle Of The Rosary
Miracle Of The Rosary (Thanks to Christopher Brown)
Music Sheet
It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)
It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You) (Thanks to Christopher Brown)
Music Sheet
If I Get Home On Christmas Day
If I Get Home On Christmas Day

Music Sheet
Padre
Padre (Thanks to Christopher Brown)
Music Sheet
Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees
Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees
Music Sheet
Merry Christmas Baby
Merry Christmas Baby

 
Music Sheet
Silver Bells
Silver Bells (Thanks to Christopher Brown)
 

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