Kissin’ Cousins LPM 2894 Black Label – Dog On Top

Side 1.

Kissin’ Cousins (No 2)

Smokey Mountain Boy

There’s Gold In The Mountains

One Boy, Two Little Girls

Catchin’ On Fast

Tender Feeling

Recording: May 26th - 27th, September 29th - 30th, October 10th 1963

Location: RCA Studio B, Nashville, TN, MGM Studios, Culver City

Musicians:

Elvis Presley (vocals) / James Burton (guitar) / Grady Martin (guitar) / Jerry Kennedy, Harold Bradley (guitar, banjo) / Bob Moore (bass) / D.J.Fontana (drums) / Buddy Harman (drums) / Floyd Cramer (piano) / Cecil Brower (fiddle) / Boots Randolph (saxophone, jug, vibes, shakers) / The Jordanaires, Winniefred Brest, Millie Kirkham, Dolores Edgin, Joe Babcock (vocals)

Release Date:

US: April 1964

UK June 1964

Chart Position:

US: 6

UK: 5

During the Elvis’ 1960’s soundtrack recordings took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, which was a tried and tested favourite, however the soundtrack sessions for Kissin’ Cousins took place at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville in September 1963. Giving the hillbilly setting of the movie, this was probably a very poor attempt to get a more country and western sound for the tape. Ultimately, the change of scene had more to do with plain economics than artistic consideration.

Both Colonel Parker and Elvis received a share in the profits of any Elvis movie, but the filming costs for “Viva Las Vegas”, also the expenses for hiring Nashville’s Studio B for the accompanying soundtrack session earlier in the year, and the numerous session musicians hired, had seen the whole project go well over budget, so Parker wrote in his business diary “It was decided that for the sake of economy and efficiency that the recording sessions for “Kissin’ Cousins” should be held at the RCA Victor studios in Nashville.”

Such was the rapid turnaround of Elvis’ movies at this time and because of his film commitments it left precious little time for a soundtrack recording, moreover the pressure on Hill and Range’s Freddy Bienstock to come up with fresh, appealing material for each new movie project, and making sure that the songwriters agreed to share their royalties. Looking at the names of the songwriters for “Kissin’ Cousins” you can see five credits for the team of Giant/Baum/Kaye, which had created one of Elvis’ best early 1960’s singles “(You’re The) Devil In Disguise”, this goes to show how limited the Bienstock’s were.

Difficulties were compounded by the fact that Elvis was a bit under the weather with a cold when the sessions began. As a result the musical backing tracks for “Kissin’ Cousins” were laid down in his absence and he added his lead vocals in Los Angeles while he was in the city making the movie, this wasn’t ideal, given that Elvis preferred to work with live musicians around him in the studio, this meant that the backing tracks were recorded on 29th-30th September at RCA’s Studio, B in Nashville, and Elvis’ overdubs were laid down the following month on the 10th and 11th October at MGM’s soundstage in Hollywood.

The first track recorded in September was “There’s Gold In The Mountains”, a minor song, but features some great piano work from Floyd Cramer, due to the constraints limiting the soundtrack recording quality of the material for Kissin’ Cousins, it just goes to show the remarkable talent that Elvis had that he could transform an unpromising track into something more passable.

Next came “One Boy, Two Little Girls” a nice piece of easy listening, with some good vocals. The next track “Once Is Enough” was a little more motivated, a try at rock’n’roll, albeit a bit watered down, featuring a good saxophone solo and in the middle of the track the drums are let loose, it is just a pity that they couldn’t keep the energy levels up.

Elvis could always work his magic on a pleasing ballad, as he would prove on the melancholy “Tender Feeling”, this was laid down late in the evening and had a good arrangement with acoustic guitars and a harpsichord like keyboard, all in all a really nice worked song. The first day would end with the opening track from the LP, “Kissin’ Cousins No.2”, the track swings along nicely and is pleasant enough and could be put in the easy listening category and is far cry from the material that Elvis had made his name years before.

The second day started with “Smokey Mountain Boy” a bit of a novelty song that features whistling and a military style percussion.

The next track recorded was “Catchin’ On Fast” this was an improvement on the previous tracks and is driven by some clever drumming, this track is way too short, at one minute 20 seconds and the sudden ending seems strange and something of a surprise.

“Barefoot Ballad” was up next with a hillbilly theme, this would be another novelty song in keeping with the setting of the film that included fiddle, banjo and Boots Randolph on the jug.

The beautiful ballad “Anyone (Could Fall In love With You)” was next with some great vocals from Elvis, the session would end with another track called “Kissin’ Cousins”, this is different from the first version on the LP, this version would sell 700,000 singles and would give Elvis a Top 20 hit when it was released in February 1964.

By the time the “Kissin’ Cousins” LP was released in April 1964 the 10 tracks recorded had been added to by two from the Studio B sessions back in May 1963, “Echoes Of Love” and “(It’s A) Long Lonely Highway”. The LP only sold 300,000 copies and roughly compare to the figures of Elvis’ two previous soundtrack albums “Fun In Acapulco” and “It Happened At The World’s Fair”, this would show that Elvis’ movie recordings at least seemed to have risen.

Side 2.

Anyone

Barefoot Ballad

Once Is Enough

Kissin’ Cousins

Echoes Of Love

Long Lonely Highway