Maps of Music

Promised Land (1975)

Where the lyrics of Promised Land take you, and where it was really made.

Recorded in Memphis in December 1973, this album came out on Elvis Presley's 40th birthday in January 1975.

Key places

Recorded at Stax in Memphis (1973)

Recording site Ardent Studios — The album was recorded in December 1973 at Stax Records studios in Memphis. The session produced the second pick for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Promised Land: the twenty-first studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley
• Released by RCA Records on January 8, 1975
• Released in January 1975, on Presley's 40th birthday
• Recorded in December 1973 at Stax Records studios in Memphis
• The second pick from the December 1973 session

Background

• The songs considered strongest from the December 1973 session had already been issued on Good Times
• Title track: a cover of Chuck Berry's 1965 hit
• The title track was issued earlier as a single on September 27, 1974
• Presley is an American singer and musician

Recording

• Recording location: Stax Records studios, Memphis
• Recording session: December 1973
• The album was assembled from that session's remaining material after the strongest songs went to Good Times

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi; family moved to Memphis, Tennessee when he was 13.
• Began his career in 1954 at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring African-American music to a wider audience.
• Recorded "That's All Right" with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black in July 1954.
• A pioneer of rockabilly, a fusion of country music and rhythm and blues.

Members

• Classic quartet: Presley (vocals, guitar), Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (bass), and D. J. Fontana (drums), who joined in 1955.

Career

• RCA Victor acquired his contract in 1955 for $40,000; "Heartbreak Hotel" hit number one in the US in 1956.
• Became a leading figure of rock and roll, though his style was considered a threat to white American youth by some.
• Made his film debut in Love Me Tender (1956) and devoted much of the 1960s to Hollywood films.
• Returned to the stage with the 1968 NBC special Elvis, followed by a Las Vegas residency and tours.
• Gave the first solo-artist concert broadcast worldwide, Aloha from Hawaii, in 1973.
• Died August 16, 1977 at Graceland, aged 42.
• Estimated to have sold 500 million records worldwide; won three Grammy Awards.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released by RCA Records on January 8, 1975
• US: number 47 on the Billboard Top 200 chart
• US: number 1 on Billboard's Top Country LPs chart
• Also listed on the Cashbox Country albums chart
• UK: number 21
• Title track single: number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and UK top ten
• Flip side It's Midnight: number 9 on the Country charts
• If You Talk in Your Sleep: number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100

Reappraisal

• 2000 CD reissue added all tracks of Good Times as tracks 11 to 18, except two from the July 1973 sessions
• The reissue in effect compiled the Stax sessions of December 1973
• 2011: the FTD (Follow That Dream) collectors label released an expanded 48-track version with outtakes

Records

• Billboard Top 200: number 47 (US)
• Billboard Top Country LPs: number 1 (US)
• UK Albums: number 21
• Title track: number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100
• If You Talk in Your Sleep: number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title track was used for the 1997 film Men in Black
• The strongest songs of the December 1973 session went to Good Times, so this album holds the second pick
• The album came out on Presley's 40th birthday, January 1975
• The 2000 CD reissue added the Good Times tracks as 11 to 18
• The 2011 FTD expanded version runs to 48 tracks including outtakes

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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