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Posted by: Steve Oct 8 2006, 01:41 PM

Demo Session, July 18, 1953

Lyrics:

(words & music by peterson - bergantine)

Evening shadows make me blue
When each weary day is through
How I long to be with you
My happiness

Every day I reminesce
Dreaming of your tender kiss
Always thinking how I miss
My happiness

A million years it seems
Have gone by since we shared our dreams
But Ill hold you again
Therell be no blue memories then

Whether skies are grey or blue
Any place on earth will do
Just as long as Im with you
My happiness

A million years it seems
Have gone by since we shared our dreams
But Ill hold you again
Therell be no blue memories then

Whether skies are grey or blue
Any place on earth will do
Just as long as Im with you
My happiness

Takes:

Take NA M 2:33 WPA5 2531



Studio :

Sun Studio (Memphis Recording Service), Memphis, Tennessee


Engineer :

Marion Keisker? (Sam, was not there at the time)





Musicians:

Guitar : Elvis Presley







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:

Lee Cotten has managed to come up with a probable date for this session by matching the story of a hot


summer Saturday afternoon with a salary advance that Elvis received on July 14 in order to "make a car payment" for


a car that had already been paid for. (All Shook Up, Popular Culture, Ink., 1985)

Posted by: Brad Oct 8 2006, 02:22 PM

Its been rumored for years and years that Elvis had recorded this song for his mother for a birthday present. Not believe its true but still, nice to hear Elvis before the fame and fortune hit him.

Nice work as usual Steve!

Posted by: colonel snow Oct 8 2006, 07:21 PM

the song was an original recording in late 1947 by Johnny & Sondra Steele and covered by many artists in early 1948 and more in the next years;

colonel snow

Posted by: Suspicious Minds Oct 9 2006, 08:02 AM

Elvis fans know this song "My Happiness"was recorded in 1953 for his mother's birthday. Elvis didn't start for Sun Records until July 1954. Elvis paid four dollars to record this song and it was not a proper Sun recording session. Any one back then could record a song of their choice.

Posted by: stefan Oct 9 2006, 08:13 AM

This song is pure music history. Birthday present for his mother or not, this song marked the begining of one of the most unbelieveble careers in music history and would change the music scene forever !

Posted by: Tigerman Oct 9 2006, 04:37 PM

Well said Stefan. This is the roots of Elvis musical career and a pice of musical history.. I actually also enjoy this track, it also shows how much Elvis matured from 53 - 54.

Posted by: NightRider Oct 9 2006, 10:10 PM

Can't disagree with that....very well put Stefan [img]style_emoticons/default/cheers.gif[/img]

Cool info as always Steve [img]style_emoticons/default/king.gif[/img]

Posted by: hounddogman Oct 10 2006, 11:11 AM

I like "My Happiness". Although it does have some rough edges, I think Elvis' singing is surprisingly good and I can see why Marion would write down Elvis' phone number. Since long before it was surprisingly discovered and released in 1990, it has by many been considered the holy grail of rock 'n' roll. That may be a bit too strong, but it is without a doubt one of the most important recordings of Elvis' career and an essential piece of modern music history.

I'm sorry, but I don't buy the story about the record being a birthday gift for his mother. Although July 18th is just a presumed recording date, it was in the summer and most probably in July. Gladys’ birthday was April 25th. I believe it’s just a nice story, which through the years became gospel. I believe there were two reasons for Elvis to enter Memphis Recording Service on that hot summer day: 1. He was curious to hear how he sounded on record. 2. He wanted to get into the business.

No matter which version you tend to believe, we should consider ourselves very lucky that this record turned up after so many years. It could so easily have gotten lost, but thanks to Ed Leek the very first recording of Elvis’ voice has been preserved for posterity.

Posted by: stefan Oct 10 2006, 11:44 AM

A third option is that he recorded the song:

* to know how he sounded on record
* to get into the business
* as a birthday present for his mother


I don't think Elvis had much to spend in those days, so in this it was 3 for the price of 1 [img]style_emoticons/default/wink.gif[/img] Also, it doesn't matter that his mother's birthday was in April, he could have given her the record as a late birthday gift and perhaps more importantly it then "justified" the "big"amount of money he spent on it [img]style_emoticons/default/wink.gif[/img]


Food for thought .......

Posted by: pacer1965 Oct 10 2006, 09:40 PM

I don't think we'll ever know the real truth about why Elvis
went into record this song.....but I'm thankful he did.

I remember when I first heard this song it made me cry.
It must have made his mum cry too.

TCE
Lorraine

Posted by: One Night Jan 17 2007, 10:04 PM

This is truely a lovely song...for whatever reason it was done......like many have said ......glad he did it.....just look what it led to .......

Posted by: ALAN May 3 2010, 02:08 PM

HI
The date it was recorded was July 18th
This was the only date in July that Sam Phillips wasn't at Sun Studios
he was in Nashville at a DJ Convention.
ALAN

Posted by: charlierogers May 5 2010, 01:20 AM

Thanks for that info Alan - great to know

Posted by: Crawfish Jul 14 2010, 11:28 PM

I remember this song being sung by Ral Donner in the Elvis The Movie film starring Kurt Russell.

Posted by: colonel snow Jul 15 2010, 08:36 PM

My happiness

the first recordings were done by:

00-00-47 - Jon & Sondra Steele (Damon 11133);
00-12-47 - Marlin Sisters (Columbia 38217);
00-12-47 - John Laurenz (Mercury 5144);
00-03-48 - Dorothy Morrow Ensemble (RCA 20-2965);
18-04-48 - The Pied Pipers (Capitol 15094);
19-04-48 - Ella Fitzgerald & The Song Spinners (Decca 24446).

colonel snow

Posted by: lackelee71 Sep 1 2010, 04:44 PM

just love this song