[REX]

WOWZA!!!!!!! Absolutely FABULOUS screen grabs!!!!! and amazing information as always. You keep out doing yourself, Rex, which doesn't seem possible. ELVIS really seemed to truly enjoy performing this number!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/00000407.gif)

Thankyou Carole.... just trying to get it altogether........

(IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1264597154/gallery_21960_219_47838.jpg)

MARK JAMES ~ Talking about “Suspicious Minds”

First coming to prominence as the writer of B.J. Thomas’s Top 5 smash, “Hooked On A Feeling,” Mark James crafted one of Elvis’s most enduring and lasting songs, the No. 1 hit “Suspicious Minds.” Elvis cut an additional four songs penned by James (”It’s Only Love,” “Raised on Rock,” “Moody Blue” and “Always on My Mind”).

“The idea for ‘Suspicious Minds’ came to me one night.

First the title came…I thought about it and lived with it a while.

Then the lyric came to me: ‘Caught in a trap, I can’t walk out because I love you too much baby.’ What I was trying to say is we can’t live together, attain our dreams or build on anything if we don’t trust one another.

That’s what I mean by suspicious minds. If there’s distrust in a relationship or you’re wondering if your partner wants to be with somebody else, you can’t go forward. The chorus, which says, ‘We can’t go on together with suspicious minds,’ is what I was trying to get across with the song. I was lucky to start the song in an abstract way…

“‘Suspicious Minds’ captured a lot of soul. In Houston, I grew up on a lot of soulful artists and I learned a lot from them. I put ‘Suspicious Minds’ together in about a week-a week and a half. I was a writer trying to write a great song, a hit song, and it came off just right.

“The single came out on Scepter Records in ‘68, and Elvis didn’t come into American Studios until ‘69. He booked American Studios for two weeks.

Chips Moman and Don Cruise were partners. Chips was more the creator, and Don was a good businessman who had a lot of heart and soul. He kept the studio goin’ through a lot of lean years. American Studios was like Motown. A lot of hit records came out of there.

Don came up to me one day and said, ‘You know Elvis is coming in?’ I replied, ‘I know, I’m trying to come up with something great for him.’ I analyzed it a little bit. Elvis was in his early 30s. I thought, ‘How can you be a rock star and be in your mid-30s and still be viable?’

“That same year Tom Jones had taken it over. Elvis had released a lot of songs from his movies, and his musical career had really gone down as far as controlling the national charts. Tom Jones was the sex symbol at the time.

I believed in Elvis and knew something great was in the air to bring him back.

Every time I’d walk into the studio, Don would grab me and say, ‘You come up with anything for Elvis?’ I was still writing and bumping my head against the wall.

[REX]

(IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1264597154/gallery_21960_219_58361.jpg)

MARK JAMES ~ talking about “Suspicious Minds”
(Part 2).....

One morning I came into the studio and Don said kind of urgently, ‘Elvis will be here in a couple of days. You think you’ll have anything?’ I said, ‘I don’t know…I hope so.’ Then he said, ‘Well, what about the old catalog? What about ‘Suspicious Minds?” At that point I wasn’t thinking about my older catalog. But as soon as Don said that, in my head I saw a golden number one.

‘That’s it! That’s the song I’ve been looking for!’ Chips was a little hesitant because I didn’t have a hit with my own version of ‘Suspicious Minds,’ but he saw the belief I had in the song and he played it when Elvis came.

Elvis liked it immediately and said, ‘Let’s hear that again.’ He heard it again and it hit him the same way. He asked for a tape and took it home.

Priscilla loved the song too, so the excitement and momentum about ‘Suspicious Minds’ kept building and building.

“Chips was a gambler. That’s how he got his name. When Elvis came in with his entourage, the Colonel and Hill & Range were trying to get a piece of the songs that were being recorded at those sessions.

Before that, they were able to get quite a bit of the publishing and songwriter royalties.

To get an Elvis cut, writers would give up almost anything. Most of the time the Colonel or his publishing executives would try to take half of a song or more. I’d never give up my songwriting royalties. I’m not gonna sell it like a used car. That’s the way I looked at it. I was signed to Chips’ publishing company, Press Music.

Chips was the one who told them, ‘Look, I’m not giving up any publishing on this song. If that’s what you want, then I’m keeping the master and y’all can leave!’ This all went down while they were doing the ‘Suspicious Minds’ session.

“Elvis’s performance on ‘Suspicious Minds’ is great.

He got into the song and made it his own.

It was number one in 27 countries. It’s the number one song of all-time for Elvis Presley.

I got an award two years ago from Graceland where it was selected as Elvis’s all-time favorite song.

I believe it is. Elvis had a lot of great songs, but at the time of his comeback, he needed a mature rock song. People were rooting for him to come back, and I’m happy that my song helped him do that.

It reinvigorated Elvis as an artist and brought him a newfound respect.

I wanted to write a song that would move people and would capture the essence of Elvis.”

[NightRider]

outstanding thread once again Rex....all about a real favourite of mine. A song in the spotlight has just become a whole lot better mate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif)

[REX]

outstanding thread once again Rex....all about a real favourite of mine. A song in the spotlight has just become a whole lot better mate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif)

Thankyou CHRIS ~ Ahhh it just needed a slightly fresher way of doing it.. I'm finding them fun to put together...

I'm more than a little excited about the next one I'm going to tackle.. (?)

1970 SUSPICIOUS MINDS

(IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1265124914/gallery_21960_6_3280.jpg)

[C.C.Rider]

Ditto, awesome thread and already looking forward to the next one too !!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif)

[SweetCaroline]

Agreeing with the other posters....just a fantastic thread with fabulous information.
You sure seem to find all the great little tidbits that make the stories a fascinating read Rex! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif)
LOVE that picture in post #44 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[REX]

Agreeing with the other posters....just a fantastic thread with fabulous information.
You sure seem to find all the great little tidbits that make the stories a fascinating read Rex! :notworthy:LOVE that picture in post #44 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks Carole.. and Everyone...

1976 ~ "SUSPICIOUS MINDS" Karate Leg Stretch HQ - ACTION !

(IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1266092100/gallery_21960_12_5002.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1266092100/gallery_21960_12_40822.jpg)

[elvislady]

Absolutly beautiful pics ...how good looking was elvis! thanks rex.

elvislady (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

[REX]

Absolutly beautiful pics ...how good looking was elvis! thanks rex. elvislady (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

Much thanks ELVISLADY, SHAUN and CAROLE....

(IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1267523585/gallery_21960_217_35454.jpg)
Suspicious Minds 1970 for TTWII

Suspicious Minds recorded by Elvis on Thursday, 23 January 1969; Studio

Written by: Zambon

Originally recorded by Mark James in 1968

Hear Elvis's version on: The Memphis Record; From Nashville to Memphis (4)
Francis Rodney Zambon, the writer of "Suspicious Minds" is the real name of Mark James.

James was born in 1940 and grew up learning to play violin until he discovered the guitar and formed his own group, "Francis Zambon and the Naturals," recording and releasing a few singles in the late 1950s ("Jive Note" was the first).

After his military service, James was offered a job at American Sound Studios and went on to write "Suspicious Minds," releasing his own version on the Scepter label, but with very little success. See also "Always On My Mind," "It's Only Love" and "Moody Blue."

[JAN1]

RE: SUSPICIOUS MINDS: I LOVE THIS SONG! BY THE WAY I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR OPINION IS OF THE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT VERSION FOUND ON THE NEW DVD " A PORTRAIT IN MUSIC" SOME DON'T LIKE MESSIN' WITH PERFECTION, HOWEVER, AND IT'S ONLY MY VIEW.....BUT I THINK IT IS FABULOUS!!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap.gif) I WISH I COULD BUY IT ON CD.... WHOEVER
IS BEHIND IT I SAY....MORE PLEASE. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy2.gif)

[rickeap]

One of the greatest records of all time by anyone!

[Honky Tonk Angel]

My all time favourite song.

As soon as it starts I'm reminded of my childhood. A very special song to me.