Tag Archives: 1968

Today: The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding was released in 1968


Otis-Redding-The-Dock-of-the-Bay

“…It’s two thousand miles I roamed, just to make this dock my home.”

This should have been the start of a magnificent career, instead it gives us,  in a fine and vital way, Otis Redding’s place in soul music at that time. It was released posthumously (and it was the first of many).

The songs are chosen by Steve Cropper (produces and guitar player) and he did a remarkable job, it must have been a difficult task to assemble this album, the first after Otis’s death. It could have been a cash-in and a dark memorial album but instead we got lively, and fitting presentation of Otis’s fantastic abilities.

The album consists of singles, A and B-sides, a one hit duet with Carla Thomas, and some previously unreleased tracks (1966-1967). It IS a mixed bag, but in a good way!

Otis Redding – (Sittin’ on) The Dock Of The Bay (Official video):

I love the album and think Steve Cropper did the best job any one could do when putting it together. The choices are not obvious but we get a good representation of what Otis Redding was about and what he could do. A sad but vivid soul classic!

In 2003, the album was ranked number 161 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

My favorite track is the incredible ballad, I Love You More Than Words Can Say.

Otis Redding – The Dock of the Bay (Spotify):

– Hallgeir

Today: Elvis Presley released “Elvis (NBC TV Special)” in 1968, 45 years ago

elvis nbc tv special

I want everyone to know what I can really do
~Elvis Presley (to producer Bob Finkel)

Elvis delivered an incredible performance throughout the television special. His vocal performances were loose and gutsy…
~John Bush (allmusic.com)

Continue reading Today: Elvis Presley released “Elvis (NBC TV Special)” in 1968, 45 years ago

Today: “The White Album” by the Beatles was released in 1968

I rank this as the third best Beatles album, and it is of course a rock masterpiece.

When I coverted to CDs this was my very first purchase, I love it!

The Beatles is the ninth official album by the Beatles, a double album. It is commonly known as the “White Album” as it has no graphics or text other than the band’s name embossed (and, on the early LP and CD releases, a serial number) on its plain white sleeve.

Yer Blues:

The album was written and recorded during a period of turmoil for the group, after visiting the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India and having a particularly productive songwriting session in early 1968. Returning to the studio, the group recorded from May to October 1968, only to have conflict and dissent drive the group members apart. Ringo Starr quit the band for a brief time, leaving Paul McCartney to play drums on two tracks. Many of the songs were “solo” recordings, or at least by less than the full group, as each individual member began to explore his own talent.

Why don’t we do it in the road:

Continue reading Today: “The White Album” by the Beatles was released in 1968

Today: Elvis Presley released “Elvis (NBC TV Special)” in 1968 – 44 years ago

I want everyone to know what I can really do
~Elvis Presley (to producer Bob Finkel)

Trouble/Guitar Man:

From Wikipedia:

Released November 22, 1968
Recorded June 1968
Genre Rock and roll
Length 44:27
Label RCA Records
Producer Bones Howe

Elvis (NBC TV Special) is the thirty-fourth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono, LPM 4088, in November 1968. Recording sessions took place in Burbank, California at Western Recorders on June 20, 21, 22 and 23, 1968, and at NBC Studios on June 27 and 29, 1968. It peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200. It was certified Gold on July 22, 1969 and Platinum on July 15, 1999 by the RIAA.

Hound Dog/All Shook Up:

From allmusic.com – John Bush:
……………   Although he exhibited more nerves than he ever had in the past — a combination of the importance this chance obviously presented plus the large gap between the psychedelic music culture of 1968 and the rather quaint rock & roll of ten years earlier — Elvis delivered an incredible performance throughout the television special. His vocal performances were loose and gutsy, and his repartee was both self-deprecating and sarcastic about his early days as well as his moribund film career (“There’s something wrong with my lip!…I got news for you baby, I did 29 pictures like that”). He was uninhibited and utterly unsafe, showing the first inkling in ten years that there was life and spirit left in music’s biggest artistic property. The resulting LP, NBC-TV Special, combined sit-down and standup segments, but probably over-compensated on the standup segments. What impresses so much about NBC-TV Special is how much it prefigures the rest of Elvis’ career. Dramatic, intense, driven, and earthy, frequently moving, but not without the occasional cloying note, Elvis during the ’70s was the apotheosis of rock music, a righteous blend of rock and soul, gospel and pop, blues and country. …
~Read more over @ allmusic.com

This album also happens to contain one of Elvis Presley’s best songs…..

If I Can Dream:

Personnel:

  • Elvis Presley – vocals, guitar
  • The Blossoms – backing vocals
  • Tommy Morgan – harmonica
  • Mike Deasy, Al Casey, Tommy Tedesco, Scotty Moore – electric guitar
  • Larry Knechtel – keyboards, bass
  • Don Randi – piano
  • Charles Berghofer – bass
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • John Cyr, Elliot Franks, Frank DeVito, D.J. Fontana, Alan Fortas, Jack Sperling staff drummer NBC Orchestra – percussion
  • Lance Legault – tambourine
  • Billy Goldenberg – orchestra conductor

Album of the day @ spotify:

Other November 22:

Continue reading Today: Elvis Presley released “Elvis (NBC TV Special)” in 1968 – 44 years ago