Carl Perkins - "Blue Suede Shoes" - December 1955

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Mojo Filter
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Re: Carl Perkins - "Blue Suede Shoes" - December 1955

Postby Mojo Filter » Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:50 pm

Mister Moon wrote:
Mojo Filter wrote:
Mister Moon wrote:
Mojo Filter wrote:
Mister Moon wrote:Yes, those Charly albums were really great, as were the 10 inch Sun series they issued in the early 80s, and the "Roots Of Rock" series from the mid-to-late 70s.

Some of those albums include songs / alternate takes that have rarely, if ever, been issued again.

Sun Records is a true nightmare for the completists !

It's been so long now, but you have triggered my memory about alternative takes not being issued elsewhere. On the "Rockabilly Blues" album there is a fantastic version of "You Can't Make Love To Somebody" by Carl that i've not heard anywhere else, as far as i know. I don't own the Bear Family Perkins box, so I don't know if it's on there (probably, I would imagine) so I wouldn't know where that version is. It's certainly not on the Sun rock box set. It's a cracking version of the song. Blew me away when i first heard it.


Oh God, MF, don't get me started on that !

"You Can't Make Love To Somebody" is particularly difficult to analyse because Carl recorded it at two different sessions, resulting in two very distinctive arrangements - one is very sparse (which I assume was recorded first), the other is fuller.

A few years ago, I did an Excel document for my own use with all the alternate takes I had by Carl at Sun, cross-referencing all the albums and CDs, and I found a total of six complete alternate takes of this song - four from the first session, two from the second. One of them, from the first session, is missing from the Bear Family outtakes set, and I think it's the one you are referring to.

Unfortunately, the "Rockabilly Blues" LP is a gap in my collection, so I can't check, but I'm almost convinced it includes the same take that was originally released in 1969 on the "Blue Suede Shoes" compilation LP (Sun 112, see link below). This version has Carl singing "when you got somebody on your mind", instead of "when you got somebody else on your mind" in the last verse.

Could you check this out for me, please ? I would be most grateful to close this enigma once and for all. Thanks in advance.

https://www.discogs.com/Carl-Perkins-Blue-Suede-Shoes/release/7253145

It's very difficult for me to check this out because i don't own any of the albums you've listed here - i used to have all of them at one point, and my memory isn't hundred percent correct. The "Blue Suede Shoes" one from 69 was in my Dad's collection but can't remember what version that was now.

I need to get the Carl Perkins Bear Family outtakes one. The only Perkins CD i have is BF's "Up Through The Years" (used to have the old Charly box)

260796409228.jpg

but being at work at the moment can't check which version is on the "Up Through The Years" CD.

But the one i'm thinking of is with the lyric "when you got somebody on your mind" and not with the word "else". And i'm pretty sure the one i'm thinking of is on the "Rockabilly Blues" album, I could be wrong, it's oh so long ago. And as you mentioned about the "fuller" and "sparse" version, i'm pretty sure it's the "fuller" version. The sparse one is a bit more countryish.

All those series of albums from Charly in the 80s like "Rabbit Action" etc are now on CDs, two albums per CD like this one;

s-l400.jpg


Sorry, I know you mentioned you didn't have the albums anymore, but as you mentioned the "Rockabilly Blues" specifically I thought you might have kept that one.

I know it is available on CD, and I have even held it in my hands, but I can't be 100% sure they have used the exact same takes they used on the original vinyl, so I will avoid it. I don't want to add more chaos to my collection.

For example, I have seen YouTube uploads where they supposedly post old Sun compilation LPs, but they are using wrong versions / takes. Obviously, the uploader doesn't have the original albums, and he is choosing the takes like he is throwing darts at a Sun discography. Really really sloppy.

I will finally have to get the album in the second hand market in order to be sure I get the real thing.

I asked a friend of mine on the phone about half hour ago, he tells me the version of "You Can't make Love To Somebody" on the Rockabilly Blues album is the version on the Blue Suede Shoes album from 1969.

So with that it's not the one I'm thinking of.
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Re: Carl Perkins - "Blue Suede Shoes" - December 1955

Postby Mister Moon » Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:16 pm

Mojo Filter wrote:I asked a friend of mine on the phone about half hour ago, he tells me the version of "You Can't make Love To Somebody" on the Rockabilly Blues album is the version on the Blue Suede Shoes album from 1969.

So with that it's not the one I'm thinking of.


That's very cool. Many thanks !!

If you are thinking of one of the "fuller" versions, then it's gotta be either the take on the "Sun Years" 3-LP set or the one on the "Rabbit Action" LP (both previously unreleased in their time). I believe they are the only ones we have with that arrangement.

To add a bit more of information, the take on the "Rockabilly Bkues" LP and the "Blue Suede Shoes" album from 1969 could also be the same one they released on the "Rocking Years" Charly LP box-set, but then again I don't have that release.


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Re: Carl Perkins - "Blue Suede Shoes" - December 1955

Postby Mojo Filter » Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:37 pm

Mister Moon wrote:
Mojo Filter wrote:I asked a friend of mine on the phone about half hour ago, he tells me the version of "You Can't make Love To Somebody" on the Rockabilly Blues album is the version on the Blue Suede Shoes album from 1969.

So with that it's not the one I'm thinking of.


That's very cool. Many thanks !!

If you are thinking of one of the "fuller" versions, then it's gotta be either the take on the "Sun Years" 3-LP set or the one on the "Rabbit Action" LP (both previously unreleased in their time). I believe they are the only ones we have with that arrangement.

To add a bit more of information, the take on the "Rockabilly Bkues" LP and the "Blue Suede Shoes" album from 1969 could also be the same one they released on the "Rocking Years" Charly LP box-set, but then again I don't have that release.

Yeah, I think your right. It's either the 3 LP set or Rabbit Action. Wish i still had them, now....

Have to find out what takes they are so i can get them.
she's well acquainted with a touch of the velvet hand, like a lizard on a window pane



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Re: Carl Perkins - "Blue Suede Shoes" - December 1955

Postby Mister Moon » Thu Dec 21, 2023 9:51 pm

Mister Moon wrote:One of the greatest rock and roll outfits ever, The Perkins Brothers Band, heading for the next show, circa 1955.

From left, Jay, Carl and Clayton. Also seen, part of W. S. Holland's drum kit - maybe he was the photographer.



Perkins Brothers Band.jpg


I've stumbled a better quality version of this wonderful photo (see page 1 here), which gives me an excuse to bring this thread back to life :


Jay Carl Clayton.jpg
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