Sebastian E wrote:The fact that the song title appeared on a list in 1965 does not prove that RCA had a recording of this song. A possible alternate explanation could be that someone at RCA simply assumed that they had a recording because the song was listed in the booklet "The Album Of Jukebox Favorites No 1". Today we know that these kinds of booklets were simply filled up with non Elvis songs. Maybe they didn't know that in 1965.
That's it. That booklet is where it all started. I don't believe the rumours actually started when the booklet was released which was in late 1955, but rather during the heyday of bootlegging. In the 70s, especially after Elvis died, and unreleased stuff was popping up more frequently, i honestly believe that when bootleggers and collectors saw this original song folio book they thought Elvis must have recorded these, why would they put these other songs in amongst some of the songs that Elvis did record, and that's where i believe it all started.
In reality, and according to Ger Rijffs research, the songs where just under the Hill and Range publishing and to pad the book out more. If you study the book not all of Elvis' sun sides are included, the ones that are not included are because Hill and Range couldn't get the publishing, i would assume. The non Elvis songs were just there to pad out the booklet and promote the songs.
If "Tennessee Saturday Night" was recorded by Elvis at Sun or any other time in his career RCA would have no problems or hesitation in releasing it considering it was under the Hill and Range publishing umbrella.
When they put together out of desperation a non Elvis soundtrack album, namely "Elvis For Everyone" in 1965, they put at least two songs on that album that weren't under the Hill and Range publishing - "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "When It Rains it Really Pours" --> a song that was recorded in 1957 but held back because Sam Phillips wouldn't have them any of the publishing. So wouldn't RCA have preferred to have a song released that they owned rather than two that they didn't?
Considering all this i doubt RCA had "Tennessee Saturday Night" by Elvis.