Elvis - The Toni Arden Connection

[AndrewJ]

During the Brooklyn press conference just before he departed for Germany in 1958, Elvis is asked what his favourite song is.

He replies "My favourite song, is a song called 'Padre', are you familiar with it by Toni Arden?"



'Padre' had been released that August and eventually reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is a tearjerker of a ballad. In the lyrics, the protagonist recalls how their love had bloomed but has now left them, and asking for solace from their padre.

Elvis cut this tune twelve and a half years later in Nashville and it was later released on the Fool album. What is interesting is how his phrasing mirrors that of the original; he remembers almost every nuance of Arden's vocal, although a bit of distortion does creep into the finished master. So, the song obviously meant something to Elvis; perhaps during the dark period of August/September 1958 following the sudden death of his mother the melancholy theme of the song struck a chord with him?

Here is Toni Arden's Version:



Here is Elvis' Version:




And that's not all. The following year Arden released an album entitled 'The Exciting Toni Arden' which contained her versions of 'Come Back to Sorrento' and 'I'll Hold You in My Heart'.

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As we know, 'Come Back to Sorrento' was the basis for Elvis' hit 'Surrender' recorded in October 1960. Arden's version was not new, she had performed it on the Ed Sullivan Show back in 1952 (perhaps Elvis was watching). However, the recording on the album may have had some influence on how Elvis tackled 'Surrender' two years later. Of course, this is supposition. There is no evidence of a direct link. However, on that same album Arden included a cover of Eddy Arnold's 'I'll Hold You in My Heart', another song Elvis later recorded. Again, there is no direct evidence, but could Elvis have been listening while in Germany? Was it this that cemented these tunes in his mind to be picked up later?

You can check out the full album here:



Sadly, Toni died in 2012 at the age of 88. However, she had a successful career and also played a small, but interesting, part in Elvis' career.

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Edit: I forgot to include a link to Toni Arden's version!

[Bilbobaggins]

A very nice post. Thank you very much!

[Johnny2523]

Lovely post, perhaps it was the marty robbins single released in November 1970 that reminded and inspired Elvis to pick up the song, in May 1971 a compilation "Greatest Hits vol.3 "by Marty was also released featuring padre, but also "You Gave Me A Mountain"

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

kewl post, thank you

[drjohncarpenter]

So, the song obviously meant something to Elvis; perhaps during the dark period of August/September 1958 following the sudden death of his mother the melancholy theme of the song struck a chord with him?

Absolutely.

Almost exactly two years after that press conference, in September 1960, he attended Connie Francis' Las Vegas debut engagement at the Hotel Sahara. She sang all her top songs, including her recent hit single.

That one brought Elvis to tears, and he had to leave the theater.

These songs sung by beautiful voices hit him hard.





Connie Francis "Mama" (CBS-TV's "Ed Sullivan Show" - Sunday, January 3, 1960)
A-side was released as MGM 12878 on January 31 and reached #8 in the pop charts.

Lindy Shannon

Connie Francis was a hitmaker

Shannon/Music

From 1958 until the British Invasion, Connie Francis and Brenda Lee were clearly the queens of rock 'n' roll, not just in America but worldwide.

Connie's record speaks for itself -- 56 charted singles, 35 Top 40 hits and 16 Top 10 hits.

In a recent interview, Connie reminisced about some of her early records.

"Everyone considered me a rock 'n' roll star, even though my first record, 'Who's Sorry Now' wasn't a rock and roll song. Still they pegged me a rock and roller because of 'Stupid Cupid' and 'Lipstick on Your Collar,' etc., and the adults didn't pay me no mind until I recorded 'Mama.'"

She was asked if she had any early memories of Elvis. "The first time I saw Elvis in person was shortly after his mother died. He was in the front row center at the Sahara in Las Vegas. Knowing that I was just dying to meet him after the show, I sang 'Mama' and he started to cry and left the showroom. The next day he sent me two dozen roses with a note, apologizing for leaving the show, but his mother had just died and that was the reason. He could not listen to 'Mama' that night."

La Crosse Tribune - Saturday, November 27, 1993
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/513575615/

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

it is the voices that get the song across

which is why I am dreading the EPIC remix soundtrack with overly fussy electro needless changes going over Elvis' voice rather than his voice being central to the music played around him

[drjohncarpenter]

it is the voices that get the song across

which is why I am dreading the EPIC remix soundtrack with overly fussy electro needless changes going over Elvis' voice rather than his voice being central to the music played around him

Don't believe Baz Luhrmann will be including "Padre" or even Elvis' 1962 recording of "Mama" (O'Curran, Brooks) on the soundtrack to "EPiC."

But from what I've seen and heard, Elvis' voice being central to the music played around him.

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

it is not on the soundtrack list

the clips I have heard so far are overly fussy and distracting

[drjohncarpenter]

it is not on the soundtrack list

the clips I have heard so far are overly fussy and distracting

Welcome to the 21st century.

Luhrmann's goal is to reimagine Elvis for a modern audience, without losing any of the magic. I think he's succeeding.

;)

[drjohncarpenter]

Another Toni Arden connection, one which I wonder if Elvis knew about.






Toni Arden "I Forgot To Remember To Forget" (RCA Victor 6346, November 19, 1955)
The A-side "Are You Satisfied?" made it to #78 in the pop charts.


Boy, was she a belter. And she got this one out pretty quick after Elvis signed to RCA.

Billboard Nov 26 1955_p40.jpg (37.43 KiB) Viewed 237 times

Billboard - November 26, 1955

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

it is not on the soundtrack list

the clips I have heard so far are overly fussy and distracting

Welcome to the 21st century.

Luhrmann's goal is to reimagine Elvis for a modern audience, without losing any of the magic. I think he's succeeding.

I cannot say I am impressed with much of this century

Elvis embodied the music and his voice is not in sync with the computerized music

Elvis would never had needed autotune, eh

[AndrewJ]

Another Toni Arden connection, one which I wonder if Elvis knew about.






Toni Arden "I Forgot To Remember To Forget" (RCA Victor 6346, November 19, 1955)
The A-side "Are You Satisfied?" made it to #78 in the pop charts.


Boy, was she a belter. And she got this one out pretty quick after Elvis signed to RCA.




Billboard Nov 26 1955_p40.jpg


Billboard - November 26, 1955

They were more intertwined than I thought. Interesting cover version - so she was definitely aware of Elvis then, I wonder if he was aware of her in those days given they had just become label mates?

[L Ray]

So, the song obviously meant something to Elvis; perhaps during the dark period of August/September 1958 following the sudden death of his mother the melancholy theme of the song struck a chord with him?

Absolutely.

Almost exactly two years after that press conference, in September 1960, he attended Connie Francis' Las Vegas debut engagement at the Hotel Sahara. She sang all her top songs, including her recent hit single.

That one brought Elvis to tears, and he had to leave the theater.

These songs sung by beautiful voices hit him hard.





Connie Francis "Mama" (CBS-TV's "Ed Sullivan Show" - Sunday, January 3, 1960)
A-side was released as MGM 12878 on January 31 and reached #8 in the pop charts.

Lindy Shannon

Connie Francis was a hitmaker

Shannon/Music

From 1958 until the British Invasion, Connie Francis and Brenda Lee were clearly the queens of rock 'n' roll, not just in America but worldwide.

Connie's record speaks for itself -- 56 charted singles, 35 Top 40 hits and 16 Top 10 hits.

In a recent interview, Connie reminisced about some of her early records.

"Everyone considered me a rock 'n' roll star, even though my first record, 'Who's Sorry Now' wasn't a rock and roll song. Still they pegged me a rock and roller because of 'Stupid Cupid' and 'Lipstick on Your Collar,' etc., and the adults didn't pay me no mind until I recorded 'Mama.'"

She was asked if she had any early memories of Elvis. "The first time I saw Elvis in person was shortly after his mother died. He was in the front row center at the Sahara in Las Vegas. Knowing that I was just dying to meet him after the show, I sang 'Mama' and he started to cry and left the showroom. The next day he sent me two dozen roses with a note, apologizing for leaving the show, but his mother had just died and that was the reason. He could not listen to 'Mama' that night."

La Crosse Tribune - Saturday, November 27, 1993
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/513575615/

Hey Doc you’re here. I was wondering if you had come here. Anyway good to see you

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

given elvis was in the army when his mom died. Connie's story is suspect

[AndrewJ]

given elvis was in the army when his mom died. Connie's story is suspect

That doesn't mean he wasn't still grieving 2 years later. After all, the first thing he did on returning to Memphis was visit his mum's grave

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

given elvis was in the army when his mom died. Connie's story is suspect

That doesn't mean he wasn't still grieving 2 years later. After all, the first thing he did on returning to Memphis was visit his mum's grave

Connie's quote suggests around the actual time

I do not doubt Elvis was grieving the rest of his life

he visited her grave on August 11, 1977, after all



https://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pi ... eland.html

[drjohncarpenter]

Connie's quote suggests around the actual time

I do not doubt Elvis was grieving the rest of his life

he visited her grave on August 11, 1977, after all



https://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pi ... eland.html

Holy moley, can you avoid that site? The photo there is from 1976.

The site publishes an astonishing amount of errors as fact, yet another problem with their content.

Connie's memory does not suggest August 1958. As I already noted, her debut in Las Vegas was in September 1960. And Elvis took several vacation breaks in Vegas that year.

Elvis never got over the loss of his mom. Even before she passed, certain female singers and songs ight impact him.

Welsh singer Dorothy Squires was booked for an extended run at Frank Sennes' Moulin Rouge in Los Angeles in May and June of 1957. According to her not-yet-famous husband Roger Moore, Elvis went to several performances and one request allegedly made him teary.

Dot continued to travel between Britain and America when I was out there, in between her tours and engagements. In LA, she appeared at the Moulin Rouge club in Hollywood. One of her biggest fans was a young Elvis Presley, who attended most of her performances and repeatedly asked her to sing "This Is My Mother's Day"! He came backstage and, being very nervous, introduced himself to me -- as though I didn't know who he was.

"Hello, I'm Roger," I said.

"How are you, sir?" he asked. "Lovely to meet you, sir." He insisted on calling me "sir" throughout our brief chat, and acted as though he was in awe of me. Him! In awe of me!

Elvis told Dot how much he admired her and hoped he might have just a little of the success she had achieved. If only he knew. If only I knew! I'd have signed him up, as I was, after all, an 'actor-manager'.

- My Word Is My Bond, p. 109

Mother's Day fell on May 12, 1957, and perhaps he was missing Gladys while working on MGM's "Jailhouse Rock."





Roger Moore and Dorothy Squires rehearsing in Los Angeles, circa 1957

[drjohncarpenter]

They were more intertwined than I thought. Interesting cover version - so she was definitely aware of Elvis then, I wonder if he was aware of her in those days given they had just become label mates?

I would imagine his first impressions of Arden were formed by hearing her radio hits when he was at Humes:

Too Young
Kiss of Fire
I'm Yours

Each made the top twenty.

Toni also covered "Like A Baby" in 1957, but whether Elvis knew her version is unclear. Single recordings by Vikki Nelson and the Chordettes released in the same period both contain elements you can hear in Presley's 1960 master.






Toni Arden "Like A Baby" (Decca 30291, April 13, 1957)