The 15 Original Tapes

The Tapes Sent to Indianapolisin 1957

SUNRISE

Eagle's Hall, Houston Texas,March 19, 1955

In November 1955, 15 tapes of Sun recordings were turned over to RCA. Producer Steve Sholes made some handwrittennotes on them, probably in January 1956. These were analyzed by Lee Cotten in the book 'All Shook Up, Elvis Day-By-Day' (Popular Culture, Ink., 1985). In the second edition (1998), further research gives us more accurate interpretations.Ernst Jorgensen's latest book, 'A Life in Music' gives us a some new revelations as well.

Eight tapes with Sun recordings were shipped from New York to the vault in Indianapolis to be destroyed in 1957.These were described in the magazine 'Elvis-The Man and His Music' No. 23 as well as a status report on the 15 knowntapes. At first it seemed that 10 tapes were sent to Indianapolis, but in the second edition of 'All Shook Up', Lee Cottenidentifies three of them as being one, but listed on three rows.

It's interesting that Blue Moon of Kentucky, I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine, Milkcow Blues Boogie and You're aHeartbreaker not were on any of the 15 original tapes and still RCA released them as singles in 1955. The RCA tapes ofthese four songs were originally mastered from 78 RPM SUN singles. This can be verified by measuring the timebetween the pops near the end of Milkcow Blues Boogie which is 0.78 seconds. (60/78=0.77 seconds per round for a 78RPM).

Most of the 15 original tapes are lost today. Some were probably destroyed. Others appear to have been stolen. TheHarbor Ligths tape was found in Steve Sholes' desk after his retirement. The tape containing When It Rains It ReallyPours was lost for years until found inside another tape box in 1982 by coincidence. The sound quality is a little better on'A Legendary Performer vol.4' than on all subsequent LP and CD releases. It is lost again today along with the HarborLights tape used for 'A Legendary Performer vol. 2'. This song too sounds slightly better on the original release.

This is a list of the 15 tapes presented in the order Lee Cotten believes they were recorded (with one exception) withsome of the status reports from 'The Man and His Music' added as well as estimations of recording dates. Note that LeeCotten suggests that Tomorrow Night, I'll Never Let You Go, Satisfied and I Don't Care if te Sun Don't Shine wererecorded on August 19, 1954 instead of September 10, 1954. He also supports the theory that both versions of I'm LeftYou're Right, She's Gone were recorded on November 1954.

Thanks to John R. Onda for bringing up the subject of measuring the time between the clicks on Milkcow Blues Boogieand identifying the source of the ''Golden Celebration' release. I would also like to thank Paul Dowling for submittingquestions to Ernst Jorgensen and thanks to Johnny Savage for transcribing the Harbor Ligths notes.

The 15 Original Tapes

Box #15 Lost. Found in the late 60's or early 70's. Lost in the 80's. July 5 or 6, 1954

Harbor Lights 6 takes including the master Tape legend NotesOriginal notes: Harbor Lights N.G. _

Box #13 Lost. RCA copy of the tape in the RCA vaults. July 5, 1954

I Love You Because Takes 1-5 _That's All Right Takes 1-3 __ Songs in wrong order on original notes_Original notes: F2WB-8040 __ G2WB- I Love You Because _

Box #2 Lost (sent to Indianapolis in 1957). July 5, 1954

That's All Right Probably outtakes and master _Unknown selection Perhaps other artist _Unknown selection Perhaps other artist _Original notes: F2WW-8040 and2other selections? _

Box #14 Lost (sent to Indianapolis in 1957). July 6, 1954

Blue Moon of Kentucky 4 takes, perhaps including the released one. (Master never turnedover)

Notes

Original notes: F2WB-8041 only Not so hot _

Box #8 In the RCA vaults. August 19, 1954

Blue Moon Takes 1-4 , including master _Original notes: F2WB-8117 only Tape legend

Box #7 Lost (but not sent to Indianapolis). September 10, 1954

Tomorrow Night Probably 7 takes, including the master _I'll Never Let You Go At least one unreleased outtake _Original notes: F2WB-8115 __ __________ only __ F2WB-8116 _

Box #12 Lost (sent to Indianapolis in 1957). RCA copy lost in 1982? September 10, 1954

I'll Never Let You Go 2 takes, perhaps including released outtake _Satisfied 1 unreleased take (running time: 1:15) _I'll Never Let You Go 4 takes, probably including the master _Original notes: F2WB-8116 & Satisfied NG _

Box #10 Lost (but not sent to Indianapolis). September 10-11, 1954

Just Because Probably unreleased outtakes of original, fast version _Original notes: F2WB-8118 only 8043 _

Box #9 Lost (sent to Indianapolis in 1957). September 10-11, 1954

Just Because Probably unreleased outtakes of original, fast version _I'll Never Let You Go _ _Good Rockin' Tonight 1 take (probably unreleased outtake) _Original notes: F2WB-8118 __ F2WB-8116 & F2WB _Box #10 F2WB-8118 only __8043 _

Box #3 Lost (sent to Indianapolis in 1957). September 10-11, 1954

Good Rockin' Tonight 1 take (probably the master) _Just Because Could be unreleased outtakes (slow vesrion) _Original notes: F2WB-8043 and Just Because _

Box #6 In the RCA vaults. November 15 or December 20, 1954

I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone The 7 released takes of the slow version or March 5, 1955Original notes: F2WW-8047 only _

Box #4 Lost (sent to Indianapolis in 1957). February 1, 1955

Baby Let's Play House 2 takes, including the master_ _I Got a Woman 2 unreleased takes _Trying to Get to You 1 unreleased take _Original notes: _________ ____I Got A Woman __ F2WW-8046 and Baby Tryin to Get to You _

Box #5 Not in vaults. March 5, 1955

I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone 6 takes, probably original, fast version, including master _Original notes: F2WW-8047 only _

Box #1 Lost (sent to Indianapolis in 1957). July 11, 1955

I Forgot to Remember to Forget Probably includes master _Mystery Train Probably includes master _Trying to Get to You Probably includes master _Original notes: F2WW-8000,8001,8039 only _

Box #11 Lost. Found in 1982(inside another tape box). Lost in the80's.

November, 1955

When It Rains It Really Pours 10 takes (according to Jorgensen) _Original notes: When It Rains It Really Pours NG _

The outtakes of I'll Never Let You Go, I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine, My Baby's Gone and Blue Moon of Kentuckythat were released on the bootleg LP Good Rockin' Tonight(Bopcat 100 & 101) and later on the Golden Celebration box

that were released on the bootleg LP Good Rockin' Tonight(Bopcat 100 & 101) and later on the Golden Celebration boxwere not mastered from any of the initially turned over tapes. This release of My Baby's Gone comes from an acetate,meaning no conflict with the tapes. However, Blue Moon of Kentucky may have been take 4 on Box #14 (see page 4 inthe Legendary Performer vol. 2 booklet) and the incomplete I'll Never Let You Go can be on one of the original tapes aswell. Then either the original or the later found tape may have been copies. The complete version of I Don't Care if theSun Don't Shine is actually the master. This is interesting because the sound quality of the three tape tracks on the secondBopcat LP is so good that they could come from a first generation tape.

The original, undubbed master of Tomorrow Night is an RCA copy from 1956. This is probably the case for most of theRCA masters.

The Tapes Sent to Indianapolis in 19571 _ _That's All Right _ Box #2Document text: F2-PB-8040 - WP _

2 _ _Blue Moon of Kentucky _ Box #14Document text: F2-PB-8041 - HLD _

3 _ _I Forgot to Remember to Forget Two documents found Box #1Mystery Train _ _Trying to Get to You _ _Document text: F2-PB-8000 - WP __ F2-PB-8001 - WP __ F2-PB-8039 - WP __ _ _Document #2: F2-WB-8000 1 mast __ ________00 1 mast _

4 _ _Good Rockin' Tonight _ Box #3Document text: F2-PB-8043 - WP - WP _

5 _ _Just Because _ Box #9Document text: F2-PB-8118 - WP - WP _

6 _ _Baby, Let's Play House _ Box #4Document text: F2-PB-8046 - WP _

7 _ _I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone _ Box #5Document text: F2-PB-8047 - WP _

8 _ _I'll Never Let You Go _ Box#12Document text: F2-PB-8116 - HLD - WP _

The Rumoured Recordings

Please visit Shane Paterson's ONE TOO MANY RUMORS for an excellent survey on the subject.

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