Master & Session: Sun Recordings

The 15 Original Tapes

The Tapes Sent to Indianapolis in 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 handwritten notes 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 known tapes. At first it seemed that 10 tapes were sent to Indianapolis, but in the second edition of 'All Shook Up', Lee Cotten identifies 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 a Heartbreaker not were on any of the 15 original tapes and still RCA released them as singles in 1955. The RCA tapes of these four songs were originally mastered from 78 RPM SUN singles. This can be verified by measuring the time between the pops near the end of Milkcow Blues Boogie which is 0.78 seconds. (60/78=0.77 seconds per round for a 78 RPM).

Most of the 15 original tapes are lost today. Some were probably destroyed. Others appear to have been stolen. The Harbor Ligths tape was found in Steve Sholes' desk after his retirement. The tape containing When It Rains It Really Pours 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 Harbor Lights 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) with some of the status reports from 'The Man and His Music' added as well as estimations of recording dates. Note that Lee Cotten suggests that Tomorrow Night, I'll Never Let You Go, Satisfied and I Don't Care if te Sun Don't Shine were recorded on August 19, 1954 instead of September 10, 1954. He also supports the theory that both versions of I'm Left You'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 Boogie and identifying the source of the ''Golden Celebration' release. I would also like to thank Paul Dowling for submitting questions 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 Notes

Original 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 turned over)

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, 1955

Original 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 the 80'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 Kentucky that were released on the bootleg LP Good Rockin' Tonight(Bopcat 100 & 101) and later on the Golden Celebration box were 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 in the Legendary Performer vol. 2 booklet) and the incomplete I'll Never Let You Go can be on one of the original tapes as well. Then either the original or the later found tape may have been copies. The complete version of I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine is actually the master. This is interesting because the sound quality of the three tape tracks on the second Bopcat LP is so good that they could come from a first generation tape.