(Small) imperfections on studio masters

[Bilbobaggins]

Listening to all these great studio masters by our man... I, and I guess most of us, have noticed quite a few imperfections (or bloopers) on studio master takes. No big problem, not even important, but just for fun. Here are a few...

The backup singers can be heard talking during the last verse of Mary In The Morning.

These is a 'mechanical sound' right after Lonesome Cowboy has ended. I thought it might be something that happended during a digital transfer, but it is audible on a 1957 pressing too.

At the end of Are You Lonesome Tonight you hear the sound of a plectrum falling into the body of a guitar. I remember to have read somewhere that it was Hank Garland's.

A couple of times, during Teddy Bear, it sounds like Elvis sings "let me vvvvbe... your teddy bear". Once I noticed it... I never managed to 'unhear' it. I suppose he did this to avoid so-called mikepops while singing the 'b' in the microphone. I don't know if some of you can hear it... but I do...

I know these are more of these little mistakes, but these are the ones that come to mind first.

Feel free to add. Again: Just for fun!

[AndrewJ]

Towards the end of Bossa Nova Baby there is a bit of a bum note on the rhythm guitar. Just one note - but I can't un hear it now

[JohanD]

The ever anoying distortion on the master of "Steppin' out of line", how could they not heard that at the time!

[Bilbobaggins]

The ever anoying distortion on the master of "Steppin' out of line", how could they not heard that at the time!

Indeed. While the so far mentioned imperfections are minor, or even funny... this one really ruins the song.

[Bilbobaggins]

Towards the end of Bossa Nova Baby there is a bit of a bum note on the rhythm guitar. Just one note - but I can't un hear it now

Never noticed it... until now. Never to unhear it again:-)

[rockinrebel]

The laughter at the end of If You Talk In Your Sleep, which funnily enough doesn't feature on every version of the master.

The false starts at the beginning of I'll Hold You In My Heart. It's hard to imagine what the song would sound like with a clean intro after all these years...

[KingElvis]

The backup singers can be heard talking during the last verse of Mary In The Morning.

Great topic.
Regarding “Mary”… this was very annoying when I heard it for the first time, and it was a huge issue back then.
Even Ernst Jorgensen commented on it in TMAHM magazine.
The worst example is on the ’70s box set from 1995, but over the years Sony has managed to fix this pretty well.
As for imperfect masters, there are many, mainly due to Elvis’ voice cracks/breaks during the songs. Some are worse than others, and for some reason this happens quite often during the 1970 studio sessions.
The worst of the worst example is not on a master, but on “Tomorrow Never Comes” – take 2.

[Bilbobaggins]

The laughter at the end of If You Talk In Your Sleep, which funnily enough doesn't feature on every version of the master.

The false starts at the beginning of I'll Hold You In My Heart. It's hard to imagine what the song would sound like with a clean intro after all these years...

The laughter you mention reminds me of another one... the laughter at the end of Baby Let's Play House. I like it! Supposedly Elvis laughs because of some girls going crazy outside the studio... but if that's true?

[rockinrebel]

Another one I remembered - there's an audible count in before the vocal track starts on Inherit The Wind.

[Bilbobaggins]

Another one I remembered - there's an audible count in before the vocal track starts on Inherit The Wind.

You are right. And on the same track he sings (in the 2nd chorus):
'Cause the north wind blows through my veins
Like my dad there's a dream in my vein (instead of brain).

[Bilbobaggins]

Then... on the album His Hand In Mine there are two of them:

In My Father's House: a short sound during the intro. Maybe a chair?

If We Never Meet Again: during the intro you can hear the last "s" of someone speaking. I guess it's one of the Jordanaires.

[Escapeguy]

Ever since I first heard it on the Elvis album Elvis (Fool) there is a weird kinda grinding noise as the song starts. I've never known what it is but even all these years later on whatever iteration of that songs master release I still hear it.

[JohanD]

There's also another mistake on 'Do the clam' where on the stereo version during the instrumental break suddenly a channel disapears and comes back when Elvis is singing again.
Can unhear it, it anoys me a lot... that's why i'm after the mono version of that album

[ClausH]

There's also another mistake on 'Do the clam' where on the stereo version during the instrumental break suddenly a channel disapears and comes back when Elvis is singing again.
Can unhear it, it anoys me a lot... that's why i'm after the mono version of that album

That part is centered on the Double features cd.

[JohanD]

There's also another mistake on 'Do the clam' where on the stereo version during the instrumental break suddenly a channel disapears and comes back when Elvis is singing again.
Can unhear it, it anoys me a lot... that's why i'm after the mono version of that album

That part is centered on the Double features cd.

Forgot about that one, must listen too it again, thanks!

[londonflash]

In the studio master of Funny How Time Slips Away, you can hear what sounds like metal on metal - possibly one of EP's rings making contact with the microphone handle?

[JimmyCool]

There's also another mistake on 'Do the clam' where on the stereo version during the instrumental break suddenly a channel disapears and comes back when Elvis is singing again.
Can unhear it, it anoys me a lot... that's why i'm after the mono version of that album

That part is centered on the Double features cd.

Nope, it's still there.

[JimmyCool]

There's also another mistake on 'Do the clam' where on the stereo version during the instrumental break suddenly a channel disapears and comes back when Elvis is singing again.
Can unhear it, it anoys me a lot... that's why i'm after the mono version of that album

Fixed:
Do The Clam (Repaired Master)

[Today]

It is great to hear these kinds of mix repairs as we see on JimmyCool's version of Do The Clam

Now what I would love to hear is a repaired version (minus those mentioned background noises) of Mary In The Morning with the same mix of the 70s box. If anyone has attempted this, please post here

[JohanD]

There's also another mistake on 'Do the clam' where on the stereo version during the instrumental break suddenly a channel disapears and comes back when Elvis is singing again.
Can unhear it, it anoys me a lot... that's why i'm after the mono version of that album

Fixed:
Do The Clam (Repaired Master)

Wow, that's fantastic done Jimmy, thanks a lot!