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.

Alost 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