Elvis Presley – Elvis Now (1972)
Studio Album • Released: February 20, 1972 • RCA Victor • Producer: Felton Jarvis
Elvis Now is the sixteenth studio album by American music legend Elvis Presley. Released in early 1972, the LP gathers songs recorded over several sessions from 1969 to 1971, blending rock, country, gospel, pop, and ballads into a varied musical collection that reflects Elvis’s eclectic early‑’70s style.
📀 Original Tracklist
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Help Me Make It Through the Night – 2:49
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Miracle of the Rosary – 1:52
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Hey Jude – 4:31
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Put Your Hand in the Hand – 3:17
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Until It’s Time for You to Go – 3:59
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We Can Make the Morning – 3:55
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Early Mornin’ Rain – 2:57
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Sylvia – 3:18
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Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread) – 2:41
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I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago – 3:11
Note: Later collector and reissue versions include bonus tracks from the Nashville sessions such as “I’m Leavin’,” “It’s Only Love,” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
🎤 Album Credits
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Artist: Elvis Presley
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Producer: Felton Jarvis (Chips Moman also credited for “Hey Jude”)
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Label: RCA Victor (LSP‑4671)
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Recorded: January 22, 1969 – June 8, 1971
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Studios: American Sound (Memphis, TN) & RCA Studio B (Nashville, TN)
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Genres: Rock, Country, Gospel, Pop
Musicians (Highlights):
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Elvis Presley – Lead vocals (& some rhythm guitar)
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James Burton – Lead guitar
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Chip Young – Rhythm guitar
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Norbert Putnam / Mike Leech – Bass
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Jerry Carrigan / Kenneth Buttrey – Drums
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David Briggs / Bobby Wood – Piano
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Charlie McCoy – Harmonica / Organ
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Backing vocals: The Imperials, The Nashville Edition, Millie Kirkham & others
🖼️ Cover Art & Design
The Elvis Now album cover captures a stylized portrait of Elvis Presley — photographed in his early‑’70s performance era, often in a jumpsuit against a dramatic background. While opinions vary, some fans on discussion forums call the design one of the more controversial or divisive covers in his catalog — with some loving its era‑typical aesthetic and others poking fun at it.
📈 Chart Performance & Certifications
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Billboard 200 (US): Peaked at #43 shortly after release.
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UK Albums Chart: Reached approximately #12.
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RIAA Certification: Gold — certified March 27, 1992.
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Sales: Estimated around 400,000 copies in initial years of release.
Despite the mixed era and recordings, the LP enjoyed steady fan interest and eventual Gold status — reflecting its lasting appeal among Elvis enthusiasts.
⭐ Ratings & Reception
Elvis Now is often viewed as a transitional album in Elvis’s ’70s catalog. By featuring recordings spanning multiple years and sessions, it doesn’t follow a single theme like some of his other releases (e.g., Elvis Country or Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas), but it still showcases his vocal versatility and interpretive range.
Critics and fans note that while the album may lack cohesion, it offers strong performances of ballads, covers, and soulful tracks that highlight Elvis’s breadth as a singer.
🎵 Popular Tracks & Singles
✔ Until It’s Time for You to Go – Paired with “We Can Make the Morning” as a single; reached #9 Easy Listening (US) and #5 UK Singles Chart in 1972.
✔ Help Me Make It Through the Night – Emotional Kris Kristofferson cover showcasing smooth vocals.
✔ Hey Jude – Beatles cover from 1969 Memphis sessions; captivating for fans and unusual in Elvis’s repertoire.
✔ Sylvia – Especially popular in Brazil during the ’70s and beyond.
✔ Early Mornin’ Rain – Country‑toned ballad with heartfelt delivery.
🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia
🔹 Despite the title Elvis Now, most recordings span 1969–1971 sessions, making the “Now” label more a marketing choice than a reflection of strictly new material.
🔹 “Hey Jude” was recorded at American Studio in Memphis during Elvis’s legendary 1969 sessions, the same that produced From Elvis in Memphis.
🔹 “I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago” originally appeared in fragmentary form on Elvis Country (1971) before its full version was included here.
🔹 The album mixes genres — from pop and gospel to country and rock — revealing Elvis’s versatility beyond a single category.
🤔 Did You Know?
🎸 The single “Until It’s Time for You to Go” (b/w We Can Make the Morning) became one of Elvis’s last UK Top‑10 hits as a single during his lifetime.
🎵 “Sylvia” — though not a chart single in the US — became exceptionally popular in Brazil during the ’70s, often receiving airplay and fan love.
📀 In 2010, a collector’s edition reissue expanded the original album with rarities and outtakes, offering deeper insight into the Nashville sessions behind many songs.
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