Maps of Music

That's the Way It Is (1970)

Where the lyrics of That's the Way It Is take you, and where it was really made.

Despite sharing its title with a 1970 documentary, this album is not generally considered that film's soundtrack.

Key places

Studio tracks at RCA Studio B (1970)

Recording site RCA Studio B — Eight studio tracks for the album were recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville during marathon sessions in June 1970. The same sessions also produced several singles and the Elvis Country album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Live tracks at The International Hotel (1970)

Live show International Hotel (Las Vegas) — Four live tracks on the album come from Presley's August 1970 engagement at The International Hotel in Las Vegas. The hotel now operates under the name Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Twelfth studio album by Elvis Presley
• Released in November 1970 on RCA Records (LSP 4445)
• Eight studio tracks recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville
• Four live in-concert tracks recorded at The International Hotel in Las Vegas
• Accompanied the theatrical release of the documentary Elvis: That's the Way It Is
• Not generally considered a soundtrack album

Background

• Studio tracks come from the marathon sessions of June 1970
• The same sessions also produced several singles and the Elvis Country album
• Live tracks come from Presley's August 1970 engagement at The International Hotel
• “You Don't Have to Say You Love Me” was released as the advance single on October 6, 1970; its b-side “Patch It Up” appears in a live version here
• “The Next Step Is Love” had been released as a B-side in July 1970; its A-side “I've Lost You” also appears in a live version

Recording

• Studio side recorded at RCA Studio B, Nashville, in June 1970
• Live side recorded at The International Hotel, Las Vegas, in August 1970

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi; family moved to Memphis, Tennessee when he was 13.
• Began his career in 1954 at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring African-American music to a wider audience.
• Recorded "That's All Right" with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black in July 1954.
• A pioneer of rockabilly, a fusion of country music and rhythm and blues.

Members

• Classic quartet: Presley (vocals, guitar), Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (bass), and D. J. Fontana (drums), who joined in 1955.

Career

• RCA Victor acquired his contract in 1955 for $40,000; "Heartbreak Hotel" hit number one in the US in 1956.
• Became a leading figure of rock and roll, though his style was considered a threat to white American youth by some.
• Made his film debut in Love Me Tender (1956) and devoted much of the 1960s to Hollywood films.
• Returned to the stage with the 1968 NBC special Elvis, followed by a Las Vegas residency and tours.
• Gave the first solo-artist concert broadcast worldwide, Aloha from Hawaii, in 1973.
• Died August 16, 1977 at Graceland, aged 42.
• Estimated to have sold 500 million records worldwide; won three Grammy Awards.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Robert Christgau gave the album a C+ rating
• Christgau wrote that the album leans toward uptempo countryish ballads rather than the usual pop-rock eclecticism
• Music historian John Robertson wrote that the album stepped away from the American-roots inspiration of the Memphis sessions toward a more middle-of-the-road sound
• Robertson called the result very classy, very clean white pop, perfect for the Las Vegas crowd, and a definite retrograde step for Elvis

Reappraisal

• Stephen Thomas Erlewine notes that the original LP is not precisely a soundtrack to the 1970 documentary
• Erlewine says only a third of the album captures Presley live on stage in Vegas
• Erlewine describes the original LP as basically a good studio album that essayed Elvis' new persona for the coming decade
• Erlewine argues the live recordings show Presley still performing with passion after his long hiatus from performing
• Erlewine says the record is more valuable now than it was at the time, especially in its 2014 expansion

Records

• Peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200
• Peaked at number eight on the country chart
• Certified Gold by the RIAA on June 28, 1973
• Up-graded to Platinum for sales of one million copies on March 8, 2018

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The advance single “You Don't Have to Say You Love Me” was released on October 6, 1970
• The concert version of “I Just Can't Help Believin'” was released as a single in the United Kingdom in November 1971
• That UK single reached number six on the UK Singles Chart
• The Follow That Dream label released The Wonder of You in 2009, containing the full concert from August 13, 1970
• A rehearsal version of “How the Web Was Woven” was featured in the 1970 documentary Elvis: That's the Way It Is
• Follow That Dream released a two-disc LP special edition on July 6, 2012, with 21 tracks featuring different takes

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact