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Memories (Elvis Presley song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Memories'" is a 1968 song originally recorded by Elvis Presley.
It was written by Billy Strange and Mac Davis specially for Presley to perform on 'Elvis', his comeback TV special that would air on NBC on December 3, 1968. Later Mac Davis recalled to 'Billboard': "They had asked for a song about looking back over the years, and oddly enough, I had to write it in one night. I stayed up all night at Billy Strange's house in Los Angeles. He had a little office set up in his garage. I wrote it right there."
Released in the United States in 1969 as a B-side to "Charro", the title song from the movie 'Charro!', "Memories" reached number 35 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 for the week of April 12, 1969.
The song is also included on the album 'Elvis', the soundtrack album for the NBC TV special at which it was first performed. For the TV show itself the song was recorded live, but the album features a studio version recorded on June 24.
The book 'Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era' calls the song "Memories" the "hallmark of Elvis' later period".
Charts
;Elvis Presley
;The Lettermen (medley)
Re-release
On December 1, 1970 the single was re-released as part of RCA Victor's Gold Standard Series (together with 9 other Presley's singles).
Cover versions
* In late 1969, The Lettermen recorded a medley of "Memories" with "Traces" which missed the U.S. Top 40 but reached number three on the Easy Listening chart.
* Nancy Sinatra recorded a cover version in 1969, for her album 'Nancy' on Reprise Records.
* The Free Design covered the song on their 1969 album 'Heaven/Earth'.
References
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