He said he did all the song demos while Elvis was doing the picture--and then Elvis recorded the songs after filming was finished. That's turned around. Elvis recorded the songs for films like Girls Girls Girls and Fun In Acapulco before filming even started. Even when it was later Elvis still had to record the songs before they could film the song scenes. Mr. Proby's scenario can't be right.
@bowzerateit Guess it must be important for you to have your comment published.
The most important is that he did demos for Elvis. Your remark on the word "while" could be exchanged to the more correct word "before".I will definitely not ask Proby to do this interview again because he did not used the right word.
I end with a part of the comment I gave JARNO88 :
Have you not anything positive to mention after taking part of my videoclip ?? - be thankful that we still got a LIVING legend
Regarding the debate as to how well (if at all) PJ knew Elvis: Someone needs to ask Dottie (Dorothy) Harmony.... She's the Elvis girlfriend who features in the early home movies, and gets a name check on a 60's PJ track. (Fans will know what I'm referring to).
No doubt he cut song demos for some of Elvis' movies, but did he know Elvis since he was 13 or 14 (he even says 12 in some interviews)? Why is he never confronted with the well-documented facts of Elvis' background? In 1951-53 Elvis was not known outside of the Memphis area nor touring anywhere. He had no reliable car and was certainly too poor to travel from Memphis to southeast Texas to date PJ's sister. Does PJ think the British public are too stupid to read a map?
JAARNO88, you're absolutely right that PJ sang in Elvis' style and not the other way around. It was part of the job! Still it's very interesting to compare the demo's -for what's preserved of it- with the Elvis version. It's a matter of taste which you prefer. Personally I prefer the felt passion of Proby far above the more level voice of Elvis. Proby himself says: "Elvis would probably say: The guy's trying to hard! And you know what? ... looking back on it all, he just may have been right..."
JAARNO88 , When a demo singer goes in to a studio to do a song for a singer then he obviously does it in the voice of the singer for which the demo is intended.When Jim Smith (P.J.) did songs for El written by Ben Weisman then he would have been a right twit if he had used a Pitney or a Cash voice.He was under orders to sing like Elvis!! When Proby was famous later in his own right he was free to use any style or voice he wanted!! Ron
I think perhaps JAARNO88 doesn't understand what it means to be hired to do demos (demonstration records) for another singer. If Proby hadn't done those demos in a Presley-like style and voice, he wouldn't have been paid. But this interview is about a time in the early sixties before Proby's own recording career actually got off the ground. I don't believe that anyone could describe Proby's recordings of Hold Me or Somewhere as even remotely Presley-like.
I can just smile when reading your strange comment.
Are you not aware of that P.J. Proby did demos FOR ELVIS - demos which Elvis listened to and recorded it.
P.J. sang the demos the way he know Elvis wanted to have it - as much like Elvis as possible.
Because of that Elvis did not copied P.J. version of "Slowly But Surely" and "Fun In Acapulco" - even Ben Weisman who wrote them thought that P.J.´s demos were much better than Elvis later recording of the same songs......
quote "i would go in and do all the music "AS ELVIS WOULD DO IT" in other words copy elvis ' style ....not the other way around, as claimed by proby fans trying to steal elvis' glory!
He said he did all the song demos while Elvis was doing the picture--and then Elvis recorded the songs after filming was finished. That's turned around. Elvis recorded the songs for films like Girls Girls Girls and Fun In Acapulco before filming even started. Even when it was later Elvis still had to record the songs before they could film the song scenes. Mr. Proby's scenario can't be right.
bowzerateit 4 months ago
@bowzerateit Guess it must be important for you to have your comment published.
The most important is that he did demos for Elvis. Your remark on the word "while" could be exchanged to the more correct word "before".I will definitely not ask Proby to do this interview again because he did not used the right word.
I end with a part of the comment I gave JARNO88 :
Have you not anything positive to mention after taking part of my videoclip ?? - be thankful that we still got a LIVING legend
BearGrove 1 month ago
Regarding the debate as to how well (if at all) PJ knew Elvis: Someone needs to ask Dottie (Dorothy) Harmony.... She's the Elvis girlfriend who features in the early home movies, and gets a name check on a 60's PJ track. (Fans will know what I'm referring to).
iangordoncraig 2 years ago
No doubt he cut song demos for some of Elvis' movies, but did he know Elvis since he was 13 or 14 (he even says 12 in some interviews)? Why is he never confronted with the well-documented facts of Elvis' background? In 1951-53 Elvis was not known outside of the Memphis area nor touring anywhere. He had no reliable car and was certainly too poor to travel from Memphis to southeast Texas to date PJ's sister. Does PJ think the British public are too stupid to read a map?
kendall156 2 years ago
Comment removed
elvisjimpa100 2 years ago
so damn true mate
huuuunny 2 years ago
JAARNO88, you're absolutely right that PJ sang in Elvis' style and not the other way around. It was part of the job! Still it's very interesting to compare the demo's -for what's preserved of it- with the Elvis version. It's a matter of taste which you prefer. Personally I prefer the felt passion of Proby far above the more level voice of Elvis. Proby himself says: "Elvis would probably say: The guy's trying to hard! And you know what? ... looking back on it all, he just may have been right..."
manjadolan 3 years ago
JAARNO88 , When a demo singer goes in to a studio to do a song for a singer then he obviously does it in the voice of the singer for which the demo is intended.When Jim Smith (P.J.) did songs for El written by Ben Weisman then he would have been a right twit if he had used a Pitney or a Cash voice.He was under orders to sing like Elvis!! When Proby was famous later in his own right he was free to use any style or voice he wanted!! Ron
rontenn 3 years ago
how can you possibly say pj better than elvis when he's taking off elvis?
huuuunny 2 years ago
I think perhaps JAARNO88 doesn't understand what it means to be hired to do demos (demonstration records) for another singer. If Proby hadn't done those demos in a Presley-like style and voice, he wouldn't have been paid. But this interview is about a time in the early sixties before Proby's own recording career actually got off the ground. I don't believe that anyone could describe Proby's recordings of Hold Me or Somewhere as even remotely Presley-like.
merrysnotproud 3 years ago
I can just smile when reading your strange comment.
Are you not aware of that P.J. Proby did demos FOR ELVIS - demos which Elvis listened to and recorded it.
P.J. sang the demos the way he know Elvis wanted to have it - as much like Elvis as possible.
Because of that Elvis did not copied P.J. version of "Slowly But Surely" and "Fun In Acapulco" - even Ben Weisman who wrote them thought that P.J.´s demos were much better than Elvis later recording of the same songs......
BearGrove 3 years ago
quote "i would go in and do all the music "AS ELVIS WOULD DO IT" in other words copy elvis ' style ....not the other way around, as claimed by proby fans trying to steal elvis' glory!
JAARNO88 3 years ago
Have you not anything positive to mention after taking part of my videoclip ?? - be thankful that we still got a LIVING legend
- Still Going Strong.
You mentioned"copying Elvis style :
Have you ever thought about that P.J. can
sound like Elivs - but Elvis could never sound like P.J.(even if he did his very best)
"Somewhere", "Maria" are very good examples of that.
I am sure Elvis would be impressed of P.J.´s version of (your) "American Trilogy".
BearGrove 3 years ago
I think that Mr.James Marcus Smith is kinda cool really.
mark919 3 years ago 2
Is this smile saying more than we know ? Was Vernon always looking out for PJ?
haldenver 3 years ago 5