“There I was at Shangri-La Records in Memphis, digging through the 45s in the back.”
“I found this one Elvis song. “They Remind Me Too Much of You.” It was just sitting there. Didn’t know about anything about it. Still don’t, really. “Elvis Presley and The Mello Men”—not The Jordanaires—like all the others.
I put it on and what I heard was more dust that I was hoping for, but then out of the crackling snow comes that unmistakable voice, then the piano line, then those other voices, and then, only when I listen a second time, the light strum of a guitar. It’s a miracle you can hear any notes at all above the hiss.
It’s like a tree line where nothing past it can come up.
Anyhow, the last baritone note, when it drops the octave, is one of my favourite moments in recorded music. It almost reminds too much of my favourite Ray Charles record, “I Keep It Hid.” He does the same thing at the end of that one, too.
The melody was too beautiful to lose so I bought the record. I think I listened to it everyday, twice a day, for about 2 weeks. And I’m gonna put it on again right now.”
—Leif Vollebekk
Leif Vollebekk’s North Americana hits store shelves on January 28 via Missing Piece.
