Mama Liked the Roses

1970 single by Elvis Presley

"Mama Liked the Roses"

Single by Elvis Presley

A-side

"The Wonder of You"

Released

April 20, 1970

Recorded

January 15-16 and 21-22, 1969;^[1]^[2] March 18-19, 1969;^[3]^[4] March 31, 1970^[5]

Studio

American Sound Studios, Memphis, Tennessee^[6]

Genre

Gospel

Length

2:36

Label

RCA

Songwriter(s)

John L. Christopher

Producer(s)

Chips Moman, Felton Jarvis

Elvis Presley singles chronology

"Kentucky Rain"
(1970)

"Mama Liked the Roses" / "The Wonder of You"
(1970)

"I've Lost You" / "The Next Step Is Love"
(1970)

"Mama Liked the Roses" is a song by Elvis Presley released in 1970. The song was released as the B-side to "The Wonder of You" 45 single on April 20, 1970, and on the 1970 RCA Camden reissue of Elvis' Christmas Album.

Background

The song's basic track (guitar, two basses, piano, organ, and drums from The Memphis Boys, the house band for American Sound Studio) was recorded on January 15-16, 1969, without Elvis Presley present.^[1] Elvis overdubbed his lead vocals and a harmony vocal part that was unused in the final master recording, on January 21-22, 1969.^[2] Initial backing vocals were also recorded on January 21-22, 1969.^[2] Strings and brass were overdubbed on March 18 and 19, 1969,^[3]^[4] before a final backing vocal overdub was added on March 31, 1970.^[5]

The song peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in a pairing with "The Wonder of You".^[7] The song was composed by Johnny Christopher, who also co-wrote "If You Talk in Your Sleep" and "Always on My Mind", both recorded by Elvis Presley.^[8]

Personnel

Credits from Keith Flynn and Ernst Jorgensen's examination of session tapes and RCA and AFM paperwork.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Elvis Presley - lead vocals; harmony vocals (unused in final mix)^[2]
Reggie Young - guitar
Tommy Cogbill - bass
Mike Leech - bass; horn and string arrangements; overdubbed viola; session "leader" for string overdub session
Bobby Wood - piano
Bobby Emmons - organ
Gene Chrisman - drums

Overdubbed

Mary "Jeanie" Greene, Mary Holladay, Ginger Holladay, Donna Thatcher, Sandra Posey Robinson - backing vocals
Dolores Edgin, June "Ricki" Page, Hurschel Wiginton, Joseph Babcock - backing vocals (uncertain)
Glen Spreen - saxophone; horn and string arrangements
Wayne Jackson, R.F. Taylor - trumpets
Jackie Thomas, Jack Hale - trombones
Joe D'Gerolamo, Tony Cason - French horns
Noel Gilbert - violin; session contractor for string overdub session
Gloria Hendricks, Albert Edelman, Robert Snyder, Anna Oldham, Hal Saunders, Edward Freudberg - violins
Mary Snyder, John Wehlan, Nono Ravarono, Vernon Taylor - violas
Anne Kendall, Peter Spurbeck - cellos

Production staff

Chips Moman - producer
Felton Jarvis - producer
Al Pachucki - engineer
Roy Shockley - technician

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Flynn, Keith. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 15-16, 1969". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Flynn, Keith. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: January 21-22, 1969". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Flynn, Keith. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: March 18, 1969". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Flynn, Keith. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: March 19, 1969". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Flynn, Keith. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: March 31, 1970". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
^ "Elvis Presley - Lyrics". lyrics.elvispresley.com.
^ "The Hot 100". Billboard. 2 January 2013.
^ "Mama Liked the Roses 45". 45cat.com.