'Loving You' is the original soundtrack to the 1957 Technicolor musical drama directed by Hal Kanter, starring Elvis in his second leading role. Released on July 1, 1957, by RCA Victor Records as a Mono LP, his first soundtrack album, it consists of twelve tracks recorded in Hollywood, California.
In November 2025 we got a Mono re-issue on Music on Vinyl, and four months later, we have two more new versions, on two formats, on two record labels, with two new designs, but by one audio-engineer / producer.
The Danish Memphis Mansion record label released their version of the soundtrack on colored vinyl, while the audio-engineer, Anthony Stuchbury, debuted as a "Record Label Executive" with the first release on his own JAS Record label featuring the same soundtrack. Due to an unfortunate delay of the vinyl version - the label's usual record pressing plant went out of business - the two versions were released less than a week apart.
Reviewing two releases requires two sets of ears, so Kees Mouwen and Rogier van Luyken teamed up for this revamped classic.
Design
The design of the vinyl version of the soundtrack was done by Søren Karstensen, and is in line with his previous retro-style movie-poster covers for the 'Jailhouse Rock' and 'Blue Hawaii' soundtrack re-issues for the Danish label. This is shaping up to be quite a handsome series.
Inside we get a nice collage, and on the back a great promotional photograph, all fitting for a novelty release like this one. The vinyl itself comes on four (country specific) colors, so there is "something for everyone" there.
Unfortunately the vinyl is not as silent and scratch-free as the previous albums in this series that were pressed by Nordsø Records. The grooves of the gold version (created with paper foil between the transparent vinyl) seem very thin, so vulnerable for little damages, so you hear scratches on the first play.
The cover-art for the CD edition was done by David Parker, who created an updated version of the 1958 Japanese LP cover. This more active pose by Presley on the front works very well, or should we say better that the original.
The booklet offers a pretty complete overview of the album's history, including the songs, Mono and Stereo releases and various formats through the past 60-plus years. Interesting to read how long the 'Loving You' EPs remained in circulation.
The back cover incorporates two black-and-white promotional stills from the film showcasing Presley, alongside Lizbeth Scott and Wendel Corey, nicely done in a fifties album style, giving the modern Deluxe Jewel case an authentic touch.
Film and Context
This movie allowed Elvis to display his acting talents, after an uncertain celluloid debut in the previous year's 'Love Me Tender'. The plot and music were customized for Elvis, allowing him to flaunt his teen-idol looks and his musical chops for his growing legion of fans. The soundtrack reflects that in music. In fact, at least three of the performance scenes - 'Teddy Bear', 'Mean Woman Blues' and 'Got a Lot O' Livin' to Do!' - can easily hold their own apart from the film.
The 'Loving You' sessions primarily took place in January 1957 at Radio Recorders Studio 1 in Hollywood, California, spanning dates including January 12, 13, and 19, with additional overdubs conducted on February 23 and 24, 1957, at the same studio. These sessions marked Elvis Presley's first dedicated soundtrack recordings under RCA Victor, following initial film audio captures earlier in the month at the Paramount movie-lot soundstage.
Producer Steve Sholes oversaw proceedings for RCA Victor with engineer Thorne Nogar acting as the recording engineer, handling tape operations and mixing during these sessions, contributing to the crisp, clear sound that characterized the album's Rock and Roll and Country-infused tracks. His technical expertise helped capture Presley's vocal performances and the backing instrumentation effectively for the Mono release format.
As the producer of the film, Hal Wallis played a key role in influencing the soundtrack's song selection, prioritizing material that fit the movie's narrative of a rising musician while collaborating with Paramount Pictures' production team. This oversight ensured the album's tracks, including one of his personal favorites, '(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear'.
The core line-up featured Presley on rhythm guitar, alongside his original Blue Moon Boys: Scotty Moore on lead guitar, Bill Black on double bass, and D.J. Fontana on drums. Additional session musicians included Tiny Timbrell on acoustic rhythm guitar for textural support and Dudley Brooks on piano, who added the melodic fills. The backing vocals were provided by The Jordanaires with additional instrumentation by the Anita Kerr Singers and a studio orchestra arranged by Walter Scharf. This ensemble blended Presley's established Rockabilly rhythm section with polished (Hollywood) vocal harmonies, reflecting the album's hybrid sound.
During the recording session some challenges arose from the demands by Paramount Pictures to integrating the recordings with the film's storyline, as the movie company insisted on initial sessions at their soundstage, but this proved to be unsatisfactory to Presley, which led to subsequent re-recordings at Radio Recorders to achieve a clearer, more professional tone.
"We started 'Loving You' at a soundstage at Paramount Studios and it was huge," remembered guitarist Scotty Moore. "We just couldn't get a feel for it. It was just too big, so Elvis turned to the film producer Hal Wallis and told him we couldn't do it there, so we went back to Radio Recorders. From then on, just about everything we did in Hollywood was done at that studio."
Elvis was right to push for it. The split between the two recording locations also had a direct impact on how different parts of the album sound. The Radio Recorders studio offered an intimacy that suited Elvis far better than the open, impersonal feel of the Paramount soundstage and that warmth is something you can actually hear. The Radio Recorders tracks have a closeness and an immediacy that the soundstage recordings simply cannot match.
The album's sound blended influences from Nashville and Hollywood studios, integrating Country-style picking with Rock and Roll elements to create a sound that suited to Elvis' evolving image. This fusion was evident in the incorporation of percussive bass slaps, a Rockabilly staple that added rhythmic drive and energy to upbeat tracks, drawing from Southern musical traditions while adapting to the cinematic context. You can even hear some of that slipping into the Opening Titles version of 'Loving You'.
The sessions also made considered use of emerging multi-track techniques, enabling layered overdubs and selective repairs without dismantling full performances. Reverb was strategically applied, particularly to soften and enhance ballads, adding depth and emotional resonance without overwhelming the instrumentation while the Jordanaires' close harmonies smoothed the harder Rockabilly edges into something more broadly accessible.
The resulting Mono mix kept Presley's vocal consistently forward, ensuring his voice remained the undisputed center of everything around it.
The Songs
The original 1957 Mono LP release of the 'Loving You' soundtrack, issued by RCA Victor as LPM 1515 on July 1, featured 12 tracks divided between two sides, with Side A dedicated to the seven songs from the film and Side B including five non-film recordings showcasing Elvis Presley's vocal range in Rockabilly, Ballad, and Country styles.
Open to fan's reactions on the presentation of these songs on his previous 'PRESLEY' set, Stuchbury returned to his mixing desk and reworked the mixes. Part of the fanbase preferred a mix closer to the original mixes they knew from RCA / Sony with backing on one side, instruments left, percussion and drums in the middle and backing vocals on the right.
As we have become to expect from his Stereo mixes he really “opens up” the songs, letting the audio elements breathe, and by allowing that, revealing many details not audible in the original Mono Mixes. Just listen to that guitar on ‘I Got A Lot O’ Livin’ To Do’.
So basically he recreated the 'Loving You' soundtrack into an authentic RCA Stereo mix just like he did on the 'From Florida To Hawaii' CD for the 'Girls! Girls! Girls!' and 'Follow That Dream' soundtracks. On these two outings of the soundtrack we get the exact same mixes.
'Mean Woman Blues', written by Claude Demetrius, opens the record with a driving Rockabilly energy that establishes Presley's range from the outset, pairing Scotty Moore's prominent guitar work with a vocal delivery that shifts between gritty swagger and precise control and in the back Bill Black's bass driving the beat. It perfectly sets the tone for the soundtrack that follows.
'(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear', co-written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe, channels the album's Rockabilly sensibility into a fast-paced, hook-driven construction built around twangy guitar licks, handclapping rhythms, and a chorus that balances playful courtship with genuine pop instinct.
Dudley Brooks remembered the recording session. "I had a lot to do with a song called 'Teddy Bear', you know, the song was unfinished, it had no bridge, you know he had the first part: "I just want to be your loving teddy bear, put a chain around my neck and lead me anywhere, oh let me be your teddy bear". Now the next part "I don't want to be a lion, cause lions play too rough, I don't want to be your tiger, cause tigers ain't the kind who loves enough".
I had a lot to do with that part, I should have got a writer's credit on that. Elvis was gonna straighten that out with me, but he never got the chance to I don't think."
Hal Wallis said "I was fascinated by the way Elvis recorded, never bothering with arrangements, he and his boys noodled, improvised, ad-libbed, and worked out numbers for hours. Finally, he would rehearse a number straight through. Night after long night I watched and listened, fascinated. I never said a word, I just observed."
Released as a single alongside the title track, its seven-week run at the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 reflected both the strength of the songwriting and the commercial momentum Presley had built by this point in his career. This upbeat pop-song also illustrated his new polished sound. The song remained a favorite among fans 70 years later as the timeless song never lost any of its appeal. And here, it sound better than ever!
The title track 'Loving You', penned by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, draws on a slower ballad framework, with Presley's smooth, measured vocal supported by strings and piano in an arrangement that prioritizes emotional intimacy over rhythmic energy. Its AABA structure and lyrics of straightforward romantic devotion provide a tonal counterpoint to the album's more energetic material, and the performance demonstrates a restraint that would define his strongest ballad work. The song remains a favorite among fans today. On these two sets we get the standard and the Orchestral Version with the orchestral overdubs, both in immaculate Stereo, a pleasure to listen to.
'Got a Lot O' Livin' to Do!', composed by Aaron Schroeder and Ben Weisman, returns to an up-tempo Rock and Roll framework, driven by punchy brass and a Presley vocal that combines enthusiasm with control, capturing the exuberance of the film's performance sequences without sacrificing coherence. This new version of this rocker needs to be played loud, just like 'Party'.
Ben Weisman remembered the recording of his song. "In 1957, I flew to Hollywood to finally meet Elvis'. 'Our meeting was at Paramount Studios where he was recording the soundtrack for his film, Loving You'. It was late in the day, and Elvis had already recorded quite a few songs.
During a break in the session, I noticed Elvis sitting alone in the corner of this big studio with nobody around him, ad-libbing some blues on the guitar. I wandered over to the piano next to him, sat down and joined in. He didn't look up, kept on playing and even changed keys on me, but I followed along.
Then he looked up with that smile he was famous for, and asked who I was and what I was doing in the studio? I told him I was invited to the session and that I composed one of the songs he was about to record called Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do. He immediately called out to his musicians, 'Guys, get out here' and on the spot they all got together again, and I went back in the control room and they did the tune."
'Lonesome Cowboy', written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett, adopts a Country-inflected ballad approach with acoustic guitar and a wistful vocal tone that sets it apart from the soundtrack's livelier material, though we always thought it sounded a bit out of place listening to the other selections. 'Hot Dog', the second Leiber and Stoller composition clocking in at less than a minute and a half, is a brief, good-humored Rockabilly exercise built on rapid acoustic strums, handclaps, and a playful vocal delivery that functions effectively as a moment of levity within the running order. Presented here in two versions, the Master and an unnumbered Alternative Take, it is party time for the fans.
'Party' was authored by Jessie Mae Robinson, and it closes the original material with boogie-woogie piano, group shouts, and a Rock and Roll momentum that feels genuinely communal. Its infectious invitation to celebrate provides an energetic bookend to the soundtrack's original compositions and underscores the record's consistent emphasis on youthful exitement.
The non-movie songs on the B-side of the album were a mishmash of styles. 'Blueberry Hill' by Elvis' hero Fats Domino was still riding high in the charts around the time Presley recorded his version.
An old tune dating back to the 1940s, Presley echoed Domino's interpretation without quite capturing its magic. Presley's take redirected the song's nostalgic warmth into something more kinetically charged, with Scotty Moore's guitar and Bill Black's bass pushing a rockabilly momentum that positions it as a confident reinterpretation rather than a straightforward homage. It is a nice illustration of what Elvis added to a song, even when he covered an “oldie”.
Presley headed into Country territory with 'Have I Told You Lately That I Love You', a song much beloved of top acts at the western end of that genre, including Gene Autry, Tex Ritter and The Sons Of The Pioneers. Elvis' version retains its essential romantic character while gaining a subtle Rockabilly swing that never overrides the song's inherent warmth.
'I Need You So' had been an R&B hit for Ivory Jo Hunter in 1950. Elvis recorded it at Radio Recorders on February 23, 1957, slightly apart from the main sessions, and carries a settled emotional authority that reflects that separation. Echoing vocals and subtle piano accents frame a Presley performance that is unhurried and fully committed, drawing on his R&B heritage to close the album on a note of genuine soulful depth.
'True Love' reflected Elvis' interest in the American crooning tradition. The only time he would perform a song written by Cole Porter, this had recently been a hit single for Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly, released from the soundtrack of 'High Society'.
Conclusion
The 'Loving You' soundtrack in 1957 marked a pivotal moment in Elvis Presley's career, demonstrating his seamless transition from concert performer to Hollywood leading man, blending Rock and Roll energy with cinematic narratives that appealed to a broadening audience, and establishing a template for integrating hit singles into movie vehicles that would influence his filmography throughout the late 1950s and beyond.
Listening to it all these years on, there is something really special about a record this warm, this honest, and this full of life. Elvis' voice, rich and full of real feeling, reaches straight out of the speakers and grabs you on both the Rockers and the ballads. Although 'Loving You' would be few people's idea of a great Presley long-player, it was early evidence that he was far too talented a vocalist to confine his repertoire to Rock and Roll.
Back to the 2026 Vinyl and CD versions: what do we get on these two outings of this soundtrack material?
The Vinyl
The LP starts off with a minor issue: the songs have been pressed in descending order instead of ascending. This is not what the producer intended, nor what the tracklisting on the back indicates. Is that a bad thing? The answer is both “yes” and “no”. For fans simply wanting a quality Stereo version of this classic Mono soundtrack, it is a pity, as most of us have the original sequence in our head, and playing the album, we expect the songs to come by accordingly.
But, as the history of this album proves, most songs on this soundtrack stood the test of time and the LP plays like a 'Greatest hits' album, themed around the 'Loving You' soundtrack. So no, it doesn’t have to be a problem as it is still a great listen.
The new Stereo Versions and smashing retro-style design makes up for that. The addition of the Orchestral Version of the title song and Alternate Master of 'Party' further add to the Alternate listening experience of the classic soundtrack.
The CD
The CD offers the best of both worlds with the inclusion of the Mono Masters, the complete album in a new Stereo presentation, and even a nice selection of bonus tracks like the 'Road Medley'. Even better: the ‘Road Medley’ runs at the proper speed besides also sounding much better as compared to the version released on the CD included in the Follow that Dream book ‘The Best Of British - The RCA Years 1957-1959’. The version on that release was “speeding”.
The Mono Masters sound very crisp, warm and clean. Compared to the versions released on ‘The Complete Masters Boxset,’ we tend to say that they sound a notch better on this release.
The Mono II Stereo Masters on both the CD and vinyl version release are once more a testimony to the craftsmanship of Anthony Stuchbury. They sound absolutely fantastic!. As with Anthony’s previous work, the tracks often reveal more details then heard before on the regular Mono Masters. Elvis’ vocal shines on all the tracks, it’s almost as if he’s standing right there in room with you.
‘Loving You’ is of enormous beauty, bringing out the beautiful harmony’s by The Jordanaires even more. You will also hear the electric guitar licks on ‘Got A Lot O’ Livin’ To Do’ much better and ‘Lonesome Cowboy’ has never sounded better then on this new 2026 Stereo mix.
Besides the soundtrack songs, there also are some studio recordings presented in absolute amazing quality and Mono To Stereo mix. ‘Blueberry Hill’ is a great mix that brings out the rhythm played by the instruments much better. And ‘True Love’ is a really an “audio beauty”! The acoustic guitar remains more prominent the mix compared to the original Mono Master. It sounds so warm, clean and all the vocals really shine and blend beautifully together. This will be my go to version from now on.
The same goes for ‘Don’t Leave Me Now’ that brings out the Jordanaires much better as well as compared to Anthony’s earlier release of this song on his ‘The Essential ‘50’s Masters Boxset’. The new mix works so much better on this new release. Perhaps it is indeed that is comes closer to the sound we know so well from RCA, but then better! ‘Have I Told You Lately That I Love You’ also sounds as an upgrade from previous version done by Anthony.
The last studio recording is ‘I Need You So’ and it’s a great version that - to our ears - details a little more of the rhythm guitar as heard on the opening of the song.
You could state that this CD remains the closest to the original 1957 listening experience, literally with the Mono Masters, but offers an authentic 2026 Stereo experience through the newly created Stereo presentation of these classics packed behind an upgraded, great looking, cover.
Having listened to both versions, our conclusion is that a combination of both would have made the Ultimate 'Loving You' release for fans.
Let's imagine: a retro-styled gatefold sleeve, with printed inner-sleeves representing a Japanese original cover art and room for the well-written liner-notes. On the LPs, perhaps one red and one yellow colored, representing the movie's classic typography, or simply blue as a nod to the original LP, with the original Mono and new Stereo versions and perhaps a selection of bonus tracks. That would make it an essential vinyl release that could rival the best of the Follow That Dream vinyl releases!
Obviously the CD remains essential too, as we want to take this album on the road this summer and play it loud in the car. An essential advice is to play the Mono To Stereo versions on a good hi-fi set in your room or though the sound system in your car; that will give you the best experience for these new Mono II Stereo versions. Listening through small speakers on your laptop or small earphones will not give you the best listening experience for these great and masterfully created new Stereo versions.
But until we can hold that version in our hands, these two releases will do very, very nicely for now! In closing, we can only say we want more, we want more (from Mr. Stuchbury)!
The gold colored vinyl edition is available from Memphis Mansion >>> webshop. The blue colored vinyl edition is available from the Bennies Fifties >>> webshop. The smoke colored vinyl version is available from the >>> TCB-Shop.
