Suspicious Minds
"Suspicious Minds" | |
---|---|
Single by Mark James | |
B-side | "A Taste of Heaven" |
Released | 1968 |
Recorded | 1968 |
Genre | Rock |
Length | 2:47 |
Label | Scepter |
Songwriter(s) | Mark James |
Producer(s) | Chips Moman |
"Suspicious Minds" is a 1968 song written and first recorded by the American songwriter
The song
The song is about a mistrusting and dysfunctional relationship, and the need of the characters to overcome their issues in order to maintain it.
James said that late one night, he was fooling around on his Fender guitar and using his Hammond organ pedals for a bass line and came up with what he thought was a catchy melody. At the time, he was married to his first wife but still had feelings for his childhood sweetheart, who was married back in Houston. James's wife had suspicions about his feelings. He felt it was a confusing time for him and that all three were "caught in this trap that they could not walk out of." At the recording session, James sang the lead vocals and the studio band backed him; Moman produced. The horns, strings, and vocals of the Holladay Sisters were later overdubbed. After the tape was mixed, James and Moman flew to New York, where James's manager had contacts with Scepter Records. The label loved the song and put it out, but Scepter did not have the money to promote new artists and the song did not make the charts.
Later that year, Don Crews, Moman's partner, told James that Presley had booked their studio to record what would become the From Elvis in Memphis album. Crews kept asking James if he had any songs that would be right for Presley. James felt Presley needed a mature rock 'n' roll song to bring him back, as Tom Jones was a popular artist at the time. Crews and James thought of "Suspicious Minds" and James began urging others to get Presley to hear it.[4] Though James's recording had not been commercially successful, upon reviewing the song, Presley decided he could turn it into a hit.[5][6]
Elvis Presley recording
"Suspicious Minds" | ||||
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RCA Victor | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Mark James | |||
Producer(s) | Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis | |||
Elvis Presley singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Suspicious Minds" (audio) on YouTube |
Background
Presley had not recorded in Memphis since 1955.
American Sound Studio session
"Suspicious Minds" was a product of a session that took place between 4 and 7 a.m. on Thursday, January 23, 1969.[11] James was in Memphis, but he was not at the recording session. A few days earlier, he had walked into the recording studio during a session and sensed that Presley was uncomfortable with his presence. James did not want to jinx the song, so he stayed away. When he heard the track the day after it was recorded, he initially thought it sounded too slow. When he later heard the embellished version, he said he was blown away. In later years, whenever Presley saw James, he would cross the room to say hello.[4]
Production of the song was nearly scuttled over a copyright dispute. Presley's business people said they wanted half of Moman's publishing rights. Moman accused them of stealing and threatened to halt the recording session. Harry Jenkins of RCA agreed with Moman because he sensed that "the song would be a big hit and there would be plenty to go around".[4] The songs "I'll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms)", "Without Love (There Is Nothing)", and "I'll Be There" were recorded in the same session. On August 7, "Suspicious Minds" was again overdubbed to
RCA staff producer
Future Grateful Dead vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux sang backing vocals on the track.[14]
"Suspicious Minds" was one of the singles that revived Presley's chart success in the U.S., following his
The song was later included on the legacy edition of
Personnel
Sourced from Keith Flynn.[16][17][18][19]
- Elvis Presley – lead and harmony vocals, guitar
- Reggie Young – guitar
- Mike Leech– bass
- Bobby Wood– piano
- Bobby Emmons – Hammond organ
- Gene Chrisman– drums
- Art Vasquez, Norman Prentice, Bobby Shew – trumpets
- Archie LeCoque, Johnny Boice – trombones
- Kenneth Adkins – bass trombone
- Glen Spreen – string and horn arrangements
- Donna Thatcher, Mary "Jeannie" Greene, Ginger Holladay, Mary Holladay – backing vocals
Release and performances
Presley first performed the song at the
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[40] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI)[41] | Gold | 25,000* |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[42] | Gold | 30,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[44] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Fine Young Cannibals version
"Suspicious Minds" | ||||
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London, I.R.S. | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Mark James | |||
Producer(s) | Robin Millar | |||
Fine Young Cannibals singles chronology | ||||
|
In 1986, the band
The Fine Young Cannibals' music video for the song was filmed in black and white and, for most of it, remains that way. However, the video is noted for its innovative use of colorization, following the bridge section of the song. The video pays homage to Elvis, both in its use of the monochrome filming (common during Elvis' early career) and the shiny spangled suits that the band wear in the second half of the video.
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1986) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[46] | 6 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[47] | 22 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[48] | 21 |
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[49] | 25 |
Ireland (IRMA)[50] | 9 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[51] | 31 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[52] | 21 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[53] | 14 |
8 | |
US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[55] | 49 |
US Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)[56] | 23 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[57] | 37 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1986) | Position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[58] | 77 |
Dwight Yoakam version
"Suspicious Minds" | ||||
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Single by Dwight Yoakam | ||||
from the album Honeymoon in Vegas Soundtrack | ||||
Released | 1992 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:51 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Mark James | |||
Producer(s) | Pete Anderson | |||
Dwight Yoakam singles chronology | ||||
|
In 1992, country singer Dwight Yoakam recorded his version, for the soundtrack of the film Honeymoon in Vegas, and also filmed an accompanying video.[59] The track was later released on his compilation album The Very Best of Dwight Yoakam.
Charts
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[60] | 51 |
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[61] | 35 |
Gareth Gates version
"Suspicious Minds" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Gareth Gates | ||||
from the album What My Heart Wants to Say | ||||
A-side | "The Long and Winding Road" | |||
Released | September 23, 2002[62] | |||
Recorded | 2002 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Mark James | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Gareth Gates singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Suspicious Minds" by Gareth Gates on YouTube |
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (2002) | Peak position |
---|---|
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[63] | 9 |
Ireland (IRMA)[64] | 4 |
1 | |
1 |
Year-end charts
Chart (2002) | Position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC)[67] | 22 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[68] | Gold | 400,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Other notable cover versions
Dee Dee Warwick, Dionne's sister, covered "Suspicious Minds" while Elvis Presley's version was still on the charts. Warwick's version was a minor U.S. pop hit, peaking at No. 80 in 1970. It reached No.24 on the Billboard R&B chart for May 8, 1971.[69]
Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter recorded the song for RCA in 1970. Their version reached No. 25 on the Billboard Country chart in November of that year. The Jennings-Colter version was re-released by RCA in 1976, topping out at No. 2, and was included on the album Wanted! The Outlaws that same year. Their version was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Candi Staton had a No. 31 UK hit with her revival in 1982.[70]
References
- ^ https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#s
- ISBN 9780415235167. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ISBN 9781897414798. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Myers, Marc (August 30, 2012). "Caught in a Trap: Elvis Presley's Last No. 1 Hit, Suspicious Minds | Anatomy of a Song - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ^ "Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ISBN 9781560259152. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
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- ^ Carlin, Richard (2014). Country Music - A Biographical Dictionary. Taylor & Francis. p. 316.
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- ^ a b Farber, Jim (August 14, 2022). "Elvis!". Parade. pp. 8–12.
- ^ Introducing Elvis – IT Chapter 1 page 21 – media.wiley –
- ^ "Solid Gold Spotlight: Suspicious Minds". About.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
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- ^ "Danish single certifications – Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ "Italian single certifications – Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 12, 2015. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Suspicious Minds" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
- ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved May 25, 2017. Type Elvis Presley in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Suspicious Minds in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
- ^ "British single certifications – Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
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