Johnny Bye Bye
Written by Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen
Song
sample
An obvious choice to record really. I've always really liked this Springsteen song and its sentiment regarding the waste that were the later years of Elvis' life. The final verse of the song uses the imagery of Elvis' funeral procession and to be singing these words at Sun Studios was especially moving for me.
We decided on quite a straight country feel for the song and Dave switched bass guitars to give a softer sound. James also provided a superb guitar lick bringing in the band on the second verse. The musical arrangement was kept understated to draw attention to the lyric of the song.
(Above) Pete and Dave recording 'Johnny Bye Bye'. The drum kit you see Pete using is the same one used by U2 when they recorded a part of their 'Rattle and Hum' album at Sun Studios back in 1989.
From the left: Aaron Covington, Mark Wright, Pete Sully, James Lott and Dave Smith
Mark Wright: Vocals/Acoustic Guitar
James Lott: Electric Guitar/Engineer
Pete Sully: Drums
Dave Smith: Bass Guitar
Aaron Covington: Assistant engineer