Elvis Double Features

RCA to release 70s MASTERS boxed set [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 20 when I wrote this article back in 1995 for The Elvis Beat #12, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

RCA plans to release The 70s Masters boxed set in September. The 5-CD set will contain a studio version of “My Way,” a song previously available only in live performances. According to Graceland Express, “This studio recording gets a much softer vocal treatment from him, and seems more intimate, and in its quiet way maybe even more powerful” than the live versions.

Possibly my most eagerly anticipated release since Elvis’ death, right up there with the Elvis: The Lost Performances video, The 70s Masters CD set follows the 1992 release of ELVIS: The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50s Masters and 1993’s ELVIS: From Nashville To Memphis – The Essential 60s Masters I, both of which were also 5-CD boxed sets. The sets are part of RCA’s commitment to release all of Elvis’ songs, from the best available masters, in the CD format. However, cassette versions are also available.

Scheduled to be released on July 18, ELVIS: Command Performances – The Essential 60s Masters II will contain 62 of his movie tunes from 1960 to 1969. An RCA press release stated, “Whereas the previous volume focused on Elvis Presley’s secular studio sessions (in the 1960s), Command Performances documents the highlights of his movie recording career.” Elvis made 27 movies in the 1960s. [. . . .] The set also comes with a 24-page booklet of liner notes.

ELVIS: Command Performances – The Essential 60s Masters II seems to be following rather closely on the heels of the Elvis Double Features soundtracks, which were also devoted to his 1960s movie tunes. In March, three new Elvis Double Features CDs were released:

  • Flaming Star/Wild In The Country/Follow That Dream
  • Easy Come, Easy Go/Speedway
  • Live A Little, Love A Little/Charro/The Trouble With Girls/Change Of Habit

With the new CDs completing the series, there are now ten CDs in RCA’s Elvis Double Features collection. So, is it really time for the ELVIS: Command Performances – The Essential 60s Masters II set? Probably not, but RCA has been doing such a great job the last five years that they can be easily forgiven for one small mistake, especially since The 70s Masters is finally almost here.

Elvis restoration project continues [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this piece back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #9, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

RCA’s effort to digitally restore all of Elvis’ songs and release them on the compact disc format is still going strong. A 2-CD boxed set of gospel and inspirational songs will be released by end of this year. The set will contain some of the songs not included in ELVIS: From Nashville To Memphis – The Essential 60s Masters I.

To be released in 1995 is The 70s Masters boxed set, which will contain at least 5 CDs.

In May, RCA continued the Elvis Double Features series with the release of the following 1960s movie soundtracks, one of which is actually a triple feature:

  • Frankie & Johnny/Paradise, Hawaiian Style
  • Spinout/Double Trouble
  • Kissin’ Cousins/Clambake/Stay Away, Joe

Review – ELVIS DOUBLE FEATURES: HARUM SCARUM/GIRL HAPPY [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this review back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #5, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis Double Features: Harum Scarum/Girl Happy (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, June-July 1964 (Girl Happy), Radio Recorders Studio (Hollywood), and February 1965 (Harum Scarum), RCA Studios (Nashville). Released: 1993 (CD).

Elvis Double Features: Harum Scarum/Girl Happy is definitely the worst of the four Elvis Double Features CDs released so far . Of the 22 songs, there is only one that is above-average, “So Close, Yet So Far,” which is featured on the Harum Scarum portion and whose title could also sum up the songs from that movie.

Despite the excellent backing music on Harum Scarum, the lyrics of the songs are so awful that the efforts are wasted.

Girl Happy contains only typical movie songs, with the highlights being the title song itself and “Puppet On A String.”

The Elvis Double Features series does have some redeeming values for collectors.

Each of the songs sounds great, in  the sense that in most cases the sound is very clear, on a level comparable to ELVIS: The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50s Masters.

Each CD also comes with a nice booklet containing a brief history of his film career, information about the two movies featured on the CD as well as data on the recording sessions for the soundtracks. Several photos from the films, other miscellaneous information, and a complete listing of Elvis’ 33 films round out each booklet.

So, despite the mediocre material, the Elvis Double Features series is well-produced so far.

RCA plans to release the remainder of Elvis’ 1960s film music in this format, but let us hope that this is not their top priority when so many other excellent and certainly more deserving Elvis songs are awaiting CD release.

Songs:

  1. “Harem Holiday”
  2. “My Desert Serenade”
  3. “Go East Young Man”
  4. “Mirage”
  5. “Kismet”
  6. “Shake That Tambourine”
  7. “Hey Little Girl”
  8. “Golden Coins”
  9. “So Close, Yet So Far”
  10. “Animal Instinct”
  11. “Wisdom Of The Ages”
  12. “Girl Happy”
  13. “Spring Fever”
  14. “Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce”
  15. “Startin’ Tonight”
  16. “Wolf Call”
  17. “Do Not Disturb”
  18. “Cross My Heart And Hope To Die”
  19. “The Meanest Girl In Town”
  20. “Do The Clam”
  21. “Puppet On A String”
  22. “I’ve Got To Find My Baby”

Rating: 3.5 out of 10

Review – ELVIS DOUBLE FEATURES: VIVA LAS VEGAS/ROUSTABOUT [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this review back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #5, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis Double Features: Viva Las Vegas/Roustabout (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, July 1963 (Viva Las Vegas) and February & March 1964 (Roustabout), Radio Recorders Studio (Hollywood). Released: 1993 (CD).

Elvis Double Features: Viva Las Vegas/Roustabout is the best of the four Elvis Double Features CDs released so far and the only one of those fans should consider purchasing unless they are planning to have every Elvis song on CD in their collection.

The strength of this album is due to the Viva Las Vegas tracks. This movie was the best of Elvis’ “formula” movies. Despite what critics seem to think, Elvis did make about a dozen movies did not fit the “Elvis formula.”

Most of the Viva Las Vegas songs are not the corny ones that comprise many of his other 1960s soundtracks. Best of all on the album is the title song itself, “Viva Las Vegas,” which is one of his all-time best movie songs.

Also of note is “C’mon Everybody” and Elvis’ version of “What’d I Say.” The album also features two duets with Ann-Margret, Elvis’ co-star in the film, which are mediocre in quality.

Roustabout contains several average songs, which means they are above-average compared to most other Elvis movie songs, and the surprisingly good song “Hard Knocks” that had previously only appeared on the original album.

Songs:

  1. “Viva Las Vegas”
  2. “If You Think I Don’t Need You”
  3. “I Need Somebody To Lean On”
  4. “You’re The Boss” (with Ann-Margret)
  5. “What’d I Say”
  6. “Do The Vega”
  7. “C’mon Everybody”
  8. “The Lady Loves Me” (with Ann-Margret)
  9. “Night Life”
  10. “Today, Tomorrow And Forever”
  11. “The Yellow Rose Of Texas/The Eyes Of Texas”
  12. “Santa Lucia”
  13. “Roustabout”
  14. “Little Egypt”
  15. “Poison Ivy League”
  16. “Hard Knocks”
  17. “It’s A Wonderful World”
  18. “Big Love, Big Heartache”
  19. “One Track Heart”
  20. “It’s Carnival Time”
  21. “Carny Town”
  22. “There’s A Brand New Day On The Horizon”
  23. “Wheels On My Heels”

Rating: 5 out of 10

Review – ELVIS DOUBLE FEATURES: IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD’S FAIR/FUN IN ACAPULCO [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this review back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #5, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis Double Features: It Happened At The World’s Fair/Fun In Acapulco (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, September 1962 (It Happened At The World’s Fair) and January & February 1963 (Fun In Acapulco), Radio Recorders Studio (Hollywood). Released: 1993 (CD).

The Elvis Double Features: It Happened At The World’s Fair/Fun In Acapulco CD contains 11 songs from each movie.

“They Remind Me Too Much Of You” is the only notable song from It Happened At The World’s Fair, with the possible exception of “One Broken Heart For Sale,” which is only an average song but when compared to the other seems better than it actually is.

The Fun In Acapulco soundtrack is slightly better, due mainly to the strength of one notable song, “Bossa Nova Baby,” and the unique Latin-flavored rhythms featured on the selections.

Songs:

  1. “Beyond The Bend”
  2. “Relax”
  3. “Take Me To The Fair”
  4. “They Remind Me Too Much Of You”
  5. “One Broken Heart For Sale” (Film Version)
  6. “I’m Falling In Love Tonight”
  7. “Cotton Candy Land”
  8. “A World Of Our Own”
  9. “How Would You Like To Be”
  10. “Happy Ending”
  11. “One Broken Heart For Sale”
  12. “Fun In Acapulco”
  13. “Vino, Dinero Y Amor”
  14. “Mexico”
  15. “El Toro”
  16. “Marguerita”
  17. “The Bullfighter Was A Lady”
  18. “No Room To Rhumba In A Sports Car”
  19. “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here”
  20. “Bossa Nova Baby”
  21. “You Can’t Say No In Acapulco”
  22. “Guadalajara”

Rating: 4 out of 10

Review – ELVIS DOUBLE FEATURES: KID GALAHAD/GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this review back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #5, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis Double Features: Kid Galahad/Girls! Girls! Girls! (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, October 1961 (Kid Galahad) and March 1962 (Girls! Girls! Girls!), Radio Recorders Studio (Hollywood). Released: 1993 (CD).

RCA continues its effort to release every Elvis song on CD with the commencement of the Elvis Double Features series, which covers Elvis’ film songs from the 1960s.

Unfortunately, those songs were, with only a few exceptions, the weakest releases of his career. The Elvis Double Features CDs are designed to fill in the gaps left on the new ELVIS: From Nashville To Memphis – The Essential 60s Masters I boxed set, which will not contain music from his movies.

Six of the 23 songs on this first disc are from one of Elvis’ better 1960s movies, Kid Galahad, in which Elvis appeared as a boxer. Although the Kid Galahad soundtrack is slightly superior to the Girls! Girls! Girls! songs which make up the remaining selections on this album, there are actually only two above-average songs from this movie – “I Got Lucky” and the excellent “King Of The Whole Wide World,” featuring the complete Boots Randolph sax solo. The other four Kid Galahad songs are typical and boring movie songs.

Seventeen songs from Girls! Girls! Girls! appear on this album, leaving one to wonder how there was time for any spoken dialogue in the movie. Actually, there are a few songs worth listening to in this portion: “Girls! Girls! Girls!,” “Where Do You Come From,” “Return To Sender,” and “Thanks To The Rolling Sea.”

Only two of the others hold any promise – “Because Of Love” and “Plantation Rock.” The rest can be forgotten.

Songs:

  1. “King Of The Whole Wide World”
  2. “This Is Living”
  3. “Riding The Rainbow”
  4. “Home Is Where The Heart Is”
  5. “I Got Lucky”
  6. “A Whistling Tune”
  7. “Girls! Girls! Girls!”
  8. “I Don’t Wanna Be Tied”
  9. “Where Do You Come From”
  10. “I Don’t Want To”
  11. “We’ll Be Together”
  12. “A Boy Like Me, A Girl Like You”
  13. “Earth Boy”
  14. “Return To Sender”
  15. “Because Of Love”
  16. “Thanks To The Rolling Sea”
  17. “Song Of The Shrimp”
  18. “The Walls Have Ears”
  19. “We’re Coming In Loaded”
  20. “Mama”
  21. “Plantation Rock”
  22. “Dainty Little Moonbeams”
  23. “Girls! Girls! Girls!” (End Title Version)

Rating: 4 out of 10

New Elvis movie CDs released [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 18 when I wrote this piece back in 1993 for The Elvis Beat #4, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

A new Elvis compact disc series from RCA has begun. Each disc in the “Elvis Double Features” series contains two complete movie soundtracks.

The first four to be released are:

  • Kid Galahad/Girls, Girls, Girls
  • Viva Las Vegas/Roustabout
  • It Happened At The World’s Fair/Fun In Acapulco
  • Harum Scarum/Girl Happy