An Accidentally Good Elvis Budget Compilation

I am in no way a fan of Elvis, by any stretch, although I've seen all of his movies because of the schlock factor and because I can't believe how godawful most of the songs are.

So I pick up this budget Elvis LP on the RCA Camden subsidiary, because it has songs from his films, so I think it's going to be all schlock. And it is mostly - and maybe accidentally - brilliant.

What is on it?

A bossa by none other than the great Luiz Bonfa ("Almost in Love") with a Mancini-esque arrangement
A garage rocker with fuzz guitar ("Long Legged Girl")
A psych tune ("Edge of Reality")
A funk tune ("A Little Less Conversation")
A couple of swamp rock/funk tunes ("Rubberneckin'" and "Clean Up Your Own Back Yard")
A faux-spaghetti western theme (Charro).

There are also two country songs and another terrible tune that defies description, so I skipped those.

So, 7 out of 10 ain't bad.

So while these are surprising finds based on my very limited knowledge of (or interest in) Elvis, the album nevertheless reinforces my belief that, while Elvis had a strong voice, he has pitch problems, understands zero about phrasing and or breath control, and either doesn't know or doesn't care if his material is good, mediocre, or terrible.

But this album does have some gems.

 

I think Elvis Presley was limited by his lack of song writing ability, and the huge amount of material he released. I have a couple of RCA compilations of his early stuff that are guaranteed to have "the gems" on them, but I agree, a lot of his recorded material, especially from the 60's and 70's is mediocre.

 

Does this LP have a title?

NJB

 

Yep, Elvis would be voted off American Idol for sure. No offense, but dwelling on these elements in an Elvis recording is totally missing the forest for the trees. Rock-n-roll isn't about perfect pitch or breath control.

The album in question, by the way, is Almost in Love, a compilation of mostly b-sides and random movie soundtrack songs.

 

Well, I respect your opinion, but I don't make excuses for genres. Good singing is good singing. And Luiz Bonfa is hardly rock 'n' roll.

 

The same thing happened with this entry in the Double Features series back in the 90s - an unusually high density of great songs compared with others in the series ("Signs Of The Zodiac" notwithstanding):



1. Almost In Love
2. A Little Less Conversation
3. Wonderful World
4. Edge Of Reality
5. A Little Less Conversation (Album Version)
6. Charro
7. Lets Forget About The Stars
8. Clean Up Your Own Backyard
9. Swing Down Sweet Chariot
10. Signs Of The Zodiac
11. Almost
12. The Whiffenpoof Song
13. Violet
14. Clean Up Your Own Backyard (Undubbed Version)
15. Almost (Undubbed Version)
16. Have A Happy
17. Lets Be Friends
18. Change Of Habit
19. Let Us Pray
20. Rubberneckin

 

It's not about making excuses so much as it is that those qualities (breath control, perfect pitch) are quite low on the list of what makes someone a great rock-n-roll singer. Creativity, unique style, vocal power, and soul are more important than technical skills. Faulting a singer who was as creative, unique, and soulful as Elvis for some technical shortcomings is missing the big picture.

 

This is like saying Michael Jordan was a lousy in-bounds passer.

Also, Elvis didn't understand phrasing? Are you serious?

 

Sorry, but my expectations stretch across genres, and I therefore think he is a poor singer.

But this is an accidentally good compilation. Maybe it was compiled this way deliberately.

 

I am serious. His phrasing and breathing were terrible, as evidenced by his taking a breath in the middle of words or phrases.

But this is an accidentally good compilation. Maybe it was compiled this way deliberately.

 

I agree that there is such a thing as accidental brilliance, but Elvis had gifts that allowed him to rise above even the most mediocre of material. He was a great singer by any standard. I don't believe he had any formal training. That doesn't mean he understood "zero about phrasing."

 

"they are amazing sounding"

???

 

Yeah, he needs to get some singing lessons. And dancing lessons whilst we're at it.

 

And some karate lessons.

 

Again, it's not that you have expectations or standards and I don't. It's simply that your criteria for assessing whether or not someone is a poor singer are vastly different than mine. But it's pointless to try to argue opinion, so there's not much more I can say.

 

ALMOST IN LOVE might be the best of the Camden Elvis releases (which is not saying much), but this one had two versions---one was STAY AWAY and another with STAY AWAY, JOE as the last cut on side 2.

 

It is certainly diverse. Did Elvis ever record another psych, spaghetti western, and bossa tune? And to have them collected on one album!

 

You hit the jackpot with this album!!!!! Elvis did "Bossa Nova Baby" from the Fun In Acapulco soundtrack, but it's the start of the real soundtrack schlock which peaked with the trio of "Frankie and Johnny" "Harem Scarum" and "Paradise, Hawaiian Style" albums in the mid-60's.

 

I just looked at your profile & yes very funny you made up phoney names for your hifi system but it's a shame cos if you had a real system you would appreciate how good Elvis is.

 

Edge of Reality

 

I've always had a soft spot for "Charro", maybe because it fits so perfectly the idea of a theme song for a western film, and I do like the orchestra parts....
Now if Elvis had only done a song like this for the movie "Sins of the Fleshapoids", then all would be right with the world ,

 

Thanks for the tip. If getting a better system will improve the pitch, phrasing, breath control and taste of artists I generally don't care for, I'm eager to upgrade.