Elvis Presley: The Album Collection - 60th anniversary of Elvis' RCA contract (18th March 2016)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MEMPHISSUN, Aug 14, 2015.

  1. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    The mono of Viva Las Vegas is similar to me as the mono Beatles A Hard Days Night in that it's meant to be an exciting recording and they just aren't exciting in stereo.
    I Want To Hold Your Hand is the best example of a lifeless stereo version but that's because of 2 tracks.
    AHDN sounds good in stereo but it's not the same energy.
     
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  2. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
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  3. JLGB

    JLGB Senior Member

    Location:
    D.R.
    They are fold-downs but still have unique mastering with EQ etc.
     
  4. McWolfred

    McWolfred The power of the riff compels you!

    Location:
    Liverpool, UK
    I managed to pick this set up for just £100 last week and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I was brought up by an elvis-nut dad, but never really heard most of the original albums. Loving listening chronologically... although I've just passed Pot Luck so I'm in soundtrack hell for a few days ;)
     
  5. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    You'll have fun discovering the hidden gems in those soundtrack albums!
     
  6. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Yes, the gems are endless across that RCA box! Especially the soundtracks. I say "especially" because they seem to get the least appreciation to begin with.

    I'm so crazy that not only are soundtracks like Harum Scarum, Fun In Acapulco, and Double Trouble still among my favorite Elvis albums, but soundtracks that even I once thought very little of, such as Frankie And Johnny and Paradise, Hawaiian Style are now growing on me more and more. I'm not about to nominate either album for a Grammy, but I've always been a huge fan of Elvis' soundtracks at large. They are just flat-out fun, flavorful, and often brimming with wonderful performances by "the voice of the century".

    Just my two cents of course. Many can't stand the albums, so to each their own.
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2018
  7. I333I

    I333I Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ventura
    Elvis had a way of making any song, no matter how trite, demand a real listen. He gave his all for 90% of his performances. You can obviously hear it when he wasn’t feeling it, but when he did it’s just pure infectious fun.
    PS-no shame in loving the Fun In Acapulco soundtrack. Love that one.
     
  8. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Yes, well said.

    I often say that the soundtracks might have very well not been that good, but fortunately Elvis Presley is the one performing them! :p
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2018
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  9. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Agreed 100%.

    Remember to listen at these as "Soundtrack" albums with music intended to accompany specific scenes in a motion picture. They are not meant, nor should they be listened to, as regular Elvis Presley studio albums.

    So far as EP's recording career, he took a break and put everything on hold creatively for several years. When he finally went back to the studio for his "How Great Thou Art" sessions in 1966, the first phase of his comeback had begun.

    The results? A Grammy award. Not bad!
     
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  10. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    That's a great point.

    Any album, or project, is always relative to the genre or style of material that makes it up. For much of the misguided disdain usually lobbed at the soundtracks, the irony is that, thanks to Elvis' gifts as a singer and interpreter, the soundtracks actually end up being far better and more enjoyable than they otherwise have any right to be!

    I actually feel much of the soundtrack material over-achieves, so to speak. Again, thanks to Elvis.

    If we really want to ponder what bad soundtrack material might be like, imagine if Elvis had not been the one doing these things! :uhhuh:
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2018
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  11. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Yes, one can only imagine what "El Toro" would have sounded like by an lesser vocalist.
     
  12. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    It's also worth noting that he never really went away. He sold more records in 1965 than any other year up to that point, and his movies were pulling major ratings on television.

    During 1965, Elvis sold 3,335,895 singles & 1,852,477 LPs in the USA alone.

    In the period between September 1961 and September 1969, Elvis appeared in seven of the top-rated films on U.S. television. Which was three more than Rock Hudson or Doris Day during the same period.
     
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  13. johnnybrum

    johnnybrum Forum Resident

  14. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Here is original research that I did in 2012 to document the Elvis network prime-time movie premieres along with the ratings, which were VERY strong.

    The first film to premiere on the network was FOLLOW THAT DREAM on January 24, 1965. I've listed the new releases as well chronologically so you can see how his movies began competing against each other.

    As I mentioned, his films were enormously successful during the mid-60's on television and many exhibitors were complaining in the trades that the new films were losing business as a result.

    Why pay to see Elvis on the big screen when you can see him for free on TV?

    None of the information in this post was taken from existing books or articles. This original research was taken from primary source materials, such as Variety, TV Guide and various newspapers throughout the country. The movie review dates are from Boxoffice magazine and the network ratings are from the Broadcast Information Bureau "TV Feature Film Source Book."

    1964/65
    FOLLOW THAT DREAM - 1/24/65, Sunday, ABC – rating 26.1
    KID GALAHAD - 2/28/65 - Sunday, ABC – rating 20.9
    Girl Happy reviewed 2/1, opens in April.
    KID GALAHAD – 6/13/65 – Sunday, ABC – rating 15.7
    Tickle Me reviewed 6/21, opens in June.
    FOLLOW THAT DREAM – 8/22/65 – Sunday, ABC – rating 19.7

    1965/66
    GI BLUES – 11/9/65 – Tuesday, NBC – rating 20.4
    Harum Scarum reviewed 11/8, opens in December.
    Frankie and Johnny reviewed 3/28, opens in March.
    GI BLUES – 4/12/66 – Tuesday, NBC – rating 21.3
    Paradise Hawaiian Style reviewed 6/6, opens in June.

    1966/67
    KISSIN' COUSINS - 10/23/66 - Sunday, ABC – rating 22.3
    Spinout reviewed 11/7, opens in November.
    BLUE HAWAII - 11/29/66 - Tuesday, NBC – rating 27.3
    IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR - 1/1/67 - Sunday, ABC – rating 21.5
    Girls Girls Girls/Fun in Acapulco re-issued in January.
    FLAMING STAR - 1/18/67 - Wednesday, ABC – rating 16.9
    WILD IN THE COUNTRY - 3/15/67 - Wednesday, ABC – rating 21.1
    Easy Come, Easy Go reviewed 3/27, opens in March.
    KISSIN’ COUSINS – 4/2/67 – Sunday, ABC – rating 20.4
    Double Trouble reviewed 4/10, opens in April.
    BLUE HAWAII – 4/25/67 – Tuesday, NBC – rating 20.6
    IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD’S FAIR – 7/9/67 – Sunday, ABC – rating 17.0
    WILD IN THE COUNTRY – 7/12/67 – Wednesday, ABC – rating 13.7
    FLAMING STAR – 8/16/67 – Wednesday, ABC – rating 14.4

    1967/68
    FUN IN ACAPULCO - 9/12/67 - Tuesday, NBC – rating 25.5
    PARADISE HAWAIIAN STYLE - 9/20/67 - Wednesday, ABC – rating 21.8
    VIVA LAS VEGAS - 10/6/67 - Friday, CBS – rating 24.2
    GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS - 10/10/67 - Tuesday, NBC – rating 25.1
    Clambake reviewed 11/6, opens in December.
    TICKLE ME - 12/8/67 - Friday, CBS – rating 26.6

    An article in Weekly Variety dated 12/13/67 listed the 60 top rated network movie premieres as determined by Nielson. Elvis had 4 films in that list, more than any other star.
    17. FUN IN ACAPULCO - NBC Tuesday night - 42.6 share
    21. GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS - NBC Tuesday night - 41.6 share
    26. VIVA LAS VEGAS - CBS Friday night - 43.4 share
    41. PARADISE HAWAIIAN STYLE - ABC Wednesday night - 36.0 share
    Interesting to note that just three weeks after the article, ROUSTABOUT premiered on ABC and got the highest rating of any Elvis feature ever shown in prime-time.

    ROUSTABOUT - 1/3/68 - Wednesday, ABC – rating 29.1
    Stay Away Joe reviewed 3/18, opens in March.
    FUN IN ACAPULCO – 4/27/68 – Saturday, NBC – rating 20.9
    Speedway reviewed 5/27, opens in June.
    GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS – 6/15/68 – Saturday, NBC – rating 18.3 (originally announced for 6/8 but Robert Kennedy’s funeral is covered by the network. "Flower Drum Song" is substituted.)
    FLAMING STAR – 7/17/68 – Wednesday, ABC – rating 16.5
    TICKLE ME – 7/25/68 – Thursday, CBS – rating 19.0
    BLUE HAWAII – 8/28/68 – Wednesday, ABC – rating 16.2
    VIVA LAS VEGAS – 9/13/68 – Friday, CBS – rating 22.8
    PARADISE HAWAIIAN STYLE – 9/15/68 – Saturday, ABC – rating 16.5
    ROUSTABOUT – 9/18/68 – Wednesday, ABC – rating 19.5

    1968/69
    Live a Little, Love a Little reviewed 10/14, opens in October.
    HARUM SCARUM - 10/24/68 - Thursday, CBS – rating 19.9
    Singer Presents Elvis 12/3/68 – Tuesday, NBC - watched by 42% of the viewing audience.
    KID GALAHAD – 12/9/68 – Monday, NBC – rating 20.4
    GIRL HAPPY - 1/24/69 - Friday, CBS – rating 25.1
    FOLLOW THAT DREAM – 2/3/69 – Monday, NBC – rating 22.4
    HARUM SCARUM – 3/14/69 – Friday, CBS – rating 18.1
    Charro reviewed 3/24, opens in March.
    GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS – 4/20/69 – Sunday, ABC – rating 16.1
    FUN IN ACAPULCO – 4/30/69 – Wednesday, ABC – rating 16.1
    Singer Presents Elvis – 8/17/69 – Sunday, NBC

    1969/70
    The Trouble with Girls reviewed 9/1, opens in September.
    WILD IN THE COUNTRY – 9/22/69 – Monday, ABC – rating 12.6
    DOUBLE TROUBLE - 10/3/69 - Friday, CBS – rating 15.6
    FRANKIE AND JOHNNY - 11/3/69 - Monday, NBC – rating 16.7
    Change of Habit reviewed 11/3, opens in November.
    GIRL HAPPY – 1/2/70 – Friday, CBS – rating 20.4
    KID GALAHAD – 5/4/70 – Monday, NBC – rating 17.4
    DOUBLE TROUBLE – 7/24/70 – Friday, CBS – rating 14.9
    FRANKIE AND JOHNNY – 6/30/70 - Tuesday, NBC – rating 16.3

    1970/71
    STAY AWAY JOE - 10/16/70 - Friday, CBS – rating 17.2
    SPINOUT - 10/27/70 - Tuesday, NBC – rating 16.2
    That’s the Way it Is reviewed 12/7, opens in November.
    EASY COME, EASY GO - 12/11/70 - Friday, CBS – rating 19.6
    SPINOUT – 3/23/71 – Tuesday, NBC – rating 15.4
    FRANKIE AND JOHNNY – 8/17/71 – Tuesday, NBC – rating 15.5

    1971/72
    SPEEDWAY - 10/4/71 - Monday, NBC – rating 22.4
    DOUBLE TROUBLE – 12/6/71 – Monday, NBC – rating 20.1
    STAY AWAY JOE – 1/9/72 – Sunday, CBS – rating 17.1
    SPEEDWAY – 3/3/72 – Friday, NBC – rating 15.5
    EASY COME, EASY GO – 3/19/72 – Sunday, CBS – rating 16.3
    DOUBLE TROUBLE – 5/5/72 – Friday, NBC – rating 15.4

    1972/73
    CHANGE OF HABIT - 10/30/72 - Monday, NBC – rating 22.2
    LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE - 11/24/72 - Friday, CBS – rating 18.4
    Elvis on Tour reviewed 12/14, opens in November.
    Aloha from Hawaii – 4/4/73 – Wednesday, NBC - watched by 57% of the viewing audience.
    THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS - 5/11/73 - Friday, CBS – rating 16.4
    LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE – 6/22/73 – Friday, CBS – rating 15.3
    THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS – 8/10/73 – Friday, CBS – rating 15.2

    1973/74
    Aloha from Hawaii – 11/14/73 – Wednesday, NBC
    LOVING YOU - 11/26/73 - Monday, NBC – rating 19.3
    CHANGE OF HABIT – 3/11/74 – Monday, NBC – rating 22.3
    LOVING YOU – 4/24/74 – Wednesday, NBC – rating 15.4

    1974/75
    THAT'S THE WAY IT IS - 6/5/75 - Thursday, NBC – rating 18.0

    1975/76
    CHARRO - 10/13/75 - Monday, NBC – rating 15.7
    CLAMBAKE - 12/8/75 - Monday, NBC – rating 17.1
    ELVIS ON TOUR - 1/15/76 - Thursday, NBC – rating 17.5
    THAT’S THE WAY IT IS – 6/12/76 – Saturday, NBC – rating 9.9
    CHARRO – 6/19/76 – Saturday, NBC – rating 16.3

    1977/78
    ELVIS ON TOUR – 9/7/77 – Wednesday, NBC – rating 23.1
     
  15. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    Stereo for me! As for the Radio Recorders binaural recordings, they are BEFORE added compression and reverb (they are raw studio tapes) so to me they sound much clearer. I am not a fan of binaural, but I am also not a fan of added reverb and unneeded compression. So give me the Radio Recorders binaural recordings as well. (Too bad the Binaural King Creole tapes did not survive!) I have long ago, come to the conclusion that the stereo Elvis Is Back, His Hand In Mine, Something For Everybody, Pot Luck and Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 blow the mono versions away. Most of the soundtrack material is neither here nor there for me.
     
  16. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    I just listened to BLUE HAWAII in both mono and stereo.

    The mono wins, by a mile. The same applies to most (all?) of the other 1960's Radio Recorders movie sessions. The primary goal during the session was a mono master.
     
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  17. Psychedelic Good Trip

    Psychedelic Good Trip Beautiful Psychedelic Colors Everywhere

    Location:
    New York
    Bossa Nova Baby"
    [​IMG]




    Love this soundtrack glad it is in the big box. This tune is one of my all time favorites.
     
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  18. artfromtex

    artfromtex Honky Tonkin' Metal-Head

    Location:
    Fort Worth, TX
    I have always loved that one. So does my wife. We also like the "Viva Elvis" remix.
     
  19. JohnO

    JohnO Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I taped that on reel from TV that night. (And most of the others from late 69 on.) Five years later with the silver LP box Elvis Aron Presley, on its soundboard concert Elvis said to the audience something like "Did y'all see that last night?" and some further words that did not really reference TV, but that audience knew what he meant, and so did I when I heard it. I was able to date that show then to 6/6/1975 based on what Elvis said, because the box did not list the date.

    CBS also played:
    "GIRL HAPPY", cut severely to 90 minutes with commercials, on "THE CBS LATE MOVIE" against Carson on 3/3/1972.
    "HARUM SCARUM" similarly on 3/27/1972.
    (These are documented on The CBS Late Movie - Wikipedia )

    I taped those too. Unfortunately on all of these I edited out (most of) the commercials and breaks on the fly (wasn't I cool) - those would be interesting today.

    And local stations were playing the older films anytime. Here in DC, WMAL's weekday 4:30pm movie is where I first saw and taped several older ones, chopped up and 16mm scratchy. The networks also repeated a few of their "premieres". It could be interesting to add those network repeats on the list, the purpose being to show that Elvis movies were all over TV for many years. It's a subject rarely recognized.
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2018
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  20. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    My focus was on the network prime time premieres and subsequent network reruns.

    Once you enter syndication territory - including the CBS Late Movie - you're opening a researchers can of worms that would be terribly difficult to document. The amount of syndicated airings across the country was massive.
     
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  21. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Yes, I suspect part of my own fascination and soft spot for the soundtracks were being exposed to fragments of Elvis movies on television when younger. Plot-wise, they may still not make any more sense now than they did then, but I did recognize how fun they were to stumble upon or watch. And I knew vaguely of course of "the legend" of Elvis as a singer. So it was the films that really started my intrigue with him in a large sense.

    Of course, later, I purchased the "Complete 50's Masters" box and understood his impact and all the wealth of great music that he performed for more than 20 years. That ended up leading to countless other purchases exploring his music. But I still, in many ways, find the most enjoyment or comfort in the films and soundtracks.
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2018
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  22. SKATTERBRANE

    SKATTERBRANE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson, AZ
    I enjoy the movies if for no other reason than the hot 1960s girls, for variety and sheer numbers, even better than a Bond film!
     
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  23. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Indeed!

    I also love how some of the actresses (although certainly not all) were sometimes "unknown faces" at the time. I still find Annette Day in "Double Trouble", for instance, instantly adorable, and never think of her (or knew of her) in anything other than being with Elvis. :)

    It remains up at the top as one of my favorite Elvis films (and my favorite Elvis leading lady).

    But there definitely is a pure "timepiece" or fashion sense quality to Elvis films that may make them dated but also makes them forever a product of their age (in a good way). It's almost like a cross between comfort and camp. Or great tunes crossed with amateur stage plays. It's all such ridiculous stuff, yet it's great. :laugh:
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2018
  24. JLGB

    JLGB Senior Member

    Location:
    D.R.
    The fact of Elvis not really going away dampers a bit the myth of before 1968 "comeback special" Elvis was 0. And then overnight when it aired he was 100. Trying to make a point. Not meant to be taken verbatim.
     
  25. Bob Furmanek

    Bob Furmanek Forum Resident

    Here are exhibitor reviews from Boxoffice, the most important industry trade magazine for theater owners. They had a weekly column giving managers a chance to comment on the appeal and performance of new releases. Here's a small sampling of comments on the Elvis films from that period.

    [​IMG]

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