Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties

This soundtrack really had some great songs on it. The Lady Loves Me is a little slice of splendor. I loved it as a kid and appreciate even more now. Elvis did not get a lot of high quality cabaret styled songs for these musicals, but this was a well written one with a catchy melody. I am not a huge fan of musicals oddly enough, but this one was entertaining to say the least. How about Ann Margaret's vocal? Pretty damn impressive and I know singing was just one of her many talents and probably not her best one. The chemistry these two stars had together is way off the Richter scale!

 

I like The Lady Loves Me. It is probably the best duet Elvis recorded. I love the interplay between him and Ann-Margaret. Still don't get why this soundtrack wasn't a full LP instead of an EP and scattered tracks, with this song finally being released posthomously.

 

Regarding the lack of a Viva Las Vegas soundtrack LP in 1964, I'm wondering if Elvis' contract with RCA stipulated 2 LPs per year (with those being for Kissin' Cousins and Roustabout), so a third wasn't necessary? Elvis 'only' released two LPs each year between 1961 and 1966., so there's a pattern there for those six years.

 

Nancy even got her solo song on the LP, which was unprecedented. I wonder if Frank had some of his "connections" put the squeeze on the Colonel?

The inconsistency about duets is puzzling. Another example is how both Gordon Stoker duets made it onto the record, but then we had "Yoga is as Yoga Does"... a song conceived as a dialogue between two people, in which Elvis ends up singing both sides of the conversation on the record.

Marty and the guys did all think Ann-Margret was a much better match for Elvis in terms of disposition, intellect, and common interests. But I don't think Elvis had it in him to be faithful to any one person. Besides all the meaningless rock-star sex he had, throughout his life he also had a series of overlapping girlfriends with whom he shared a more romantic and emotional connection rather than sexual. I doubt Ann-Margret would have stood for that, and they likely would have ended up divorced too.

 

Yes, this schedule threatened the release of Fun In Acapulco and derailed For The Asking, so your theory holds water.

 

Oh yeah. Elvis and Ann Margaret marriage wouldn't have lasted either. But it would have been a much wilder ride.

 

The worst offender to me is 'Almost Always True' from Blue Hawaii, where the album version simply doesn't have Joan Blackman's vocals, so there's a big gap where her voice should be. You can even hear a clicking keeping time during the gap, probably to help Elvis know when to come back in with his vocals.

 

The same thing happened with Mexico from Fun in Acapulco. Elvis sang all the lyrics on the early takes but not the master.

 

IIRC the master is take 5 and they subsequently recorded two more takes in which he did sing all the lyrics. I’m convinced the intention was for take 7 to be the LP master, but someone screwed up and used take 5 on the record by mistake, even though it was supposed to just be a work part to create the film version.

 

Wow. Didn't know that but it totally makes sense.

 

Wouldn't be the first nor last time RCA/BMG/Sony screwed the pooch as it comes to Elvis' records and catalog.

 

There were three albums released in 1965 (Girl Happy, Harum Scarum, For Everyone) and 1966 (Frankie and Johnny, Paradise Hawaiian Style, Spinout). And in 1960 also. So it seems unlikely there was a contractual limit on amount of albums.

 

3 LPs released in 1963 as well.

 

I wasn't counting compilations (Elvis for Everyone) and I started in 1961, but point taken on 1966. Still, that gives 5 years of only two non-comp LPs per year. I'd love to see a copy of his recording contract for this period.

 

Ah but compilations counts towards fulfilling the contract. But still, I agree with your theory as to why VLV was not released as an album, too much material was piling up due to the movie contracts.

 

For Everyone was not a compilation of previously-released material, though. It was entirely material that had never been released on record, and as such I think it would count as a "new" album to RCA. I don't think Elvis renegotiated his contract anytime between 1960 and 1967 either, so it seems unlikely there would be differing limitations on album amounts in 1961-64 than in 1960 or 1965. It also seems unlikely RCA would set a contractual limit on how many albums could be released. Usually contracts go the other way, requiring a minimum amount of work in a specified time.

 

What I find interesting is the use of the term "bonus song" for songs that were recorded for a movie but either cut or never used for a movie. What is interesting is the inconsistency. There are many examples of songs recorded for a movie but either cut or not used that are NOT label "bonus songs" and there are also examples of songs labeled as bonus songs that were actually recorded but not used in the movie.

Of course the REAL bonus songs are those studio songs included in soundtrack albums that have no association to the movie whatsoever.

Here are songs that were labeled as bonus songs but were recorded expressly for the movie:

Animal Instinct
Wisdom Of The Ages
Sand Castles
It Won't Be Long
How Can You Lose What You Never Had
Five Sleepy Heads
Suppose

And here are songs cut from or not used in the movie that were not labeled as bonus songs, but were included on the album:

Hard Headed Woman
Where Do You Come From
I Don't Want To

Of course there are also songs that were recorded for a movie but not used and not on the album, such as Steppin' Out Of Line and Plantation Rock etc.

Point being, they could have easily had 3 albums in 1964 with a VLV album. And songs like Night Life and Do The Vega could have either been listed as bonus tracks or not.

 

I know the initial contract with RCA was through November 15, 1958. It required 8 sides (songs) per year, and ‘additional recordings shall be made at our (RCA’s) election.’ I can’t seem to find whatever contract was done following this one though.

 

I agree pretty much with all of these views. Elvis and Priscilla were ill suited for each other in many ways. Ann Margaret and Linda Thompson were far better matched for Elvis.

 

C'mon Everybody
Written By :
Joy Byers

Recorded :
Radio Recorders, Hollywood, July 9-12 and August 30, 1963: July 9, 1963. take 5
For some reason when I see the title of this song I have a tendency to think "meh", but whenever I hear this song I think it's just great. We have a fun quick paced rocker, that is certainly based around singing about dancing sort of, but it just works and we have another really good song on this album.

 

Today Tomorrow and Forever
Written By :
Bernie Baum, Bill Giant & Florence Kaye

Recorded :
Radio Recorders, Hollywood, July 9-12 and August 30, 1963: July 11, 1963. take 6
To be honest, I prefer this song to I can't help falling in love with you, not that "can't help" is a bad song, I just think this is a better song. We have a passionate ballad, that is well written, arranged and performed and well placed on this FTD album.

 

Good song. I prefer the movie version.

 

yea I think the movie version has a little more life in it. It is actually an excellent piece of work all 'round in the movie and very memorable

 

Well C'mon Everybody isn't the superior Eddie Cochran song, unfortunately. But I like it anyway. And, as it has been stated, the movie version is superior (as was the movie version of One Broken Heart For Sale). Today Tomorrow And Forever is not bad. When the Jordanaires come in at the end, it is a bit strong and jarring.