ELVIS
BMG CD REVIEWS
G.I. Blues Soundtrack
Reviewed by:
George Nelson 2002/06/29
1997
collector's edition + 1997 re-release version
G.I.
Blues
3735-2-R
(1988)
66960-2 (1997)
67459-2 (1997 collectors edition)
This
review is over the 1997 CD re-release of G.I. Blues. In 1960
Elvis had returned from the service and had a big hit with
the album ELVIS IS BACK! G.I. Blues would become one of Elvis'
best selling albums of all time. This reissue came with a
booklet and 9 bonus tracks. Two different versions were released,
one was a collectors edition. This one came with a full color
picture disc. The other was just a 2 color picture disc. The
collectors edition also came with a full color 26 page booklet,
opposed to the 8-page booklet on the other release. The collectors
edition also received a different cover (as seen above). Both
would receive the same tracks.
Recording
started on April 27, 1960 at RCA's Hollywood Studio. The first
song attempted was the song Shopping Around. The song would
be retried at a later session as Elvis wasn't completely satisfied
with this version. Take 11 would be used on this release.
This is one of the bonus Tracks.
Next
was the song called Dija Ever. Dija Ever is far from one of
Elvis' best songs. But it's fun to listen to. We get 2 versions
on this CD. "Hold it quite on the stage, Sit down and
be quite" studio talking starts of alternate take 1.
Take 1 was not all that different from the released take 2,
also on this release.
Doin
the Best I can was done next, and as with Dija Ever we are
treated to 2 different versions of this song. Take 9 is one
of the bonus tracks on this CD. It is done a lot slower than
the released take 13, which is also on this release. This
is not one of my favorite songs, but I like the alternate
take better than the master.
The
title track is up next. "I've got those hut, two, three,
four occupation G.I. Blues." This is my favorite track
off of this CD. I had to listen to it 3 or 4 times reviewing
this disc. It's so different. Elvis and the band did a great
job on this song.
Elvis
would next record the song Frankfort Special. Take 2 was released
here. It was the fast version of the song. Elvis would re-record
this song in May, with a much slower tempo. This was one of
the bonus songs.
Tonight
Is So Right for Love would wrap up this days session. Take
11 would become the master take of this song. When I first
heard this song it was on a cassette called Burning Love and
hits from his Movies, volume 2, and I hated this song. But
here the tape seems to be at the correct speed and I love
it.
The
fast version of Big Boots would start off the session on April
28. This version of Big Boots first appeared on 1991's Elvis
Collectors Gold. I don't know how this version would have
fit in the scene where Elvis sings a lullaby to a baby. The
baby probably would have been rocking' the crib. (bonus)
What's
She Really Like was sung in the shower, in the movie, but
only a few lines. Here we get 2 complete versions the first
being alternate take 7. Done extremely slow, compared to the
master, which was a splice. This is a good movie song.
Blue
Suede Shoes was recorded in one take. This version was miles
away from the 1956 version, but still very listenable. Elvis
did not actually sing this song in the movie. It was played
on a juke box in a German bar, and only a few lines were heard.
Elvis
recorded Wooden Heart next. Wooden Heart would become a huge
hit, but not until it was released as a single in 1965, and
then, it was only a hit over seas. Elvis ended up singing
this song to a puppet in the movie.
Elvis
attempted to record a Pocketful of Rainbows. Elvis did not
succeed. Alternate take 27 of this version was released on
this CD. Elvis would attempt it in May. With this song Elvis
wrapped up recording at RCA Studio in Hollywood. He did not
like it because they would have to stop every few minutes
for breaks, because of something that was going on with the
union.
On
May 6, 1960 Elvis walked into Radio Recorders, to complete
and retry recordings for the film. The first song tried was
another version of Big Boots. This time a more acoustic version
was tried. This version along with the fast version was shelved.
They weren't bad, but not quite in the vein of lullabies.
Shopping
Around was retried and this time Elvis had a better arrangement.
Take 7 of this version was released on the original soundtrack
album. Two more songs were also retried. Pocketful of Rainbows
and Frankfort Special. Both had tremendous improvements. Pocketful
of Rainbows was done as a beautiful ballad, opposed to the
uptempo version done in April. Frankfort Special was also
slowed down, making it more listenable.
Because
of copyright problems in the UK Tonight is All Right for Love
was used in there version of the movie. It would not be released
in the US until 1974's Elvis-A LEGENDARY PERFORMER, Volume
1.
The
last song recorded for this film was the master recording
of Big Boots. Big Boots was slowed down and this version fit
the scene in which it was meant to.
The
version of G.I. Blues was rounded out with Alternate takes
and alternate masters. I enjoyed this version because of the
other takes. It's interesting to hear alternate versions of
songs. Most notably are the different arrangements of Frankfort
Special, Pocketful of Rainbows, Shoppin' Around and What's
she Really Like. They changed a lot.
1988
version:
TONIGHT IS SO RIGHT FOR LOVE / WHAT'S SHE REALLY LIKE / FRANKFORT
SPECIAL / WOODEN HEART / G.I. BLUES / POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS
/ SHOPPIN' AROUND / BIG BOOTS / DIDJA' EVER / BLUE SUEDE SHOES
/ DOIN' THE BEST I CAN / TONIGHT'S ALL RIGHT FOR LOVE
1997
version:
TONIGHT IS SO RIGHT FOR LOVE / WHAT'S SHE REALLY LIKE / FRANKFORT
SPECIAL / WOODEN HEART / G.I. BLUES / POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS
/ SHOPPIN' AROUND / BIG BOOTS / DIDJA' EVER / BLUE SUEDE SHOES
/ DOIN' THE BEST I CAN / TONIGHT'S ALL RIGHT FOR LOVE / BIG
BOOTS (FAST VERSION) / SHOPPIN' AROUND (TAKE 11) / FRANKFORT
SPECIAL (FAST TAKE 2) / POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS (TAKE 27) /
DIDJA' EVER (TAKE 1) / BIG BOOTS (ACCOUSTIC VERSION) / WHAT'S
SHE REALLY LIKE (TAKE 7) / DOIN' THE BEST I CAN (TAKE 9)