1988 CD VERSION
1997 RE-RELEASE
ELVIS
PRESLEY - KING CREOLE
Reviewed by:
George Nelson 2002/05/20
LPM-1884 (1958)
3733-2-R (1988)
67454-2 (1997)
Once again I’ll
be reviewing an upgraded Album. As you can tell by the pictures
up above, there was a big change in the cover. I don’t know
what RCA was thinking in the 1980’s, what an awful cover.
The upgrade consists of an 8 page booklet and 7 bonus tracks.
The sound was also improved.
King Creole was
Elvis’ fourth and last movie before he was sent to Germany.
Production of the movie was almost halted because of Elvis’
draft notice. However Elvis, the Colonel and Hal Wallis, got
a three month deferment to finish the film. The Soundtrack
was recorded at Radio Records and Paramount Soundstage between
January and February 1958.
Please note that
I am not reviewing the movie too. I may use references to
the movie but that will have no affect on the review of this
CD. Reviewing a soundtrack is quite difficult as you have
to keep in mind that these songs were not just for record
release. They were suppose to fit into particular story line.
Some songs can stand alone where as others it’s more difficult
to make a hit, or even make sense of .
The First session
took place on January 15 - 16, 1958 at Radio Recorders. Hard
Headed woman was the first song to be recorded. A fast tempo
song that was only heard for a few seconds in the movie, became
the single from the album. The single gave Elvis another number
one hit.
Trouble was recorded
next and I often wonder why this didn’t become a single. It
was a great song. Elvis’ performance was great and the video
isn’t half bad either.
Up next is the
song New Orleans. New Orleans is a bluesy recording, recorded
for one of the many night club scenes in the movie.
The Version of
King Creole recorded at this session, never saw the light
of day until 1991’s Essential Elvis, Vol.3. We are treated
to, two different takes of this version. Take 3 & take
18. Take 18 is known as the alternate master. When released
in 1991 the recordings seemed to have been taken from acetates.
The sound is dramatically improved on both of these tracks
compared to the original release.
Kitty Whites
solo on Crawfish was edited out for release on the original
album. The only released version with the complete vocal is
from 1991’s Essential Elvis. The edited version appears on
the upgrade.
Dixieland Rock
is one of the better songs on this album. It was recorded
for the "first official appearance" scene in the
film.
Next up is the
song Lover Doll. Lover Doll was recorded for the scene were
Elvis and a gang go into a department store and steal a bunch
of jewelry. Elvis’ singing distracts the customers and employees,
while the thieves steal the merchandise. A really odd scene.
Vocals were overdubbed a few weeks later for this song. However
on the Extended play the undubbed master of Lover Doll was
released, probably by mistake. Both the Undubbed and the overdubs
appear on this album.
Don’t ask me
why became the B side of Hard headed woman. It was one of
the weaker songs from the film. It really wasn’t the fact
that Elvis’ performance was not good, it’s just not a really
good song.
As Long as I
have was the second song on the original album. Compare the
two albums and you’ll notice the difference. On the 1988 release
there was a weird echo effect. On this version it’s a dry
effect. I think the version on the 1997 release is better.
Another version of this song would be recorded shortly after,
at the same session.
Steadfast, Loyal
and True, this version appeared in the movie. It was not released
until 1991 on Essential Elvis, volume 3. It would be re-recorded
in February for the record version.
The movie master
of As Long as I Have You , came shortly after Steadfast, Loyal
and True. On this release we get take 4 & take 8 of the
movie version. Both were released on Essential Elvis, Volume
3. As was the case with the rest of the King Creole Sessions
released on the Essential Elvis, Volume 3 album, these also
seemed to come from an acetate source. The sound is more improved
on this release.
On January 23,
1958 Elvis once again returned to Radio Recorders, however
he only recorded two songs.
King Creole,
the master version, would become a single in the United Kingdom.
This was the version that appeared in the movie and on the
record. This was recorded for one of the night club scenes.
Young Dreams,
good vocal, bad song. It’s not one of Elvis’ best. This is
more or less album filler. It did appear in the movie as a
night club scene.
Finally February
11, 1958, Elvis recorded two more songs for the movie at Paramount’s
Soundstage. The first song was Danny. Danny was slated as
the original title of the movie but was then dropped. Danny
would not be released until 1978. Danny did not make the film.
Steadfast, Loyal
and True, the record version, was also recorded. Vocals would
be overdubbed a few weeks later.
Track listing
for 1958 / 1988 version:
KING CREOLE /
AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU / HARD HEADED WOMAN / TROUBLE / DIXIELAND
ROCK / DON’T ASK ME WHY / LOVER DOLL / CRAWFISH / YOUNG DREAMS
/ STEADFAST, LOYAL AND TRUE / NEW ORLEANS
Tracklisting
for 1997 version:
KING CREOLE /
AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU / HARD HEADED WOMAN / TROUBLE / DIXIELAND
ROCK / DON’T ASK ME WHY / LOVER DOLL / CRAWFISH / YOUNG DREAMS
/ STEADFAST, LOYAL AND TRUE / NEW ORLEANS / KING CREOLE (alternate
take 18) / AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU (movie master - take 4) /
DANNY / LOVER DOLL (undubbed) / STEADFAST, LOYAL AND TRUE
(alternate master) / AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU (movie master -
take 8) / KING CREOLE (alternate take 3)