| Product: |
Elvis Is Back - Elvis Presley |
| Date: |
02/09/03 (323 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: The King is back; Long Live the King!!, The classic - the best album - the best individual tracks and performances
Disadvantages: None
"Cats were born to give chicks fever - be it Fahrenheit or centigrade"
I started my musical collection in my early teens and I am proud to say that this album was my very first 'real' LP - a Christmas present back in 1960. I recently bought this new CD version which has been digitally remastered and has the benefit of six bonus tracks. It is also labelled "Artist Of The Century". I shall however confine my attentions mainly to the 'pure' contents of the original. The tracks sound as fresh today as they did then - ah! the pleasures and the pains of adolescence.
The composer list is a veritable who's who of late 50s rock. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller ("Hound Dog". "Jailhouse Rock") wrote "Dirty, Dirty Feeling". As well as "Fever", Otis Blackwell ("Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up") contributed "Make Me Know It". Fred Wise and Ben Wiseman ("Wooden Heart") wrote "It Feels So Right")
Presley's voice was never better on this album ranging from the light, middle of the road rocking ballad, to the snarling guttural depths of the blues influenced latter tracks.
He was blessed as ever with a talented and legendary backing group that included Scotty Moore and Hank Garland on guitars; Bob Moore on bass; DJ Fontana and Buddy Harman on drums; Floyd Cramer on piano and 'Boots' Randolph on saxophone. He was backed vocally as ever by his faithful Jordannaires. (-aside: and they are still going strong - did you see their guest TV appearances with Freddy Starr recently?)
The last two tracks really are the most incredible Presley ever recorded. They ooze suggestive seduction with elements of jazz, blues and rock. Think of tracks that might have been banned at the time for their tone ("Let's Spend The Night Together"; "Je t'Aime") - these two tracks beat the pants off them
The sleeve reproduces the G.I. photo album (pictures of Elvis in the US Army tank corps) of the original LP cover. The sleeve notes are by Colin Escott.
The play list of the original album is as follows:
Make Me Know It (2:30)
My black vinyl album was opened with this bubbly light hearted rock introduction. This shows the vocal talents of the Jordannaires to a treat.
Fever (3:32)
Double bass, drums and finger clicks accompany Elvis in his interpretation of the Peggy Lee / Otis Blackwell composition. His diction with a slight echo effect is particularly clear and expressive.
The Girl Of My Best Friend (2:21)
A gentle upbeat ballad full of teenage angst, this song was the single release from the album.
I Will Be Home Again (2:33)
Presley is in a duet with an Army colleague (Charlie Hodge) in descant harmony in this country style ballad.
Dirty, Dirty Feeling (1:34)
This is a very short (1 minute 34) rock track with some great bass man 'yeahs' in the backing.
The Thrill Of Your Love (3:00)
Now it's time for Floyd Cramer to add his jingling ivories in accompaniment to a romantic ballad. The Jordannaires are again well in evidence.
Soldier Boy (3:04)
A slow romantic smooch reassuring the Army guy that his gal will be there waiting for him at the end of his tour of duty. Floyd Cramer again paces the backing perfectly.
Such A Night (2:59)
A bouncy sexy suggestive (it was considered lewd in those days!) upbeat rocker, this was a cover of a song by Clyde McPhatter (of the Drifters). Just right for those teen party nights. They don't write (or perform) them like that any more.
"Ohhh! It was a kiss, oh what a kiss it was, it really was such a kiss. Oh how she could kiss! Just the part of her lips set me afire. I reminisce, and I'm filled with desire!" - just ri
ght to get those juices flowing!
It Feels So Right (2:09)
The next track is a much tighter slow paced rocker with twanging guitars and percussion. There are more vocal fireworks - you can almost feel that lip curl!!
Girl Next Door Went A'Walking (2:12)
This is perhaps the weakest track on the album and points the way to so many of the film soundtrack songs that were to be released in the future.
Like A Baby (2:38)
Jangling guitar and piano are augmented by 'Boots' Randolph's saxophone and wailing from The Jordannaires (listen to the middle instrumental). Again Elvis shows just how great a white man blues singer he was.
Reconsider Baby (3:40)
What can I say about this track! It really is the piece de resistance. Jazz meets rock meets the blues. This is Elvis at his ultimate sultry, sneering best. There is a quite phenomenal instrumental middle section - quite unlike any other Presley.
The bonus tracks are:
Stuck On You (2:20) / Fame And Fortune (2:30) (Tracks 1 and 2 on the CD)
This was original single release after Elvis left the Army; The single was cut in secret and sold 1.5 million copies within days of its release. "Stuck" is a melodic and quite stolid paced rocker while "Fame" is a bluesy but heavy folk song.
It?s Now Or Never (3:15) / A Mess Of Blues (2:40) (Track 18 and 17 on the CD)
"Come Back To Sorrento" gets the Presley treatment. Not my favourite track but enough other people disagreed with me to make it an ultra major hit. "A Mess Of Blues" is a downbeat melodic slow rocker. My rather curious ordering puts these tracks in the order of release in the UK.
Are You Lonesome Tonight? (3:06) / I Gotta Know (2:15) (Track 15 and 16 on the CD)
At the time the prime time pop record show was Juke Box Jury. I well remember the personality jury including Katie Boy
le (alongside most of the country) weeping unashamedly the first time this low ballad was first played. Of course it was a huge number one smash hit.
As an Englishman am I the only one who detects a hint of Bill C in Elvis' spoken middle section? Listen through headphones and write me a comment if you agree.
"I Gotta Know" has a great backing from the Jordannaires 'Mr Bass Man'
Forty years on, it really is incredible how this album has not aged. It is such a shame that Elvis did not explore this side of his music more. Instead he wandered off into more and more bland and predictable film roles. This is a 'must listen, must buy album'. It has been made even more desirable by the inclusion of the 'A' and 'B' sides of his three greatest hit singles.
I wonder whether my teenage daughter will be still listening to her current CDs with such fond memories in 2040!?!
Amazon has a web page dedicated to this album which includes playable excepts of five of the tracks. The address is:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000 0IYWH/qid=1062519598/sr=2-1/ref= sr_2_3_1/202-4776431-7199812
ELVIS IS BACK - Elvis Presley (1960) RCA 07863 67737-2
Available from Amazon.co.uk £12.99
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