CHARACTERISTICS / STATISTICS "Girl Happy" Elvis Presley soundtrack LP of same name MGM Beach movie musicals - a musical comedy. Tapes recorded in the summer 1964th Studio: Radio Recorders, Hollywood. Original: RCA LPM (mono) / LSP (stereo) 3338 (Feb 1965) 11 Songs (1964), 1 bonus song (Nashville, 1962) Here by Alternative takes on 24 titles Advanced CD, published on 26.04.2003 on: Follow That Dream, RCA / BMG Denmark in 2003 (82876-504082-2) FACTS The LP "Girl Happy" was released in 1965. In Germany, as in the US, two singles from the LP were released. With us the film "Curve Lilli" was - in Austria "Striptease complex" - the posters of the Frankfurt cult graphic artist Klaus Dill (1922-2000) designed (unfortunately not in the CD booklet printed). The singles were "Do The Clam" / "You'll Be Gone" (a previously unreleased feeling heavy Nashville ballad in Latino Sound of 1962, who had co-written the "King" himself) and "Puppet On A String" / "Wooden Heart "1960. We had the single" "(Muss I Denn, Muss I Denn ...) from the movie soundtrack" GIBlues Puppet On A String ", which appeared in January 1966 with another song, namely" Tell Me Why " (until 1965 unreleased ballad from 1957) coupled. The LP reached the US 8th place in the Billboard LP charts, the rhythmic "Do The Clam", the so propagated another new US fashion dance, space 21 and later, in the fall of 1965, the soulful ballad "Puppet On A String "# 14 in the same singles charts. The LP was so - considering previous Elvis standards - are considered a moderate success. With us the plates did not come into the charts. MUSIC This CD of BMG / RCA Elvis Special Sublable "Follow That Dream" (hereinafter: FTD) includes original LP plus further previously unreleased alternate bonus material ("Outtakes") from the RCA archives and the 1962 unreleased bonus song "You 'll Be Gone ". In many previous meetings this soundtrack is wrongly poorly rated. Stock selection is balanced: Rhythmic and very "groovy" tracks (about the beat-oriented "I've Got To Find My Baby" with a vocal harmony, reminiscent of "Twist and Shout" the bag inlet) alternate with well interpreted ballads ("Do Not Disturb ") and melodic-humorous songs that complement the humorous storyline (" Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce ") from. A joy is to be able to follow through long minutes the vocal harmonies of "Jordan Aires" with titles like "Startin 'Tonight", "Spring Fever", "Cross My Heart And Hope To Die" and "Puppet On A String". The "Outtakes" give an opportunity to put into it and the studio atmosphere to feel the emergence of the songs (such as "Girl Happy" Take 1 and following, interesting here the discreet use of saxophone Boots Randolph). In a recording session of that time In general, the musicians (parts of Nashville A-Team) are in good Hollywood in the matter and, though Elvis did not have its best days in the studio, all items are carefully recorded. Because Elvis was a perfectionist who was satisfied with the result obviously after 24 takes of "Spring Fever" and 36 Takes (!) Of "Do Not Disturb". Emphasized remain the good guitar work, the groovy Saxophone Breaks from Boots Randolph on "uptempo" pieces (for example, "The Meanest Girl In Town", "I've Got To Find My Baby") and the piano accompaniment of Floyd Cramer. Worth mentioning also is the participation of colored gospel and R & B group "The Jubilee Four" on backing vocals to the tracks "Wolf Call" and "Do The Clam". The group had been involved already on the soundtrack to Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas" (1963), but unfortunately is there put forward by the bass singer of the group George "Biggie" Mc Fadden excellent R & B track "The Climb (Cheek to Cheek)" - (!) in which Elvis as a background singer functioned - first in November 2003 in the same FTD series for the first time officially published on plate (!) (!). The group was seen at that time in Las Vegas and this was published in 1961 a brilliant Gospel LP "Lookin 'Up" (Reprise LP 2006). "Do The Clam" - rhythmic climax of the plate stands with his rousing bongo sound in the tradition of instrumental R & R classic "Bongo Rock" by Preston Epps (Original Sound 4) who reached in 1959 ranked 14th in the Billboard singles charts. It will probably remain a mystery forever, why RCA then doktorte the master of the theme song "Girl Happy" around and necessarily by about 8% artificially had him Speedup - and why one of the interesting R & B track "Wolf Call", the on Collector's Edition is occupied as a 2 minute continuous take with extra stanza, for some strange reason, the LP publication only a 1:28 min. Take used long or has edited together this. Luckily, you can now "Girl Happy" on the CD to another "Outtakes" hear as it was then recorded. CONCLUSION The music can be qualitatively and quantitatively absolutely not convincing Elvis soundtracks LPs like "Harem Holiday" (1965), "Paradise Hawaiian Style" (1966) or "Clambake" (1967) far behind. "Girl Happy" is music history between the now well in the FTD series (November 2003) published "Viva Las Vegas" soundtrack and the equally excellent "Spinout" album (RCA LPM / LSP 3702, 1966 / on CD: ELVIS DOUBLE FEATURES: SPINOUT and DOUBLE TROUBLE RCA USA 07863 66361-2, 1994) to settle. For collectors BMG label FTD should be noted that (Photo and picture quality) for the grand prize you could give a little more effort in designing the booklets! It would be welcome as well, the lyrics and discography - internationalerseits - to expand the content and introduce figure legends in the booklets. To know, for example, only the most inveterate fans of the "King" by heart, that here in the booklet it -without hinzuweisen- the ultra rare cover version of Japanese LP is displayed that was otherwise probably published in a completely different style anywhere. There are also differences in the sound of the CD, which is now substantially different and sometimes not necessarily sound better compared to the vinyl sound. As a fan, you should treat both be flat. A pity is that so far we obviously could ferret of highlights like "Do The Clam" or "Startin 'Tonight" no "Outtakes" in the archives. For the purposes of the calculated business quarters to the "King" it would certainly be no surprise the next anniversary again something "new" to get served in this soundtrack. And yet, here is a classic, high atmospheric -in contrast to the ballad and duetschweren "Viva Las Vegas" - quite snappy Elvis movie soundtrack with absolute genre and cult status before, which should also appeal to the general principle 1960ties fan. So: Buy!
