G.I. Blues | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | September 23, 1960 | |||
Recorded | April 27 – May 6, 1960 | |||
Studio | RCA (Hollywood, California) | |||
Genre | Pop, rock and roll | |||
Length | 26:35 | |||
Label | RCA Victor | |||
Elvis Presley chronology | ||||
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Singles from G.I. Blues | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
MusicHound | [4] |
Rough Guides | [5] |
Uncut | [6] |
G.I. Blues is the third soundtrack album and seventh (overall) album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2256, in October 1960. It is the soundtrack to the 1960 film of the same name in which he starred. Recording sessions took place on April 27 and 28, and May 6, 1960, at RCA Victor Studio C and Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. The album topped the Billboard Top Pop Album chart. [7] It was certified gold on March 13, 1963 and platinum on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America. [8] The album remained at the #1 spot for ten weeks.
Music on this album comprised songs that had appeared in the film of the same name. The song "Wooden Heart" was released as a single in the United Kingdom, where it was number one for six weeks. It also was number one in Australia. In the United States, Joe Dowell recorded a cover version of "Wooden Heart" that topped the Billboard Hot 100. RCA Victor later released "Wooden Heart" by Presley as the b-side of a single twice, once in 1964 on the back of a reissue of "Blue Christmas," and again on the flip side of a belated issue in 1965 of "Puppet on a String" from the film Girl Happy . Four songs from this album appear on the 1995 soundtrack compilation Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II : "G.I. Blues", "Wooden Heart", "Shoppin' Around", and "Doin' the Best I Can".
Due to copyright reasons, the European version of the soundtrack album and film substitutes the opening track "Tonight Is So Right for Love" with the song "Tonight's All Right for Love", adapted from a melody by 19th century waltz-king Johann Strauss II, Tales from the Vienna Woods . The melody for "Tonight Is So Right for Love" was taken directly from a barcarolle composed by Jacques Offenbach, one of Strauss's contemporaries. An American release of "Tonight's All Right for Love" did not occur until it appeared on the compilation album Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 in 1974. The version of "Blue Suede Shoes" used on the soundtrack is a new recording of the song Presley first recorded in 1956, and is one of only a few songs that Presley would re-record in a studio setting during his career, others being "Love Letters", "It Hurts Me" and "A Little Less Conversation".
The G.I. Blues soundtrack album was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1960 in the categories Best Sound Track Album Or Recording Of Original Cast From A Motion Picture Or Television and Best Vocal Performance Album, Male. [9]
On April 27, 1997, RCA remastered the album for compact disc, adding eight outtakes from the recording session as bonus tracks. Two songs were previously released, the acoustic version of "Big Boots" appearing on the posthumous 1978 album Elvis Sings for Children and Grown-Ups Too, and the substitute "Tonight's All Right For Love". [10] In 2012 G.I. Blues was released on the Follow That Dream label in a 7-inch digi-pack edition featuring a booklet and two CDs containing the original album tracks and numerous alternate takes. [11] A follow-up album, Café Europa, which also contained a booklet and two CDs was released in 2013. This album featured more alternate takes of the G.I. Blues soundtrack. [12]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
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1. | "Tonight Is So Right for Love" | Abner Silver, Sid Wayne, Joe Lilley | April 27, 1960 | 2:14 |
2. | "What's She Really Like" | Abner Silver and Sid Wayne | April 28, 1960 | 2:17 |
3. | "Frankfort Special" | Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards | May 6, 1960 | 2:58 |
4. | "Wooden Heart" | Ben Weisman, Fred Wise, Kay Twomey, Bert Kaempfert | April 28, 1960 | 2:03 |
5. | "G.I. Blues" | Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett | April 27, 1960 | 2:36 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
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1. | "Pocketful of Rainbows" | Ben Weisman and Fred Wise | May 6, 1960 | 2:35 |
2. | "Shoppin' Around" | Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Roy C. Bennett | May 6, 1960 | 2:24 |
3. | "Big Boots" | Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards | May 6, 1960 | 1:31 |
4. | "Didja' Ever" | Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards | April 27, 1960 | 2:36 |
5. | "Blue Suede Shoes" | Carl Perkins | April 28, 1960 | 2:07 |
6. | "Doin' the Best I Can" | Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman | April 27, 1960 | 3:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
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12. | "Tonight's All Right For Love" | Sid Wayne, Abner Silver, Johann Strauss II | May 6, 1960 | 1:21 |
13. | "Big Boots" (fast version) | Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards | May 6, 1960 | 1:14 |
14. | "Shoppin' Around" (alternate take 11) | Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Roy C. Bennett | April 27, 1960 | 2:15 |
15. | "Frankfort Special" (fast version take 2) | Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards | April 27, 1960 | 2:25 |
16. | "Pocketful of Rainbows" (alternate take 2) | Ben Weisman and Fred Wise | April 28, 1960 | 2:47 |
17. | "Didja' Ever" (alternate take 1) | Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards | April 27, 1960 | 2:42 |
18. | "Big Boots" (acoustic version) | Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards | May 6, 1960 | 0:58 |
19. | "What's She Really Like" (alternate take 7) | Abner Silver and Sid Wayne | April 28, 1960 | 2:24 |
20. | "Doin' the Best I Can" (alternate take 9) | Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman | April 27, 1960 | 3:17 |
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Chart (1961) | Peak position |
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Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200) | 1 |
Italian Albums (HitParadeItalia) [13] | 1 |
UK Albums Chart [14] | 1 |
Chart (1977) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report) [15] | 71 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI) [16] original release | Silver | 250,000 [16] |
United Kingdom (BPI) [17] 2010 rerelease | Silver | 60,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [18] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Something for Everybody is the sixth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2370, in May 1961. Recording sessions took place on November 8, 1960, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, and on March 12, 1961 at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. In the United States, it peaked at number 1 on Billboard's Top Pop LPs chart. It was certified Gold on July 15, 1999 by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album remained at #1 for three weeks.
His Hand in Mine is the fifth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on November 23, 1960 by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, catalog number LPM/LSP 2328. It was the first of three gospel albums that Presley would issue during his lifetime. Recording sessions took place on October 30 and 31, 1960, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. It peaked at #13 on the Top Pop Albums chart. It was certified Gold on April 9, 1969 and Platinum on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 is a greatest hits album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor as LPM/LSP-2765 on August 12, 1963. The album was the third volume of an eventual five volume collection, and his eighteenth altogether. It is a compilation of hit singles released in 1960, 1961, and 1962.
Elvis for Everyone! is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, issued by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3450, on August 10, 1965. Recording sessions took place over a ten-year span at Sun Studio in Memphis, RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, and Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. It peaked at number 10 on the Top Pop Albums chart.
Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4 is a greatest hits album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, issued by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3921, in January 1968, with recording sessions taking place over an eight-year span at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, and at RCA Studios and Radio Recorders in Hollywood. It is a compilation of hit singles released between 1961 and 1967, peaking at number 33 on the Billboard 200. It was certified Gold on March 27, 1992, by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Pot Luck with Elvis is the seventh studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2523, in May 18, 1962. Recording sessions took place on March 22, 1961, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, and on June 25 and October 15, 1961, and March 18 and March 19, 1962, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top LP's chart.
Loving You is the first soundtrack album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Victor in mono, LPM 1515, in June 1957 to accompany his film, Loving You (1957). Recording sessions took place on January 15, 16, 17, and 18, 1957, at the Paramount Pictures Scoring Stage, and on January 12, 13, 19, and February 23 and 24, 1957, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. These are the first sessions where Steve Sholes is officially listed as producer. It spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It was certified Gold on April 9, 1968 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II is a two-disc compilation of studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1960s, released in 1995 on RCA Records, catalogue number 66601-2. It also includes a booklet with session details and an essay by Susan M. Doll.
Blue Hawaii is the fourth soundtrack album by the American singer Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2426, on October 20, 1961. It is the soundtrack to the 1961 film of the same name starring Presley. In the United States, the album spent 20 weeks at the number one slot and 39 weeks in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top Pop LPs chart. It was certified Gold on December 21, 1961, Platinum and 2× Platinum on March 27, 1992, and 3× Platinum on July 30, 2002, by the Recording Industry Association of America. In the UK, the album spent 18 weeks at no. 1 on the Record Retailers (RR) album chart. On the US Top Pop Albums chart, Blue Hawaii is second only to the soundtrack of West Side Story as the most successful soundtrack album of the 1960s.
Double Trouble is the fifteenth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3787, in June 1967. It is the soundtrack to the 1967 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders and at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios in Hollywood, California, on June 28, 29, and 30, 1966. It peaked at number 47 on the Billboard 200.
Roustabout is the ninth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2999, in October 1964. It is the soundtrack to the 1964 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on March 2 and 3, and April 29, 1964. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Top LPs chart. It was certified Gold on May 20, 1988 by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album would be Presley's final soundtrack to reach number one and his last number one album until 1973's Aloha From Hawaii: Via Satellite.
Girls! Girls! Girls! is the fifth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2426, in November 1962. It accompanied the 1962 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on March 26, 27, and 28, and May 23, 1962. It peaked at number three on the Top LPs chart. It was certified Gold on August 13, 1963, by the Recording Industry Association of America.
It Happened at the World's Fair is the sixth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2697, in April 1963. It is the soundtrack to the 1963 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on August 30 and September 22, 1962. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.
Fun in Acapulco is the seventh soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2756, in November 1963. It is the soundtrack to the 1963 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on January 22 and 23 and February 27, 1963; and at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 26 and 28, 1963. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.
Kissin' Cousins is the eighth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2894, in April 1964. It is the soundtrack to the 1964 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 26 and 27, and September 29 and 30, 1963. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Top LPs chart. The album was certified Gold on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Harum Scarum is the eleventh soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3468, in November 1965. It is the soundtrack to the 1965 film of the same name starring Presley. It peaked at number eight on the Top LP's chart.
Paradise, Hawaiian Style is the thirteenth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3643, in June 1966. It is the soundtrack to the 1966 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on July 26 and 27, and August 2, 1965. It peaked at number 15 on the Top LP's chart.
Spinout is the 14th soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3702, on October 31, 1966. It is the soundtrack to the 1966 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions for the film songs took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on February 16 and 17, 1966. The album was augmented with three non-film songs recorded earlier in the year. It peaked at number 18 on the Top Pop Albums chart.
Clambake is the sixteenth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3893, in October 1967. It is the soundtrack to the 1967 film of the same name starring Presley. He entered RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee on February 21, 1967, for recording sessions for his twenty-fifth film. Supplemental material sessions took place on September 10 and 11, 1967. It peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200.
"G.I. Blues" is a song first recorded by Elvis Presley as part of the soundtrack for his 1960 motion picture G.I. Blues. Its first LP release was on the eponymous soundtrack album in October 1960.