Harum Scarum | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | November 3, 1965 | |||
Recorded | February 24–26, 1965 | |||
Studio | RCA Studio B (Nashville) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 24:14 | |||
Label | RCA Victor | |||
Producer | Gene Nelson, Fred Karger | |||
Elvis Presley chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic [1] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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. [2]
Although 1965 had seen the release of Elvis for Everyone! , a studio album which was actually recorded over a ten-year period dating back to Presley's first recordings from Sun Studios in Memphis, and a surprising worldwide hit with a five-year-old Gospel track, "Crying in the Chapel", it was back to the grind of making soundtracks. Elvis continued to grumble about the material and the continued pressure put on the stable of songwriters corralled by Freddy Bienstock — the writing team of Giant, Baum, and Kaye alone had provided 17 of 47 songs on the past four soundtracks in an eighteen-month period – but he soldiered on with as much grace as possible. [3] In reality, almost any song could have been squeezed into the story lines, including old classics. But as long as sales continued, the formula required guaranteed control of publishing and new songs by the same songwriters. [4] However, Presley's sales were plummeting in music stores as well as ticket sales at the box office.
Eleven songs were recorded for the companion film Harum Scarum , and all were used and issued on the soundtrack with two of the tracks omitted in the film. As with Roustabout , no singles were issued in conjunction with the album. A single was issued a month later, using the leftover 1957 track "Tell Me Why" backed with "Blue River" from aborted album sessions in May 1963. In an ominous sign of things to come, it only made it to number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100, the lowest charting single of Presley's career to date. [5]
"Wisdom of the Ages" was recorded on February 24, 1965. [6] It's featured as a bonus track along with "Animal Instinct", but are not featured in the film itself. [7] [8] The Jordanaires sang backing vocals. [9] The song progresses from F major to B flat major, to D minor to E flat major to F major.
The film and its soundtrack are widely considered one of the lowest points of Presley's career. [10] In 2003, Harum Scarum was reissued on Follow That Dream Records in a special edition that contained the original album tracks along with numerous alternate takes. [11]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
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1. | "Harem Holiday" | Peter Andreoli and Vince Poncia | February 26, 1965 | 2:18 |
2. | "My Desert Serenade" | Stanley J. Gelber | February 25, 1965 | 1:47 |
3. | "Go East – Young Man" | Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye | February 26, 1965 | 2:16 |
4. | "Mirage" | Joy Byers | February 26, 1965 | 2:25 |
5. | "Kismet" | Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett | February 25, 1965 | 2:08 |
6. | "Shake That Tambourine" | Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye | February 24, 1965 | 2:02 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hey Little Girl" | Joy Byers | February 25, 1965 | 2:15 |
2. | "Golden Coins" | Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye | February 26, 1965 | 1:54 |
3. | "So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise)" | Joy Byers | February 25, 1965 | 3:01 |
4. | "Animal Instinct" (bonus track) | Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye | February 26, 1965 | 2:13 |
5. | "Wisdom of the Ages" (bonus track) | Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye | February 25, 1965 | 1:55 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
14. | "My Desert Serenade" (take 7 [2052]) | 2:15 |
15. | "Hey Little Girl" (takes1,2 [2068,69]) | 2:56 |
16. | "Shake That Tambourine" (takes 7–8 [2010–11]) | 2:38 |
17. | "Golden Coins takes" (3&4 [2075–76]) | 2:18 |
18. | "Kismet" (takes 1&2 [2063–64]) | 2:42 |
19. | "Animal Instinct" (takes 1,3,4 [2089,91–92]) | 5:17 |
20. | "So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise)" (take 1 [2042]) | 3:26 |
21. | "Shake That Tambourine" (takes 10, 16 [2013,19]) | 3:04 |
22. | "Hey Little Girl" (take 3 [2070]) | 2:40 |
23. | "My Desert Serenade" (takes 2,3 [2047,48]) | 2:13 |
24. | "Golden Coins" (takes 7,8 [2079,80]) | 2:23 |
25. | "Harem Holiday" (takes 1,2 [2095,96]) | 3:18 |
26. | "Wisdom of the Ages" (take 3 [2060]) | 2:04 |
27. | "Shake That Tambourine" (takes 18–21 [2021–24]) | 3:11 |
Album
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1965 | Billboard Pop Albums | 8 |
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Elvis for Everyone! is the eighth studio 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.
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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 first starring 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.
Jailhouse Rock is an EP by American singer Elvis Presley, featuring songs from the movie of the same name. It was released by RCA Victor, with catalogue EPA 4114, on October 30, 1957. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on April 30 and May 3, 1957, with an additional session at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Soundstage in Hollywood on May 9 for "Don't Leave Me Now". It peaked at #1 on the newly inaugurated Billboard EP chart where it remained at #1 for 28 weeks. The EP album was the best selling EP album of 1958 according to Billboard.
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.
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.
Girl Happy is the tenth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3338, in March 1965 – the March 1 date is disputed. It is the soundtrack to the 1965 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on June 10, 11, 12, and vocal overdubs by Presley on June 15, 1964. It peaked at number eight on the Top LP's chart. It was certified Gold on July 15, 1999 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
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Tickle Me is an extended play by Elvis Presley containing songs from the motion picture of the same name. It was released by RCA Victor in 1965.
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