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G.I. Blues (soundtrack)

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G.I. Blues
Soundtrack album by
Elvis Presley
ReleasedSeptember 23, 1960
RecordedApril 27 – May 6, 1960
StudioRCA (Hollywood, California)
GenrePop, rock and roll
Length26:35
LabelRCA Victor
Elvis Presley chronology
Elvis Is Back!
(1960) 		G.I. Blues
(1960) 		His Hand in Mine
(1960)
Singles from G.I. Blues
  1. "G.I. Blues"
    Released: December 1960[1]
  2. "Wooden Heart"
    Released: March 1961[2]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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.

Content

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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]

Reissues

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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]

Track listing

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Original release

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Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Tonight Is So Right for Love"Abner Silver, Sid Wayne, Joe LilleyApril 27, 19602:14
2."What's She Really Like"Abner Silver and Sid WayneApril 28, 19602:17
3."Frankfort Special"Sid Wayne and Sherman EdwardsMay 6, 19602:58
4."Wooden Heart"Ben Weisman, Fred Wise, Kay Twomey, Bert KaempfertApril 28, 19602:03
5."G.I. Blues"Sid Tepper and Roy C. BennettApril 27, 19602:36
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Pocketful of Rainbows"Ben Weisman and Fred WiseMay 6, 19602:35
2."Shoppin' Around"Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Roy C. BennettMay 6, 19602:24
3."Big Boots"Sid Wayne and Sherman EdwardsMay 6, 19601:31
4."Didja' Ever"Sid Wayne and Sherman EdwardsApril 27, 19602:36
5."Blue Suede Shoes"Carl PerkinsApril 28, 19602:07
6."Doin' the Best I Can"Doc Pomus and Mort ShumanApril 27, 19603:10

1997 CD reissue bonus tracks

[edit]
Tracks 1-11 are from the original release
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
12."Tonight's All Right For Love"Sid Wayne, Abner Silver, Johann Strauss IIMay 6, 19601:21
13."Big Boots" (fast version)Sid Wayne and Sherman EdwardsMay 6, 19601:14
14."Shoppin' Around" (alternate take 11)Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Roy C. BennettApril 27, 19602:15
15."Frankfort Special" (fast version take 2)Sid Wayne and Sherman EdwardsApril 27, 19602:25
16."Pocketful of Rainbows" (alternate take 2)Ben Weisman and Fred WiseApril 28, 19602:47
17."Didja' Ever" (alternate take 1)Sid Wayne and Sherman EdwardsApril 27, 19602:42
18."Big Boots" (acoustic version)Sid Wayne and Sherman EdwardsMay 6, 19600:58
19."What's She Really Like" (alternate take 7)Abner Silver and Sid WayneApril 28, 19602:24
20."Doin' the Best I Can" (alternate take 9)Doc Pomus and Mort ShumanApril 27, 19603:17

2012 Follow That Dream release

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Disc 1 Disc 2
The Original Album
No.TitleLength
1."Tonight Is So Right for Love"2:15
2."What's She Really Like"2:19
3."Frankfort Special"2:57
4."Wooden Heart"2:05
5."G.I. Blues"2:41
6."Pocketful of Rainbows"2:36
7."Shoppin' Around"2:24
8."Big Boots"1:33
9."Didja' Ever"2:38
10."Blue Suede Shoes"2:08
11."Doin' the Best I Can"3:16
12."Tonight's All Right for Love" (alternate song)1:26
Bonus Songs
No.TitleLength
13."Shoppin' Around" (version #1)2:17
14."Frankfort Special" (fast version)2:19
15."Big Boots" (fast version)1:22
16."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 12)2:26
17."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 12)2:26
18."Big Boots" (medium tempo version)1:04
First Takes
No.TitleLength
19."Tonight Is So Right for Love" (Barcarolle from The Tales Of Hoffman, instrumental)2:18
20."Tonight Is So Right for Love" (takes 1-2)3:07
21."What's She Really Like" (takes 1-5)6:25
22."Frankfort Special" (fast version takes 1-2)3:48
23."Wooden Heart" (take 1)2:13
24."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, takes 1-2)4:52
25."Shoppin' Around" (version #1, take 1)2:34
26."Big Boots" (fast version, takes 1-2)1:48
27."Big Boots" (slow version, take 1)1:39
28."Didja' Ever" (take 1)2:59
29."Tonight's All Right for Love" (take 1)1:24
30."Doin' The Best I Can" (takes 1-3)5:11
April 27–28 Sessions
No.TitleLength
1."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 3)2:43
2."Shoppin' Around" (instrumental take 4)1:46
3."Shoppin' Around" (version #1, takes 2-4)3:20
4."Shoppin' Around" (version #1, take 5)2:26
5."Doin' The Best I Can" (takes 4-7)2:23
6."Doin' The Best I Can" (takes 8-9)3:44
7."G.I. Blues" (takes 2-4)3:45
8."G.I. Blues" (take 5)2:43
9."Tonight Is So Right for Love" (take 3)2:30
10."Tonight Is So Right for Love" (take 4)2:36
11."Tonight Is So Right for Love" (takes 5-7)5:28
12."Frankfort Special" (fast version, takes 3-7)6:51
13."Frankfort Special" (fast version, take 8)2:42
14."Big Boots" (fast version, take 3)1:36
15."Big Boots" (fast version, take 4)1:41
16."Big Boots" (slow version, takes 2-3)2:26
17."What's She Really Like" (takes 6-7)3:32
18."What's She Really Like" (takes 8-11)6:10
19."What's She Really Like" (takes 12-13)3:02
20."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, takes 4-7)5:36
21."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 8)2:51
22."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 9)2:49
23."Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 10)2:48
24."Wooden Heart" (takes 2-4M)3:53

2013 Café Europa Follow That Dream release

[edit]
Disc 1 Disc 2
Master Takes - Remixed
No.TitleLength
1."Didja' Ever" (take 2 CO-sp replaced master)2:54
2."Doin' The Best I Can" (take 13/M)3:32
3."G. I. Blues" (take 7/M + insert ending takes 8-10/M)4:36
4."Tonight Is So Right For Love" (takes 10-11/M)4:16
5."What's She Really Like" (takes 17-19/M + insert takes 20-22/M)8:11
6."Blue Suede Shoes" (take 1/M)2:14
7."Wooden Heart" (take 4/M)2:09
8."Shoppin'Around" (remake, takes 6-7/M)2:57
9."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (remake, take 2/M)2:36
10."Frankfort Special" (remake, takes 9-10/M)4:29
11."Tonight's All Right For Love" (take 10/M + insert takes 1-2/M)3:22
12."Big Boots" (slow version, take 4/M)1:40
13."Big Boots" (slow version, remake, insert takes 2-4/M)1:55
Outtakes
No.TitleLength
14."Shoppin' Around" (version 1, takes 6-10)4:59
15."Doin'The Best I Can" (takes 10-12)4:38
16."G.I. Blues" (take 6)2:47
17."Tonight Is So Right For Love" (take 8)2:30
18."Tonight Is So Right For Love" (take 9)2:29
19."Big Boots" (fast version, takes 6-5)1:40
20."What's She Really Like" (takes 14-16)4:13
21."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 11,13-14)3:19
22."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 15-16)3:31
23."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, take 17)2:50
Outtakes continues
No.TitleLength
1."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 18-20)6:18
2."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 21-25)5:04
3."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 26-28)4:45
4."Big Boots" (medium tempo version, take 1)1:10
5."Shoppin' Around" (remake, takes 1-2)2:47
6."Shoppin' Around" (remake, takes 3-5)3:24
7."Pocketful Of Rainbows" (remake, takes 1-3)4:11
8."Frankfort Special" (fast version, takes 9-12/fs + remake takes 1-5)9:11
9."Frankfort Special" (remake, takes 6-8)5:38
10."Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 2-5)4:05
11."Tonight's All Right For Love" (take 6)1:27
12."Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 7-8)2:02
13."Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 9,11,12)2:46
14."Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 14-15)2:03
15."Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 16-17)2:15
16."Big Boots" (slow version, remake takes 1-6 + insert take 1)4:50
Bonus Tracks
No.TitleLength
17."Tonight¹s All Right For Love" (Tales from the Vienna Woods, instrumental)2:26
18."Wooden Heart" (Grammafunken Version, instrumental)1:19
19."Whistling Blues" (Instrumental)3:26

Personnel

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Charts

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Chart (1961) Peak
position
Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200) 1
Italian Albums (HitParadeItalia)[13] 1
UK Albums Chart[14] 1
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15] 71

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
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.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires - G. I. Blues". Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Elvis Presley - Wooden Heart". Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  3. ^ AllMusic review
  4. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 892. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  5. ^ Simpson, Paul (2004). The Rough Guide to Elvis. London: Rough Guides. p. 121. ISBN 1-84353-417-7.
  6. ^ Stanley, Bob (July 1997). "Viva Elvis!". Uncut. No. 2. p. 109.
  7. ^ "Pop Albums". Elvis Presley: The Official Site of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. 2013. Archived from the original on May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  8. ^ "Searchable datebase". RIAA. 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013. Note: Enter search for "Presley, Elvis"
  9. ^ "Grammy Awards 1961". Award Shows. Awards and Shows. Retrieved January 17, 2015. The winner was Ray Charles for The Genius of Ray Charles. Other nominees were Harry Belafonte for Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall, Frank Sinatra for Nice 'n' Easy and Nat King Cole for Wild Is Love.
  10. ^ Sources:
  11. ^ "Released : G.I. Blues FTD 2 CD Special Edition Classic Album [Vol. 1]". Elvis Australia. July 11, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  12. ^ Sources:
  13. ^ "HitParadeItalia - Top Album N.39 del 30 Settembre 1961" (in Italian). HitParadeItalia.
  14. ^ "The Official Charts Company - Elvis Presley - G.I. Blues". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  15. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 282. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  16. ^ a b Coryton, Demitri (1990). Hits of the 60's:The Million Sellers. London: Batsford. p. 256. ISBN 9780713458510.
  17. ^ "British album certifications – Elvis Presley – G.I. Blues". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  18. ^ "American album certifications – Elvis Presley – G.I. Blues". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
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