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Elvis Presley - G.I. Blues Audio CD

A fair review of the Elvis Presley "G.I. Blues" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Elvis Presley reviews here, or go back to the Elvis Presley tabs.

Elvis Presley Band: Elvis Presley
Title: G.I. Blues
Rating:
Release Date: 1997-04-28
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Tonight Is So Right for Love 2: What's She Really Like 3: Frankfort Special 4: Wooden Heart 5: G.I. Blues 6: Pocketful of Rainbows 7: Shoppin' Around 8: Big Boots 9: Didja' Ever 10: Blue Suede Shoes 11: Doin' the Best I Can 12: Tonight's All Right for Love 13: Big Boots [Fast Version] 14: Shoppin' Around (Alternate Take 11) 15: Frankfort Special [Fast Version - Take 2] 16: Pocketful of Rainbows (Alternate Take 2) 17: Didja' Ever (Alternate Take 1) 18: Big Boots [Acoustic Version] 19: What's She Really Like (Alternate Take 7) 20: Doin' the Best I Can (Alternate Take 9)

Elvis Rocks
He Loves it and calls it his traveling music. I bought this for my Dad, who at 63 still rocks out with Elvis. My Mom liked it so much I had to get one for her car too.


Elvis fresh from the Army with something to prove
I. Elvis was fresh out of the Army when he starred in "G. Blues". You can tell it isn't the 1950s Elvis anymore, but a more polished vocalist who has more mature sense of himself. The soundtrack is loaded with awesome vocals, starting with the ballads "Tonight Is So Right For Love", "Pocketful of Rainbows", "Doin' The Best I Can" and "Wooden Heart".

From there, you have the more up-tempo foot tappers in "G. I. Blues", "Frankfort Special", "Shoppin' Around" and "Didja Ever". Throw in a the little ditty of "Big Boots" -- a future theme of corny songs stuck in Elvis movies during the 1960s -- and the remake of "Blue Suede Shoes" -- not as rocky as the 1956 version -- and you have a very solid soundtrack from top to bottom.

Like I said, not the Elvis of the 1950s, where he was edgy and untouchable in the Rock world. This was now the new Dean Martin version of Elvis, which we would see throughout most of his 1960s movies and basically in most of his non-movie singing, too. A strong ballad singer with a few fast-paced songs, but nothing like the rebel image of the 1950s. He was a new man with a new image. .


There's something about a man in uniform...especially ELVIS!
I play the CD daily. . . LOUD. . . . VERY LOUD!!
Without a doubt, this is my favorite Elvis movie/CD for many reasons. Being the 1st movie made after his military stint, Elvis is very unpretentious and actually looks like he's having FUN. (We all know how much he disliked his own movies, which makes this one even extra special). When I play the CD. . . I can picture the scenes from the movie.
The "Special Edition" CD was also a bonus with tid-bits about the making of the movie and great pictures. Have even been thinking about getting another one because I'm wearing the original out!!.


His best soundtrack from the 1960's
It did this despite not producing a big hit single in the US (although "Wooden Heart" was a huge hit internationally, it never charted in the US). This was one of Elvis' biggest hit albums, staying at number 1 on the US album chart for 8 weeks. In my opinion, it is his best 1960's movie soundtrack (though not quite as good as some of his groundbreaking 1950's soundtracks). "Shopping Around" is an underapreciated rocker and I also really liked "Pocket Full of Rainbows" and "GI Blues". It is a shame that this CD has to be imported. A superior collection of early 60's pop and rock!.


Great "stage show" soundtrack
And I never tire of the album as a whole. "GI Blues" has stayed in my CD changer for months, as my two year-old boy never tires of dancing to the lead track. Elvis' voice is great, and you can tell from the outtakes that he really put his best effort into singing each song as he strove to re-establish himself post-Army.
For me (a big Elvis fan, but not someone who likes every song he made), there's not a dud on this album. Most of the songs were unknown to me before I bought this disc, as none get airplay on oldies stations or elsewhere. Great songs that I had never heard before include "Pocketful of Rainbows," a lovely, upbeat song with great vocals, recently featured in the film "The Five People You Meet in Heaven. "
Unlike many cds with bonus tracks, most of the outtakes are also good. Some have completely different tempos than the originally published versions. For example, "Big Boots" is a sleepy lullaby on the soundtrack, but the fast bonus version is a lively little finger-snapper.
The overall tone of this cd is that of a "rocking" Broadway musical from the Rogers & Hammerstein era (I'm not an expert on Broadway, but that's what it makes me think of): Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl, and the corresponding combination of fast and slow songs that follow that script.
If that doesn't sound interesting, the title track and "Blue Suede Shoes" are basic must-haves for anyone who loves rockin' Elvis.
Summary: I love this album (as does my wife and little boy).


You can see a complete list of all Elvis Presley discography, or go back to the Elvis Presley tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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