Finally available, an import CD with duets by Elvis and various other artists, a CD many fans wished for, is this what they wanted?
Design
The design of this 2 CD import release is very simple yet very attractive, but the quality of the image isn’t very good, holding it in my hands. Inside the booklet we get the details on the songs.
Content
The duets on this release are not new. Most duets are from the movies (the complete second CD), television specials – the 1968 comeback and Sinatra show- live performances or home recordings.
The concept of a duet CD is a nice one since listening to only Elvis all the time can become boring for the causal fan or even the die hard fans. Every now and then your ears need something different, well at least mine do. The producers of this compilation interpreted the term “Duet” very widely. The backing artist like Kathy Westmoreland, J.D Sumner and Sherrill Nielsen or complete backing groups like The Blossoms and VOICE qualify as duet partners. The result: a mixed bag of goodies. Some of these are very enjoyable like “Let Yourself Go” from the “1968 Comeback Special”, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – 2 versions present, with Ginger Holladay and Temple Riser – or “The Impossible Dream”. But I can’t really see the latter as a duet, the same goes for tracks like “Help Me” or “Why Me Lord”. The same goes for “Bringing it Back”, it is not a duet, and it is Elvis backing his group VOICE.
The second CD, which I browsed through, is dedicated to the movies and contains the only real duets Elvis recorded, three songs with Ann Margret and “There Ain’t Nothing Like A Song” with Nancy Sinatra. Most songs were lifted from the movies so some versions are different form the performances we know from the soundtrack releases. Besides these my personal favorites are “Crawfish”, the additional vocals by Kitty White really add that New Orleans sound to the song., “Mexico” because it is a fun tune and “Confidence” since it was on one of my first Elvis tapes. Some songs are better performed on the soundtrack album; “Frankie And Johnny” is the best example. The duet with his daughter is a nice addition.
The sound of this CD is very good. There are some differences but that is due to the various sources, studio, live and home recordings.
Conclusion
This release is a fun idea; the result is a mixed bag. I won’t play it too often since there are too many average songs on it. A single disc release with the best duets would have been sufficient. With the upcoming release “Elvis At The Movies” the addition of a handful of these duets could have made that release more attractive.
Track listing:
CD 1
01 I Will Be Home Again with Charlie Hodges
Recorded in Nashville, TN. on April 4, 1960
02 It’s Nice To Go Travelling with Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Joey Bishop & Sammy Davis jr.
03 Love Me Tender/Witchcraft with Frank Sinatra
Recorded live for the “Welcome Home Elvis” TV show at the Fountainbleau Hotel in Miami, FL. on March 26, 1960.
04 Let Yourself Go with The Blossoms
Recorded for the “Elvis” NBC TV special in Los Angeles, CA. on June 20, 1968
05 The Impossible Dream with Armond Morales
Recorded live on stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 28, 1971
06 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face with Ginger Holladay
Recorded in Nashville, TN. on March 15, 1971
07 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face with Temple Riser
Recorded in Nashville, TN. on May 21, 1971
08 Help Me with Sherrill Nielsen
Recorded in Memphis, TN. on December 12, 1973
09 Spanish Eyes with Sherrill Nielsen
Recorded in Memphis, TN. on December 16, 1973
10 Why Me Lord with J.D. Sumner
Recoded live on stage in Memphis, TN. on March 20, 1974
11 Brining It Back with Voice and Elvis singing bass
12 Aubrey with Voice and Elvis singing bass
Recorded live on stage at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas on September 2, 1974
13 Hawaiian Wedding Song with Kathy Westmoreland
Recorded live on stage at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas on September 2, 1974
14 Softly As I Leave You with Sherrill Nielsen
Recorded live on stage at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas on December 13, 1975 M.S.
Rarities
15 Yippee Yi Yo Yippee Yi Yay with Imogene Coca, Andy Griffith & Steve Allen
Recorded for the “Steve Allen TV Show” in New York, NY. on July 1, 1956
16 I Shall Not Be Moved with Jerry Lee Lewis & Carl Perkins
17 When The Saints Go Marching In with Jerry Lee Lewis & Carl Perkins
Recorded during the “Million Dollar Quartet” jam session in Sun Studio on December 4, 1956
18 I Can’t Help (It If I’m Still In Love With You) with Anita Wood
19 Who’s Sorry Now with Anita Wood
Recorded at Eddie Fadal’s home in Waco, TX. in the spring of 1958
20 If I Loved You with Nancy Sharpe
21 Sweet Leilani with Nancy Sharpe
22 Make Believe with Nancy Sharpe
Recorded at Elvis’ home at Monovale Drive, Hollywood, CA. in the fall of 1960
23 You’re Life Has Just Begun with Linda Thompson
24 Teardrops with Linda Thompson
Recorded at Sam Thompson’s home in Memphis, TN. late 1973
25 Spanish Eyes wit Sherrill Nielsen
Recorded at Elvis’ home in Palm Springs, CA. in 1974
Special Bonus
26 Don’t Cry Daddy with Lisa Marie Presley Recorded live at the “Elvis In Concert” big screen show in Memphis, TN. on August 16, 1997. This duet has been produced using a mix of a live recording by Elvis and a studio recording by his daughter Lisa Marie Presley.
CD 2
The Movies
01 Crawfish with Kitty White
From the Paramount motion picture King Creole
02 Pocketful Of Rainbow with Juliet Prowse
From the Paramount motion picture G.I. Blues
03 Husky Dusky Day with Hope Lang
From the 20th Century Fox motion picture Wild In The Country
04 Aloha Oe with The Surfers
From the Paramount motion picture Blue Hawaii
05 Earth Boy with Ginny and Elisabeth Tiu
From the Paramount motion picture Girls! Girls! Girls!
06 How Would You Like To Be with Vicki Tiu
From the MGM motion picture It Happened At The World’s Fair
07 Happy Ending with Joan O'Brien
From the MGM motion picture It Happened At The World’s Fair
08 Mexico with Larry Domasin
From the Paramount motion picture Fun In Acapulco
09 Today Tomorrow And Forever with Ann-Margret
From the MGM motion picture Viva Las Vegas
10 You’re The Boss with Ann-Margret
From the MGM motion picture Viva Las Vegas
11 The Lady Loves Me with Ann-Margret
From the MGM motion picture Viva Las Vegas
12 Spring Fever with Shelley Fabares
From the MGM motion picture Girl Happy
13 Frankie And Johnny with Eileen Wilson and Ray Walker
From the United Artists motion picture Frankie And Johnny
14 Petunia The Gardener’s Daughter with Eileen Wilson
From the United Artists motion picture Frankie And Johnny
15 Look Out Broadway with Eileen Wilson and Ray Walker
From the United Artists motion picture Frankie And Johnny
16 Scratch My Back with Marianne Hill
From the Paramount motion picture Paradise Hawaiian Style
17 Datin’ with Donna Butterworth
From the Paramount motion picture Paradise Hawaiian Style
18 Queenie Wahine’s Papaya with Donna Butterworth
From the Paramount motion picture Paradise Hawaiian Style
19 Yoga Is As Yoga Does with Elsa Lanchaster
From the Paramount motion picture Easy Come, Easy Go
20 Who Need Money with Ray Walker
From the United Artists motion picture Clambake
21 Confidence with kids
From the United Artists motion picture Clambake
22 There Ain’t Nothing Like A Song with Nancy Sinatra
From the MGM motion picture Speedway
23 Signs Of The Zodiac with Marilyn Mason
From the United Artists motion picture The Trouble With Girls
Elvis Duets
By ElvisNews.com/ Kees, April 21, 2007 | Music
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JimmyCool wrote on
April 21, 2007
I have to disagree on two things: "Finally available, a CD with duets by Elvis and various other artists, a CD many fans wished for..." Not me! "Listening to only Elvis all the time can become boring for the causal fan or even the die hard fans." What are you talking about, Kees!? You forgot to mention that the cover is almost a perfect copy of "Elvis Latino!"
JerryNodak wrote on
April 22, 2007
Now here's something I've been waiting for. I know I'll be scouring the Net trying to find this at a reasonable price. NOT, NOT!!
wayup wrote on
April 22, 2007
Well Kees, you could save your time and simply write that this CD is awful crap.
Rejane wrote on
April 22, 2007
I would buy this CD just for the tracks that are not available anywhere else (that I've found anyway). I'm speaking of the Nancy Sharpe and Linda Thompson, Tempel Riser, ect. tracks.
Mr Scrapbook wrote on
April 22, 2007
I can't believe nobody has mentioned it yet, or maybe no one has listened to the whole two disc set? "Yoga Is As Yoga Does with Elsa Lanchester". Only it's not, it's the regular stereo studio version as lifted from the double features CD.
Rev. Gerhard wrote on
April 28, 2007
I think this release is a very good idea. And it will be even much better, when they will have updated it with the latest duet with Celine.
JerryNodak wrote on
May 08, 2007
You've gotta be a absolute completeist or really in need of your daily Elvis "fix" to buy this. Not me!!
Rob Wanders wrote on
May 17, 2007
yes, I bought this cd. Do I regret it?? yes and no. I love the duet of Elvis and Lisa and the 2 versions of "The first time" (I had only the first version on a lp). And that's it. The rest is not new for me and cd 2 is for a big part horrible with songs like: Confidence, yoga is, who needs money, earth boy, how would you (with that stupid girl), husky dusky whatever). Yes a lot of money for 3 songs. So I listen to Dont cry daddy 5 times, makes it worth while a bit.
Duncs wrote on
May 29, 2007
Where's - "Always Almost true to you " - lose the Donna Butterworth tracks !
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on
May 30, 2007
Yes Duncs that is a good track from G.I.Blues maybe there'll be a Vol 2 ! lol