Victrola just released a 3CD package of the soundtrack of Harum Scarum, with the title Avventura in Oriente.
Design
The set is a basic three panel set, with many pictures like movie stills, (movie)poster(s) and publicity shots behind the CD holders. A bit of background info on the used sources is added besides the track listing of the CDs.
Content
FTD was so friendly to keep this horrible soundtrack on one CD, but Victrola punishes us with more! I have to admit immediately that somehow the people behind Victrola managed to bring it in much better quality. The songs (especially the vocals) sound less muffled and much clearer. This good quality emphasizes that even great musicians can’t make poor songs better, especially not when the main attraction’s voice lacks the usual magic.
Anyway we get the masters, outtakes, movie versions and the mono masters to endure. Then two unused demos pop up (also missing quality) before the soundtrack part closes with the movie trailer.
The third CD has a bit of a weird ending with singles of 1965: outtakes of Crying in the Chapel and I Believe in the Man in the Sky, the movie versions of Easy Question, I Feel that I’ve Known You Forever and the immortal Do the Clam. That last one gets an extra treat with a muffled instrumental take from an acetate). The CD closes with an interview with Herman’s Hermits in which Elvis is named, but why the heck does it end up here?
Conclusion
Content wise a better sounding no-no to me, but for the completists among us…
Tracklisting
Disc 1:
01. Go East, Young Man (master)
02. So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (master)
03. Shake That Tambourine (master)
04. Mirage (master)
05. Kismet (master)
06. Hey, Little Girl (master)
07. Golden Coins (master)
08. My Desert Serenade (master)
09. Harem Holiday (master)
10. Animal Instinct (master)
11. Wisdom Of The Ages (master)
12. Shake That Tambourine (takes 7, 8, 10)
13. So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (take 1)
14. My Desert Serenade (takes 1-3)
15. Wisdom Of The Ages (takes 1, 2)
16. Kismet (takes 1, 2)
17. Hey, Little Girl (takes 1, 2)
18. Animal Instinct (take 1)
19. Golden Coins (takes 1-4)
20. Harem Holiday (takes 1, 2)
Disc 2:
01. Animal Instinct (takes 3, 4)
02. Shake That Tambourine (takes 14, 16)
03. Wisdom Of The Ages (take 3)
04. My Desert Serenade (take 7)
05. Kismet (takes 3-5)
06. Golden Coins (takes 7, 8)
07. Hey, Little Girl (take 3)
08. Shake That Tambourine (takes 18-21)
09. So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (take 3)
10. So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (take 4)
11. My Desert Serenade (take 8)
12. My Desert Serenade (take 10)
13. Wisdom Of The Ages (take 4)
14. Harem Holiday (movie version)
15. My Desert Serenade (movie version)
16. Go East, Young Man (movie version)
17. Mirage (movie version)
18. Kismet (movie version)
19. Shake That Tambourine (movie version)
20. Hey, Little Girl (movie version)
21. Golden Coins (movie version)
22. So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (movie version)
Disc 3:
01. Harem Holiday (mono master)
02. My Desert Serenade (mono master)
03. Go East, Young Man (mono master)
04. Mirage (mono master)
05. Kismet (mono master)
06. Shake That Tambourine (mono master)
07. Hey, Little Girl (mono master)
08. Golden Coins (mono master)
09. So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (mono master)
10. Animal Instinct (mono master)
11. Wisdom Of The Ages (mono master)
12. A Slave To Your Kiss (unused demo)
13. Wisdom Of The Ages (an alternate song - unused demo)
14. Harum Scarum movie trailer
15. Crying In The Chapel (takes 1-3)
16. I Believe In The Man In The Sky (take 1)
17. I Believe In The Man In The Sky (takes 2-4)
18. Such An Easy Question (movie version)
19. I Feel That I've Known You Forever (movie version)
20. Do The Clam (movie version)
21. Do The Clam (instrumental track - take 5, acetate)
22. Interview with Herman's Hermits (August 18, 1965, Honolulu, Hawaii)