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Fame and Fortune

Rating:
4.5 / 5

Words & Music: Ben Weisman Fred Wise

Fame and fortune
how empty they can be
But when I hold you in my arms
That's heaven to me
Who cares for fame and fortune
They're only passing things
But the touch of your lips on mine
Makes me feel like a king

Your kind of love
is a treasure I hold
It's so much greater
than silver or gold
I know that I have nothing
If you should go away
But to know that you love me
Brings fame and fortune my way

Recordingdate: 1960/03/20, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Fame and Fortune:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(electric bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Availability

Find available albums with Fame and Fortune.

Lex wrote on January 27, 2009
Bijoutiful! One of the best ballads he ever did!
adiels wrote on February 21, 2009
I truly love this song. It's my all time favorite song by Elvis. A great ballad with 100 % feeling. Sholud be on all compilations worth mentioning!
Steve V wrote on April 07, 2009
Elvis does a Platters style song and I like it very much. Very underrated ballad, one of his best.
dgirl wrote on November 25, 2010
I actually like this better than the A side. One of the gems of 1960, but werent they all? He sure got some great songs to record in 1960.
Deano1 wrote on April 29, 2011
It's hard to imagine that the B-side of Elvis' first post-Army single would be considered a lost classic, but it seemingly has been all but forgotten by everyone except his fans. You never hear it on the oldie stations and it is a shame. Sure the A-side "Stuck On You" was number one for four weeks, but this song had a solid effort on the charts all by itself (#17). A well written song, beautiful vocals, outstanding production and the Jordinaires excellent backing make this a 5 star track all the way.
Gorse wrote on November 27, 2012
Never got in to this ballad, and I think if it was done in 1967 would not have received such rave reviews. I don't dislike it by any means, but Pocketful of Rainbows, and Doin' The Best I Can from G.I. Blues from around the same time, are a whole lot better to these ears.
ElvisSacramento wrote on January 03, 2013
This is such a beautiful ballad and it's definitely one of Elvis' very best ballads. I've always liked it more than the marvelous A-side track "Stuck On You".
kink56 wrote on January 03, 2013
Truly one of the best. I even like all the outtakes and the Timex special version too. My mom bought it new in 1960 and she too preferred it over Stuck On You.
alanfalk wrote on January 03, 2013
5 Stars from me, Elvis was truly King of ballads also. I love how he looked on the Timex show, and he really chose two great songs to perform and to put on that killer single. The price for best ballad single of his career though must IMHO go to always on my mind/seperate ways.
sugartummy wrote on March 04, 2013
A 5 star ballad. It's as simple as that.
cookingfat wrote on May 19, 2013
Never liked the song at all, the A side was better but still not the best choice for his return from the army.
Cruiser621 wrote on May 19, 2013
I have to laugh. Every time I turn around my reviews are very similar to "dgirl". I too believe this song to be much better than the so-called "A" Side "Stuck On You" (Which was really a safe but boring tune to put ouit by Elvis after his release from the Army). This song is definitely 5-Stars in my ratings. Stuck On You? Safe but boring.
Cruiser621 wrote on May 19, 2013
I have to laugh. Every time I turn around my reviews are very similar to "dgirl". I too believe this song to be much better than the so-called "A" Side "Stuck On You" (Which was really a safe but boring tune to put out by Elvis after his release from the Army). This song is definitely 5-Stars in my ratings. Stuck On You? Safe but boring.
JerryNodak wrote on July 26, 2013
I've never been overly fond of "Stuck On You," but I love "Fame And Fortune." What a great ballad. 3 stars for "Stuck." 5 stars for "Fame."
yankee1104 wrote on July 26, 2013
My favorite ballad from the early 60's. An absolute gem and I love the way he sings it on the Frank Sinatra special.
Natha wrote on July 26, 2013
This song is prompt beautiful. Well sung and having that typical Elvis feel of transmitting the intention. Who said there were no songs with meaning? Well, this one has! When it comes down to the essence of life, worldly gains like and fame and fortune have no bearing. And this song reminded me every time I heard it. SO I'm happy that this tune got stuck in my head. Fabulously outstanding. Easily 5 stars for me.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on July 26, 2013
Both sides of this single were strong.
Lou A wrote on July 27, 2013
One of Elvis' best ballads ever. Very heartfelt, and well sung. I love both sides of this record ,and reject the idea that Elvis ' first post army single was "watered down". This song and Stuck on You sounded great on the radio back in 1960. Does anyone recall how RCA rushed this out with a sleeve that mentioned niether side of the record!
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on November 22, 2016
Excellent A & B sides.
atomic powered poste wrote on February 19, 2018
The song is relatively unappealing, not to creative or original. But you couldn't go wfon with Elvis in Nashville in the early 60's. It's the singer, not the song.
marty wrote on November 12, 2020
One of my favourites. I prefer this to the A Side but both are strong. He started the army as the best rock 'n' roll singer (Trouble, Hard Headed Woman, A Big Hunk O' Love etc.) and came out as the best ballad singer (Fame And Fortune, It's Now Or Never, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Surrender etc.). Looking back, there is a huge difference in the sound between his 1958 & 1960 recordings, which was amplified by the stereo sound of 1960. However both sets of recordings are remarkable in their own way. 5 stars!
bajo wrote on November 13, 2020
It was Stuck On You that hit me back in the day. That was the side which got played. I didn't flip that record too often. But, as years have gone by, I have come to love this well sung and beautiful ballad. 5 stars!
DerekH wrote on August 27, 2022
Fabulous song, and only the B side when release in 1960. How did Elvis keep doing it?
Milky White Way wrote on August 28, 2022
I seem to go against the flow, love the A side 5 stars but the B side is is good but not a classic. 3 stars
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