Blog Archives
FlinterFile: Elvis Presley- Viva Las Vegas
Next to having a big career in music, Elvis also was a movie star. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Elvis Presley- Are You Lonesome Tonight
Roy Turk and Lou Handman wrote the song Are You Lonesome Tonight? in 1926. Read the rest of this entry
Wait a moment… that’s not from Elvis?
With a discography from over 800 songs, Elvis Presley has recorded lots of songs. Many of those songs became hits, but there are quite some hit versions which originally were not sung by Elvis… Read the rest of this entry
When classical music met pop music…
When the classical composers like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and others wrote their compositions, they probably did not think about pop music. In fact, their music seems to be quite different from the modern pop music. Two worlds that will never meet? Well, not exactly… Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Ten Years After- I’m Going Home
In 1971, Ten Years After officially released the single of the song I’m Going Home. This song was already on the album Undead from 1968, and in 1969, they played it on Woodstock. This ment their breakthrough, and it became a big hit. The name of the group refers to the years Elvis Presley had his first successes. Ten years later, the band established their name, resulting in Ten Years After (though they were already working in the bussiness for some years). Enjoy
Ten Years After- I’m Going Home
Song of the day: Guy Fletcher- Mary In The Morning
In 1971, the nephew from Guy Fletcher (the one from Dire Straits) had a hit. He started as a session musician, but in 1966, he started writing songs for other artists, such as Elvis Presley, the Hollies, and Power To All Our Friends from Cliff Richard. He managed Chris de Burgh, and he was in the band Rogue. Solo, he had a hit with Mary In The Morning in the Netherlands, where he reached number 11. Enjoy
Guy Fletcher- Mary In The Morning
Song of the day: Elvis Presley- That’s All Right
In 1954, Elvis Presley recorded and released his first single ever: That’s All Right. The song was not written by him, because the original was made by Arthur Crudup, a blues singer. He already recorded it in 1946. Some parts of the text even date back to another song, which was made in 1926! The song was re-released in 1949, now on a new format: the 45 rpm single. This particular single was coloured bright orange, if you want to know. Elvis played the song in a break, speeded up the tempo and when the other musicians joined in, his first single was born. The song was played on a radio show, and again, and again… it never charted, though it sold 20000 copies. Enjoy
Elvis Presley- That’s All Right
Song of the day: Elvis Presley- Don’t Be Cruel
In 1956, Otis Blackwell wrote a song together with Elvis Presley. Well, Elvis sort of leaned back and Blackwell wrote the song. Probably Elvis made some changes, but the deal was like this: if Elvis was given a part of the song writing credits, he would record it and a sale of more than a million records was guaranteed. And it did: in 1961 it had already sold more than six million records. The song was a number 1 hit in 1956, too. Enjoy
Elvis Presley- Don’t Be Cruel
Song of the day: Elvis Presley- Jailhouse Rock
It’s Elvis Monday again! It’s written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and was released in 1957, when the movie Jailhouse Rock was released. In the US, it would be a number 1 hit. The people he refers to are both fictional and real: Shifty Henry was a musician (but not a criminal one), the Purple Gang a mob and Sad Sack a nickname for a loser. The song later inspired the Spider Murphy Gang to choose its name. Enjoy
Elvis Presley- Jailhouse Rock
Song of the day: Elvis Presley- Heartbreak Hotel
In this Fifties February, we can’t ignore Elvis Presley. Therefore, Monday is Elvis Monday! The song was released in 1956 and became a number 1 hit in the US. The writers have different versions of how the song was written. One, Mae Boren Axton, says an article about a suicide of a man had a big impact. This man only left a note with “I walk a lonely street”. She then gave the idea of putting up a Heartbreak Hotel at the end of every street, the inspiration for the title. Tommy Durden says the song was already finished when this article was printed. However, Elvis recorded it and had a hit with it. Enjoy
Elvis Presley- Heartbreak Hotel
Song of the day: Willie Nelson- Always On My Mind
Two years ago, I got something started. The first Song of the Day was published then. And look where we are now: 175 followers, lots of readers, and lots of songs which got the spot on them. Today it’s the turn of Always On My Mind. A song that did not start with Willie Nelson. The song was written in 1972, and first recorded by George McCrae (from Rock Your Baby), together with Brenda Lee. In the same year, Elvis Presley recorded his version. He did that a little after his seperation with Priscilla. 10 years later, in 1982, Willie Nelson recorded his version of the song. This version would do number 5 on the US chart and number 49 in the UK. He did better than Elvis in the US, but a lot worse in the UK (where Elvis did number 9). The Pet Shop Boys would do the song in 1987, 10 years after the death of Elvis Presley. It was a sort of tribute, which probably was the biggest hit version of the song (number one in the UK and number 4 in the US. Personally, I think the Pet Shop Boys and Willie Nelson did the best versions, though the version of Elvis also is very good! Enjoy
Willie Nelson- Always On My Mind
Song of the day: Kid Creole & the Coconuts- Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy
In the eighties, there was a group who called themselves Kid Creole & The Coconuts. No, this is not a joke, this is reality. The brain behind the group was August Darnell, or actually I should say: is. The group still exists, mixing disco and latin music with big band and more styles. August is Kid Creole, and the three lovely ladies in the picture are his backing vocals, the Coconuts. Before Darnell became Kid Creole (yes, stolen from Elvis Presley) he worked as English teacher and he was working with his brother in the band Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band. (Crazy about long names, he is). In 1982 he released a new album with his new group, Tropical Gangsters (or in the US: Wise Guy). A lot of songs became hits, and the song of the day was one of them. Enjoy
Kid Creole & The Coconuts- Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy
Song of the day: Marc Cohn- Walking In Memphis
I must confess: I have only known the version of Cher of this song, and when I heard this, I thought: what’s this? But after hearing it a few times, it became better and better and I got used to the sound of the voice of Marc Cohn. And to be really honest, I like this version just a little bit more. That doesn’t mean that Cher did a bad job, but his voice is just a bit better for the song.
Marc Cohn- Walking In Memphis
Song of the day: Elvis Presley- Blue Suede Shoes
Oh dear! Shame on me! That I’ve not chosen Elvis Presley earlier on.
But okay, it’s time to make that right. This is the definitive Rock & Roll Album, one of the five albums with all hits by Elvis Presley.
He has had different periods, and like many other singers, you can’t catch him in one song. But because I choose one song of the day, I will choose for the Rock & Roll phase a song which you know.
No doubt about that: Blue Suede Shoes was a big hit by him, and one of my favourites.
Song of the day: Dire Straits- Calling Elvis
Hello everyone,
Today we’re going to call a dead person…
Or, at least, a band is going to call this person.
I’m talking about the Dire Straits, who are going to call Elvis Presley in Calling Elvis.
And there are some small sentences of Elvis in the songtext. Some examples:
Heartbreak hotel, Love me tender, Don’t be cruel, Return to sender and Treat me like a fool.
I hope you like the song, because I do!
Song of the day: JXL vs. Elvis Presley- A Little Less Conversation
Yes, here we are again!
A little bit more recent than yesterday, to be precise: 2002.
And the song is with Elvis Presley! Huh? Impossible, isn’t it?
No. It’s a remix, made by the Dutch producer Tom Holkenborg, better known as Junkie XL, or JXL.
The remix was approved by the family of Elvis, and the song is called: A little less conversation.
And to agree with this song, I will hereby stop talking and I will see you tomorrow!
The FlinterFiles 