Monday, August 25, 2008

Elvis Month: It's Like Night and Day


Two posts back we gave this whole schpeial about the sessions for "Moody Blue" and how there were a few bootlegs out there. We posted "The Alternate Moody Blue". Today, we give you more of those alternate takes from the Moody Blue sessions. Here is "Moody and Blue". As with the last "Moody Blue" boot, this one features alternate takes from those sessions as well as alternate live songs. Enjoy!

Elvis-Moody And Blue
Moody and Blue Part 2

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Elvis Month: She's A Complicated Lady


There will always be a place in my heart for Elvis' last released album during his lifetime. I am, of course, talking about "Moody Blue". I remember this record coming out. I remember my dad bringing it home and putting the shiny blue vinyl on the turntable. I remember being in Bradlees with my grandfather and picking up the single to Way Down over and over until he bought it for me. I remember getting the cassette version in my Christmas stocking.I remember that it came out in 1977. (btw, it seems to me that life began in 1977 as so many amazing things came out that year, the least of all being Star Wars!). For some odd reason, no matter how many Elvis records I listen to, I always enjoy listening to this one. Over the years, there have been several bootlegs surrounding the Moody Blue album. There's a good reason why. The album was a mixture of live and studio work, and included tracks from Presley's final studio recording sessions in 1976. Apparently, these last sessions did not yield enough material for a complete album. They blamed this on the fact that most of Elvis' recordings from those sessions were used in the previous album, "From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee." The truth was that RCA just did not think that the sessions were any good. In their defense, Elvis treated these sessions like a child trying to get out of eating broccoli. If and when he bothered to come down to the sessions, he would either joke around and screw up the takes, make lackluster attempts at the songs or gather everyone up and go outside and race go-karts. Both RCA and producer Felton Jarvis had booked a recording studio in Nashville for January 1977 to cut some new tracks for this album. Unfortunately, Elvis never showed up at the session, claiming he was sick and stayed home. Jarvis and RCA had nothing to do then but to fill the album with three live tracks recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on April 24, 1977, including a version of "Unchained Melody" which would be the album's third single, released posthumously. As a result of all of this, there are many "alternate takes" of those few recorded numbers and as you may have guessed, this brings us back to the start of this whole scenario with the many bootlegs concerning this album. Today I present to you just one of these bootlegs, entitled (appropriately enough) "The Alternate Moody Blue". It features alternate takes of all of the studio songs, and various other live recordings of the songs that were originally culled from the Ann Arbor show. Here it is for you now. Enjoy!

Elvis-The Alternate Moody Blue

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Elvis Month: The Class of '55

This is a clip of The Class of '55 (Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison) singing "We Remember The King". It was from a television special that promoted the Class of '55 album back in 1985. The special was never released on video. It's amazing to think that 23 years later, the last man standing from this is Jerry Lee. In all honesty, I never really cared for this album. I own it and can't bring myself to get rid of it but I haven't listened to it in ages. Anyway, here is the Class of '55 recording their tribute to the King and below that is the Class of '55 singing a gospel song in Elvis' honor. Enjoy!



Saturday, August 16, 2008

Elvis Month: 31 Years Ago Today


Today is the 31st anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. It's amazing to me that we still honor it. I'm curious as to how long it will be remembered in the way that it is today. By that I mean, with the whole Elvis week and the candlelight vigil at Graceland and all of that. It is interesting. Here at the World of Wonder, we are remembering the King this day by sharing with you the fifth and final volume of "Elvis: The American Way". This one is entitled "Goin' Home To Memphis" so it only seems fitting that we share it with you today. Enjoy!

Elvis-The American Way Volume 5: Goin' Home To Memphis

Monday, August 11, 2008

Elvis Month: How To Dance Like The King


How to Dance Like Elvis Presley
from eHow Arts & Entertainment

Elvis Presley is one of the most impersonated celebrities, but there's more to it than just curling your lip and saying, "Thank you very much." The King of Rock n' Roll was also well known for his signature, hip-shaking dance moves that offended suburban housewives and made teenage girls scream in the fifties. To dance like Elvis, you'll need to feel the rhythm in your pelvis.

Step 1
Gyrate your hips. Bend your knees slightly and move your hips around in a circular motion. Accentuate your movements with timed thrusts. Elvis' notorious hip movements are his signature moves and at the heart of any Elvis-related dance performance.

Step 2
Move your legs with your hip movements. Spread your feet apart and move your thighs in together and then apart with your hip thrusts. Keep your legs loose so that they move in a flowing motion.

Step 3
Incorporate arm movements into your dance when you feel it's appropriate. Hold your arms up and snap your fingers to the beat of the music, or swing your arms around in time with the music and your hip and leg movements.

Step 4
Maintain your balance. Elvis' unique ability to keep his balance while moving his lower body in different directions is what made him such a good dancer. To dance like Elvis, you'll need to be able to hold balance well.

Step 5
Practice playing the guitar while doing to Elvis dance moves with your hips and legs. Elvis often played the guitar and showed off his signature dance moves simultaneously while performing.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Elvis Month: Sinatra Salutes the King(re-post)


Here's another great Elvis bootleg. This time around its "The Frank Sinatra Show: Welcome Home Elvis". This was the huge television special that Sinatra put together to welcome Elvis Presley back home from his stint in the army. It offers a slick variety hour of Sinatra surrounded by the usual suspects: Sammy Davis Junior, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, and his own daughter Nancy.The framing device is a series of skits intended to show Elvis what he'd missed while away. Presley was paid a whopping $125,000 for 10 minutes of air time but before he even comes out, Sinatra, backed by Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra, offers a wonderful version of "Gone with the Wind", from his 1958 classic Frank Sinatra Sings... For Only the Lonely. When Elvis finally arrives, he performs "Fame and Fortune" and "Stuck on You", during which the audience screams predictably and wildly. Then comes the infamous duet between the two stars with Sinatra taking on "Love Me Tender" and Presley grappling with "Witchcraft". This "unofficial release" came from my late father's collection and is in immaculate condition. I believe it was released in the 80s but I'm not positive. It's basically an audio version of the special. Here it is for you now. Enjoy!

Welcome Home Elvis

Friday, August 08, 2008

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Elvis Month: Always On My Mind

This is hands down, my favorite video clip of Elvis. This is also one of my favorite songs by him as well. Enjoy!

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