EAP Index World: G. I. Blues (LP

Title:

G. I. Blues

Label:

RCA Victor [LSP 2256]

Format:

Number of tracks:

Running time:

26:30

Type of album:

Soundtrack

Linked to:

Official discography; G. I. Blues, 1960

Year:

1960

Recorded:

April 27-28 & May 6, 1960

Released:

October 1, 1960

Singles:

"Wooden Heart/Tonight is So Right For Love" (9/23/1960)

G.I. Blues is Elvis' eleventh album released by RCA Victor and the soundtrack to the 1960 film of the same name. Recording sessions took place on April 27-28 and May 6, 1960, at RCA Studio C and Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California.

Its more European-sounding songs were well received around the world and the record was nominated for two Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Sound Track Album or Recording of Original Cast From a Motion Picture or Television and Best Vocal Performance, Male.

The songs on this album comprise the entire movie score with some modifications. For copyright reasons, the European version of the album and film replaces the opening track "Tonight is So Right for Love" with "Tonight's All Right for Love", adapted from a 19th century tune by Johann Strauss II, "Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald". Interestingly, the melody for "Tonight is So Right for Love" was taken directly from a barcarolla composed by Jacques Offenbach, one of Strauss' contemporaries. The release of the European version of the track did not occur in the US or the rest of the world until the 1974 compilation album "Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Volume 1".

"Wooden Heart" was released as a single in the UK on 23 September 1960, with "Tonight is So Right For Love" on the B-side, staying at number one on the charts for six weeks. For marketing reasons, France received an exclusive EP entitled "Elvis Presley Dans G. I. Blues (Café Europa en Uniforme)" in February 1961.

In the United States, RCA would later release "Wooden Heart" as the B-side of a single on two occasions: in 1964 on the reissue of "Blue Christmas", and again in 1965 on the B-side of "Puppet On a String" from the film Girl Happy.

The version of "Blue Suede Shoes" used on the score is a re-recording of Elvis' 1956 hit, one of the few songs he would re-record during his career.

The LP topped the Billboard Top Pop Albums for eight months and was certified Gold on March 13, 1963 and Platinum on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America.

On April 27, 1997, RCA remastered the album and released it on CD, adding eight outtakes as extra tracks. Two of them had previously been released: the acoustic version of "Big Boots" on the 1978 album "Elvis Sings for Children and Grown-Ups Too", and "Tonight's All Right For Love".

In 2012 G.I. Blues was re-released by FTD in a double-CD digipack edition, and the following year the label also released a follow-up album entitled "Café Europa Sessions - G. I. Blues, Volume 2". The label also created and sold two double LPs, one in 2013 and another in 2018, with takes and Masters from the sessions, in addition to making the original album available in mono in 2012 in "From Memphis to Hollywood".

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RECORDING SESSIONS

Dates:

April 27-28 & May 6, 1960

Studio:

RCA Studio C

Radio Recorders

Location:

Hollywood, California

Musicians:

Voice: Elvis Presley
Guitar: Elvis Presley
Electric guitar: Scotty Moore, Neal Matthews, Hilmer J. 'Tiny' Timbrell
Bass: Ray Siegal
Drums: DJ Fontana, Frank Bode
Piano: Dudley Brooks
Accordion: Jimmie Haskell
Tambourine: Hoyt Hawkins
Mandolin: Hilmer J. 'Tiny' Timbrell
Backing Vocals: The Jordanaires
Sound engineer / Recording engineer:

Al Schmitt / Thorne Nogar

APRIL 27, 1960
Shoppin' Around (Instrumental) (Removed from tape?)
Shoppin' Around WPA5 2542-11 (Not Used)
Shoppin' Around (Finale) (Not Used - Removed from tape or erased?)
Didja' Ever L2PB 3686-02
Doin' The Best I Can L2PB 3688-13
G.I. Blues
G.I. Blues (Pickup)
G.I. Blues (Composite) L2PB 3682-SP
Tonight Is So Right For Love
What's She Really Like
Frankfort Special (Fast Tempo) WPA5 2543-13 (Not Used)
Tonight Is So Right For Love (Continued) L2PB 3678-11

APRIL 28, 1960
Whistling Blues (Instrumental)
Tonight Is So Right For Love (Music & Chorus)
Wooden Heart (Gramafunken Version - Instrumental)
Big Boots (Slow Tempo)
Big Boots (Fast Tempo) WPA5 2514-07 (Not Used)
What's She Really Like (Continued)
What's She Really Like (Insert)
What's She Really Like (Composite) L2PB 3679-SP
Pocketful Of Rainbows
Blue Suede Shoes L2PB 3687-01
Wooden Heart L2PB 3681-04
Pocketful Of Rainbows (Continued - Alternate Master)
Pocketful Of Rainbows WPA5 2544-28

MAY 6, 1960
Big Boots (Medium Tempo) WPA5 2545-02
Shoppin' Around L2PB 3684-07
Pocketful Of Rainbows L2PB 3683-02
Frankfort Special (Medium Tempo) L2PB 3680-10
Tonight's All Right For Love WPA1 8124-11
Tonight's All Right For Love (Insert)
Tonight's All Right For Love (Composite) L2PB 3975-SP
Big Boots (Slow Tempo 2) (Solo - Not Used)
Big Boots (Slow Tempo - Insert)
Big Boots (Slow Tempo - Composite) L2PB 3685-SP
Tonight's All Right For Love (Music & Chorus) WPA1 8125-05

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SESSION LOGS

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LP, EP AND RELATED SINGLES TRACKS

WOODEN HEART

(SINGLE, UK)

September 23, 1960

1. Wooden Heart

2. Tonight is So Right For Love

G. I. BLUES (LP)

October 1, 1960

1. Tonight Is So Right For Love

2. What's She Really Like

3. Frankfort Special

4. Wooden Heart

5. G. I. Blues

6. Pocketful of Rainbows

7. Shoppin' Around

8. Big Boots

9. Didja' Ever

10. Blue Suede Shoes (remake)

11. Doin' the Best I Can

ELVIS PRESLEY DANS G. I. BLUES

(EP, FRANCE)

February 1961

1. Tonight's All Right For Love

2. Wooden Heart

3. G. I. Blues

4. Didja' Ever

BLUE CHRISTMAS (SINGLE)

November 3, 1964

1. Blue Christmas

2. Wooden Heart

PUPPET ON A STRING (SINGLE)

October 26, 1965

1. Puppet On a String

2. Wooden Heart

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FTD VERSIONS

Title:

G. I. Blues

Label:

FTD [FTD 113] [506020 975033 0]

Format:

Double CD

Number of tracks:

Running time:

158:00

Type of album:

Soundtrack

Linked to:

FTD discography; G. I. Blues, 1960

Year:

2012

Recorded:

April 27-28 & May 6, 1960

Released:

July 2012

Singles:

---

With extensive material in hand, FTD knew they had nothing to lose with this release and could easily save some gems for a second album about the film if it had the expected success - which it did.

The delights of this album begin with the very first track of the first CD, with the album remastered, including "Tonight's All Right For Love", and a selection of first versions and takes. The second CD continues the recording sessions, covering the 27th and 28th of April 1960 and the various versions produced for the film.

As usual, FTD includes a booklet with this work. Its 16 pages were filled with information and high-quality photos of various moments in the Army and behind the scenes of the film, trying not to copy too much from MRS's 2011 release, which had the same content along with a 100-page booklet.

The work includes the following tracks:

CD 1

ORIGINAL ALBUM

1) Tonight Is So Right For Love

2) What's She Really Like

3) Frankfort Special

4) Wooden Heart

5) G. I. Blues

6) Pocketful Of Rainbows

7) Shoppin' Around

8) Big Boots

9) Didja' Ever

10) Blue Suede Shoes

11) Doin' The Best I Can

ALTERNATE SONG

12) Tonight's All Right For Love

BONUS SONGS

13) Shoppin' Around (version #1)

14) Frankfort Special (fast version)

15) Big Boots (fast version)

16) Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 12)

17) Big Boots (medium tempo version)

18) Tonight Is So Right For Love (instrumental)

FIRST TAKES

19) Tonight Is So Right For Love (takes 1-2)

20) What's She Really Like (takes 1-5)

21) Frankfort Special (fast version takes 1-2)

22) Wooden Heart (take 1)

23) G.I.Blues (take 1)

24) Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, takes 1-2)

25) Shoppin' Around (version #1, take 1)

26) Big Boots (fast version, takes 1-2)

27) Big Boots (slow version, take 1)

28) Didja' Ever (take 1)

29) Tonight's All Right For Love (take 1)

30) Doin' The Best I Can (takes 1-3)

CD 2

APRIL 27-28 SESSIONS

1) Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 3)

2) Shoppin' Around (instrumental take 4)

3) Shoppin' Around (version #1, takes 2-4)

4) Shoppin' Around (version #1, take 5)

5) Doin' The Best I Can (takes 4-7)

6) Doin' The Best I Can (takes 8-9)

7) G.I. Blues (takes 2-4)

8) G.I. Blues (take 5)

9) Tonight Is So Right For Love (take 3)

10) Tonight Is So Right For Love (take 4)

11) Tonight Is So Right For Love (takes 5-7)

12) Frankfort Special (fast version, takes 3-7)

13) Frankfort Special (fast version, take)

14) Big Boots (fast version, take 3)

15) Big Boots (fast version, take 4)

16) Big Boots (slow version, takes 2-3)

17) What's She Really Like (takes 6-7)

18) What's She Really Like (takes 8-11)

19) What's She Really Like (takes 12-13)

20) Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, takes 4-7)

21) Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take)

22) Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 9)

23) Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 10)

24) Wooden Heart (takes 2-4M)

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Title:

Café Europa - G. I. Blues, Volume 2

Label:

FTD [FTD 506020 975034 7]

Format:

Double CD

Number of tracks:

Running time:

115:00

Type of album:

Soundtrack

Linked to:

FTD discography; G. I. Blues, 1960

Year:

2013

Recorded:

April 27-28 & May 6, 1960

Released:

October 2013

Singles:

---

In the second part of the work on "G.I. Blues", FTD only limits itself to delivering the rest of the tracks from the recording sessions. The May 6, 1960 sessions close out the release. To finish the job, FTD provides another booklet with memorabilia, rare and behind-the-scenes photos.

The work includes the following tracks:

CD 1

MASTER TAKES - REMIXED

1) Didja' Ever (take 2/M)

2) Doin' The Best I Can (takes 13/M)

3) G. I. Blues (Take 7/M + pickup takes 8-10/M)

4) Tonight Is So Right For Love (takes 10-11/M)

4) What's She Really Like (takes 17-19/M + insert takes 20-22/M)

6) Blue Suede Shoes (take 1/M)

7) Wooden Heart (take 4/M)

8) Shoppin' Around (remake, takes 6-7/M)

9) Pocketful Of Rainbows (remake, take 2/M)

10) Frankfort Special (remake, takes 9-10/M)

11) Tonight''s All Right For Love (take 10/M + insert takes 1-2/M)

12) Big Boots (slow version, take 4/M)

13) Big Boots (slow version, remake, insert takes 1-4/M)

OUTTAKES

14) Shoppin'' Around (version #1, takes 6-10)

15) Doin' The Best I Can (takes 10-12)

16) G.I. Blues (take 6)

17) Tonight Is So Right For Love (take 8)

18) Tonight Is So Right For Love (take 9)

19) Whistling Blues (Instrumental)

20) Wooden Heart (Grammafunken Version, instrumental)

21) Big Boots (fast version, takes 6 & 5)

22) Pocketful of Rainbows (version #1, takes 11,13 14)

23) Pocketful of Rainbows (version #1, takes 15-16)

24) Pocketful of Rainbows (version #1, takes 17)

CD 2

MORE RECORDING SESSIONS

1) Pocketful of Rainbows (version 1, takes 18-20)

2) Pocketful of Rainbows (version 1, takes 21-25)

3) Pocketful of Rainbows (version 1, takes 26-28)

4) Big Boots (medium tempo version, take 1)

5) Shoppin' Around (remake, takes 1-2)

6) Shoppin' Around (remake, takes 3-5)

7) Pocketful Of Rainbows (remake, takes 1-3)

8) Frankfort Special (fast version, takes 9-12/fs + remake takes 1-5)

9) Frankfort Special (remake, takes 6-8)

10) Tonight's All Right For Love (takes 2-5)

11) Tonight's All Right For Love (take 6)

12) Tonight's All Right For Love (takes 7-8)

13) Tonight's All Right For Love (takes 9,11,12)

14) Tonight's All Right For Love (takes 14-15)

15) Tonight's All Right For Love (takes 16-17)

16) Big Boots (slow version, remake takes 1-6 + insert take 1)

BONUS TRACKS

17) Tonight's All Right For Love (“Tales From The Vienna Woods”, instr.)

18) Wooden Heart (Grammafunken Version, instrumental)

19) Whistling Blues (Instrumental)

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Title:

G. I. Blues - Special Edition

Label:

FTD [FTD 302] [506020 975053 8]

Format:

Double LP

Number of tracks:

Running time:

77:30

Type of album:
Soundtrack

Linked to:

FTD discography; G.I. Blues, 1960

Year:

2013

Recorded:

April 27-28 & May 6, 1960

Released:

November 2013

Singles:

---

Also in 2013, FTD turned to vinyl lovers and created a double LP work for fans. As all available material from the sessions had already been released on the two previous double CDs, the album only brings the highlights of the sessions and the Masters from the 1960 album.

The work includes the following tracks:

LP 1

SIDE A

1. Tonight Is So Right For Love (Take 4)

2. What's She Really Like (Takes 12, 13)

3. Frankfort Special (Version 1, Take 12)

4. Wooden Heart (Takes 2 - 4/M)

5. G.I. Blues (Take 5)

6. Tonight Is So Right For Love (Instrumental)

7. Tonight's All Right For Love (Alternative Version, Take 1)

8. Big Boots (Medium Tempo Version)

SIDE B

9. Pocketful Of Rainbows (Version 1, Take 10)

10. Shoppin' Around (Version 1, Take 5)

11. Big Boots (Slow Version, Takes 2,3)

12. Didja' Ever (Take 1)

13. Shoppin' Around (Instrumental, Take 4)

14. Doin' The Best I Can (Takes 1 - 3)

15. Doin' The Best I Can (Takes 4 - 7)

LP 2

SIDE A

1. Tonight Is So Right For Love

2. What's She Really Like

3. Frankfort Special

4. Wooden Heart

5. G.I. Blues

6. Tonight Is So Right For Love (Alternative Version)

7. G.I. Blues (Take 1)

8. Wooden Heart (Take 1)

SIDE B

9. Pocketful Of Rainbows

10. Shoppin' Around

11. Big Boots

12. Didja' Ever

13. Blue Suede Shoes (Remake)

14. Doin' The Best I Can

15. Doin' The Best I Can (Takes 8, 9)

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Title:

Café Europa - G. I. Blues, Vol. 2

Label:

FTD [FTD 319] [506020 975128 3]

Format:

Double LP

Number of tracks:

Running time:

77:00

Type of album:
Soundtrack

Linked to:

FTD discography; G.I. Blues, 1960

Year:

2018

Recorded:

April 27-28 & May 6, 1960

Released:

October 2018

Singles:

---

Five years after their third work on G.I. Blues, FTD returned to film to bring another double LP for vinyl lovers and the last work with those sessions. It would be a complement to the previous LP, bringing some more highlights.

The work includes the following tracks:

LP 1

SIDE A

1. G.I. Blues (Take 6)

2. Tonight Is So Right For Love (Take 8)

3. What's She Really Like (Takes 14 - 16)

4. Frankfort Special (Remake, takes 9 - 10/M)

5. Pocketful Of Rainbows (Version 1, take 17)

6. Tonight's All Right For Love (Take 6)

7. Wooden Heart ('Gramafunken version' - instrumental)

SIDE B

8. Doin' The Best I Can (Takes 10 - 12)

9. Shoppin' Around (Takes 1, 2)

10. Whistling Blues (Instrumental)

11. Pocketful Of Rainbows (Version 1, takes 26 - 28)

12. Tonight's All Right For Love (Takes 7 - 8)

13. Big Boots (Fast version, takes 6, 5)

LP 2

SIDE A

1. What's She Really Like (Takes 17-19/M + insert takes 20-22/M)

2. G.I.Blues (Takes 2-4)

3. Tonight Is So Right For Love (Take 9)

4. G.I.Blues (Take 7/M + pick up takes 8-10/M)

SIDE B

5. Shoppin' Around (Takes 3-5)

6. Big Boots (Medium tempo, take 1)

7. Tonight's All Right For Love ('Tales From Vienna Woods' - instrumental)

8. Frankfort Special (Remake, takes 6-8)

9. Tonight's All Right For Love (Takes 14-15)

10. Tonight's All Right For Love (Takes 16-17)

11. Shoppin' Around (Finale version, take 14/M, from acetate)

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ALTERNATE VERSION IN MONO

Title:

From Memphis to Hollywood

Label:

FTD [FTD 204] [506020 975045 3]

Format:

Book + CD

Number of tracks:

Running time:

26:30

Type of album:
Soundtrack

Linked to:

FTD discography; G.I. Blues, 1960

Year:

2012

Recorded:

April 27-28 & May 6, 1960

Released:

September 2012

Singles:

---

Also in 2012, FTD released a 350-page book that featured hundreds of never-before-seen photos, copies of newspaper and magazine articles, RCA memos, shooting schedules and parts of the script for "G.I. Blues" to tell how was Elvis' return to Hollywood in 1960 after two years in Germany. As a bonus, the work featured the original soundtrack album in mono.

The work includes the following tracks:

ORIGINAL ALBUM

1) Tonight is So Right For Love

2) What's She Really Like

3) Frankfort Special

4) Wooden Heart

5) G. I. Blues

6) Pocketful of Rainbows

7) Shoppin' Around

8) Big Boots

9) Didja' Ever

10) Blue Suede Shoes