Album Title : G.I. Blues
Catalogue Number : LPM - 2256
Year Release : 1st October 1960
Side 1 : Tonight Is So Right For Love - What's She Really Like - Frankfort Special - Wooden Heart - G.I.Blues
Side 2 : Pocketful Of Rainbows - Shoppin' Around - Big Boots - Didja' Ever - Blue Suede Shoes - Doin' The Best I Can
Brief History :
G.I. Blues is the eleventh album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2256, in October 1960. Recording sessions took place on April 27 and 28, and May 6, 1960, at RCA Studio C and Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. The album topped the Billboard Top Pop Album chart. It was certified Gold on 3/13/1963 and Platinum on 3/27/1992 by the R.I.A.A.
Music on this album comprised songs that had appeared in the film of the same name. The song "Wooden Heart" was released as a single in the United Kingdom, where it was #1 for six weeks. In the United States, Joe Dowell recorded a cover version of "Wooden Heart" that topped the Billboard Hot 100. RCA later released "Wooden Heart" by Presley as the b-side of a single twice, once in 1964 on the back of a reissue of "Blue Christmas," and again on the flip of a belated issue in 1965 of "Puppet On A String" from the Girl Happy movie. Four songs from this album appear on the 1995 soundtrack compilation: "G.I. Blues," "Wooden Heart," "Shoppin' Around," and "Doin' the Best I Can."
Due to copyright reasons, the European version of the soundtrack album and film substitutes the opening track "Tonight Is So Right for Love" with the song "Tonight's All Right for Love," adapted from a melody by 19th century waltz-king Johann Strauss II. Interestingly, the melody for "Tonight Is So Right for Love" was taken directly from a barcarolle composed by Jacques Offenbach, one of Strauss's contemporaries. An American release of "Tonight's All Right for Love" did not occur until it appeared on the compilation album Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 in 1974. The version of "Blue Suede Shoes" used on the soundtrack is a new recording of the song Presley first recorded in 1956, and is one of only a few songs that Presley would re-record in a studio setting during his career, others being "Love Letters" and "A Little Less Conversation."
The G.I. Blues soundtrack album was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1960 in the categories Best Sound Track Album Or Recording Of Original Cast From A Motion Picture Or Television and Best Vocal Performance Album, Male.
Details :
Front Cover : Elvis in army uniform. Movie title to left in blue. Catalogue number bottom left. Bottom side left Printed In U.S.A.
Rear Cover : 4 coloured photos of Elvis. Catalogue number bottom left as follows LPM/LSP 2256.
Label : Black with silver lettering & dog on top.
Side 1 : Right side has "New Orthophonic" High Fidelity under the number 1.
Side 2 : Right side has "New Orthophonic" High Fidelity under the number 2.
Pressing Plant : Hollywood
Matrix Number Side 1 : L2PP - 3657 - 3S (Machine Stamped)
Matrix Number Side 2 : L2PP - 3658 - 15S (Machine Stamped)
*NOTE*
Details : 1964 Release
Front Cover : Elvis in army uniform. Movie title to left in blue. Catalogue number bottom left. Bottom side left Printed In U.S.A.
Rear Cover : 4 coloured photos of Elvis. Catalogue number bottom left as follows LPM/LSP 2256.
Label : Black with silver lettering, dog on top & RCA logo in white.
Side 1 : Elvis Presley above spindle hole
Side 2 : Elvis Presley above spindle hole
Pressing Plant : Rockaway
Matrix Number Side 1 : L2PP - 3657 - 22S A1 (Machine Stamped)
Matrix Number Side 2 : L2PP - 3658 - 18S A3 (Machine Stamped)
*NOTE* Monaural at bottom of vinyl.