G.I. Blues (soundtrack)

G.I. Blues
Soundtrack album by Elvis Presley
Released	September 23, 1960
Recorded	April 27 – May 6, 1960
Genre	Pop, rock and roll
Length	26:35
Label	RCA Victor
Elvis Presley chronology
Elvis Is Back! (1960) G.I. Blues (1960) His Hand in Mine (1960)
Singles from G.I. Blues
"G.I. Blues" Released: December 1960 "Wooden Heart" Released: March 1961

Professional ratings

Review scores
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Rough Guides

G.I. Blues is the third soundtrack album and seventh (overall) album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2256, in October 1960. It is the soundtrack to the 1960 film of the same name in which he starred. Recording sessions took place on April 27 and 28, and May 6, 1960, at RCA Victor Studio C and Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. The album topped the Billboard Top Pop Album chart. It was certified gold on March 13, 1963 and platinum on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album remained at the #1 spot for eleven weeks.

Content

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 number one for six weeks. It also was number one in Australia. In the United States, Joe Dowell recorded a cover version of "Wooden Heart" that topped the Billboard Hot 100. RCA Victor 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 side of a belated issue in 1965 of "Puppet on a String" from the film Girl Happy. Four songs from this album appear on the 1995 soundtrack compilation Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II: "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, Tales from the Vienna Woods. 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", "It Hurts Me" 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.

Reissues

On April 27, 1997, RCA remastered the album for compact disc, adding eight outtakes from the recording session as bonus tracks. Two songs were previously released, the acoustic version of "Big Boots" appearing on the posthumous 1978 album Elvis Sings for Children and Grown-Ups Too, and the substitute "Tonight's All Right For Love". In 2012 G.I. Blues was released on the Follow That Dream label in a 7-inch digi-pack edition featuring a booklet and two CDs containing the original album tracks and numerous alternate takes. A follow-up album, Café Europa, which also contained a booklet and two CDs was released in 2013. This album featured more alternate takes of the G.I. Blues soundtrack.

Personnel

• Elvis Presley – vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar on "Shoppin' Around" (alt. version recorded April 27)
• The Jordanaires – backing vocals
• Scotty Moore – rhythm guitar, lead guitar on "Frankfort Special"
• Tiny Timbrell – lead guitar, mandolin
• Neal Matthews, Jr. – electric bass, guitar
• Jimmie Haskell – accordion
• Hoyt Hawkins – tambourine
• Dudley Brooks – piano
• Ray Siegel – double bass, tuba
• D.J. Fontana - drums
• Frank Bode - drums on April 27 and April 28
• Bernie Mattinson – drums on May 6

Track listing

Original release

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date	Length
1.	"Tonight Is So Right for Love"	Abner Silver and Sid Wayne	April 27, 1960	2:14
2.	"What's She Really Like"	Abner Silver and Sid Wayne	April 28, 1960	2:17
3.	"Frankfort Special"	Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards	May 6, 1960	2:58
4.	"Wooden Heart"	Ben Weisman, Fred Wise, Kathleen Twomey, Bert Kaempfert	April 28, 1960	2:03
5.	"G.I. Blues"	Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett	April 27, 1960	2:36

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date	Length
1.	"Pocketful of Rainbows"	Ben Weisman and Fred Wise	May 6, 1960	2:35
2.	"Shoppin' Around"	Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Roy C. Bennett	May 6, 1960	2:24
3.	"Big Boots"	Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards	May 6, 1960	1:31
4.	"Didja' Ever"	Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards	April 27, 1960	2:36
5.	"Blue Suede Shoes"	Carl Perkins	April 28, 1960	2:07
6.	"Doin' the Best I Can"	Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman	April 27, 1960	3:10

1997 CD reissue bonus tracks

Tracks 1-11 are from the original release

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date	Length
12.	"Tonight's All Right For Love"	Sid Wayne, Abner Silver, Johann Strauss II	May 6, 1960	1:21
13.	"Big Boots" (fast version)	Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards	May 6, 1960	1:14
14.	"Shoppin' Around" (alternate take 11)	Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Roy C. Bennett	April 27, 1960	2:15
15.	"Frankfort Special" (fast version take 2)	Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards	April 27, 1960	2:25
16.	"Pocketful of Rainbows" (alternate take 2)	Ben Weisman and Fred Wise	April 28, 1960	2:47
17.	"Didja' Ever" (alternate take 1)	Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards	April 27, 1960	2:42
18.	"Big Boots" (acoustic version)	Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards	May 6, 1960	0:58
19.	"What's She Really Like" (alternate take 7)	Abner Silver and Sid Wayne	April 28, 1960	2:24
20.	"Doin' the Best I Can" (alternate take 9)	Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman	April 27, 1960	3:17

2012 Follow That Dream release

Disc 1

Disc 2

The Original Album No. Title Length 1. "Tonight Is So Right for Love" 2:15 2. "What's She Really Like" 2:19 3. "Frankfort Special" 2:57 4. "Wooden Heart" 2:05 5. "G.I. Blues" 2:41 6. "Pocketful of Rainbows" 2:36 7. "Shoppin' Around" 2:24 8. "Big Boots" 1:33 9. "Didja' Ever" 2:38 10. "Blue Suede Shoes" 2:08 11. "Doin' the Best I Can" 3:16 12. "Tonight's All Right for Love" (alternate song) 1:26 Bonus Songs No. Title Length 13. "Shoppin' Around" (version #1) 2:17 14. "Frankfort Special" (fast version) 2:19 15. "Big Boots" (fast version) 1:22 16. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 12) 2:26 17. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 12) 2:26 18. "Big Boots" (medium tempo version) 1:04 First Takes No. Title Length 19. "Tonight Is So Right for Love" (Barcarolle from The Tales Of Hoffman, instrumental) 2:18 20. "Tonight Is So Right for Love" (takes 1-2) 3:07 21. "What's She Really Like" (takes 1-5) 6:25 22. "Frankfort Special" (fast version takes 1-2) 3:48 23. "Wooden Heart" (take 1) 2:13 24. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, takes 1-2) 4:52 25. "Shoppin' Around" (version #1, take 1) 2:34 26. "Big Boots" (fast version, takes 1-2) 1:48 27. "Big Boots" (slow version, take 1) 1:39 28. "Didja' Ever" (take 1) 2:59 29. "Tonight's All Right for Love" (take 1) 1:24 30. "Doin' The Best I Can" (takes 1-3) 5:11

April 27-28 Sessions No. Title Length 1. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 3) 2:43 2. "Shoppin' Around" (instrumental take 4) 1:46 3. "Shoppin' Around" (version #1, takes 2-4) 3:20 4. "Shoppin' Around" (version #1, take 5) 2:26 5. "Doin' The Best I Can" (takes 4-7) 2:23 6. "Doin' The Best I Can" (takes 8-9) 3:44 7. "G.I. Blues" (takes 2-4) 3:45 8. "G.I. Blues" (take 5) 2:43 9. "Tonight Is So Right for Love" (take 3) 2:30 10. "Tonight Is So Right for Love" (take 4) 2:36 11. "Tonight Is So Right for Love" (takes 5-7) 5:28 12. "Frankfort Special" (fast version, takes 3-7) 6:51 13. "Frankfort Special" (fast version, take 8) 2:42 14. "Big Boots" (fast version, take 3) 1:36 15. "Big Boots" (fast version, take 4) 1:41 16. "Big Boots" (slow version, takes 2-3) 2:26 17. "What's She Really Like" (takes 6-7) 3:32 18. "What's She Really Like" (takes 8-11) 6:10 19. "What's She Really Like" (takes 12-13) 3:02 20. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, takes 4-7) 5:36 21. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 8) 2:51 22. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 9) 2:49 23. "Pocketful of Rainbows" (version #1, take 10) 2:48 24. "Wooden Heart" (takes 2-4M) 3:53

2013 Café Europa Follow That Dream release

Disc 1

Disc 2

Master Takes - Remixed No. Title Length 1. "Didja' Ever" (take 2 CO-sp replaced master) 2:54 2. "Doin' The Best I Can" (take 13/M) 3:32 3. "G. I. Blues" (take 7/M + insert ending takes 8-10/M) 4:36 4. "Tonight Is So Right For Love" (takes 10-11/M) 4:16 5. "What's She Really Like" (takes 17-19/M + insert takes 20-22/M) 8:11 6. "Blue Suede Shoes" (take 1/M) 2:14 7. "Wooden Heart" (take 4/M) 2:09 8. "Shoppin'Around" (remake, takes 6-7/M) 2:57 9. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (remake, take 2/M) 2:36 10. "Frankfort Special" (remake, takes 9-10/M) 4:29 11. "Tonight's All Right For Love" (take 10/M + insert takes 1-2/M) 3:22 12. "Big Boots" (slow version, take 4/M) 1:40 13. "Big Boots" (slow version, remake, insert takes 2-4/M) 1:55 Outtakes No. Title Length 14. "Shoppin' Around" (version 1, takes 6-10) 4:59 15. "Doin'The Best I Can" (takes 10-12) 4:38 16. "G.I. Blues" (take 6) 2:47 17. "Tonight Is So Right For Love" (take 8) 2:30 18. "Tonight Is So Right For Love" (take 9) 2:29 19. "Big Boots" (fast version, takes 6-5) 1:40 20. "What's She Really Like" (takes 14-16) 4:13 21. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 11,13-14) 3:19 22. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 15-16) 3:31 23. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, take 17) 2:50

Outtakes continues No. Title Length 1. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 18-20) 6:18 2. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 21-25) 5:04 3. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (version 1, takes 26-28) 4:45 4. "Big Boots" (medium tempo version, take 1) 1:10 5. "Shoppin' Around" (remake, takes 1-2) 2:47 6. "Shoppin' Around" (remake, takes 3-5) 3:24 7. "Pocketful Of Rainbows" (remake, takes 1-3) 4:11 8. "Frankfort Special" (fast version, takes 9-12/fs + remake takes 1-5) 9:11 9. "Frankfort Special" (remake, takes 6-8) 5:38 10. "Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 2-5) 4:05 11. "Tonight's All Right For Love" (take 6) 1:27 12. "Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 7-8) 2:02 13. "Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 9,11,12) 2:46 14. "Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 14-15) 2:03 15. "Tonight's All Right For Love" (takes 16-17) 2:15 16. "Big Boots" (slow version, remake takes 1-6 + insert take 1) 4:50 Bonus Tracks No. Title Length 17. "Tonight¹s All Right For Love" (Tales from the Vienna Woods, instrumental) 2:26 18. "Wooden Heart" (Grammafunken Version, instrumental) 1:19 19. "Whistling Blues" (Instrumental) 3:26

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1961	Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200) (mono and stereo)	1
1961	UK Albums Chart	1

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	71

External links

• G.I. Blues at Discogs (list of releases)
• LPM-2256 G.I. Blues Guide (monaural) part of The Elvis Presley Record Research Database
• LSP-2256 G.I. Blues Guide (stereo) part of The Elvis Presley Record Research Database