tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post5554113429361970630..comments2024-02-06T16:17:25.826+00:00Comments on THE GRĂNMARK BLOG: "The Best of 60s Elvis, Vol 1" - an imaginary CDScott Gronmarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-1337090902468560522018-05-07T19:17:46.871+01:002018-05-07T19:17:46.871+01:00Steve Allen hated rock'n'roll, and his int...Steve Allen hated rock'n'roll, and his intention was to humiliate Elvis. Elvis immediately regretted having agreed to do it. As Bassets have powerful bites, and have been known to get a trifle tetchy when mocked, I sincerely hope this one got the chance to rip a chunk out of Allen's arse backstage. Smug git. Scott Gronmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-86947950599812212822018-05-07T19:11:15.338+01:002018-05-07T19:11:15.338+01:00Unfortunately not - but an under-the-counter 8&quo...Unfortunately not - but an under-the-counter 8"x10" black and white glossy photograph is available to my "special" customers. Scott Gronmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-32779966368787337592018-05-07T06:41:02.437+01:002018-05-07T06:41:02.437+01:00Was this memorable event captured on film - your c...Was this memorable event captured on film - your close relative that is, not Elvis?Ex-KCSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-22895117540850538592018-05-06T23:29:35.017+01:002018-05-06T23:29:35.017+01:00Thank you very much indeed for not including the c...Thank you very much indeed for not including the clip of Elvis on the Steve Allen Show in 1956 performing "Hound Dog" to a noble Basset Hound on a pedestal wearing a top hat. The thought of it still makes me squirm [the Colonel?].<br /><br />Many years ago a close relative of mine appeared with a Basset Hound in a dog food promotion which did not work either. Bassets are of an aristocratic disposition - not cut out for publicity work.SDGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-64295542850791111942018-05-06T18:11:06.840+01:002018-05-06T18:11:06.840+01:00A bootleg LP, "Elvis' Greatest Shit"...A bootleg LP, "Elvis' Greatest Shit" (presumably not his final one), was released in 1982, which kicked off with the "Old MacDonald":<br /><br />Side one<br />"Old MacDonald Had a Farm"<br />"Ito Eats"<br />"There's No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car"<br />"Confidence"<br />"Yoga Is As Yoga Does"<br />"Song Of The Shrimp"<br />"U.S. Male"<br />"Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce"<br />"Signs Of The Zodiac"<br />"The Bullfighter Was A Lady"<br />"Wolf Call"<br />"Can't Help Falling in Love (Outtake)"<br /><br />Side two<br />"He's Your Uncle, Not Your Dad"<br />"Scratch My Back Then I'll Scratch Yours"<br />"The Walls Have Ears"<br />"Poison Ivy League"<br />"Beach Boy Blues"<br />"Dominic the Impotent Bull"<br />"Queenie Wahine's Papaya"<br />"Do the Clambake (Medley)"<br />"Datin'" (duet with child actor Donna Butterworth)<br />"Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Live)"<br />"Well, Well, That's All Folks"<br /><br />The Shane Brown book is excellent. Even though he's a ballad and MOR fan - and therefore slightly more open to Elvis' '60s work than I'm inclined to be - he points out that Elvis had completely lost musical direction by the age of 26. Part of the problem (he thinks) was that Presley was always a pure singles man - he and the people around him never grasped the concept of producing a properly-sequenced, top quality long player, as is evident from the 10th rate crassness of most of the LP covers, and in the bizarre choice of tracks and the order they appeared in. Given Elvis had lost the plot, you'd think someone in his circle would have realised that whacking any old bollocks on an album lasting around 20 minutes and sticking a crappy cover on it just wasn't cutting the mustard. They finally got round to a more modern concept-style approach in 1971 with "Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)" - good cover too - but the next three LPs were Love Letters from Elvis, Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas, and Elvis Now! Dispiriting. <br />Scott Gronmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-48844427372379288602018-05-06T06:58:25.864+01:002018-05-06T06:58:25.864+01:00"With a cluck cluck here and a cluck cluck th..."With a cluck cluck here and a cluck cluck there<br /> Loud as they could be<br /> And when those chicks stepped out of line<br /> Chicken fricassee"<br /><br />I am surprised you overlooked Elvis's version of Old Macdonald from 1967's important contribution to the enduring magic of film, Double Trouble, in which the King of Rock and Roll also reveals that he is unable to pronounce the word "oink". This was at the same time Buffalo Springfield were recording For What It's Worth, Otis was laying down Dock of the Bay and the rest of us were wondering if there would ever be a device that would enable us to skip Within You Without You on Sgt Pepper. <br /><br />Your list is excellent but actually rather sad. After about 1963, it was mostly overproduced showtunes and cabaret. Talk about a gift being wasted. The chap over the road with much cooler parents than mine had all the Elvis 1950's 78s and once immersed in those, almost nothing after Elvis's army period came close for me. A welcome tribute to the work of the great Pomus Schuman team though. They wrote some belters. Nick Hornby captures the spirit in Doc Pomus on the Ben Folds/Hornby album Lonely Avenue, for those whose tastes extend to the 21st Century. I wonder whether any one will be writing about Kanye West in 50 years time.<br /><br />Ex-KCSnoreply@blogger.com