Elvis Presley: The Worst Songs Of The Movie Years - Part 2

Here is what I would consider to be, in no particular order, the ten worst songs from Elvis's 60's movies.

1. CLAMBAKE

This is, of course, the title song from the movie of the same name. I remember buying the soundtrack album to 'Clambake' when it was first released back in 1967. I hadn't seen the movie yet, but I bought the album because it had the songs 'Guitar Man' and 'Big Boss Man' on it. I had the 45's of both songs and liked them very much and foolishly thought that maybe the album contained more music like that. Was I wrong!!  The opening track on the album was 'Guitar Man', (still one of my all time favorite Elvis songs) and when it ended I looked forward to hearing the next song. The next song was 'Clambake', and after hearing it, I couldn't believe a great singer like Elvis could record such junk. When it was over I felt like crying. It was a far cry from 'Guitar Man'.
The song was written by the prolific Ben Weisman (whose songs Elvis recorded more than any other songwriter) along with Sid Wayne. The chorus was taken from the traditional folk song 'Shortnin' Bread'.
It was recorded February 22 and 23, at RCA Studio B in Nashville.

2. WHO NEEDS MONEY

As if hearing the song 'Clambake' right after the great 'Guitar Man' on the 'Clambake' lp wasn't bad enough, the very next song, 'Who Needs Money' I thought was just as bad if not worse. I guess maybe it would have made more sense if I had seen the movie, but just hearing the song on its own, I thought it was just as stupid as 'Clambake'. Luckily, the rest of the 'Clambake' soundtrack wasn't too bad (with the exception of the next entry 'Confidence'),  although it was many years before I could bring myself to watch the movie.
'Who Needs Money' was written by Randy Starr and recorded February 22, 1967 at RCA Studio B in Nashville. It featured the voice of Ray Walker of the Jordanaires, but in the movie Elvis sings it with actor Will Hutchins.

3. CONFIDENCE

Let's make it three in a row from the movie 'Clambake'. This little ditty, written by the team of Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett, seems strikingly similar to the Sinatra song 'High Hopes'. In the movie, Elvis sings it in a medley with some other throw away songs, but to have to listen to the whole song on the album was more that I could stand. I think I played it once, and never again. After listening to the album all the way through once, on subsequent listenings, I always skipped over these three songs.
The instrumental track for 'Confidence' was recorded February 22, 1967 at RCA Studio B in Nashville, and Elvis (reluctantly, it has been reported) added his vocals the following day.

4. PETUNIA THE GARDENER'S DAUGHTER

Another Sid Tepper / Roy C. Bennett composition, this one is from the movie 'Frankie and Johnny', in which Elvis sings it as a duet with costar Donna Douglas. Although not a great movie, it did have some not bad music, this song being an exception. It was recorded May 14, 1965 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.

5. FORT LAUDERDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

From the 1965 movie 'Girl Happy', Elvis serenades his favorite costar Shelley Fabares with this unlikely song. The melody wasn't half bad and Elvis sings it well (as always) but the very stupid lyrics are what gets this one included on my list.
Again written by Sid Tepper/ Roy C. Bennett, it was recorded June 11, 1964 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.

6. HE'S YOUR UNCLE NOT YOUR DAD

From the 1968 movie 'Speedway', in which Elvis costars with Nancy Sinatra and Bill Bixby. Elvis is a stock car driver who gets into some tax trouble and Nancy Sinatra is an IRS agent. The 'uncle' in the title is Uncle Sam, and in the film Elvis sings the song in an IRS office. In a movie that features some pretty good songs (eg. 'Let Yourself Go') and in which the title song isn't half bad,  this turkey really stands out. 
Written by Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne, it was recorded June 21, 1967 at MGM studios in Culver City.

7. YOGA IS AS YOGA DOES

Widely considered to be one of the worst of Elvis's 60's movie songs, this one is from the 1967 movie 'Easy Come, Easy Go'. In the film, Elvis sings it as a duet with Hollywood veteran Elsa Lanchester who plays a yoga instructor. The songs pokes fun at yoga and eastern philosophy, subjects which Elvis took very seriously.
The soundtrack EP from 'Easy Come, Easy Go' was Elvis's worst selling recording ever, and was the last EP he would release.
The song was written by Gerald Nelson and Frank Burch and was recorded September 29, 1966 on the Paramount soundstage. 

8, OLD MACDONALD

This is from the 1967 movie 'Double Trouble', a movie that again included some not bad songs, but this is one I find absolutely painful to listen to. Along with 'Yoga Is As Yoga Does' and 'Dominick', this is widely considered to be the worst of the worst of Elvis's movie songs. Not ony his movie songs, of all the songs he ever recorded. Just as embarassing to listen to as the film was to watch.
Written by Randy Starr, (who also gave us 'Who Needs Money' from 'Clambake'), the song was recorded June 29, 1966 at the MGM Sound Stage.

9. (THERE'S) NO ROOM TO RHUMBA IN A SPORTS CAR

Another very stupid song from a not bad film that featured some other songs that were pretty good. This is from the 1963 movie 'Fun In Acapulco' in which Elvis costarred with 'Bond girl' Ursusla Andress.  Elvis's movies at this point in his career were still quite watchable, but unfortunately, as this song shows, the music was starting to deteriorate.
Written by Fred Wise and Dick Manning, it was recorded January 23, 1963 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.

10. DOMINICK

As mentioned in my last post, this is the song that Memphis Mafia member, and Elvis band and entourage member Charlie Hodge, considered to be the lowest point in Elvis's musical career. Of all the bad movie songs he recorded, Elvis apparently hated this one the most, to the point where he made producer Felton Jarvis (who readily agreed) swear that it would never be released on record.
Originally titled 'Moo Moo Move', it's from the 1968 movie 'Stay Away Joe', in which Elvis sings the song to a bull.
Another Sid Wayne / Ben Weisman song, it was recorded October 1, 1967, at RCA Studio B in Nashville,  and thankfully was the last bad movie song Elvis would record.

Elvis Presley: The Worst Songs Of The Movie Years - Part 1

Charlie Hodge (a member of Elvis' entourage and band, who was in the army with him) once told a story about when Elvis was at RCA Studio B in Nashville, October 1, 1967 recording songs for the movie "Stay Away Joe".  One of the songs he was to record that day was called 'Moo Moo Move' (the title was later changed to 'Dominick'). After listening to a demo of it, Elvis looked sick and Scotty Moore (Elvis's original lead guitar player from the 50's) who was playing the session looked at him and said, " Has it come to this, man?"  Charlie considered that to be the lowest point in Elvis's musical career. The song was so bad that Elvis made his producer, Felton Jarvis, swear that it would never be released on record.
According to Charlie, Elvis swore that day that he would never again record crap that bad. And he didn't. That was towards the end of his movie career, and his last few films had fewer songs than previous films and the quality of them improved. ('Speedway' which contained some pretty awful music such as 'He's Your Uncle Not Your Dad'  was released after 'Stay Away Joe', but was actually made before.)
It's too bad that it had to reach that point before Elvis gave up recording such awful music. His 60's movies in the beginning,  like 'G.I. Blues', and 'Blue Hawaii', usually had a few good songs, some that weren't great but were fun, but some of his later 60's movies contained songs that were truly awful, even though Elvis always made the best of them. In my next post I'll have a look at what I would consider to be the ten worst.