Elvis Presley was discharged from the army on March 5, 1960 and all was right with the musical world again. Elvis immediately returned to the studio for a series of sessions and quickly released his comeback album in April of 1960.

Elvis Is Back may have been the most important album of his career. There had been several releases while he was in the service, but he had been out of the public eye. His young fans were now a couple of years older. Things change quickly within the music world and fame can be fleeting. Did Elvis still have it? The answer was a resounding yes. Elvis brought a new maturity to this album both vocally and in regard to his changing musical vision. Elvis Is Back is comprised of songs from many disciplines but what they have in common are that Elvis would take most of them in a pop direction. His musical future would ultimately be this fusion of polished pop and his rock roots.

Elvis Is Back is a tremendously satisfying album made interesting by the varied song selection. What is amazing are the songs that were left off the record. The series of sessions that produced this album also produced three number one singles. 'Stuck On You', 'Are You Lonesome Tonight', and 'It’s Now or Never' could have made this album one of the great releases of all time, but instead served the purpose as single releases to keep Elvis in the limelight for almost a year through continual radio airplay and millions of 45 rpm records sold.

While Elvis Is Back is predominantly pop oriented, there are a few non-pop songs that are interesting. The old standard 'Reconsider Baby' and 'It Feels So Right' are both given a gritty blues performance by Elvis. 'Such A Night' is a cover of the old rhythm & blues standard originally released by the Drifters among others. This song, about a one night stand, is given a smooth vocal by Elvis which was far different from the well known Clyde McPhatter effort.

Many of the pop songs show the direction in which Elvis was moving. 'Make Me Know It' was written by Otis Blackwell and is presented as an up-tempo classic pop song. 'Fever' is sung in Peggy Lee style; Elvis does a good job here but Lee’s version remains definitive. 'Dirty Dirty Feeling' by Leiber and Stoller is another nice up-tempo outing for Elvis. Elvis even manages to give a competent performance of 'Soldier Boy'.

History has shown that Elvis was very pleased with this album. It appears to be a relaxed effort consisting of many songs that Elvis enjoyed singing. While it did not sell as well as his film soundtracks of the time period, it did serve to re-establish Elvis as a commercial force. Elvis Is Back remains an interesting listen nearly forty years later.

Buy Elvis Is Back CD

Reviews of Elvis '50s Albums;

- Review: Elvis Presley (LPM-1254), Elvis, Loving You, King Creole & Elvis Christmas Album CDs

Elvis Is Back! - Tracklist:

Make Me Know It
Fever
The Girl of My Best Friend
I Will Be Home Again
Dirty, Dirty Feeling
Thrill of Your Love
Soldier Boy
Such a Night
It Feels So Right
Girl Next Door Went A'walking
Like a Baby
Reconsider Baby
Stuck on You
Fame and Fortune
It's Now or Never
A Mess of Blues
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
I Gotta Know (including take 1)
Make Me Know It (take 1)
Fever (take 1)
The Girl of My Best Friend (take 3)
Soldier Boy (take 1)
Such a Night (take 1)
It Feels So Right (take 1)
Stuck on You (take 1)
Fame and Fortune (take 2)
It's Now or Never (take 1)
Are You Lonesome Tonight? (takes 1, 2)
Make Me Know It (take 3)
Make Me Know It (takes 9, 10, 11)
Make Me Know It (takes 17, 18)
Soldier Boy (takes 2, 3, 7)
Soldier Boy (takes 9, 10)
Stuck on You (takes 1-fs, 2)
Fame and Fortune (takes 4, 5)
A Mess of Blues (take 1)
A Mess of Blues (takes 2, 3)
It Feels So Right (take 2)
It Feels So Right (takes 4, 3)
Fever (takes 2, 3)
Like a Baby (take 1-fs/bd)
Like a Baby (take 2)
Like a Baby (takes 3, 4)
It's Now or Never (take 2)
It's Now or Never (takes 3, 4)
The Girl of My Best Friend (takes 2, 4, 5, 6)
The Girl of My Best Friend (take 9)
Dirty, Dirty Feeling (take 1)
Dirty, Dirty Feeling (takes 2, 3-sp, last chord from 4/m)
Thrill of Your Love (takes 1, 2, 1-pb)
Such a Night (takes 2, 3, 4/5-sp)
Girl Next Door Went A'walking (takes 1, 2, 3)
Are You Lonesome ToniI. Blues

ght? (takes 4-fs, 3, wp 1/2-sp)

Buy Elvis Is Back CD
Buy G.I. Blues CD
Buy Elvis' Movies on DVD

Review - G.I. Blues

G.I. Blues was the first Elvis movie released after his discharge from the army in 1960. It is not among my favorite three Elvis films but might make the top five or six. It sneaks up on you and provides some light and ultimately enjoyable entertainment. This romantic comedy co-starred Juliet Prowse of whom Elvis stated, 'She has a body that would make a bishop stomp his foot through a stained glass window'. Can you say attraction?

This movie and its resulting soundtrack album found Elvis leaving his rebel image behind and moving toward the mainstream. The soundtrack album, also entitled G.I. Blues, would spend two months at number one and remain on the charts for over two years. It resolved, once and for all, questions about Elvis' post military popularity.

As with many of Elvis' soundtrack albums, you really need to watch the movie to understand many of the songs. G.I. Blues is a good example of this fact as many of the tracks are regulated to the category of filler when listened to out of context. Songs such as 'Shoppin' Around', 'Didja' Ever', 'What's She Really Like', and 'Big Boots' really need to be placed within the context of the film's story.

The performances from this album continued the trend toward a pure pop sound for Elvis. The title song, 'G.I. Blues' is a toe taper so to speak and finds a mature Elvis just giving a joyful performance. 'Pocketful Of Rainbows' is an upbeat song with a smooth vocal that shows off Elvis' new maturity. 'Wooden Heart' was a number one song in just about every country in the world except the United States where it was not released as a single at this time. 'Doin' The Best I Can' is a nice ballad that provides a good counterpoint to many of the up-tempo songs. Elvis records a new version of 'Blue Suede Shoes'. While I prefer the original, Elvis could not really give a bad performance of this classic rocker and it would remain a part of his live act until his death.

Elvis looks good in G.I. Blues. He is now an adult and has served his country. He had, for better or worse, become an accepted part of the musical landscape and one of the most recognizable people in the country. G.I. Blues, the album and the film, were both solid performances by Elvis and helped him regain and continue his status as an American musical icon.

G.I. Blues - Tracklist:

Tonight Is So Right for Love
What's She Really Like
Frankfort Special
Wooden Heart (Muss I Denn)
G.I. Blues
Pocketful of Rainbows
Shoppin' Around
Big Boots
Didja' Ever
Blue Suede Shoes
Doin' the Best I Can
Tonight's All Right for Love
Big Boots (M10 take 7)
Shoppin' Around (BO take 11)
Frankfort Special (HO take 2)
Pocketful of Rainbows (MP take 27,2)
Didja' Ever (take 1)
Big Boots (M10X take 2)
What's She Really Like (GO take 7)
Doin' the Best I Can (DO take 9)

Buy Elvis Is Back CD
Buy G.I. Blues CD
Buy Elvis' Movies on DVD