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.[6] It was certified gold on March 13, 1963 and platinum on March 27, 1992 by the
Recording Industry Association of America.[7] The album remained at the #1 spot for ten weeks.
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".
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".[9] 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.[10] 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.[11]
^Simpson, Paul (2004). The Rough Guide to Elvis. London: Rough Guides. p. 121.
ISBN1-84353-417-7.
^"Pop Albums". Elvis Presley: The Official Site of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. 2013. Archived from
the original on May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
^"Searchable datebase". RIAA. 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013. Note: Enter search for "Presley, Elvis"
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.[6] It was certified gold on March 13, 1963 and platinum on March 27, 1992 by the
Recording Industry Association of America.[7] The album remained at the #1 spot for ten weeks.
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".
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".[9] 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.[10] 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.[11]
^Simpson, Paul (2004). The Rough Guide to Elvis. London: Rough Guides. p. 121.
ISBN1-84353-417-7.
^"Pop Albums". Elvis Presley: The Official Site of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. 2013. Archived from
the original on May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
^"Searchable datebase". RIAA. 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013. Note: Enter search for "Presley, Elvis"