On the 90th anniversary of the King! Returning home on March 2, 1960, Elvis discovered how the face of show business was distorted in a leering grin. All the stars of rock and roll were incapacitated in one way or another in a cruel and soulless way (for those who believe in coincidences, a remark: three years later, the Yankees cynically shoot their own president). Emasculated music, parodying the frenzied creators of a bygone decade, poured from evil cracks into the ruddy brains of future hippies.
The most dexterous fruit fly spectors have launched the production of hits and accompanying performers. The cry of the alpha male “awop-bop-a-loo-bop” was replaced by the oligophrenic chant “itsy bitsy teenie weenie”. Johnny Cash and Fats Domino, who remained afloat, treated rock music indirectly, the former sang for southerners, without aiming at international idols, and housewives danced to the second. The death of Elvis’ mother, which occurred during his military service, also affected the singer’s performance approach and character. On the other hand, Presley developed his vocal range to a full octave in the army, and the karate hobby he acquired there provided the necessary self-discipline.
Having only one profession besides military accounting, Elvis almost immediately went to the studio, where The Blue Moon Boys were already waiting for him. The excellent “Elvis Is Back!”, mixed with sparkling pop-rock and ambiguous blues with minimal hints of rockabilly, was released in the same 1960. RCA managed to completely ruin the album’s sales (the “golden” status was awarded only in 1999), focusing on the release of hit singles. This situation was beneficial to the Colonel, who increasingly dragged “his boy” into the swamp of entertainment cinema. The gospel album “His Hand In Mine”, which is very personal for the King himself, has scraped off even more of the precious rust of the rock and roll rebel, exposing a respectable gloss to a respectable audience. The telling name “Something For Everyone” in 1961 made the grease-haired youngsters on both sides of the Atlantic openly puff: Elvis sold out.
Elvis, of course, didn’t sell out, he just changed, although he still sold singles and soundtracks well. All the more valuable is the LP “Pot Luck”, recorded over several sessions in 1961-62 and released in 1962. “Pot Luck” was perhaps the King’s main long-playing success after Germany and until his triumphant return with the greatest rock and roll show in 1968. What kind of concoction is in that pot? Let’s Take A Sniff, Moon Dogs!
Kiss Me Quick disguises itself as the Neapolitan canzones so beloved by Elvis, but the rock bridge reveals the singer’s unequivocal intentions. Calm down, my dears, rock and roll is here, it’s just waiting for naive victims who came to the operetta.
Just For Old Time Sake is a great pop ballad accompanied by a vibraphone. Suitable for Christmas comedies and vampire horror movies.
Gonna Get Back Home Somewhere is a masterpiece worthy of a King. The instruments intertwined in anticipation of impending disaster, the chorus added anxiety. Something terrible is going to happen in that house. One of the best things in Presley’s vast discography.
(Such An) Easy Question is designed to defuse the thickened atmosphere, but it is also a magnificent number in itself, where apparent frivolity hides the subtle threads of a clever arrangement.
Steppin’ Out Of Line is a rockabilly action movie ending with growling blues. Boots Randolph blows the most aggressive phrases out of sax, DJ Fontana cuts out the beat. The song was cut from the movie and the soundtrack of “Blue Hawaii”, which says a lot.
I’m Yours is a delightful, albeit optional trifle, flavored with an electric organ.
Something Blue is a sultry pop-country song where Floyd Kramer’s piano almost overshadows the main vocals. More than one young lady can be danced in the sparkles of this magic. And Paul Evans, also a rocker, should be thanked for the authorship.
Suspicion… when, two years later, Stafford, nicknamed Terry, aka Terry Stafford, made this song a national hit, the RCA management seized on the bald spot and began to stamp records with the original recording. Dear managers, don’t sit in the places you think you are, sitting there on your head or something.
I Feel That I’ve Known You Forever is another sweet vignette ending in a mighty crescendo. If you don’t seduce the beauty under it, eject.
Night Rider is as fast as a French pronoun. A new rock standard in which the guitar reaches the heights of phrasing that British colleagues will try to reach. Spoiler alert: They won’t succeed. The saxophone’s voice sounds like the roar of a polished hot rod.
Fountain Of Love is another Italian song. And don’t let the name bother you, there’s nothing pornographic about it. Although I should have checked with Billy Giant, aka William Zimmerman from you-know-which area of New York.
That’s Someone You Never Forget was written by Red West at the request of Elvis and is dedicated to the memory of the latter’s mother. Such things are not discussed.
02 Just For Old Time Sake
03 Gonna Get Back Home Somehow
04 (Such An) Easy Question
05 Steppin’ Out Of Line
06 I’m Yours
07 Something Blue
08 Suspicion
09 I Feel That I’ve Known You Forever
10 Night Rider
11 Fountain Of Love
12 That’s Someone You Never Forget
Download or listen online the album Elvis Presley – Pot Luck 1962 (mp3, 40 MB):
“Pot Luck” has become an elegant collection of songs where there is not a single passing note, and the arrangements reach the peak of mastery. The voice, the guitar, the saxophone, the keys, the drums lead deeper and deeper. Into those subspaces that Jung never dreamed of. Have a fun dive, Moon Dogs!
Gonna Get Back Home Somehow is extremely cool. To the personal top!