Pages

Sunday, July 31, 2011

"My Third Movie Was Called Jailhouse Rock"

While listening to "Jailhouse Rock" on the Amarillo '77 FTD release last week, I was reminded that it isn't always the originals versions that get people interested in Elvis' music. At least that's the way it worked for a buddy of mine while we were attending high school in the early eighties.

I don't remember the exact details, but I know I played him a cassette tape of Elvis In Concert, maybe at his place. I guess the tape was in the Sony Walkman I carried with me where ever I went (just like I do with my iPod nowadays).

Anyway, at first I didn't get the reaction I was hoping for, you know, a sign that he was digging the music. But when he heard "Jailhouse Rock" he started to beat time with his feet and when the song ended he demanded that I play it again.

I think he really went for the machine gun tempo of the song, the pumpin' piano and Elvis singing, never mind that he forgot some of the words. If memory serves me right, I had to play it many times in a row. Not that I minded, of course.

A couple of days later, when I visited again, I noticed an Elvis LP in his room. I picked it up and identified the album as 20 Greatest Hits Vol. 1, sporting a publicity shot of Elvis from the 50's on the cover. Looking at the track list I noticed the songs were mainly from the 50's as well. The fourth track on the B side was "Jailhouse Rock."

Glancing at my friend I saw he had a disappointed expression on his face. "That's not the version we listened to last time," he said. "This sounds completely different."

I tried to tell him that the version on his LP was the original one, and a great one at that. I also explained to him that he should've asked me which album to buy if he'd wanted the "Jailhouse Rock" that we'd listened to, as there existed many versions of the song.

Unfortunately I don't remember if he bought the Elvis In Concert album to get "the right" version. Maybe I gave him my tape and recorded a new one for me. Since we no longer stay in touch I don't know how much of a fan he became, either.

But, thinking back, I recall I thought it was great that he liked a live recording with Elvis from 1977. And that the song in question, "Jailhouse Rock," was featured on an album that has always been a favorite of mine.

4 comments:

Michael said...

Very interesting. Reminds me of my own strong preference for the live arrangement of Can't Help Falling In Love versus the album version.

JimmyCool said...

Cool post!
In my case, I heard "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy" from the Comeback Special YEARS before I heard the original... I still like the '68 version over the studio master :)

Nik said...

THE SAME WAS HAPPENNED TO ME WITH THE 'ELVIS IN CONCERT_JAILHOUSE ROCK'
AND WITH THE 'MOODY BLUE_LITTLE DARLING', TO ME AND TO MY OTHER FRIENDS TOO.
THIS SHOWS THAT ELVIS WAS GETTING BETTER, MUSICALY, ALL THE TIME TO THE VERY
END.

Anonymous said...

i can relate with songs liek suspicous minds and other songs he done live vrs studio recordings. i even like his live versions of return to sender better than the studio recording of it.