So happy to have an essay on (purportedly) bad Elvis movie songs in this year's Oxford American Music issue! I'll link a few of my fave awesome/awful tunes below. - ThreadSky

elenavox.bsky.social • 90 days ago

So happy to have an essay on (purportedly) bad Elvis movie songs in this year's Oxford American Music issue! I'll link a few of my fave awesome/awful tunes below.

Reposted from Oxford American

Alongside fresh perspectives on Memphis legends—including @elenavox.bsky.social’s deep dive into the “very best of the very worst” of Elvis’s discography, and beyond!

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elenavox.bsky.social•90 days ago

Here's a link to the essay! Elvis movies forever!

https://oxfordamerican.org/magazine/issue-127-winter-2024/elvis-soundtrack-songs-the-best-of-the-worst

elenavox.bsky.social•90 days ago

And here's a song from Elvis's 26th movie that's about tax evasion because why TF not? (note: in real life Presley always paid his taxes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpbtvJ_cSVY

bristolvaudrin.bsky.social•50 days ago

Haa...omigod.

elenavox.bsky.social•90 days ago

My favorite goofy Elvis movie song isn't in the essay, but it's "Wooden Heart" from GI Blues, in which Presley does some of his best partner acting...with a hand puppet. I actually think he does a lovely job here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A5AFzXTYpo

scottjenkins67.bsky.social•90 days ago

Silly film, silly song. This symbolised the beginning of the end of his movie career. The King of Rock'nRoll, fresh out of the army, and he's singing to damn puppets! Ugh. GI Blues was the template for the shitty movies to come, and a sad reflection on his lack of desire to want better.

elenavox.bsky.social•90 days ago

But he's so great with that puppet! Makes me wish he'd hosted the Muppet Show in the 70s.

scottjenkins67.bsky.social•90 days ago

That could have been cool.

elenavox.bsky.social•90 days ago

And who can forget "There's No Room to Rhumba in a Sportscar" from FUN IN ACAPULCO! A cautionary tale about pitching woo in a roadster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_66BeTuuOs

elenavox.bsky.social•90 days ago

And there's "Song of the Shrimp" from GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!, which Townes Van Zandt lovingly covered for years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzY2Yf0h-nY

elenavox.bsky.social•90 days ago

There's "Yoga is as Yoga Does" from Elvis's 23rd movie, EASY COME EASY GO. Featuring Elsa Lanchester, the original Bride of Frankenstein!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbWBG0lS4Is

tcbcast.bsky.social•90 days ago

This was fantastic, Elena. Recommended by a good friend of ours. There’s a lot of 60s kitsch cringe shit that’s aged terribly but even Elvis’ worst movie songs have strangely enduring qualities, that sort of timeless “funny-bad,” over a lot of the rest of that era.

tcbcast.bsky.social•90 days ago

After the baby-boomer-shock that the once mighty king of rock and roll could be brought low had worn off, later generations grew up in a world where the low had long since passed, nothing more than painless, immutable history that can only be reckoned with.

tcbcast.bsky.social•90 days ago

Maybe “numb” the better word than painless now than I think about it haha.

tcbcast.bsky.social•90 days ago

Then again, after this year we’ll have spent ~15 hours on Clambake in the last 3 years so maybe we’re just loopy and need a long shower. Anyway, great job! Really dug this.

elenavox.bsky.social•89 days ago

Oh wow thanks so much, and I'm delighted to hear from y'all! I've listened to several episodes of your awesome podcast over the years. Haven't heard all fifteen (!!!) hours of CLAMBAKE discourse, but the day is still young....

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