Customer Reviews

Harum Scarum

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One major characteristic of Elvis Presley's films and in extend soundtracks is that they all travel around the globe.
The soundtracks in particular, based on the given locale, tend to mix international ethnic organs and orchestrations with the unmistakeable Elvis sound. Elvis appears to master even a tune with Middle Eastern feeling and make it western to our ears. That is debated as a plus or a minus by various critics.
Between the above-mentioned plus and minus is where a feeling stands in terms of bying this album. We do have some typical rockers like "Shake That Tambourine" and "Hey, Little Girl" that could be easily placed on any other Presley soundtrack or-not set. Then, we have some exciting songs in terms of having Elvis to stretch his performance standards and provide us a cult classic such as the "So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise)" The list goes on with basic yet effective ballads such as "Kismet" and the now to be recognized as the most eastern in feeling and delivery from Presley "Golden Coins". Do listen to the overall slow tempo and the flute accompaniment to Presley's soft yet solid performance that is evidenced on the out-takes.
Still, the feeling of the album provides a somewhat tight concept, with few holes here and there, if ones seek a Middle Eastern Elvis. An Elvis that has equally if not better in the past has provided us with instant travelling experiences through previous soundtracks.

Harum Scarum was knocked down by many as the worst Elvis film. However, the soundtrack is fantastic with a great desert beat great songs such as :Go East Young Man and Shake That Tambourine.
The price is kinda high but it is worth it with good packaging and fantastic photos. Another downside is the "NEW" Bonus Tracks which are really alternate takes and they sound just like the released versions. If I were you I would strongly recommended buying this nice album.

This is a deluxe edition soundtrack to an Elvis movie from 1965. The songs were recorded in late February. They ran into trouble on the first day of the recording sessions, when only one song was completed, as it took 38 tries to finish "Shake That Tambourine". Day two went better, as five songs were completed. On day three, two songs were completed, and then Elvis left the session after recording two takes of "Harem Holiday" (Elvis sometimes got frustrated at the poor selection of songs for his soundtrack recording sessions and would walk out). With Elvis gone, the musicians recording the backing tracks to the final two songs for the soundtrack without him. A couple of weeks later, Elvis overdubbed his vocals to those backing tracks, along with recording a new vocal for "Harem Holiday".

So, how is the music? Not very good, actually. RCA Records thought so little of the soundtrack that they didn't even bother to release a single from the album. The only song that I would call "good" is "So Close, Yet So Far", and it's not THAT good. Most of the other songs are pretty bad, although a few of them, like "Shake That Tambourine" and the pedophile anthem "Hey Little Girl" have a certain energy. This deluxe CD features alternate takes of all the songs except for the two that the musicians recorded without Elvis. The most interesting thing about the alternate takes is hearing Elvis goof around in between takes. This CD will only be of interest to hardcore Elvis fans.

Elvis made 31 movies in his short life. The first seven were mildly entertaining at best and talky bores at worst. Then came the huge success of "Blue Hawaii" in 1961, and the die was cast for (after the light and pleasant "Follow That Dream" and "Kid Galahad") 15 consecutive color travelogues of diminishing quality and budget until "Stay Away, Joe" in 1968. ("Stay Away, Joe" wasn't any good, but it wasn't a color travelogue.)

These pictures, pure formula and hardly distinguishable from each other in terms of plot or characterizations, produced a handful of good songs and barrels of bad ones. Overall, the music was a million miles from the sizzling electricity of the pre-army days, and by the end of his movie trail Elvis had traveled far on his journey from sullen, threatening, rebellious sex symbol to the Liberace-like eunuch of Las Vegas.

"Harum Scarum" lies with "Kissin' Cousins" at the bottom of the sad pile of middle-period Elvis movies. But at least they're merely worthless and forgettable, not annoying and repulsive like the nauseating "Change of Habit" from 1969. Wanna see a movie in which every single scene is a study in lousy screenplay? Watch "Change of Habit" (preferably with a few beers and a couple of cynical friends).

I bought the LP of "Harum Scarum" as a kid and tried to like it, but it's really just a curiosity at this point. Even the King couldn't salvage what is passed off for music on this disc.