Customer Reviews

The Last Temptation of Elvis: Songs From His Movies

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Many great versions of Elvis movie tunes (although I don't recall "It's Now Or Never" being in an Elvis flick), plus several that are instantly forgettable. Springsteen's take on "Viva Las Vegas" (used in the movie 'Honeymoon In Vegas' but for some reason left off the soundtrack) is the real find here. Hard-rockin' with no-frills, he has fun with it, even mentioning Bakersfield at the end. Tanita Tikaram and Nanci Griffith both handle their ballads sweetly and tenderly. Another highlight is Aaron Neville's live (supper club?) version of "Young and Beautiful", praising Elvis while he quizzes the audience (no one seems to know that Elvis did the song originally).

Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), who in previous years surprised many people by covering Elvis, turns in an interesting version of "Let's Have A Party", as do The Pogues with "Got A Lot O'Livin' To Do". Paul McCartney hits the high note in "It's Now Or Never" before hamming it up at the end, and Dion - the only true Elvis contemporary of the lot - proves he can still get it done, with a fine bluesy take on "Mean Woman Blues."

Hall and Oates give "Can't Help Falling In Love" a Philly-Soul treatment with mixed results, and Lemmy's metallic heart is certainly in the right place on "Blue Suede Shoes" ("'ang on"). Jeff Healey should also be mentioned for his fine version of "Down In The Alley."

Pop Will Eat Itself turns in the most experimental track on this collection with "Rock-A-Hula-Baby". A great response to Public Enemy's Elvis-bashing on "Fight The Power" (they even sample the rappers here), and the "Kiiinnnnggg" chant in the background is an especially nice touch.

Elvis himself closes things with outtakes from "King of the Whole Wide World" - one of his finest and most overlooked soundtrack recordings (from 'Kid Galahad').

All in all, even with its shortcomings, one of the best Elvis tributes put together so far. And don't miss the humorous liner notes that include Q & A with the artists, covering a variety of Elvis topics.

Disc 1
1 (dialogue) - Elvis Presley/
Viva Las Vegas - Bruce Springsteen
2 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - Sydney Youngblood
3 Loving You - Tanita Tikaram
4 Let's Have A Party - Robert Plant
5 Got a Lot O'Livin' to Do - The Pogues
6 Love Me Tender - Holly Johnson
7 It's Now or Never - Paul McCartney
8 Mean Woman Blues - Dion
9 Guitar Man - The Jesus And Mary Chain
10 King Creole - Cath Carroll & Steve Albini
11 Young and Beautiful - Aaron Neville
12 No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car - Vivian Stanshall
13 Baby I Don't Care - The Primitives

Disc 2
14 Can't Help Falling in Love - Hall & Oates
15 Crawfish - The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra
16 Return to Sender - Ian McCulloch
17 Trouble - Fuzzbox
18 Thanks to the Rolling Sea - The Hollow Men
19 Follow That Dream - The Blow Monkeys
20 Blue Suede Shoes - Lemmy & The Upsetters w/Mick Green
21 Wooden Heart - Nanci Griffith
22 Down in the Alley - The Jeff Healey Band
23 Jailhouse Rock - The Cramps
24 Marguerita - Les Negresses Vertes
25 Rock-A-Hula Baby - Pop Will Eat Itself
26 King of the Whole Wide World (outtakes) - Elvis Presley

This looked irresistable, mainly for the fact it has such an oddball collection of artists all contributing to an Elvis covers album for charity.

We get Paul McCartney (a disappointing version of 'It's Now or Never' which adds nothing to the song); a sparky Bruce Springsteen ('Viva Las Vegas'); a loud Lemmy (making 'Blue Suede Shoes' sound just like 'Ace of Spades'); a spiky version of 'Trouble' from Fuzzbox; a lovely version of 'Young and Beautiful' from Aaron Neville; a slick version of 'Crawfish' from the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra; a lacklustre 'Can't Help Falling In Love' from the usually reliable Hall & Oates; an interesting 'Follow That Dream' from the forgotten Blow Monkeys; an awful 'Rock a Hula Baby' from Pop Will Eat Itself; and a mad and vaguely obscene rewrite of '(There's) No Room To Rhumba In A Sports Car' from Viv Stanshall.

And as many again from other artists which didn't interest me as much (or provoke any reaction, good or bad). The whole thing is rounded off by the King himself performing 'King of the Whole Wide World' and a good thing too.

Is this worth your time? Probably, although fourteen years on it sounds like a weird trip in a time-warp at times.

Will Elvis fans like it? Well, I love Elvis and I think the 'Last Temptation' covers are mainly listenable, so maybe ...

This is an Elvis tribute album featuring songs from his movies, although "It's Now or Never" wasn't actually from a movie. However, Paul McCartney had already recorded the song at the sessions for "The Russian Album", and obviously the CD producers wouldn't pass up a chance to have Paul McCartney on the album. It might also be pointed out that although "Guitar Man" and "Down in the Alley" appeared on movie soundtracks, they weren't actually in the movies. But since The Jesus and Mary Chain's version of "Guitar Man" is one of my favorite songs here, I'm not going to complain about it. This is actually my favorite Elvis tribute album, of the ones I have heard. Many good performances here, and only a few stinkers. I don't want to discuss every track here, so I'll just mention some highlights. Bruce Springsteen's version of "Viva Las Vegas" is really great, it was featured in the movie Honeymoon in Vegas, but was not on the soundtrack. Sydney Youngblood turns in a good multi-tracked a capella version of "Teddy Bear". Vivian Stanshall (formerly of the Bonzo Dog Band) gives a funny performance of the goofy song "No Room To Rhumba in a Sports Car". Fuzzbox do a great version of "Trouble" that kind of sounds like "The Go-Go's go punk". The Cramps do a cool punkabilly version of "Jailhouse Rock". The album closes with takes 1, 2 and 3 of Elvis himself doing the underrated "King of the Whole Wide World" (takes 1 and 2 are false starts). Here is the complete track listing:

1. "Viva Las Vegas" by Bruce Springsteen
2. "Teddy Bear" by Sydney Youngblood
3. "Loving You" by Tanita Tikaram
4. "Let's Have a Party" by Robert Plant
5. "Got a Lot 0' Livin' to Do" by the Pogues
6. "Love Me Tender" by Holly Johnson
7. "It's Now or Never" by Paul McCartney
8. "Mean Woman Blues" by Dion DiMucci
9. "Guitar Man" by the Jesus and Mary Chain
10. "King Creole" by Cath Carroll and Steve Albini
11. "Young and Beautiful" by Aaron Neville
12. "No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car" by Vivian Stanshall & the Big Boys
13. "Baby I Don't Care" by the Primitives

1. "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Hall and Oates
2. "Crawfish" by the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra
3. "Return to Sender" by Ian McCulloch
4. "Trouble" by Fuzzbox
5. "Thanks to the Rolling Sea" by the Hollow Men
6. "Follow That Dream" by the Blow Monkeys
7. "Blue Suede Shoes" by Lemmy & the Upsetters with Mick Green
8. "Wooden Heart" by Nanci Griffith & the Blue Moon Orchestra
9. "Down in the Alley" by the Jeff Healey Band
10. "Jailhouse Rock" by the Cramps
11. "Marguerita" by Les Negresses Vertes
12. "Rock-A-Hula Baby" by Pop Will Eat Itself
13. "King of the Whole Wide World" by Elvis Presley