Girl Happy (soundtrack)

Girl Happy is the tenth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3338, in March 1965 – the March 1 date is disputed. It is the soundtrack to the 1965 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California, on June 10, 11, 12, and vocal overdubs by Presley on June 15, 1964. It peaked at number eight on the Top LP's chart.[3] It was certified Gold on July 15, 1999 by the Recording Industry Association of America.[4]

Girl Happy
Soundtrack album by
Elvis Presley
ReleasedMarch 2, 1965
RecordedMarch 1962 and June 1964
StudioRadio Recorders (Hollywood)
GenreRock, pop
Length24:16
LabelRCA Victor
ProducerGeorge Stoll
Elvis Presley chronology
Roustabout
(1964)		 Girl Happy
(1965)		 Tickle Me
(1965)
Singles from Girl Happy
  1. "Do the Clam"
    Released: 1965
  2. "Puppet on a String"
    Released: 1965
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Record Mirror[2]

Content

Excluding the singles compilation Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3, this was the sixth original Presley album in a row that was a soundtrack to a feature film.[5] Eleven songs were recorded and all were used, with "The Meanest Girl in Town" originally released as "Yeah, She's Evil!" by Bill Haley & His Comets and released on Decca Records in July 1964, though Haley actually recorded his version six days after Presley.[6] An error in mastering resulted in Presley's voice being sped up on several of the recordings, most notably the title track.[7] RCA finally released a corrected (though outtake) version of the title track in its 1991 compilation Collectors Gold from the Movie Years. Eventually, the proper speed version was issued.

"Do the Clam" was released approximately a month ahead of the album as a single, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining on the chart for eight weeks.[8] Its B-side – an unused track called "You'll Be Gone", written by Presley with "Memphis Mafia" entourage members Red West and Charlie Hodge[9] – was derived from the March 18, 1962 sessions for Pot Luck with Elvis. A variant on the Cole Porter standard, "Begin the Beguine" (after Porter had denied permission to alter the lyrics), the new song was drafted using the Porter tune and lyric as a template.[10] Not appearing in the film, it was added to the Girl Happy soundtrack album.

At the end of 1965, RCA released Harum Scarum the soundtrack album for Elvis's third movie of the year. Due to the fact that none of the songs included in that album had any single potential, RCA chose "Puppet on a String" backed with the five-year-old "Wooden Heart" for the Christmas single. Although "Puppet on a String" had already been available on the Girl Happy soundtrack album for months, that song still managed to reach number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.[11]

Reissues

In 2003 Girl Happy was reissued on the Follow That Dream label in a special edition that contained the original album tracks along with numerous alternate takes.[12]

Track listing

Original release (1965)
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Girl Happy"Doc Pomus and Norman MeadeJune 10, 19642:07
2."Spring Fever"Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence KayeJune 11, 19641:52
3."Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce"Sid Tepper and Roy C. BennettJune 11, 19641:32
4."Startin' Tonight"Lenore Rosenblatt, Victor MillroseJune 12, 19641:19
5."Wolf Call"Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence KayeJune 12, 19641:26
6."Do Not Disturb"Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence KayeJune 11, 19641:52
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Cross My Heart and Hope to Die"Ben Weisman and Sid WayneJune 11, 19641:55
2."The Meanest Girl in Town"Joy ByersJune 10, 19641:55
3."Do the Clam"Ben Weisman, Dolores Fuller, Sid WayneJune 12, 19643:20
4."Puppet on a String"Sid Tepper and Roy C. BennettJune 10, 19642:39
5."I've Got to Find My Baby"Joy ByersJune 11, 19641:35
6."You'll Be Gone" (Bonus Track)Elvis Presley, Charlie Hodge, Red WestMarch 18, 19622:23

Follow That Dream reissue (2003)
Original album
No.TitleLength
1."Girl Happy"2:07
2."Spring Fever"1:51
3."Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce"1:31
4."Startin Tonight"1:28
5."Wolf Call"1:57
6."Do Not Disturb"1:57
7."Cross My Heart and Hope to Die"1:52
8."The Meanest Girl in Town"1:55
9."Do the Clam"3:19
10."Puppet on a String"2:39
11."I've Got to Find My Baby"1:29
12."You'll Be Gone" (bonus track)2:20
New bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Puppet on a String" (takes 5, 6, 7)3:45
14."The Meanest Girl in Town" (takes 7, 8, 9)3:52
15."Spring Fever" (take 4)1:55
16."Do Not Disturb" (takes 24, 25, 26, 27)6:05
17."Cross My Heart and Hope to Die" (take 6)2:02
18."Girl Happy" (takes 1, 2, 3, 4)7:03
19."Puppet on a String" (take 10)2:47
20."Spring Fever" (takes 18, 19, 21)3:47
21."The Meanest Girl in Town" (take 11)2:24
22."Do Not Disturb" (take 35)2:04
23."Cross My Heart and Hope to Die" (takes 9, 10, 11)4:00
24."Girl Happy" (take 13 and take 4 of ending)3:08
Total length:42:52

Personnel

Charts
Year Chart Position
1965 Billboard Pop Albums 8

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Jones, Peter; Jopling, Norman (15 May 1965). "Elvis Presley: Girl Happy" (PDF). Record Mirror. No. 218. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  3. "Pop Albums". Elvis Presley: Official Site of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. 2013. Archived from the original on May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  4. "Searchable database". RIAA. Recording Industry Association of America. 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013. Note: Enter search for "Girl Happy"
  5. Jorgensen, Ernst. Elvis Presley A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998; pp. 415–416.
  6. "The Bill Haley Recordings File". Chris Gardner's Bill Haley Database. 2013. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  7. Carr, Roy, and Farren, Mick. Elvis The Illustrated Record. London: Harmony Books, 1982; p. 97
  8. Lichter, Paul (1982). The Boy Who Dared to Rock. Galahad Books. p. 212. ISBN 0883656221.
  9. Jorgensen, op. cit., p. 166.
  10. Guralnick, Peter. From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60s Masters. RCA 66160-2, 1993, liner notes, pp. 22, 24.
  11. "Pop Singles". Elvis Presley: Official Site of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. 2013. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  12. Sources:
  13. "American album certifications – Elvis Presley – Girl Happy". Recording Industry Association of America.
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