IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Elvis and Mary Ann Mobley from the movie Girl Happy. Girl Happy is one of my favorite movies and Mary Ann is on of my favorite actresses of all time. She was so pretty.

I have been away for a week due to a very busy work schedule. I never got out of the office before 9:00 last week so I was pretty exhausted. Hopefully this week will be a little better and I can get back to posting on here.

Our weekend in Memphis

Well Vince and I had a good time in Memphis even if it was way too short of a trip. We left at about 1:30 in the morning Friday and arrived in Memphis at about 9:00. We went straight to Graceland after getting a quick bite to eat. It was just opening up for tours and we just walked around and checked out all the shops. We spent the afternoon going to some stores in Horn Lake. We finally got to check in at the Heartbreak Hotel about 3:30 so we could get a little rest before the meet and greet with Darlene Tompkins and the screening of Blue Hawaii. Darlene spoke some before the movie came on about the movie and Elvis. The movie started and Darlene kind of mixed with the crowd and spoke some about things throughout the movie. Unfortunately I missed a good portion of the movie because I was out in the hall on the phone tending to some things going on back home. After the movie we got some food and headed back to the room. We turned on the 24 hour Elvis channel the hotel had and watched Girl Happy as we went to sleep. We both could barley function by that time!
Saturday we got up pretty early and headed over to Graceland for our VIP tour. Going up to the mansion was as great as it always is. This was my thirteenth time and it was as moving as the first time I ever went in. As soon as I step into that house I just get the best feeling. You feel so welcomed and know Elvis would be glad you were there. I can't really come close to describing it. The reason for this big weekend trip was to see the new exhibits. The special VIP only Graceland exhibit was very cool. A lot of the same stuff as usual was in the room but a lot of stuff had been added as well. Old documents, receipts, letters, and such telling the history of the home. I was very fascinated by this. The thing that intrigued me the most was some of the receipts from when Elvis redecorated Graceland after he has purchased it. It kind of gives you insight of how the house looked and the feel it might have had. I was trying to imagine that anyway. You could really tell he was going all out and was for sure making good on his promise to give his mother the nicest home in town. The automobile museum also had two new additions to it. They added another Rolls Royce Elvis owned as well as a 6-door Mercedes Benz limousine featured in the movie Elvis on Tour. I has seen the limo last EW at the expo, but I had never seen the Rolls. That was a pretty sharp car. Another new thing added was the exhibit Elvis Lives: The King and Pop Culture. It was loaded with books, collectibles, cd's, movies, and more that has to do with Elvis over the years. The last exhibit was called Elvis In Hollywood. This was my favorite part of the tour because I am such a big fan of his movies. It showcases all 33 movies and documentaries Elvis made. Some cool stuff from Jailhouse Rock, Clambake, Viva Las Vegas, and Blue Hawaii I never have seen are on display. I was very excited over getting to see that stuff. After spending way too much money on cd's we finally started to make our way home late Saturday.
Overall it was a great trip. I am glad we decided to go. It was very tiring(I am still dead tired!) and I was a little preoccupied by some other stuff but I don't regret going. I really can't wait to go back in August. I picked up some new FTD's while out in Memphis. No way I was going to be in those shops and not buy a few. Nevada Lights,On Tour,Blue Hawaii,Kid Galahad, Elvis Today,Raised On Rock, and Wild In The Country was added to the collection. I have really enjoyed what I have got to hear from them. I will be doing some reviews on here for sure.
That puts my cd collection up to 157. I am really getting it built up now!

DOLL OF THE WEEK

The doll of the week is Chris Noel. She played with Elvis in the movie Girl Happy which is one of my all time favorites. Here she is visiting troops in Vietnam. She spent a lot of time doing this and very involved with helping solders. I got to visit with her in Memphis this past EW and she was very nice. I enjoyed talking to her and got a copy of the Girl Happy script along with an autographed picture from the Girl Happy.

Sound Advice

I am still in a serious Elvis movie marathon. I watched Blue Hawaii about 6 times, Girl Happy a few times yesterday. Today is has been Fallow That Dream and Spinout a few times each. I am hoping to get to do a review on Fallow That Dream tomorrow. Until then enjoy the song below from Fallow That Dream.

Freaking rip off

I ran across this DVD set sometime at the end of last year and picked it up because it had Frankie and Johnny in it and I did not have it on DVD. I had watched it a few times since as I was going to bed but always went to sleep during it. Anyway, the other night I put it in to skip over to the Frankie and Johnny production number because it has always been one of my favorites. I was furious when I saw it. They had edited it and cut out most of it. The original number was a little over seven minutes long. I don't know how long this one is because I got mad and turned it off. I was very mad. I don't understand why they have done this. The song has always stuck with me for whatever reason and the longer version is super cool. This almost makes me as mad as having to go all those years with Girl Happy on VHS with the Startin Tonight number took out. At least when they brought it out on DVD it was there. I feel cheated and as you can tell by my rambling, very upset.

Today in Elvis History

June 22, 1965 Elvis starts filming on his seventeenth film, Girl Happy. Girl Happy is not Elvis' best movie, but certainly not his worst. It has always been in my top ten favorites because I love the soundtrack and the story. what pushes this ahead of many other for me is Shelley Fabares and Mary Ann Mobley.

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

This is from one of my favorite movies ever, Girl Happy. Rusty is standing in a tree singing "The Clam". I have always enjoyed the song as well. I am digging this shirt as well. It is pretty key and I have always been a big fan of that color.

DOLL OF THE WEEK

Chris Noel is the doll of the week. She had a very small part in the movie Girl Happy. She played in several movies in the 60's and appeared in a few television shows. She is probably best known for her role in Vietnam. She went over to entertain the troops and was very active with trying to help with anything she could. She was a DJ over there and had a program called A Date With Chris. She continues to work with veterans to this day.

DOLL OF THE WEEK

Shelley Fabares is my second favorite actress from the Elvis movies. She was Elvis's most frequent leading lady. She appeared in Girl Happy,Spinout,and Clambake.Elvis was documented as saying Shelley was his favorite person to work with. She was not only a great actress but an accomplished singer in the early 60's. She had a number one hit with Johnny Angel in 1962. Actually she got knocked from the number one spot by some cat from Memphis with the song Good Luck Charm. In honor of one my my favorite actresses of all time I am going to watch Spin,Girl, and Clam this weekend.

Dig right in and do the clam

Girl Happy is one of my favorite movie soundtracks. This might not be one of the best as far as material or the quality of Elvis's voice. Though It has always appealed to me and has a few unforgettable songs. The title track from the movie is of course Girl Happy. A very fun tune that you can help but sing. Spring Fever is a song that in the movie Elvis sings with Shelley Fabares. It is a good song, however on the album Shelly's part is missing and kind of makes the song incomplete. Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce is a freaking classic. When most Elvis fans talk about the crap Elvis had to sing, this song always seems to come up in conversation. A part of me totally agrees, and wishes the man never had to sing that stuff. He did however sing it, and I choose to enjoy it. I have always found the idea of singing this to a random girl to swoon her to be funny. Maybe that's why I have always got a kick out of the song. Startin' Tonight is a pretty good song with a good vibe. For some reason the VHS versions of Girl Happy left this song out. I remember it being in when it was on TV way back when. It now can be seen on the new DVD release. It is worth hearing. Wolf Call is another one of my all time movie favorites. Something about the song is just fun, and I can't help but sing it every time I hear it. Do Not Disturb is a slow song that is a key song for swooning girls. A solid song in my opinion that don't get any run. Cross My Heart and Hope To Die is my favorite song on the album. I have always liked the arrangement and vocals on this track. Another solid swooning song. The Meanest Girl In Town is probably my least favorite song from the movie. Though it is still a pretty damn good song. Do The Clam. Freaking classic, don't need to say anything else. Puppet On A String, the best song on the album. This is a classic and I think Elvis does his best job vocally on this song of any track from Girl. I've Got To Find My Baby is a solid track to end the movie. Overall I can't find a bad song on the album. Some of the songs are a little weak, but Elvis brings them to life. The beat track on the album is Puppet On A String as I stated before. My personal favorite is Cross My Heart And Hope To Die. I am as a big of fan of Elvis's movies and the songs in them as I am of anything Elvis did. I really love the soundtracks. Girl Happy might not be one of the best artistically, but is for sure in my personal top five of favorites. I would recommend getting the Girl Happy soundtrack. Get the Follow That Dream release. The sound is awesome and it has lots of outtakes. They are gold. Also you get the key book with all kinds of info on the soundtrack and movie.

Hey everybody gather round,Listen to that bongo sound. Grab the first one in your reach,Now were going to shake the beach. Do the clam, do the clam,Grab your barefoot baby by the hand. Turn and tease, hug and squeeze, Dig right in and do the clam

Yes I'm Girl Happy

Damn look at Elvis sitting between those two fine ladies. I am watching Girl Happy tonight so I will give you my thoughts on it. Girl Happy was Elvis's seventeenth film. Elvis shot the movie in the summer of 64 and opened in theaters in April of 65. The movie also has my two favorite ladies from Elvis movies, Mary Ann Mobley and Shelly Fabares. Girl Happy was number 25 on the top grossing films of 65 earning around 3.1 million.

Girl Happy is not the best script ever, or was the soundtrack the best one he ever recorded. Though this is probably in my top five when it comes to Elvis movies. The movie is set in Fort Lauderdale Florida. It is about a bunch of college kids on spring break. Elvis is sent down to keep an eye on his boss's daughter. Elvis chases girls, sings some songs, and tries to keep the girl out of trouble. In the end Elvis's character ends up falling for the girl he is watching. Shelly Fabares plays the part of the girl Elvis ends up with. She does a good job in the part, and is oh so beautiful. Mary Ann plays the part of the girl Elvis's character chases around before settling on Shelly's Character. Loads of sexy babes fill this movie. Elvis,Shelly,Mary Ann, and good music make this an easy choice for one of my favorite movies. I wont get too much into the soundtrack because I have decided to do reviews on them separately from time to time. My favorite songs from the movies however are Cross My Heart and Hope To Die and Do Not Disturb.

Cross My Heart Hope To Die

DOLL OF THE WEEK

Mary Ann Mobley appeared in Harum Scarum and Girl Happy. That is reason enough to rank these two of the best movies ever! The former Miss America was and still is simply amazing. Please do not disturb as I am off to enjoy Girl Happy and the beautiful Mary Ann this morning.