Viva Elvis! (the CD)

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Viva Elvis! the CD

by Johnny Roebuck on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 3:07pm

Got a chance to hear the CD in its entirety. I had difficulty finding the thing to hear it. Well, you know, for some months now, I've shared the video of the remix of "Suspicious Minds." Cirque Du Soleil, which did such a great job with The Beatles LOVE, (to be more precise, George Martin, his son and the remaining Beatles and estates of the deceased ones) has a tribute celebrating the career of Elvis. I've not seen it, but from what I've heard it is second only to the shows they do where Elvis' image and audio and backed up by some of his original players and background singers.

These are remixes and I will get rid of my only NEGATIVE criticism at the start.

Sidebar: I don't care for the Amy Grant-type singer who begins "Love Me Tender" on the project. Elvis' voice transcends time and styles because he's one of the few singers, maybe the only one who can literally sing ANYTHING. There's no credit given on the project, but it was a nice touch putting a phrase from "In My Way" at the end of the song. Some similar things were done to "Can't Help Falling in Love." All in all, both are GOOD, it's just that with the possible exceptions of Ann Margaret and Nancy Sinatra, who both sang and recorded duets with Elvis in his lifetime, no one, but NO ONE should be given that honor other than Lisa Marie Presley, PERIOD. But what do you expect when the management of Elvis' legacy has been turned over to those who gave us American Idol.

Sam Phillips and Brian Epstein are the originals who found Elvis and the Beatles respectively. That's a once for all eternity thing. It doesn't matter what star, what producer, or what A&R person does a show, they'll never touch these two and possibly Ted Mack. Neither Elvis or the Beatles were fit into a mold (yes, the Beatles started off wearing suits upon Epstein's direction) And now, back to the album.

The opening uses what is commonly referred to as the "Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssy" with clips of Dewey Phillips, Ed Sullivan, Milton Berle and others who first familiarized the airwaves with the Elvis magic.

The it's "Blue Suede Shoes," "That's All Right" and "Heartbreak Hotel" all remixed and changed quite a bit. What follows is the "Love Me Tender" disrespect cut. Then some nice remixes of "King Creole" (a little too much of a woman's voice on it)"Bossa Nova, Baby" and "Burning Love" Nice job on all three, for the most part and like I said, retaining the "essence" but strangely uniquely different. Well done, I say for the most part. Then, it's the "Can't Help Falling in Love" disrespect version and don't expect to hear "You'll Never Walk Alone." It's just a piano interlude and has no resemblance whatsoever of the song. The same is true for "Memories."

It finishes with the superb completely reworked "Suspicious Minds." They also offer a "bonus track" with more of the Amy Grant sound alike and Elvis redeeming "Love Me Tender"

It makes a dyed-in-the-wool Elvis fan want to actually go to Vegas to see the show, even though I wouldn't walk across the street to hear and Elvis "Tribute artist."

Had three of the songs on the CD been properly promoted, "Suspicious Minds," "Burning Love" and "Bossa Nova, Baby" could have easily gone to #1 with a bullet.

Sorry

I fell in love with his compassion, his love and amazing generosity. His name is Jesus (Yeshua)

John Lennon was noted to have said "I have no problem with Jesus. It's the people who claim to follow him that bug me!"

Unfortunately, Jesus gets looked upon by a few who don't represent Christendom at all. For some Christians, for many of them, it's easy to forget that they are just forgiven and not perfect.

Jesus didn't get along with the "religious" folk of "his day." He pointed out that they were like whitened sepulchres...all white and clean looking on the outside, but inside filled with rotting dead man's bones. Scripture (the Bible) tells us that our so called righteousness is like filthy rags (literally, menstrual cloths. There was nothing thought to be nastier in the ancient Hebrew world) Jesus especially criticized the Pharisees. Many Christians become like Pharisees at some point. Most grow out of it. These folks are characterized by the stereotypical self-righteousness and false piety. Stereotypes exist for a reason. Without people acting them out, they wouldn't exist.

I'd like to apologize for my brothers who act this way. See, some of them would deny my relationship with the Lord because they still believe, although Scripture doesn't support it, in a behavior-based salvation. Somewhere along the line, they forgot that eternal life is a gift. In fact, one has to earn their way into hell. "...the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

See, I could be really hard on these brothers and sisters, but then, I'd be making the same mistake they are. They judge me now, but maybe they'll see the error of their ways. I am not an example of finished word, so neither should I expect them to be.

What I'm trying to say is don't judge Jesus by them and for GOD's sake, don't judge Him by me. Get to know Him for yourself and then I think you'll want to be more like Him. The neat thing is, He can do that for ya. For some of us, it takes a little longer than others. Thank God for His patience.