Roustabout (Elvis Presley song)

"Roustabout" is a song written by Bernie Baum, Bill Giant and Florence Kaye for Elvis Presley and the 1964 Paramount picture Roustabout.[5] The song also appeared on the soundtrack album for the movie.[6]

"Roustabout"
Single by Elvis Presley
Released1964 (1964)
RecordedApril 29, 1964
StudioRadio Recorders, Hollywood
Length1:57
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye
Audio
"Roustabout" on YouTube

Composition

The song written by Bernie Baum, Bill Giant and Florence Kaye[7] was chosen as a last-minute replacement[4] for the song written as the title track for the movie Roustabout by Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott.[1]

Mike Eder describes "Roustabout" as "geeky, with abysmal lyrics and a generic backing".[4] On the other hand, the song originally intended as the title track was, in his opinion, "a respectable rocker"[4] and a surpringly "great song for the period".[3]

The Elvis Presley official website recounts:

It was only after the completion of the picture that Hal Wallis nixed the already recorded Otis Blackwell–Winfield Scott title track for what he deemed its "risqué" lyrics, but the always efficient team of Giant/Baum/Kaye jumped right in and delivered a new one. The soundtrack was better integrated than some but of no higher quality, and there was no song strong enough to be released as a single.[1]

(In fact, the song "Roustabout" was released as a promotional single.)[8][9]

Recording

According to the Elvis Presley official website, the backing track was recorded on April 29, 1964, at Radio Recorders, Hollywood. The session featured Billy Strange and Tiny Timbrell on guitar, Ray Siegel on bass, Hal Blaine and Bernie Mattinson on drums, Dudley Brooks on piano and The Mello Men on vocals. Presley recorded his vocals on May 14, 1964.[1]

According to Mike Eder's Elvis Music FAQ, the song was recorded on March 3, 1964.[3]

Track listing
7" promo single (RCA Victor SP-45-139, 1964)[9]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Roustabout"Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye1:57
2."One Track Heart"Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye2:15

Charts
Chart (1965) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] Tip

References
  1. "Roustabout". Elvis Presley official website "Elvis the Music". Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  2. James L. Neibaur (4 April 2014). The Elvis Movies. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 152–. ISBN 978-1-4422-3074-3.
  3. Mike Eder (1 September 2013). Elvis Music FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King's Recorded Works. Backbeat. pp. 143–. ISBN 978-1-61713-581-1.
  4. Mike Eder (1 September 2013). Elvis Music FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King's Recorded Works. Backbeat. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-61713-581-1. "Roustabout" is geeky, with abysmal lyrics and a generic backing. It was recorded at the last minute toreplace a respectable rocker of the same name.
    Mike Eder (1 September 2013). Elvis Music FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King's Recorded Works. Backbeat Books. pp. 171–. ISBN 978-1-61713-580-4.
  5. [1][2][3][4]
  6. [1][4]
  7. "Cover versions of Roustabout by Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  8. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (12 December 1964). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 8. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  9. "Elvis Presley - Roustabout (1964, Vinyl)". Discogs. 1964. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  10. "Elvis Presley – Roustabout" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2021-02-08.


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