KEEP FOLLOWING THAT DREAM (Kwimper Records 0761) (Released 2000)
1. Review by Oven Egeland
2. Review by Michael Cheah
3. Comments on booklet |
Complete Follow That Dream Session
1: Follow That Dream (1, 2)
2: Angel (1, 2)
3: What A Wonderful World (2, 3, 1)
4: Angel (4)
5: I'm Not The Marrying Kind (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
6: Follow That Dream (3)
7: I'm Not The Marrying Kind (6, 7)
8: Angel (5)
9: A Whistling Tune (1, 2, 3)
10: Follow That Dream (4, 5)
11: Sound Advice (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
12: Angel (6)
13: What A Wonderful World (4, 5, 6)
14: A Whistling Tune (master)
15: Angel (master)
16: Sound Advice (mono-master)
17: I'm Not The Marrying Kind (mono-master)
18: What A Wonderful World (mono-master)
19: Follow That Dream (mono-master)
20: Angel (vocal overdubs)
*Angel (vocal overdubs) is track 20, but not listed on the sleeve!
Content: 3+ Sound: 6- Artwork: 4+ |
1. Review by Oven Egeland
This release came almost out of the blue! Some CD's are announced months (even years) before they finally arrive. This one, however, suddenly was there...
This CD is said to contain the complete Follow That Dream Session. In general you could say so; we have all the songs, and all the different takes of each songs on this CD. Some in-between takes talk are missing, and several of the songs are faded out (for listening pleasure?), but I guess we haven't lost anything of great value.
This session feauteres only 5 different songs, so in the long run this kind of release get a bit tedicious. That being said, it is a thrill to have a complete session in your house...:-)
The sound is "thrilling". Almost as good as an official release.
Oven Egeland, 2000 |
2. Review by Michael Cheah
If I had to pick a fly-on-the-wall appointment with Elvis, it'd have to be the moment he'd step into Sun Studios and let fly a generational yelp that has resounded long and deep to the far reaches of this planet and left
rock 'n' roll indelibly marked on our cultural psyche. But I'm grateful to bootleggers for continuing to mine Elvis' legacy by bringing out such recordings as this - a day in the life of Elvis in the studio on July 2 1961.
The Follow That Dream sessions was made for Elvis' eighth movie of the same name. This is how Roy Carr and Mick Farren (of NME fame) described it, "A formula Elvis movie that played the conflict between shiftless Florida Poor Folk and corrupt Authority strictly for laughs, Follow That Dream only produced a slim EP of songs. These so lacked impact that they were forgotten almost as soon as they had finished playing."
Carr and Farren were so surprised when in 1981 Bruce Springsteen reworked Follow That Dream as the twin of Elvis' politically correct 'If I Can Dream' from his '68 Comeback. He sang it with passion and breathes new meaning into what was always considered a throwaway. He sparked again the conflict between Poor Folk and corrupt Authority. This time it wasn't played for laughs.
So to get the complete sessions now, 40 years later, is a minor miracle because these tapes have long since been lost from the RCA/ BMG vaults. Here are the real stereo tapes as opposed to the mono ones officially released. The bonus of 'A Whistling Tune' (never released in this version until 1991 on the Collector's Gold set) and 'Sound Advice' (never released) from these sessions is welcomed. All the takes are here in excellent condition with studio banter intact.
Of the four released tracks, there are seven takes of Angel, surely one of his classiest ballads, six of 'Follow That Dream', seven of 'What A Wonderful Life' and eight of 'I'm Not The Marrying Kind'. All are arranged to entertain and not bore you with its repetitiveness.
This disc is very hard to find but well worth the effort.
M. C. February 20 2001 |
(Taken from the booklet):
Angel (take 1-7)
This beautiful ballad from the people who gave Elvis many of his 60's moviesongs must be considered the best song from the "Follow that dream" movie. It took Elvis five complete takes before he was satisfied and even then some vocal work needed repair. Certainly one of the better movietracks.
Follow That Dream (take 1-7)
The title track for Elvis' eight movie, though a lighthearted song, is still very much enjoyable. In later years, Bruce Springsteen used this classic Elvis song for his own version of "Follow that dream", but it remained unreleased. If you ever get the change to listen to it be prepared for a true musical experience, it is really heartbreaking.
What A Wonderful World (take 1-7)
Though this song is not considered to be among Elvis' better moviesongs, it is still a very pleasant song. Take a listen to it whenever you're in a sad mood, it will help.
I'm Not The Marrying Kind (take 1-8)
What was written on "What a wonderful life" can be said of most songs from this Summer movie, they cheer you up whenever you hear them so who cares what the critics say.
A Whistling Tune (take 1-4)
This song was actually cut from the movie and wasn't released until 1991 when it could first be heard on RCA's "Collectors Gold" boxset. The song was revived for Elvis' 1962 movie "Kid Galahad" when it was re-recorded and released in a much slower tempo, stretching the song to a playing time of over the three minutes.
Sound Advice (take 1-6)
Without a doubt the weakest song of the six and understandably cut by Elvis from the extended play that was released by RCA, leaving it to a mere four song soundtrack with a playing time of less than nine minutes. Though the entire musical soundtrack leaves much to be desired according critics, it still ranks high among collectors and is a welcome addition of Elvis Presley's music. |
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