Just like CAMDEN had done with "Elvis' Christmas Album" six years before, PICKWICK released a shortened budget version of "Frankie And Johnny" in November 1976. At first the album didn't do any substancial business, but when Elvis died more than a million Americans picked it up and earned the king a posthumous Platinum Award. So once again the budget version sold out the original release, even though this time on a much smaller scale.

The cover design was also reminiscent of the old CAMDEN releases, because PICKWICK, too, used photos of the 1970s for the packaging of recordings of the 1960s. The shot on the front was the same RCA had used for "Elvis Now" in 1972, one of the pictures on the backside was known from the single "Raised On Rock" / "For Old Times Sake" from 1973.

This version of "Frankie And Johnny" cannot be found on the streaming platforms, because the original album is available.

Back in 1976 a release like this made sense for PICKWICK, because RCA had deleted "Frankie And Johnny" a long time ago and the album wasn't available anymore. As common for budget releases the new version only contained ten tracks. So "Chesay", "Look Out, Broadway" and "Everybody Come Aboard" are missing.

To read a review of the original release tap HERE.

The traditional from the 19th century was also known as "Frankie And Albert". It exists in many different versions, but they all have in common that Frankie kills her lover Johnny (or Albert) because of jealousy. In some versions she lands in jail, in others she gets executed. Alex Gottlieb, Fred Karger and Ben Weisman adapted the traditional for Elvis, who recorded it on May 14, 1965 within six takes. "Frankie And Johnny" is one of my favorite movie tunes, because it differs from the usual ones and is performed very well. In 1966 RCA Victor also released the song on a single, six years later CAMDEN used the track on the album "Elvis Sings Hits From His Movies - Volume 1".

Dave Hess based the song on the traditional "Gonna Raise A Ruckus Tonight". The first recording was made in 1923 by the Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartet. On May 12, 1965 the ryhthm track was recorded, on the next day Elvis added his voice. The master was a combination of take 6 (music track) and take 1 (vocal track). The song generates a nice southern states feeling and the melody stays with you.

In the movie the song is performed at a riverboat show by Johnny and Frankie. Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennet wrote a typical vaudeville tune with a snappy melody and purposely bad puns like tulips/two lips (Johnny praises the flowers and the lips of his loved one). In contrast to most critics and fans I like the song. Elvis recorded it on May 14, 1965 and needed six takes. The singer Eileen Wilson doubled for the actress Donna Douglas, who played Frankie.

Here we have the first ballad of the album. It was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the music track was recorded on May 13, 1965, the vocal track followed a day later. The master was created with take 6 (music track) and take 8 (vocal track). Socially not appropriate anymore the singer claims that the only raison d'etre of a woman is to find a man she can give her love to. However, musically the song is superior to most other movie ballads of this era.

The second ballad on the album was written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett. It's a nice song, but not quite as good as "What Every Woman Lives For" by Pomus/Shuman. The rhythm track was recorded on May 12, 1965, the vocal track followed the next day. The musicans needed five attempts to get it right, Elvis finished the ballad off in two takes.

The medley is supposed to have been written by Bill Giant, Bernie Baum and Florence Kaye, but of course it is nothing but a combination of two traditionals that simply were re-worked to create a new song in the legal sense. "Down By The Riverside" was originally sung by slaves at the time of the civil war and was also known as "Ain't Gonna Study War No More" and "Gonna Lay Down My Burden". The first known recording was made by The Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1920. "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" became popular as a funeral march in the southern states of the USA, but its origins go back to a Belgian chant. Once again the music track was recorded on May 12, 1965 and the vocal track followed a day later. The master is a combination of take 7 (music track) and take 4 (vocal track). CAMDEN re-used the song in 1972 on the budget album "Elvis Sings Hits From His Movies - Volume 1".

Consistent with the theme of the movie the song offers brass in dixiland-style, but it still sounds like an average movie tune. It was penned by Giant/Baum/Kaye and recorded by Elvis on May 13, 1965 within seven takes.

Of course a movie like "Frankie And Johnny" needs a blues song. Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne filled the gap and wrote "Hard Luck". It cannot be compared to songs like "Reconsider Baby", but for a soundtrack album a faux blues like this is acceptable. The music was recorded on May 13, 1965 at Radio Recorders, Elvis added his vocals six days later at Samuel Goldwyn Studios. The master was combined of take 5 (music track) and take 3 (vocal track).

No wonder that RCA Victor made this song the b-side of "Frankie And Johnny". Without doubt this ballad by Joy Byers is one of the best songs of the movie and therefore a perfect promotion for the album. Elvis also must have been convinced of the quality, because on May 13, 1965 he invested 19 takes to get it right.