Spinout

The new soundtrack album, cut at Radio Recorders in Hollywood just months before the regenerative Nashville sessions, was as notable for its upbeat attitude as for its songs. For the first time in a long time Elvis seemed actively engaged by the prospect of making music for a movie, and it translated into the playing of the usual complement of top Nashville and L.A. session men. A not-inconsiderable bonus was two tracks taken from the May Nashville sessions, with a third coming from a follow-up session in June. Each stood out in a different way: there was a raucous, down-and-dirty version of the Clovers’ “Down In The Alley”; the beautifully rendered Hawaiian classic, “I’ll Remember You”; and, in a show of genuine eclecticism that offered a hint of things to come, a tender interpretation of Bob Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is A Long Time,” which Elvis had picked up from an Odetta album. His new LP sold well over 300,000 copies, a significant improvement over the last two soundtracks.