Viva Elvis (album)
Encyclopedia
Viva Elvis is the soundtrack remix album of the Cirque du Soleil
show Viva Elvis
, which focuses on the life and music of Elvis Presley
. The album, though initially produced as a soundtrack to the show, does not include all of the songs featured in the show. The CD tracks are rearranged and extended versions of songs heard in the show, and in fact the album includes two instrumental versions of the songs "Memories" and "You'll Never Walk Alone
", neither of which is in the Cirque du Soleil show.
This album marks the third official posthumous album by Elvis Presley created from scratch, whereas previous albums were compilations of previously released or unreleased studio material recorded well before his death. The two prior albums were the urban country-influenced 1981 Guitar Man record and the 2008 Christmas Duets
CD. Similar to Cirque du Soleil's soundtrack to the Beatles-themed Love
, "Viva Elvis" contains samples from throughout the entire span of Elvis Presley's career, including interview clips, home recordings, studio outtakes and snippets of dialogue from Elvis's feature films.
Unlike Love, however, Viva Elvis features new backing instrumentation on each track in an attempt to modernize the arrangements. This has met with a mixed critical response, with some reviewers praising the production quality and others opining that Elvis's music is best left untampered with.
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
show Viva Elvis
Viva Elvis
Viva Elvis is the seventh resident Cirque du Soleil show on the Las Vegas Strip. It resides at the Aria Resort & Casino and premiered on February 19, 2010...
, which focuses on the life and music of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. The album, though initially produced as a soundtrack to the show, does not include all of the songs featured in the show. The CD tracks are rearranged and extended versions of songs heard in the show, and in fact the album includes two instrumental versions of the songs "Memories" and "You'll Never Walk Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone is a song from the musical Carousel, a pop standard and football club anthem, for example that of Liverpool F.C.You'll Never Walk Alone may also refer to:* You'll Never Walk Alone , studio album...
", neither of which is in the Cirque du Soleil show.
This album marks the third official posthumous album by Elvis Presley created from scratch, whereas previous albums were compilations of previously released or unreleased studio material recorded well before his death. The two prior albums were the urban country-influenced 1981 Guitar Man record and the 2008 Christmas Duets
Christmas Duets
Christmas Duets is a 2008 album released by RCA Records, consisting of archival Elvis Presley recordings mixed with modern vocals by contemporary country and gospel singers....
CD. Similar to Cirque du Soleil's soundtrack to the Beatles-themed Love
LOVE (Cirque du Soleil)
Love is a 2006 theatrical production by Cirque du Soleil which combines the re-produced and re-imagined music of The Beatles with an interpretive, circus-based artistic and athletic stage performance. The show plays at a specially built theatre at The Mirage in Las Vegas.A joint venture between...
, "Viva Elvis" contains samples from throughout the entire span of Elvis Presley's career, including interview clips, home recordings, studio outtakes and snippets of dialogue from Elvis's feature films.
Unlike Love, however, Viva Elvis features new backing instrumentation on each track in an attempt to modernize the arrangements. This has met with a mixed critical response, with some reviewers praising the production quality and others opining that Elvis's music is best left untampered with.
Track listing
- "Opening (Theme From 2001: A Space Odyssey2001: A Space Odyssey (film)2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
)" - "Blue Suede ShoesBlue Suede Shoes"Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and is considered one of the first rockabilly records and incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time...
" (Carl PerkinsCarl PerkinsCarl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
) - "That's All Right" (Arthur CrudupArthur CrudupArthur "Big Boy" Crudup was an American Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known outside blues circles for writing songs such as "That's All Right" , "My Baby Left Me" and "So Glad You're Mine", later covered by Elvis Presley and dozens of other artists.-Career:Arthur Crudup...
) - "Heartbreak HotelHeartbreak Hotel"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American rock and roll musician Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. His first number-one pop record, "Heartbreak Hotel" topped Billboards Top 100 chart, became his first...
" (Mae Boren AxtonMae Boren AxtonMae Boren Axton was known in the music industry as the 'Queen Mother of Nashville'...
/Tommy Durden/Elvis Presley) - "Love Me TenderLove Me Tender (song)"Love Me Tender" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music, adapted from the tune of "Aura Lee" , a sentimental Civil War ballad.- History :...
" (Vera Matson/Elvis Presley) - "King CreoleKing CreoleKing Creole is a 1958 American film directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Hal B. Wallis. The story was adapted from the Harold Robbins novel A Stone for Danny Fisher and featured Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, and Walter Matthau. The film tells the story of a nineteen-year-old who gets mixed...
" (Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerJerry Leiber and Mike StollerJerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...
) - "Bossa Nova BabyBossa Nova Baby"Bossa Nova Baby" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and recorded on May 27, 1963, in RCA Studio B, in Nashville, Tennessee by Elvis Presley as part of the soundtrack of the 1963 motion picture Fun in Acapulco....
" (Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerJerry Leiber and Mike StollerJerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...
) - "Burning LoveBurning Love"Burning Love" is a song written by Dennis Linde, first recorded by Arthur Alexander, who included it on his self-titled 1971 album, and made famous by Elvis Presley, who took it to #2 in the United States in 1972...
" (Dennis LindeDennis LindeDennis Linde was an American singer and songwriter whose work was primarily in country musicHe is best known for writing the 1972 Elvis Presley hit, "Burning Love"...
) - "Memories" (Mac DavisMac DavisMac Davis is a country music singer, songwriter, and actor originally from Lubbock, Texas who has enjoyed much crossover success...
/Billy StrangeBilly StrangeWilliam E. "Billy" Strange is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor.-Recordings and songwriting:...
) - "Can't Help Falling In LoveCan't Help Falling in Love"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a pop song originally recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody was based on "Plaisir d'Amour" but with a different...
" (Hugo Peretti/Luigi Creatore/George Weiss) - "You'll Never Walk AloneYou'll Never Walk AloneYou'll Never Walk Alone is a song from the musical Carousel, a pop standard and football club anthem, for example that of Liverpool F.C.You'll Never Walk Alone may also refer to:* You'll Never Walk Alone , studio album...
(Piano Interlude)" (Richard RodgersRichard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
, Oscar HammersteinOscar Hammerstein IIOscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
) - "Suspicious MindsSuspicious Minds"Suspicious Minds" is a song written by American songwriter Mark James that, after the failure of his own recording, was handed to Elvis Presley by producer Chips Moman becoming one of his most notable hits and a number one in 1969, "Suspicious Minds" was widely regarded as the single that returned...
" (Mark JamesMark James (songwriter)Mark James is a songwriter, famous for writing hits for singers B.J. Thomas, Brenda Lee, and Elvis Presley, most notably Elvis' last US number one hit single, "Suspicious Minds."-History:...
)
Bonus tracks
In each country, a bonus version of "Love Me Tender" was included, featuring a local singer in place of the singer from the Cirque du Soleil show.- Finland - Anna Puu
- Netherlands - Lisa Lois
- France - Amel BentAmel BentAmel Bent is a French singer.- Biography :Amel Bent grew up in the French commune of La Courneuve with her Algerian father and a Moroccan mother. She has a brother and a sister...
- Spain - Russian RedRussian RedRussian Red is the stage name of Lourdes Hernández , a Spanish indie and folk singer-songwriter.Known by many as the Spanish Feist, in reference to the Canadian singer-songwriter who inspires her in many of her attitudes on the microphone, Hernández—who writes and sings all of her compositions in...
- America and Wal-Mart Exclusive in United States - ThalíaThalíaAriadna Thalía Sodi Miranda , known simply by the mononym Thalía , is a Mexican singer and actress. She has sold over 40 million albums worldwide...
- Australia - Jessica MauboyJessica MauboyJessica Hilda Mauboy , is an Indigenous Australian R&B singer-songwriter and actress. In 2006, Mauboy was the runner-up on the fourth season of Australian Idol, she had auditioned for the talent show in Alice Springs to pursue a recording career...
- Belgium - Dani KleinDani KleinDanielle Schoovaerts , known as Dani Klein, is a Belgian singer and member of the band Vaya Con Dios.In the 1980s, she was also a member of Arbeid Adelt! with Luc Van Acker , Ladies sing the Blues with Réjane Magloire and Beverly Jo Scott, Purple Prose and Steelover with Rudy Lenners.-External...
- Canada - Marie-MaiMarie-MaiMarie-Mai Bouchard also known as her stage name Marie-Mai, is a French Canadian singer from Quebec...
- Portugal - Aurea
- Japan - Miho FukuharaMiho Fukuharais a Japanese pop star who made an indies debut in 2006, releasing a single titled "The Roots" and mini-album titled Step Out. In early 2008, she made her major-label debuted under Sony Music Entertainment Japan . Her debut single, "Change", was the number ninety-two yearly song on the Billboard...
Personnel
- Vocals - Elvis Presley
- Guest singers - Dea NorbergDea NorbergAndrea Heléne "Dea" Norberg is a Swedish singer and choirgirl who sang in most of Sweden's Eurovision Song Contest entries during the 2000s. Norberg has been involved in the Melodifestivalen house-choir between 2003–2006 and 2009, the choir for Sweden in Eurovision in 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006...
("Love Me Tender"), Jennlee Shallow ("King Creole"), Sherry St-Germain ("Can't Help Falling In Love"), Stacie Tabb ("Suspicious Minds") - Drums - Ben Clement
- Bass - Patrick Levergne
- Electric guitars - JS "The Flash" Chouinard, Mike Plant, Steve Nadeau, Martin Bachand, Paul Deslauriers, Erich van Tourneau
- Acoustic guitars - Olivier Goulet, Erich van Tourneau
- Piano and keyboards: Erich van Tourneau
- Harmonica - Guy Belanger
- Scratch - DJ Pocket
- Brass section - Jean-Francois Thibeault (T-Bone), Brune Dumont (Sax), David Perrico (Trumpet), Jean-Francois Gagnon (Flugel)
Production
- Producer and arranger: Eric van Tourneau
- Assistant producer and assistant arranger: Hugo "Wedge Montecristo" Bombardier
- Executive producers: Steve Berkowitz, Adam Block, Stephanie Mongeau, Jacques Methe, Stephane Bergevin, Gary Hovey and Priscilla PresleyPriscilla PresleyPriscilla Presley is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the ex-wife of singer Elvis Presley, and the mother of singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley....