Music Review: Elvis Presley - Something For Everybody
Published July 05, 2008
Something For Everybody is one of those Elvis Presley albums that just glides under the radar. It was a solid, if not spectacular release. The priorities at this time were films and their accompanying soundtracks, plus his single releases which would receive massive airplay and sell millions of copies. The original release of Something For Everybody would contain no memorable or classic songs, yet would still reach number one on the charts.
As with many of Elvis’ early album releases, the hit singles of the day were not included as they had a life of their own. This makes the modern CD releases of albums such as this one all the more stronger with their inclusion. Elvis was recording some brilliant non-soundtrack material in the early 1960’s. “His Latest Flame,” “Little Sister,” “Good Luck Charm,” and “Surrender” remain essential to the Elvis catalogue and to music of this time period. All these songs are added to the CD release which serve to make it truly outstanding.
The original release of Something For Everybody contained a ballad side and an up-tempo side. Personally, I prefer a mixture of the two as the first side drags a little. The original intent may have been to create a romantic atmosphere on side one and it is up to each listener to decide if that was accomplished.
There are two outstanding ballads on the A side of the original LP release. “There’s Always Me” is a challenging vocal for Elvis with a lot of pitch changes. Elvis proves just what a wonderful vocalist he had become as he handles this difficult song with ease. “Gently” is one of the great lost Elvis Presley songs. His smooth vocal just flows along and lulls the listener into a journey of relaxed mood and sound.
The fast side, as it was called, is the better to me. When the album was released the ballad side was aimed at his female fans and the B side more toward his male fan base. “I Want You With Me” and “I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell” are excellent moderate rockers. “In Your Arms,” “Put The Blame On Me,” and “Judy” are all straight pop songs that Elvis had been producing for the past year and there is nothing wrong with any of them.
The average or even advanced Elvis fan probably could not name many songs from the original album. Yet playing it almost forty years later is a pleasurable listening experience that just slides by the senses.
- Music Review: Elvis Presley - Something For Everybody
- Published: July 05, 2008
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Pop, Music: Rock
- Part of a feature: The Discographer
- Writer: David Bowling
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- David Bowling's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
HI David
thanks for all your excellent articles on Elvis' Album output recently. Most of his albums are much maligned today because they were created as collections of songs, not as concepts (such as the last 40 years).
When Elvis went into the studio he didn't set out to make an "album" per se (with the exception of the gospel recordings or soundtracks)he went in to record songs to be used on albums and singles and often left it up to the record company to decide the song sequence and selection on an album. This you have pointed out in several reviews where you have indicated that the hit singles were left off the LP's, at the Colonel's request, in order to not sell the same song twice to the same fan on a single and an LP.
Which leads me to my question, you have been doing your reviews in the order that the LP's were released but you have skipped over four LP's. Two I understand as they are not essential (For LP Fans Only and A Date With Elvis) but I think you missed the boat on skipping "Elvis' Golden Records" (released March 1958)and "50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong - Elvis' Golden Records Vol. 2 (Release December 1959). These are essential because they were the only way to get the hits at the time in Album form and they were Monster Successes (in particular Elvis Golden Records from 1958 which is now certified 6X Platinum). All 14 songs on the original album were million sellers over the previous 2 years. (14 Million selling singles in 2 years! any artist would drool for one, what an amazing achievment).
Yes, they are compilations, but in the record industry in the 1950's they were not thought of as such. As much as "Elvis Presley" was the first Rock and Roll album, and RCA's first Million selling LP - "Elvis' Golden Records" was the first Greatest Hits Record of Rock and Roll and set the standard that is the cornerstone of what is left of the record industry today (or CD industry). It charted for 50 weeks, peaking at No. 3.
As for the second volume of this series (50,000,000 Elvis' Fans Can't Be Wrong - Elvis' Golden Records Vol 2) - althought it did not sell as much as the first release(it is certified Platinum) it's accomplishment is still large.
It has an Iconic cover that has been imitated countless times - ask Bon Jovi about that - and was the firts Vol 2 package of Greatest Hits in Rock and Roll. Where as the first volume contained an unheard of set of 14 million selling songs in 2 years this album collects another set of 10 million selling singles from 18 month period.
So between January 1956 and June 1959 (the period in which these two albums represent) Elvis had 24 million selling (or more) singles.
How can the albums that collect these songs not be considered essential?
I hope you reconsider and put forth reviews of these two LP's as well. Don't Forget Elvis' Gold Records Vol 3 in 1963 and to a much lesser extent Vol 4 in 1968.
thanks again,
Anthony
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Yes David, "There's Always Me" is a classic. It should have been a single!
I would move the needle......er stylus manually on this vinyl Album. "Judy" is very good too. I remember being a little disappointed with the album.Elvis had previously set such high a standard we were not prepared for the........well let's be honest, the more tame rockers and ballads.