Music Review: Elvis Presley - Pot Luck

Pot Luck by Elvis Presley was released June 5, 1962 and reached number 4 on the national charts. Except for gospel releases, it would be his last true studio album for seven years. It was very apparent to the RCA label and manager Col. Tom Parker that movies and soundtrack albums were the most popular and hence made the most money for Elvis as well as themselves.

Now appealing to a wide audience, he had moved beyond his rock ’n’ roll roots and was producing solid, and in some cases creative, pop songs. Pot Luck reflects this mature Elvis. It is an album similar to Something For Everybody, in that it contained a lot of good songs but no classics. Yet, the listening experience is excellent showing that the whole was better than the parts.

The classy pop songs “(Such An) Easy Question” and “I’m Yours” would be released three years later as a successful single. “I’m Yours” has a dubbed duet on the album cut that was eliminated for that single release. This album track was the superior as it has a much fuller sound.

“Suspicion” was an interesting track. It would also be released as part of a single at a later date but in 1964 Terry Stafford would have a hit in the United States with the song. It would be an almost exact copy of this album track and Stafford’s voice even sounded like Elvis. It would be one of the very few times when an artist stole an Elvis Presley song and produced the more successful version.

The absolute gem contained on the album and one of the most interesting tracks that Elvis ever produced was “That Someone You Never Forget.” Elvis takes a rare writing credit for this song. He came up with the title and the idea for a tribute commemorating his mother who died while he was serving in the military. He produced one of the great vocals of his career on this very personal song. Elvis means it here and it shows.

There were several other good tracks included on this album. “Night Rider” is catchy and could have been a successful single release. “Just For Old Time Sake” is an effective balled which features a smooth vocal. “Fountain Of Love” is a nice up-tempo pop ditty that just rolls along. The CD reissue of this album includes the song “You’ll Be Gone” which was originally the flip side of the single “Do The Clam.” This may be the only song to which Elvis actually wrote the lyrics.

Pot Luck is an apt name for this album. While it will never be viewed as one of the classic or even memorable Elvis releases, it does in its own way hold up well. It remains a relaxing album and proves that Elvis could make almost any group of songs worthwhile.

Article Author: David Bowling

I have been collecting vinyl records for over forty years and my collection is approaching 50.000 records. My wife Susan and children, Stacey and Amy, have learned to humor my passion. I am now settled in beautiful Whispering Pines, North Carolina …

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