Soundtrack Sessions for Paramount's Roustabout March 2-3, April 29, and May 14, 1964: Radio Recorders, Hollywood
No one examining Elvis's record sales between 1961 and 1964 could fail to see how soundly his soundtrack albums were outselling his studio albums by margins of two, three, even four to one. Even during the early '60's Elvis's record output was managed far differently from that of most other artists, who would release an album of songs recorded in a brief series of one or two sessions, including--featuring--the hit singles from those sessions. Not so with Elvis. At the Colonel's insistence, Elvis's hits were assembled on special collections.
The bottom line was the income generated by the movies. At the start of each new picture, Elvis and the Colonel collected up to a million dollars---to which they could add up to fifty percent of the film's profits. The income from just one picture amounted to substantially more than all the RCA royalties they received in any given year. And the soundtrack program was filled with extra benefits: From each one they collected both recording royalties and publishing income through Elvis's two publishing companies, while fulfilling contractiual obligations to RCA at the same time.
"Wheels On My Heels" was recorded March 3, 1964, released on LSP Roustabout 1964.
Elvis plays a coffee bar singer who has a fight and takes off on his motorcycle. He gets a job as a Roustabout in the carnival run by (Barbera Stanwyck). He falls for a pretty girl (Joan Freeman) and his singing soon makes the rundown carnival a success. Deciding to quit after a fight with a customer and his romance going badly, Elvis leaves to take up an offer from another carnival. With his departure the show takes a nose dive and soon the creditors are knocking on the door. There is only one chance left. Joan goes after Elvis and persuades him to return and save the carnival. He does so, learning the meaning of hard work and true love.
Elvis sings "Wheels On My Heels" as he drives along the highway on his Motor Bike. Elvis refused to use a double during the fight scenes and for the first time in his career suffered a kick in the head which needed nine stitches. Paramount quickly wrote a crash scene into the script that would allow Elvis to wear a plaster over his eye.
(The Complete Recording Sessions by Ernst Jorgensen)
(The Elvis Encyclopedia by David E. Stanley) |
