Australian top 10 singles

[Rickeap]

I've put together a video about the Elvis top 10 singles CD release here in Australia.

https://youtu.be/su2hhyHTGks

[AndresVanKujik]

Excellent thank you. In the UK we had "Do The Clam" in the top 20 but "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "If You Talk in Your Sleep" didnt make the top 40.
But then this is a country where Mr. Blobby had a #1 hit, so we have no right to comment... ha ha

[Rickeap]

That is even worse! If You Talk only made 37 in Australia, poor old Promised /land didn't even crack the top 40 which was a travesty., My Boy made the top 10 though and Moody Blue was 11 so just missed the compilation.

[AndresVanKujik]

Yes, I find that chart success has nothing whatsoever to do with the quality of a song. Look at Elvis' gospel albums. His greatest recordings that are perennial sellers, selling constant amounts every year yet do not make the charts - doesn't that make them the most popular records? Just because something sold vastly for one week... then never sold again... doesn't make it a "better" song.

RCA often dropped a ball, in my opinion, in what they put out on single. But then IMHO they had no idea what they were doing with a star like Elvis.

[Jbelvis27]

It's crazy to see that Judy made it in the top 10 in 1967. I never would've thought that.

[Rickeap]

It's crazy to see that Judy made it in the top 10 in 1967. I never would've thought that.

Ain't That Loving You Baby No.1 is another oddity

[Nigel77]

I'm not surprised at Do the Clam, Judy and one not yet mentioned, Blue River, being hits in Australia. They were up-tempo songs which nicely fitted part of the pop music scene at the time. When I was at high school in the late 60s we used to have "record nights' in the school hall where we all brought 45rpm's to be played. One of the most popular was my EP with Kiss Me Quick which got people up and dancing every time.

[AndresVanKujik]

I'm not surprised at Do the Clam, Judy and one not yet mentioned, Blue River, being hits in Australia. They were up-tempo songs which nicely fitted part of the pop music scene at the time. When I was at high school in the late 60s we used to have "record nights' in the school hall where we all brought 45rpm's to be played. One of the most popular was my EP with Kiss Me Quick which got people up and dancing every time.

Yes, I gues we have to contextualise it. 9 or so years between "Do The Clam" and "If You Talk In Your Sleep" for example...
IFTIYS is one of Elvis' best singles in my opinion. I think the problem with the song is that it struggles with identity - it is soul, it is funk, it is pop. Maybe it was too many things at once to really be anything.

The song I think should have been a single which never was, is "I Got A Feelin' in my Body"... This funk/soul/gospel song is also as close to disco as Elvis ever recorded and I think right on trend for its day. Did Elvis have any real say on what was released as a single and how or did RCA decide it all? I can't imagine he would ever have chosen "Puppet on a String" to be released as a single as it was in the US. Not when there were so many stronger contenders in the can.

[Colin B]

...I can't imagine he would ever have chosen "Puppet on a String" to be released as a single as it was in the US.
Not when there were so many stronger contenders in the can.

Puppet on a String was also on a UK single as the flip of Tell Me Why in 1965 which peaked at No.15.

[AndresVanKujik]

...I can't imagine he would ever have chosen "Puppet on a String" to be released as a single as it was in the US.
Not when there were so many stronger contenders in the can.

Puppet on a String was also on a UK single as the flip of Tell Me Why in 1965 which peaked at No.15.

I forgot about that! My memory isn't what it used to be (it used to be terrible now it's really terrible ) although in the UK you can not count a Beside as a chart position as b-sides do not chart, ever. Got to be a double A side for that, so "Puppet on a strong" has no UK chart position as it was never an A side. I think "Tell me why" was definitely doing all the work in that pairing!

[Colin B]

...I can't imagine he would ever have chosen "Puppet on a String" to be released as a single as it was in the US.
Not when there were so many stronger contenders in the can.

Puppet on a String was also on a UK single as the flip of Tell Me Why in 1965 which peaked at No.15.

I forgot about that! My memory isn't what it used to be (it used to be terrible now it's really terrible ) although in the UK you can not count a Beside as a chart position as b-sides do not chart, ever. Got to be a double A side for that, so "Puppet on a strong" has no UK chart position as it was never an A side. I think "Tell me why" was definitely doing all the work in that pairing!

My memory is shot to hell !

Have to rely on my own contemporary notes & the reference books !

[Rickeap]

I'm not surprised at Do the Clam, Judy and one not yet mentioned, Blue River, being hits in Australia. They were up-tempo songs which nicely fitted part of the pop music scene at the time. When I was at high school in the late 60s we used to have "record nights' in the school hall where we all brought 45rpm's to be played. One of the most popular was my EP with Kiss Me Quick which got people up and dancing every time.

Yes, I gues we have to contextualise it. 9 or so years between "Do The Clam" and "If You Talk In Your Sleep" for example...
IFTIYS is one of Elvis' best singles in my opinion. I think the problem with the song is that it struggles with identity - it is soul, it is funk, it is pop. Maybe it was too many things at once to really be anything.

The song I think should have been a single which never was, is "I Got A Feelin' in my Body"... This funk/soul/gospel song is also as close to disco as Elvis ever recorded and I think right on trend for its day. Did Elvis have any real say on what was released as a single and how or did RCA decide it all? I can't imagine he would ever have chosen "Puppet on a String" to be released as a single as it was in the US. Not when there were so many stronger contenders in the can.

I Got a Feeling in My Body would have been a much better choice than Take Good Care of Her.

[AndresVanKujik]

I Got a Feeling in My Body would have been a much better choice than Take Good Care of Her.

Amen!! Yet another maudlin ballad that Elvis slept through as he recorded it. Kenny Rogers once accused RCA Victor of attempting to ruin his career by the choices they made... one has to wonder...