Search - Elvis Presley :: Elvis Sings Flaming Star

This Elvis Classic Is On CD At Last!

Alan Caylow | USA | 08/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's finally on CD!!! When I was a child, my parents had one, lone Elvis Presley album in their collection---this one, 1969's "Elvis Sings Flaming Star." And, for whatever the reason, they eventually gave the album to me. It was far and away my favorite album as a youngster. I can't even begin to count how many times I spun this album on my record player, rocking out with the King of Rock 'N' Roll practically every single day after school and on the weekends. Naturally, as I grew older, my expanding musical tastes eventually pulled me away from my non-stop enjoyment of Elvis' "Flaming Star." Nonetheless, I still love the album, and I've always kept my old vinyl copy of it. And yet, as I watched Elvis' back catalog being released on CD over the years, I remained totally puzzled as to why the "Elvis Sings Flaming Star" album was never among them. Maybe it'll never get a CD release, I thought. But here it is at last!!! Listening to the album on CD now as an adult, I still love it. Even if the album really is just nine random tracks Elvis recorded between 1961 and 1969 packaged together, I really do think that "Elvis Sings Flaming Star" is the ultimate Elvis Presley album. Not because there are any hit songs on it---there aren't, except maybe the title tune (and don't get me wrong, I love Elvis' hit songs just fine)---but as an Elvis Presley *album*, "Flaming Star" has it all: rock, pop, country, blues, and yes, even a couple of cheesy ballads. And they're ALL great fun. And get this: the whole album is just 21 minutes long! Not one single tune is over three minutes in length (and three songs are not even two minutes). You can listen to the whole thing on your lunch break TWICE if you want. Elvis Presley sure made short albums, but "Flaming Star" is a great one. And how about the tunes themselves? The title song is the country/western number, but Elvis & his band still give it a great rock 'n' roll swagger. You can just picture Elvis riding into the sunset on his horsie with this one. "Wonderful World" is the album's cheeseball ballad, filled with lush strings and backing vocals, but hey, with Elvis' magic vocal touch, it still works (and let's face it, Elvis could sing the phone directory and it would still sound great). "Night Life" is a super little rocker about a hot night in Las Vegas (Elvis' favorite town, of course!). Presley's guitarist even gets to fire off a cool little solo in the middle of it. Awesome tune! Things get quiet and mellow with the next song, the bluesy "All I Needed Was The Rain." It's a great little song, with an excellent performance from Elvis. Then things get upbeat again with "Too Much Monkey Business," a classic Presley rock'n'roller (Elvis even gets to put his trademark "Uh-huh-huh" stamp on it). Next is the patriotic medley of "The Yellow Rose Of Texas" and "The Eyes Of Texas." It may be cheese, but Elvis does it justice, and you can't help but smile & sing along with The King and the male chorus at the rousing finale. From here on out it's all great little rockers---"She's A Machine" is a groovy tune (with horn section), the fun "Do The Vega" is Elvis in Chubby Checker/"Twist" mode, and finally, there's an awesome live performance of the dirty rocker "Tiger Man," taken directly from Elvis' 1968 comeback TV special, with Elvis snarling up a storm, ferociously strumming his guitar like a man possessed and making the girls scream. It's the perfect ending to a perfect Elvis Presley record. The CD sound quality is excellent, and finally, for the cherry on top, there's the price. Go on, look at it---SUPER cheap! I am so happy to finally have this Elvis Presley album on CD. "Elvis Sings Flaming Star" is, in my personal opinion, the ultimate Elvis album. BUY IT! And thank you, Elvis, for being my first rock'n'roll hero."

David W Hungate

GEM | Minot, ND United States | 10/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For 7 bucks you expect deluxe packaging?? Get real.



All the original music is here. That's what counts!!



Man, this cd brings back lots of great memories."

Off da chizzle

Danny Fisher | Alcoa, TN USA | 02/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For a short CD this has a lot of great music. Flaming star don't shine on me, what a great song! Elvis must have been trying to send a message how he was dealing with his own flaming star. I guess he finally saw it, sad to say. Long live the King!"