Crazy - The Funny Side Of Elvis Presley

I recently recieved my copy of this CD and I had pretty big expectations for it after what I had heard.

First of all, this is NOT just another "talking album". After listening through it, it is clear that these spoken words have been carefully chosen out of hundreds of hours of Elvis recordings, both audience and soundboards. Some of these snippets have been out before but I think they are presented here in the right, and nice, package. I found it more interesting and fun to listen to this CD than for excample the "Having fun with Elvis on stage" albums. Also the sound is clearly an improvement over the boots they have been taken from so I think they have done a great job with the remastering.

The content of this CD is really funny. You get a really good insight into Elvis' sense of humour and the great connection he had on stage with J.D. Sumner ( "He is the worlds lowest bass singer in more ways than one..." ). Elvis' own self irony is clear when he talks about his past. When it comes to the press he simply says: "I find out most things about myself by reading the paper!" and that is a statement that says it all! hehe... He introduces The Sweet Inspirations: "Don't give them that much applause, they'll ask for a raise!" Funny comments like these throug the whole CD ...

Now, we are in for a treat. We get some unreleased stuff from Elvis' concert im Memphis on March 20, 1974. What we hear is portions that were edited out of the official release and the bootleg "Steamroller Blues". For the first time on cd you get to hear the false start on "Help Me" that was rumoured to exist. It is also nice to get the Hilton Hawaiian Village press conference from November '72 before "Ispector Clouseau" ends this CD ...or was it Elvis?

Conclusion

If you want a funny insight to Elvis' humour this is the CD to get. It is very well put together and is a cd you can actually listen to. It is a CD I can play to my friends that are not Elvis fans and it will still get them to smile. This CD is only pressed in 500 copies and will therefore not be available that long.