Girl Happy FTD Re-issue(d)

What does Ernst mean - "replaced the LP master" - I bought the original. Is this an improvement?

Whats does that mean? Did they take an LP source or what? :/

the sound of the movie tracks on some of the FTD's are awful when compared to the outtakes ( eg Harum Scarum, Double Trouble). Are these being fixed ? Do i have to buy them all again?:(

Two good points below. Replacement of the "The LP Master" with what? I also thought they were meant to be "Updating the graphics" whatever that means!!

Next re-releases coming up: From Sunset (with missing "It's Midnight" take), Live version of "Where No One Stands Alone" (bad recording replaced with the good recording from bootleg), all FTD mastered by Lene Reidel etc. etc. Ernst if you need further ideas to make FTD endless contact me.

Does anyone know if any 'Elvis' Christmas Album' outtakes exist? Also, why hasn't the FTD label released 'G.I. Blues' or 'Blue Hawaii'? Thanks.

Actually FTD have released Blue Hawaii and it was released early this year.

Girl Happy always sounded okay to me. If any LP masters need replacing, it would be Today, Clambake, Harum Scarum and Frankie and Johnny. Those sound pretty miserable. Of those, I would definitely buy Today again if they fixed the master problem on the FTD release.

What? Why? So we need a third version of this immortal master piece? Some times I really don´t understand my dear countryman Ernst. Has he completely forgotten why he started out with the Elvis thing in the first place??

You dont understand Ernst? Are you kidding? I do. Its called making money. What I dont understand are Elvis fans that would keep buying the same stuff over & over again ('do I have to buy them all again?') Please. Ernst knows his market, believe me. I applaud him for being such a smart businessman.

As i have said before Ernst would make a good politician?......you never get a straight answer and they seem always to beat around the bush....maybe it's time for Ernst to be honest and admit mistakes have been made along the line and not make it sound like he is doing us a service....after all it's us who have to pay for it.........again just like a politician,and have to admit he would not get my vote.

Are we in for another marketing mistake from BMG ? Where are the remaining/missing movie FTD digipack soundtracks ??Will they all be released in 2010 (Elvis! 75 yrs-celebration) ???

So they decided to use the better sounding master upgrades on Girl Happy. Why should that make everyone upset. And why would you feel obligated to buy it over again. Are you afraid that the Elvis Police will come to your house and take you away if you do not rebuy something. Life can be so cruel. I feel your pain fellow Elvis fans. Ernst is such an evil heartless man.

When good old Ernst started out he wanted to show the world the real Elvis, the singer, the artist, the genius, and he did a terrific job. Very few people, if any, have done more for the artistic image of Elvis Presley. I thought it was fantastic that it took a man from tiny Denmark to do the job, and I was quite proud of him. And now he is just releasing anything with Elvis´s name on it. That´s the reason why I ask my questions. I mean the guy´s been a record company manager for lots of years (money), and I know he still loves Elvis Presley. So I don´t know the easy answers as some of you seem to do. This sound track recording from a terrible movie was bad from day one, and Ernst always claimed when he was young that he hated most of the sond track albums. Elvis was so dissatisfied with his performances that he didn´t record again for 18 months, the sound is horrible, and there were problems with speed on the title track, and I´m not even talking about the so called film(!) Leave them alone, Ernst, and let´s forget about these low points in a fantastic career.

Does this imply that the tracks that were denoted LP masters are re-mastered or re-mixed or even taken from better original tape sources ? In short , we as possible customers should be told precisely what is different from the first edition of Girl Happy on FTD !!

splanky: You want more info on this? You want 'customer-care'? Well, sorry pal you clicked the wrong topic. The producer of this series cancelled all contact to his customers long time ago.

Does any one know if there is a FTD Christmas 2 cd set in the works? I would love to get all the Christmas masters and all the outtakes on the FTD label, the sound would be Fantastic.

Here's what I'm going to do. I am going to buy the Sony Special Products re-release of this title from Amazon for $6.98 USD. I'm betting that these tracks (masters) have been reworked by Vic Anesini since he was responsible for the last batch of Camden re-issues. I'll put these masters together with the outtakes on the Girl Happy FTD I already own and I'm set. Cheaper, too. I don't care about improved artwork and graphics.

Musicwizard is right! I would love to get the FTD release of "Elvis sings the Wonderful World of Christmas", since there are enough alternate takes from that session, AND -finally- we could get the complete (i.e. NOT faded) version of Merry Christmas Baby. Santa Claus, please put this on my wish list (but for next year, I guess).

That means that The original Girl Happy FTD sold pretty well or what? Quite surprising to me - but Elvis world is very strange.

Why do you find it strange? The original vinyl LP made it to #8 on the Billboard chart back in the day. That means that more than just a few of us bought it back then. There's still quite a few of us around you know. We're NOT all dead. AND we ARE loyal.

Yes, Jerry the original LP sold extremely well (see Hendrickx EP book with record sales numbers of almost all EP records in US and worldwide ! Great source book). But I don't understand why FTD wants to re-release this one...no good reason ! Would be much better (also better, much more sales of the missing movie outtakes on FTD digipacks) ! In 2010 ?? No outtakes for me, thank you Schemies of the Duet Xmas wold. No Sir, no way. Don't like that endeavor; I'd rather have interest BMG comes up with a CD full of duets of EP with stars of his movies (Ann-Margret, Nancy Sinatra + all those gals that sung with him in F&J a.o. movies, remember Lady love me, Petunia, TT&Forever, Look out Broadway etc) plus the film version of 'Appreciation' etc etc They should put them alml on one CD and release this CD together with a future Elvis double CD of his movie-ballads-hits !!! Nodak, I don't believe in the success (higher sales) of the new Camden at $6.95 releases....At least, Sony/BMG could have made it more attractive by adding bonus songs! Very disappointed in their unpro marketing decisions&actions !

Don't understand the reasonning behind. Will not spend again money on such a remodelled album for one song... When can we get the MISSING movie outtakes on FTD??? If Ernst at FTD cannot trace/find the originalo session tapes of KCreole & other movies, they could perhaps call the musicians or the Jordanaires who might have a copy and obtain it in order to let us fans enjoy the fabulous outtakes that must be there (like HHWoman, Trouble, NOrleans, Young dreams etc)When can we get now FTD of clasic NOW and also the FOOL album + extra tracks it seems singles Am Trilogy, Matter of time, Always, My way, America, Steamroller blues studio takes)Anyone knows more ? Plerase let us know. GIRL HAPPY was OK it was; so why change it ??

I don't know why some of you guys are so upset. Undoubtebly, some upgrading was due for Girl Happy and so FTD found what was needed to do it. And they decided to deliver it now. One can argue till the cows come home against that. Nobody is forced to buy remember! One might object that there was other priorities and that's open for discussion but the fact is that what it is now: Girl Happy remastered from the original master and with the right take for the bonus track Youi'll Be Gone (take 3). Take it or leave it. But either way, be fair, give it a chance to prove if the sound has really been improved. It should be since all 711 masters were remastered and when you hear de quality of the sound on Elvis 75 and Good Time I would tend to give a little bit of credit to FTD. And, yes, like many of you, I won't be satisfied until everything is on FTD. Merry Xmas to all Good Time is just amazing!

Sure why be upset if you bought the inferior first pressing,Girl Happy should have not even been put on the collectors label,if your going to bother reparing a project how about the Elvis Today album? Why your at it ernie maybe can tell why some projects are handled in such a clumsy way?

I didnt buy it the first time around (dont like most of the soundtracks) but I'd sure be upset if I did after spending over 30 dollars for it. This is insane. What next? 5 years from now reisssue it again when a new process for better sound is available? Thats all you keep on hearing with every release FTD, non-FTD, boxsets or otherwise. It now has the ultimate sound. Seems like they think Elvis fans have a bottomless pit of money to spend on the same songs over & over, year after year. At least The Beatles only soak their fans every 20 years.

Very true and when a bealtes project is released it at least has some thought put into it!

talking of being 'ripped off', on the live 21st Aug 1969 concert as featured in the two-Cd walmart 'viva las vegas' cd, i've noticed certain tracks were lifted from the 22nd Aug show as featured in the FTD 'In Person' Cd. With both Cd's claiming to be 'complete' i'd say I've been 'ripped-off' (and probably be able to sue under some trading standards law heheh). Anyone else notice this?

I bought the new edition of Girl Happy. And yes some improvement have been made and the sound is better. I won't say a lot better, but surely better for an average ear. That said, it might be annoying for many to admit that it was due out again. Well suposed, FTD people found sometime ago that the wrong tape was used, even if the box holding it was labeled "original master". Wouldn't they want to put it out again with a better source. Probably, Girl Happy had to be reprint again and so it was the opportunity to correct an error of the past. No big announcement was done for it, just a kind of note, to explain plainly why it was reissued. The same goes for the graphics, espacially for the front cover, it is slightly better. Now for those of you, who don't like Girl Happy, it doesn't change anything and no other classics would have been released anyway this Christmas. And I beleive that if Ernst & Roger had found something really new, like the binaural versions and and outtakes of King Creole they would have surely give it a priority. They are always on the hunting. As long as, for example, the sessions tapes for the Xmas Album of 1957 are still missing, it's only logical that FTD will present The Wonderful World Of Christmas first in their Classics series down the line because, it seems they have all the tapes there. As for the sound quality in general: it's an on going process. Using the best technology available at the moment. That never stops too.

So you would buy the whole Ftd catalog again for sound improvment? May i ask why releases like Elvis Today did not feature the best possible sound?

You know when doing this, I didn't expect people reacting with sarcasms Would I buy the whole catologue again? What do you think? If I'd care also for Today, yes I would. But if it would be improved as good as Girl Happy. You're supposed to be Mature, well... give me some credits. I wasn't sure, at first, up to wich point it was worth rebuying again. So I took a chance, once. and was not disapointed. Nobody on the web seems to have it so I figure some fans would be interested in what I feel about it. Today is a great album too, do I have to say that to be trusted. But you know, I doubt they could really do better with Today, because contrary to Girl Happy, they used the orignal master there. There is no better source available: it's all there is and it's the original master. Besides, if my memory serves me well, Ernst mentionned that the quality of tapes used by RCA during that period (circa 1975) was worst than before. They deteriorated faster because of a certain new chemical formula they had discovered back then. Unfortunalty RCA used those tapes to record the Today sessions. And we know that for almost 15 years ,RCA didn't care, didn't know and didn't care to know about Elvis musical legacy: they tought he was dead and gone forever until the team of Ernst and Roger took over the catalogue, against all odd at the end of the 80's. Now maybe some new technology will improve it in the future but in the mean time I'll keep my savings for other project like Promised Land, don't worry. FTD only corrected a mistake of the past here, like many other labels who sometimes make mistakes when they have a chance to take an opportunity to correct it, that's all! The older version sounds good, the new one is better, really better without being exceptionaly better. Each one will decide what to do with that without implying anything negative on their choice. I only wanted to share my view on this "revamped" version, wich, to my humble ears sounds better, that's all And tha package have been improved too, the writing on the disc itself is bigger and cleaner. For those who care about it, nothing more. Christmas is time of sharing.

Hi first time post. Well, I am against a pre-meditated withholding of the best possible tape source or mastering, just to remarket an "improved" product later. But if a better tape source is discovered, I think they SHOULD improve the catalog when they have to repress these CDs. Will I buy the updated Girl Happy? No, I have no plans to. I am not all that fond of the album anyway. I think Girl Happy, Harum Scarum, and Frankie and Johnny were the worst soundtracks Elvis ever did. (oh and Easy Come, Easy Go) I do own the 2003 version and all of the RCA/BMG Double Features. I think the version of the song "Girl Happy" found on Collector's Gold 3CD box set, is the best (correct speed) and it is included in the 2003 FTD version. I really do not care if they find an "improved" source of the sped up version or not. Girl Happy is not the ONLY song on that album that has a sped up master! I think the original album series is the BEST part of FTD. I want ALL the commercially available "intakes and outtakes" on the appropriate, corresponding CD Title and not strung out on several compilations. In fact as all the FTD compilation selections are eventually put on the appropriate original album series, I will be selling off the earlier compilations on Ebay! (If I LIVE to see the day!) Now on to the budget series RIs, why did they overlook "C'mon Everybody"? Yes these Camden RIs sound great to my ears. My favorites are Let's Be Friends and Almost In Love. I wonder what album "I'm Leavin'" will end up on? Elvis Now or Elvis Fool? I was FLOORED when FTD did Tickle Me, I have been waiting over 40 years for this!