Welcome Home, Elvis (1960)
“So keep that love light burnin’, I’ll be back”
-Lyrics from Spinout, 1966
Elvis’s record sales have exceeded $50,000,000 by February 1960. He began press conferences once he is officially discharged from the Army. March 1st, Armed Forces Radio Network broadcasted portions of the press conference at the base and Elvis talked about his time in Germany and his service. Elvis was discharged from the Army March 5th and given his final paycheck which was $9.81. Jailhouse Rock was re-released March 9th. With his new obsession with Karate, Elvis takes the necessary tests and receives his black belt March 21st. The next day, Elvis is on a publicity tour so his fans can welcome Elvis home.
Interview with Elvis after his return
March 26th, Elvis records his welcome home special with Frank Sinatra. He finally returns to Memphis, TN March 29th. With the success of his record sales, while he was in the Army, it was time for him go back to the recording studio. April 3rd’s recording session consisted of Fever, Like A Baby, Girl Of My Best Friend, Dirty Dirty Feeling, Thrill Of Your Love, Such A Night, Girl Next Door Went A-Walking, I Will Be Home Again, It’s Now Or Never, and Are You Lonesome Tonight? After this grueling recording session, Elvis begins filming for G.I. Blues. Stuck On You reached #1 and Elvis is back on top as he was when he left.
Fever
The Frank Sinatra Timex Show airs on May 8th. By June Elvis’s face is all over the place. After shooting for G.I. Blues Elvis has a short fling with co-star Juliet Prowse but then headed to Las Vegas with a few of the Memphis Mafia. Elvis’s father is remarried July 3rd to Dee Stanley, who then moves into Graceland with her three children. Being that Gladys had only passed away 2 years prior, Elvis was not exactly thrilled about the marriage. Elvis had a love for waterskiing and bought himself a boat and named it Karate. It’s Now or Never reaches number one on July 18th and remains there for twenty weeks.
It’s Now Or Never
Filming begins for Flaming Star on August 16th and lasts a little over a month. Elvis rents his first Hollywood home in September, where he and his Memphis Mafia stay during the duration of filming. During a touch football game on October 16th, Elvis breaks his finger and stays the night in the hospital. Filming completed already and headed back into the studio to record multiple gospel songs including His Hand In Mine, Milky White Way, I Believe In The Man In The Sky, Swing Down Sweet Chariot and a lot of others. He did manage to record Surrender during this session as well. On Halloween, G.I. Blues reaches #1 and stays there for 6 weeks, but remains on the chart for 111 weeks’ total.
Surrender
(His vocals in this song though!)
Elvis heads to L.A. November 6th to begin filming for his next film, Wild In The Country. Shooting halts for a day while Elvis recuperates from a minor infection. G.I. Blues opens nationally on November 23rd and has a very successful opening week. By December, Elvis has spent much time away from Priscilla and is convinced they are meant to be together. He makes a plan to have Priscilla visit Graceland during the holidays. Elvis’s father Vernon and his new wife Dee, convince Captain Beaulieu (Priscilla’s father) to let her visit. They are successful in their task and Priscilla arrives. Flaming Star premiers December 22nd. There is a quiet Christmas with Elvis, Priscilla, and his usual entourage. Elvis is falling for Priscilla and her original two-week stay turns into a month when she returns to Germany in January.
Elvis was determined to get Priscilla to stay with him. He continues to brainstorm how this will happen with her still being in high school.
TCB,
Little Sister