Fun in Acapulco

by Elvis Presley

Overview

The last film Elvis made prior to the outbreak of Beatlemania, Fun in Acapulco is redolent of the silly, carefree days of the early '60s -- a time when rock & roll appeared to be in remission, partially because Presley devoted his time to cinematic froth like this. Conceptually, Fun in Acapulco, a kissing cousin to Blue Hawaii, is a lark set in a sunny, exotic location and has a soundtrack to match. Every song has a south of the border feel, either in its rhythms or mock Spanish, a tactic that makes sense in the confines of the film but can be deeply ridiculous on record, particularly on the cartoonish "Guadalajara," where mariachi and opera meet in garish fashion, "(There's) No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car," and "The Bullfighter Was a Lady," pieces of camp designed to be heard nowhere outside the confines of the film. Such frivolities seem even more absurd when contrasted with similarly spirited cuts that actually do work: the woozy title track, "Mexico," "Marguerita," and "Bossa Nova Baby," which in this context seems to rock pretty hard. Despite all this, the clear standout here is "Slowly But Surely," a bit of hip-swiveling seduction positively drenched in fuzz guitar, the first time such an effect was heard on a Presley record. Here, Elvis seems to tentatively engage with the swinging '60s that are just around the corner, while the rest of the record belongs to squaresville, an aesthetic that's alternatingly amiable and embarrassing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/10/2020
Label:	Sony Music
UPC:	0190759410127

Tracks

1. Fun in Acapulco
2. Vino, Dinero y Amor
3. Mexico
4. El Toro
5. Marguerita
6. The Bullfighter Was a Lady
7. (There's) No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car
8. I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here
9. Bossa Nova Baby
10. You Can't Say No in Acapulco
11. Guadalajara
12. Love Me Tonight
13. Slowly But Surely

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elvis Presley   Primary Artist,Vocals
The Jordanaires   Vocals (Background)
Dudley Brooks   Piano
Scotty Moore   Guitar
Tiny Timbrell   Guitar
Hal Blaine   Drums
Emil Radocchia   Percussion
Barney Kessel   Guitar
D.J. Fontana   Drums
Anthony Terran   Trumpet
Joseph Lilley   Musical Direction
Rudolph Loera   Trumpet
Ray Siegel   Bass
The Amigos   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Sid Tepper   Composer
Sid Wayne   Composer
Bill Giant   Composer
Ben Weisman   Composer
Dolores Fuller   Composer
Fred Wise   Composer
Don Robertson   Composer
Dick Manning   Composer
Lee Morris   Composer
Jerry Leiber   Composer
Mike Stoller   Composer
Buddy Kaye   Composer
Hal Blair   Composer
Bernie Baum   Composer
Florence Kaye   Composer
Pepe Guizar   Composer
Roy Bennett   Composer
Joseph Lilley   Composer
Dee Fuller   Composer
Homer Morris   Composer
Dave Weichman   Engineer
Roy C. Bennett   Composer
Sid Feller   Composer