The Wonder of You: Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra [Bonus Track]

by Elvis Presley, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Overview

The Wonder of You is a sequel in the truest sense: it delivers more of the same thing that made the 2015 album If I Can Dream into a surprise hit around the globe. The gimmick behind both of the albums is taking original Elvis Presley vocal performances and setting them to brand-new orchestral arrangements from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The Wonder of You isn't as splashy as its predecessor, lacking duets with Michael Buble and Il Volo (the bonus track, "Just Pretend," does feature Helene Fischer), and it also doesn't contain quite as many rockers as If I Can Dream. All this means The Wonder of You is thoroughly middlebrow, largely consisting of ballads and soft pop tunes, all given pompous pops arrangements. Occasionally, the new versions aren't too far away from the originals -- usually, this would be for such '70s Vegas showstoppers as "I Just Can't Help Believin'" -- but there's still a dramatic disconnect between Presley's vocal performances and the cheerfully cheesy orchestrations, particularly on numbers like "Kentucky Rain" and "Suspicious Minds," recordings that benefited from the interaction of Elvis and the musicians in Chips Moman's American Sound Studio. To the creators of The Wonder of You, this kind of musical interplay is a mere nicety: all that matters is the power of Presley's performance, which the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra accentuates. It, like If I Can Dream, is executed well -- the separation between the old tapes and new performance is seamless -- but the concept is misbegotten and the results are tacky, a record that celebrates Presley the persona instead of Elvis the musician. ["Just Pretend" was added as a bonus track.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/21/2016
Label:	Legacy / Legacy Recordings / Rca
UPC:	0889853622429

Tracks

1. A Big Hunk o' Love
2. I've Got a Thing About You Baby
3. Suspicious Minds
4. Don't
5. I Just Can't Help Believin'
6. Just Pretend
7. Love Letters
8. Amazing Grace
9. Starting Today
10. Kentucky Rain
11. Memories
12. Let It Be Me
13. Always on My Mind
14. The Wonder of You
15. Just Pretend

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elvis Presley   Primary Artist,Bass
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra   Primary Artist
Helene Fischer   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
J.D. Sumner   Vocals (Background)
D.J. Fontana   Drums
Don Reedman   Guitar,Percussion
Jamie Talbot   Sax (Tenor)
Paul Spong   Trumpet
Kathy Westmoreland   Vocals (Background)
Millie Kirkham   Vocals (Background)
Joe Babcock   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Nigel Hitchcock   Sax (Alto)
Reggie Young   Guitar
Susan Pilkington   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
June Page   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
John Parricelli   Guitar
Donna Thatcher   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Nigel Barr   Trombone (Bass)
Miriam Grey   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Mary Greene   Vocals (Background)
Jochem van der Saag   Organ
David Bishop   Sax (Baritone)
Andrew Playfoot   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Shena Winchester   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
David Briggs   Organ
Alistair White   Trombone
Hurshel Wiginton   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Phoebe Street   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
James Burton   Guitar,Soloist
Floyd Cramer   Piano
The Stamps   Vocals (Background)
Tommy Tedesco   Guitar
Glen D. Hardin   Piano
Ralph Salmins   Drums
Andy Wood   Trombone
Steve Pearce   Bass
Andy Caine   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Bill Black   Bass
The Imperials   Vocals (Background)
The Jordanaires   Vocals (Background)
J.D. Sumner & the Stamps   Vocals (Background)
Lance Ellington   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Steve Sidwell   Conductor
Ben Castle   Sax (Tenor)
Dennis Linde   Guitar
Charlie McCoy   Organ
Dudley Brooks   Piano
Robin Smith   Conductor
Sandy Posey   Vocals (Background)
Scotty Moore   Guitar
Mary Green   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Pete Murray   Piano
Nick Patrick   Keyboards,Percussion
Simon Gardner   Trumpet
Mary Holladay   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Ryan Quigley   Trumpet
Sonja Montgomery   Vocals
Dolores Edgin   Vocals (Background)
Temple Riser   Vocals
Ginger Holladay   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
The Sweet Inspirations   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Barry Mann   Composer
Guy Fletcher   Composer
Eddie Rabbitt   Composer
Edward Heyman   Composer
Don Reedman   Programming
Dick Heard   Composer
Chris Walden   Orchestral Arrangements
William J. Gaither   Composer
Victor Young   Composer
Peter Koenemann   Vocal Producer
Pierre Delanoe   Composer
Jochem van der Saag   Arranger,Producer,Sound Design
Sid Wyche   Composer
Alex Christensen   Vocal Producer
Gilbert Becaud   Composer
Tony Joe White   Composer
Baker Knight   Composer
Steve Sidwell   Brass Arrangement,String Arrangements
Cynthia Weil   Composer
Elvis Presley   Arranger,Adaptation
Mac Davis   Composer
Don Robertson   Composer
Doug Flett   Composer
Wayne Carson   Composer
Johnny Christopher   Composer
Mark James   Composer
Robin Smith   String Samples,String Arrangements
Jerry Leiber   Composer
Nick Patrick   Programming
Mike Stoller   Composer
Aaron Schroeder   Composer
Manny Curtis   Composer
Billy Strange   Composer