Available Alternate Versions

take 3 on Platinum - A Life In Music

takes 1-2 on Silver Screen Stereo

Cafe Europa sessions
Tulsa Records PH 2396-1/5 (Released 1996)

"Tonight Is So Right for Love" (FO 1-11).

In the movie Elvis serenades Juliet Prowse with this song in the Bergreller nightclub, Elvis on guitar complete with accordion in background.

The accordion is clearly present, giving the song a typically German or almost Italian feeling.

The first take is a false start, since Elvis is snapping his fingers on the intro. 'It was probably me. Most humble forgivings'. Somebody forgives him an Elvis jokes 'actually it's my teeth'.

When take FO 3 is announced, he remarks 'Forward Observer'.

Before take 5 he calls one of the Jordanairs 'Hey, Gordon Stoker, we're ready to go'.

Take 6 breaks down and he apologizes that he 'lost his feeling' on the song.

Take 7 however is a complete one. Takes 1 to 7 of "Tonight Is So Right for Love" were started before they taped "Frankfurt Special", and then back to takes 8 to 11 of this song.

On take 8 the instruments are more present and seem a bit faster than on the earlier takes.

Clearly the musicians were inspired by the fast "Frankfurt Special" song.

Half way of take 10 he starts laughing and comments 'I had a doozy in my throat. Whatever a doozy is.'

Before take 11 we hear Elvis saying 'this is gonna be it Charlie' and indeed they selected this one as the master take.
(false starts: 1; break downs: 5,6,10 complete: 2,3,4,7,8,9,11. Take 11 is the master take.)

The songs "Tonight Is So Right For Love" and "Tonight's All Right For Love" have caused confusion over the years.

The first one ("So") was released solely in the United States

and the second one ("All") was specially done for Europe since copyrights restricted the song "So" to be released there. Offenbach's 'barcarolle' from his opera Les contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) became "Tonight Is So Right For Love", and the song Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald (Tales from the Vienna Woods) from the king of the waltz Johann Strauss became "Vienna Woods Rock And Roll"/"Tonight's All Right For Love".

Tempo and some of the lyrics are different, but otherwise the songs are similar.


"Tonight Is So Right For Love" (music/chorus, KO 1-4).
Guitar doesn't sound right on take 2 and breaks down.
Tempo is much slower than on takes FO. (false starts: 1,3; break down: 2; complete: 4)

Around 1963 I bought the GI BLUES Album...

Loved the TONIGHTS alright Song... right off.. one of those driving melodic up-tempo numbers..
One I played many times in the 1960s (and on all the new releases FTD, Europa Sessions.... since...)

Not long after buying the LP. I read in an Elvis Monthly a list of different versions of Elvis songs at that time...
The alternative version of TONIGHTS ALL RIGHT FOR LOVE, fascinated me... and I soon tracked down a copy
This was the start of my interest in UNUSUAL ELVIS RECORDINGS & RELEASES...

I remember sometime in the late 60s, going to an Elvis Event in Paris.. and buying the French 4 song EP "Cafe Europa/GI Blues" Treasuring the Unique Cover of Elvis with Juliet Prowse.

4 songs on EP.. included Tonights Alright....

Tonight's Alright For Love
Wooden Heart
G.I. Blues
Didja Ever

Thanks rex love the video and song...talking about the lyrics being diffrent..i have watched a few elvis concerts and he does sing diffent lyrics at diffrent times in his shows... i cant think off hand but i have heard him do this..
elvislady

Yes its great when Elvis does that... you mean like SWEET CAROLINE ... and others...
WHEN SPRING TURNS TO SUMMER.... then change to.. WHEN SPRING TURNS TO MATTRESS.
LOOKS LIKE POLK SALAD ..... then changes to ...... LOOKS LIKE AN IRISH POTATO .. or
I WISH I WAS, IN THE LAND OF DIXIE... to....... I WISH I WAS, IN THE DOCTORS OFFICE. (one time "DISNEYLAND")

Excellent info Rex Love the way you have listed the alternate takes etc. Very cool reading....and a cool song too...Bravo

Thankyou CHRIS..
The listing of Alternate takes.. was partly already done by someone else.... I did re-edit and add a few bits, as I do have a complete set of those CDs
Also hated the covers they did for them... and did my own.

Some of the things he said... trying to get a good take of.... TONIGHT'S ALL RIGHT FOR LOVE....



*after a lunch breaks says;. "WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BROKE FOR LUNCH"

* then.... "I WAS IN GOOD SPIRITS"

*then joking "IT'S ALMOST TIME FOR A TEN MINUTE BREAK" followed by a kidding....

*"THESE DAMN UNIONS!" (Freddie tells Elvis ~ "Thats a pretty Good Take") to which Elvis replies...

Some of the things he said... trying to get a good take of.... TONIGHT'S ALL RIGHT FOR LOVE....



*"LET'S DO ONE MORE, AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER"

*Elvis' sniping at Freddie kept on. "THEY GOT A NEW LAW AT THE UNION. YOU QUIT AT (TAKE) TEN, WEATHER YOU'RE THROUGH OR NOT.

Then gave up after take 17... admiting TAKE 10 was "PRETTY GOOD"

but then did a Splice "Ending" to make it perfect !

I myself find it hard to pick a bad song out of the GI Blues tracks I enjoy them all and fun to sing along with