Singing in tongues!

[LianaKaralivanou]

Well, we all know that Elvis was in Germany while in the army so I assume that he practised his German a lot. Oh, how I would love to hear him singing in Greek!! Haha!

[utmom2008]

Why never someone did that for Elvis when he recorded "Guadalajara", still can´t tell what he´s talking about and Im suposedly a spanish native speaker! haha...

"It´s Imposible" was first writen and recorded in Spanish by Armando Manzanero, it was quite a popular song here in Mexico durining the mid 60's.

Anybody know who was the first one to record that song in English? love Elvis version the most.

I have alway wondered how did Elvis got to know "Solamente una vez" (Million Dollar Quartet) and "Allá en el Rancho Grande" (Walk A Mile in My Shows Cd5) both popular folk songs here in Mexico, but I don´t think they were popular at all in the States. Anyone has a clue? Anyway the fact that Elvis knew this music let you know that he was serious all the way when he said he liked ALL KINDS OF MUSIC.

I always thought that Guadalajara sounded so convincing! "It's Impossible" was a big hit at one time for Perry Como..I remember his version. The Col. wanted the 68 special to be done in much the same fashion as Perry Como.

"Walk A Mile In My Shoes" was a big hit here in the US when it was done by Joe South.....

[SleepyJack]

This isn`t looking too good so far!.......Would someone who speaks Italian Pleeeeeease tell us that "Santa Lucia" was good!!

[franny]

Well, we all know that Elvis was in Germany while in the army so I assume that he practised his German a lot. Oh, how I would love to hear him singing in Greek!! Haha!

Yes, I would have loved that too Liana!

Sorry, Sleepyjack I can't help with Santa Lucia......Maybe, ForeverTheKing can answer that...

franny

[TCE]

I don't think Elvis did a bad job singing foreign languages. I'm from the south of The Netherlands and live near the German and Belgium border. At school we learn Dutch (Ofcource), English, French and German. Believe me when I say that it is almost impossible to speak perfect foreign. Now our own dialect is funny, because foreigners mostly think we're from Sweden. Lol. My Dutch teacher even adviced me to move to the States, because my English (Well I speak Ameican English in fact) was better then my Dutch. Lol. I love Spanish and I try to learn and speak it when I'm there. I think it's just great that we, at least, try to speak the language of the country that we're guest in. Believe me, I heard other famous Dutch people talk German that did speak German worse than Elvis.


Christel (TCE)

[marijaep]

I have to say, I think he did pretty well singing Wooden Heart in German The german phrases that are in that song are even in a special german dialect, which is mainly spoken in southern Germany. I think Elvis did his best and it sounds good

Here are Elvis' words of the song, someone wrote on it how to pronounce the german words for him

I love the German part of that song!
Muss i denn, muss i denn
Zum Stadtele hinaus
Stadtele hinaus
Und du, mein schat, bleibst hier? -this is the first thing I told to a German when he picked me up from the airport! - and, he knew the song and said that Elvis did a good job singing it!
Sei mir gut
Sei mir gut
Sei mir wie du wirklich sollst
Wie du wirklich sollst - ahhhh, love it!

[SleepyJack]

Okay...Everybody!!!....La La La..La La La!!!...

[Wendy56]

He was sweet by singing in spanglish... I can't even speak german, but Elvis tried. He did his best.

[Lisarose]

According to Trude Forsher, Col. Tom's secretary, she was asked by Elvis & his cousin Gene to teach them german. So she did teach them words & phrases. They would practice together whenever he would go into her office for whatever business he had while working at the studio. From what I remember of her book, they didn't have intense lessons, just taught him minor phrases or words. (Trude Forsher was from Vienna, Austria)
His spanish wasn't horrible, but there were a few phrases that had me drawing a blank and a few that made me smile at his attempts.

[Raised on Rock]

He was sweet by singing in spanglish... I can't even speak german, but Elvis tried. He did his best.

His spanish wasn't horrible, but there were a few phrases that had me drawing a blank and a few that made me smile at his attempts.

Never said his Spanish was the worst thing ever, he did it with charm, but sorry he was far from understandable most of the times, anyhow, he was far from understandable most of the times in his own languaje when he first started out! hahaha...

[rhythmknights]

Never said his Spanish was the worst thing ever, he did it with charm, but sorry he was far from understandable most of the times, anyhow, he was far from understandable most of the times in his own languaje when he first started out! hahaha...

just got a cd with music from 56, i wanted to own Mystery Train and Trying to Get to You, if i weren't from the south, i'd have been asking for a major translation aides, and even then

ps Raised on Rock, love that title, it certainly drew my attention!

[rocknroll]

I have to say, I think he did pretty well singing Wooden Heart in German The german phrases that are in that song are even in a special german dialect, which is mainly spoken in southern Germany. I think Elvis did his best and it sounds good

Here are Elvis' words of the song, someone wrote on it how to pronounce the german words for him

That's interesting and could explain some things. I knew a girl who worked for me and was from Germany. I played her " Wooden Heart" and she could not understand a single word of it.

[MissyM]

Well, I am bi-lingual in German and English. German isn't the easiest language to speak or sing in. To me he made it sound like the hard German dilect. But as for not understanding the words in the song? I just don't see how anyone could say that. He did fine. Not great but fine. Some people are just more natural when it comes to learning languages.

And what I have found is that while I am yet what I call fluent(as I would like to be), most Germans are very happy when I try.