"Now It's Boone Versus Presley"

[mysterytrainrideson]

Picturegoer August 16th, 1958.

[brian]

Pat Boone's career was already fading in 1958.

[Tony..]

Plus he was rubbish!

[Tony..]

Here are the 2 'Kings of rock n roll' together!! (Taken from our 'cover star' / songbooks section);

image.jpg

[mysterytrainrideson]

Plus he was rubbish!

100%

[Chris Roberts]

Like him or loath him, Pat Boone was (surprisingly) Elvis's greatest rival in the USA, during the second half of the 1950's. With all the great rock artists around it seems incomprehensible that this was so.

When you study the US charts during this time period, there are many more 'square' entertainers in the top 10 than not. The other genuine rock stars such as Gene Vincent etc. barely ever got into the top 10, whereas Pat Boone was often there.

[mysterytrainrideson]

Like him or loath him, Pat Boone was (surprisingly) Elvis's greatest rival in the USA, during the second half of the 1950's. With all the great rock artists around it seems incomprehensible that this was so.

When you study the US charts during this time period, there are many more 'square' entertainers in the top 10 than not. The other genuine rock stars such as Gene Vincent etc. barely ever got into the top 10, whereas Pat Boone was often there.

I think a lot of it was just the media wanting to create a story and hype things up to make papers sell and generally just cause a sensation. Square singers were still popular when R'n'R hit the scene and it change the whole scene the squares were becoming a thing of the past and they were struggling to get anywhere on the charts and Presley revolutionized it all. No more did the teenagers want the squares but more Presleys.

They tried to promote Boone as Elvis' R'n'R revival and set him out to cover the genre, as we all know he couldn't sing R'n'R to save his butt and his covers are horrendously ridiculous - trying to promote a kind of square- R'n'R singer. He's another MOR artist who was better suited to that genre.

[brian]

Like him or loath him, Pat Boone was (surprisingly) Elvis's greatest rival in the USA, during the second half of the 1950's. With all the great rock artists around it seems incomprehensible that this was so.

Yes.

During 1956 and 1957 Pat Boone was the biggest singing star right after Elvis but after that he wasn't.

Speaking of other rock artists I was always shocked that Buddy Holly's ''It's so easy'' never even made the charts.

[Chris Roberts]

Like him or loath him, Pat Boone was (surprisingly) Elvis's greatest rival in the USA, during the second half of the 1950's. With all the great rock artists around it seems incomprehensible that this was so.

Yes.

During 1956 and 1957 Pat Boone was the biggest singing star right after Elvis but after that he wasn't.

Speaking of other rock artists I was always shocked that Buddy Holly's ''It's so easy'' never even made the charts.

Often the best singers lost out. Sonny James did a fantastic version of Young Love. Tab Hunter was the teenage heartthrob so the record company persuaded him to cover it. He admitted that "I cant sing" but they recorded it nonetheless. The producer said "Your right you can't sing". You can guess what one reached number one!!!!!

[brian]

I loved the way Elvis performed ''Don't forbid me'' on the Million Dollar quartet.

I wish Elvis had gotten that song instead of Pat Boone and recorded it with the same arrangement that he did on the MDQ session.

It could have been yet another number one hit for Elvis.

I always found Pat Boone singing style bland even on the ballads.

The only song I liked from Pat Boone would be Moody River.

[mysterytrainrideson]

I loved the way Elvis performed ''Don't forbid me'' on the Million Dollar quartet.

I wish Elvis had gotten that song instead of Pat Boone and recorded it with the same arrangement that he did on the MDQ session.

It could have been yet another number one hit for Elvis.

I always found Pat Boone singing style bland even on the ballads.

The only song I liked from Pat Boone would be Moody River.

Pat Boone was a decent ballad singer, but I don't hear the passion in his voice that I hear in Elvis' singing, or Orbison.

Me neither.

[Chris Roberts]

I loved the way Elvis performed ''Don't forbid me'' on the Million Dollar quartet.

I wish Elvis had gotten that song instead of Pat Boone and recorded it with the same arrangement that he did on the MDQ session.

It could have been yet another number one hit for Elvis.

I always found Pat Boone singing style bland even on the ballads.

The only song I liked from Pat Boone would be Moody River.

Pat Boone was a decent ballad singer, but I don't hear the passion in his voice that I hear in Elvis' singing, or Orbison.

Me neither.

Me neither.

[drjohncarpenter]

In August 1957 Elvis singled out Pat for praise in an interview. He always liked Boone's ballad voice, you know.

[jurasic1968]

Comparing Roy with Pat I think that Roy is a lot better.

[garyt]

In August 1957 Elvis singled out Pat for praise in an interview. He always liked Boone's ballad voice, you know.

Elvis loved Pat Boone very very much.

[mike edwards66]

In August 1957 Elvis singled out Pat for praise in an interview. He always liked Boone's ballad voice, you know.

And rightly so. Elvis spoke of Pat in positive terms on more than one occasion. In terms of success, Pat was second only to Presley for the latter part of the 50's.

Pat had his own unique style, no one else sang rock 'n' roll, the way Pat sang rock 'n' roll. In that respect, like the King, Pat Boone was a true innovator.

[Chris Roberts]

I particularly liked Pats version of 'Aint That A Shame', and backed with the equally great 'Tennessee Saturday Night', it made a very good single. Elvis certainly appreciated Pat very much and, as has been said by myself and others, Pat was his greatest competitor.

Another single we owned in 1956 was another good double sider, 'I'll Be Home' b/w 'Tutti Frutti'.

[showfan]

Like him or loath him, Pat Boone was (surprisingly) Elvis's greatest rival in the USA, during the second half of the 1950's. With all the great rock artists around it seems incomprehensible that this was so.

When you study the US charts during this time period, there are many more 'square' entertainers in the top 10 than not. The other genuine rock stars such as Gene Vincent etc. barely ever got into the top 10, whereas Pat Boone was often there.

It is interesting that the true rock singers weren't the ones burning up top 5 in those days. One would think that along with Elvis, people like Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, and Gene Vincent would be trading out the top spots. But along with Pat Boone, Perry Como, Andy Williams, and Dean Martin were still making #1 songs in the latter 50s.

[luckyjackson1]

I like Pat Boone's voice and some of his (many) great recordings. And I even like Tab Hunter's version of "Young Love" better!

[mysterytrainrideson]

Pat Boone was a true innovator.

[donwebster449]

Where have you been??

[mysterytrainrideson]

Where have you been??

On holiday.

[mike edwards66]

Pat Boone was a true innovator.

Name one other singer that did what Pat did with rock 'n' roll.

[elvis-fan]

I loved the way Elvis performed ''Don't forbid me'' on the Million Dollar quartet.
I wish Elvis had gotten that song instead of Pat Boone and recorded it with the same arrangement that he did on the MDQ session.
It could have been yet another number one hit for Elvis.
I always found Pat Boone singing style bland even on the ballads.
The only song I liked from Pat Boone would be Moody River.

Pat Boone was a decent ballad singer, but I don't hear the passion in his voice that I hear in Elvis' singing, or Orbison.

How can you say that? What about his searing vocals in Tutti Frutti??

..

[mysterytrainrideson]

Pat Boone was a true innovator.

Name one other singer that did what Pat did with rock 'n' roll.

There isn't any other singer that made a mockery of R'n'R like Pat Boone did.