1966: SHINDIG'S TRIBUTE TO THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KING

[jurasic1968]

It is quite clear that Do the Clam was a good-sized hit for Elvis in a number of territories. It reached the top 20 in UK, Austria and Canada, it stalled at just outside the top 20 in America, and reached the #10 in a number of other countries - including a double-sided hit with You'll Be Gone in Malaysia. One relevant copy of Billboard is missing from the Google collection, and therefore it may have charted higher at that point in one or more of those featured in the attachment.

Do the Clam.jpg

So what, Peter? The song is atrocious and the 2 solo sax are ridiculous.

[poormadpeter2]

It is quite clear that Do the Clam was a good-sized hit for Elvis in a number of territories. It reached the top 20 in UK, Austria and Canada, it stalled at just outside the top 20 in America, and reached the #10 in a number of other countries - including a double-sided hit with You'll Be Gone in Malaysia. One relevant copy of Billboard is missing from the Google collection, and therefore it may have charted higher at that point in one or more of those featured in the attachment.

Do the Clam.jpg

So what, Peter? The song is atrocious and the 2 solo sax are ridiculous.

That isn't something I disagree with, but my post was simply to get to the bottom of his popular it was,and in one are of the globe it was clear popular indeed.

[jurasic1968]

Instead of Do the Clam, Puppet in the String could be a bigger hit. It's a lot better.

[AndrewJ]

Hi there!! .

As mentioned already (please pay attention!) the source has been uploaded on these hallowed pages a few months back.
Do your homework... and take you medicine, "dr"!

Exactly, he´s too lazy . One of the sources, just for the Doc..... .

Do The Clam Nº1 hit in: Singapore - Japan - Malaysia .

Source: http://www.elvis-express.com/elvisradio_ukworldepsing.html

"Mystery" solved! . Bye for now .

P.S: Love everything the man did, the highs & the lows, warts and all! .

..

This appears to be a modern campaign - it does not support the fact that Do The Clam was a 'huge' hit in Japan in 1965. Has it been a big hit more recently?

[Fabbe]

..

[jetblack]

Like I sad before, the speed sax solos in the Do the Clam song are the worst of the worst. Many friends of mine laughed it loud hearing such crap.

How many of your friends were part of the 350,000 that bough this in the US?

Andy

[jurasic1968]

None. But they liked Puppet in the String a lot better. For sentimental reasons in the 80's at our high school parties I put the Girl Happy LP album ( I was an Elvis fan since 1984) many times. But Do the Clam was always skipped when the 2 awful sax solos were played.

[Hard Rocker]

At the very least, Do The Clam was a Top 10 hit in Japan:

http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93148&start=100#p1492434

And ... that is the only Japanese chart evidence we have for this awful single. It apparently wasn't a huge hit, and despite the odd obsession other members have with "Do The Clam," some for years and years, it probably never was that successful.

The only person obsessed with Do The Clam on these boards is you. You used to think that you could use it as one of your sticks to beat other fans with and have been known to randomly insert it into posts as a snide aside. Sadly, you've been blown out of the water on that score and the facts have borne that out... again. Deny away if you wish, even though it only makes you look foolish.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

None. But they liked Puppet in the String a lot better. For sentimental reasons in the 80's at our high school parties I put the Girl Happy LP album ( I was an Elvis fan since 1984) many times. But Do the Clam was always skipped when the 2 awful sax solos were played.

So you´re another hidden fanboy of Girl Happy . Don´t be shy and say now loud after me: "I Love Girl Happy" . Bye for now .

..

[TCBell]

None. But they liked Puppet in the String a lot better. For sentimental reasons in the 80's at our high school parties I put the Girl Happy LP album ( I was an Elvis fan since 1984) many times. But Do the Clam was always skipped when the 2 awful sax solos were played.

I've lost count - how many times is that you've said the same thing about Boots Randolph's sax solo - four, five? To me it's reminiscent of early Coasters. Boots is reliable, as always.

[drjohncarpenter]

This appears to be a modern campaign - it does not support the fact that Do The Clam was a 'huge' hit in Japan in 1965.

Brace yourself ...

[jurasic1968]

Hi there!! .

None. But they liked Puppet in the String a lot better. For sentimental reasons in the 80's at our high school parties I put the Girl Happy LP album ( I was an Elvis fan since 1984) many times. But Do the Clam was always skipped when the 2 awful sax solos were played.

So you´re another hidden fanboy of Girl Happy . Don´t be shy and say now loud after me: "I Love Girl Happy" . Bye for now .

..

I sad before, I liked the movie 30 years ago, because in Romania were only few films of Elvis showed in the big screen. I like to watch it even right now. But regarding Do the Clam, I consider that the 2 speed solo sax are not good.

[TCBell]

Hi there!! .

None. But they liked Puppet in the String a lot better. For sentimental reasons in the 80's at our high school parties I put the Girl Happy LP album ( I was an Elvis fan since 1984) many times. But Do the Clam was always skipped when the 2 awful sax solos were played.

So you´re another hidden fanboy of Girl Happy . Don´t be shy and say now loud after me: "I Love Girl Happy" . Bye for now .

..

I sad before, I liked the movie 30 years ago, because in Romania were only few films of Elvis showed in the big screen. I like to watch it even right now. But regarding Do the Clam, I consider that the 2 speed solo sax are not good.

Yes, and you preferred Puppet In The String [sic], we know.

[Mike Windgren]

Hi there!! .

It is quite clear that Do the Clam was a good-sized hit for Elvis in a number of territories. It reached the top 20 in UK, Austria and Canada, it stalled at just outside the top 20 in America, and reached the #10 in a number of other countries - including a double-sided hit with You'll Be Gone in Malaysia. One relevant copy of Billboard is missing from the Google collection, and therefore it may have charted higher at that point in one or more of those featured in the attachment.

Do%20the%20Clam.jpg

Another source thanks, yet the Doc will deny the tremendous hit Do the Clam was in the Far East . "Mystery" solved, I know it hurts! . Bye for now .

..

P.S: Please remember, loved by millions over there! .

[jetblack]

El Clam 22.jpg

It would be of interest to know just how many weeks it was Number 1. On the above link we know it was for at least 2 weeks but maybe it was more.

Andy

[poormadpeter2]

El Clam 22.jpg

It would be of interest to know just how many weeks it was Number 1. On the above link we know it was for at least 2 weeks but maybe it was more.

Andy

Just 2 I believe.

[jetblack]

El Clam 22.jpg

It would be of interest to know just how many weeks it was Number 1. On the above link we know it was for at least 2 weeks but maybe it was more.

Andy

Just 2 I believe.

Have we any confirmation of that Shane?

Andy

[Hard Rocker]

Clam was not Presley's finest moment. although for many it has its charm. I think we can all agree on that. But the problem here is not the quality of the music involved. No, the problem here is that its worldwide success makes a mockery of the burnt-out narrative that Presley was somehow finished as a commercially viable artist by 1965. In doing so, it further undermines the credibility of some self-appointed know-alls who like to dictate "how it is". Unfortunately for them, the historical record has made fools of them and they are now reduced to the type of snide, taunting remarks that we regularly see here and elsewhere. That they lack the maturity to understand this undermines respect is sad but true. However, facts are important and the facts here dictate that Clam was indeed a successful Presley single in 1965. Too bad if they can't handle that.

[jetblack]

Clam was not Presley's finest moment. although for many it has its charm. I think we can all agree on that. But the problem here is not the quality of the music involved. No, the problem here is that its worldwide success makes a mockery of the burnt-out narrative that Presley was somehow finished as a commercially viable artist by 1965. In doing so, it further undermines the credibility of some self-appointed know-alls who like to dictate "how it is". Unfortunately for them, the historical record has made fools of them and they are now reduced to the type of snide, taunting remarks that we regularly see here and elsewhere. That they lack the maturity to understand this undermines respect is sad but true. However, facts are important and the facts here dictate that Clam was indeed a successful Presley single in 1965. Too bad if they can't handle that.

It does seem that if some don't like the material at hand they are dismissive of the success in territories outside their own.

The narow mindedness of not seeing pass their own back door when it comes to Elvis' achievements makes anything they say on the subject flawed.

Andy

[Hard Rocker]

Indeed. They are entitled to their opinion. They are entitled to demean their ever-declining reputation. However... facts are important and they are not entitled to re-write the historical record.

[poormadpeter2]

El Clam 22.jpg

It would be of interest to know just how many weeks it was Number 1. On the above link we know it was for at least 2 weeks but maybe it was more.

Andy

Just 2 I believe.

Have we any confirmation of that Shane?

Andy

I only saw it at number 1 in 2 issues of the issues of Billboard. It could be that I missed an issue somewhere, but pretty certain I didn't, but hence the caveat of "I believe" just in case!

[timothy_sideburns]

No, the problem here is that its worldwide success makes a mockery of the burnt-out narrative that Presley was somehow finished as a commercially viable artist by 1965.

In my opinion 1965 was one of the very best years for music ever. Innovation was happening across all fields of music. Pop music was exciting, it was offering up social commentary and pushing boundaries. Read this list of songs from that year and tell me if you think as Elvis fans we should be proud of Do the Clam or Crying in the chapel?

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction The Rolling Stones
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' The Righteous Brothers
Eve of Destruction Barry McGuire
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood The Animals
Stop! In the Name of Love The Supremes
Mr. Tambourine Man The Byrds
Ticket to Ride The Beatles
Like a Rolling Stone Bob Dylan
All Day and All of the Night The Kinks
Catch the Wind Donovan
California Dreamin' The Mamas & the Papas
I Got You (I Feel Good) James Brown
I Can't Explain The Who
In the Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett
Respect Otis Redding
Universal Soldier Donovan
The Sound of Silence Simon & Garfunkel

IN the face of songs like that surely Elvis was finished, if the best he could do was Girl Happy soundtrack?

His commercial viability in the face of that changing music scene is no badge of honour. When people look back at the Summer of Love do they remember Englebert Humperdink's the Last Waltz - the big commercial smash of 1967? Or do they talk about Sgt Pepper or Monterey Pop? Elvis was commercially viable only because he was riding the coat tails of his revolutionary world shattering impact of the 1950s and early 60s. As the Colonel knew a die hard of fans would buy anything with his name on. But the measure of commercial viability was falling and indeed sales started to fall. Any surprise when you look at the competition.

Luckily for us, events conspired to soon put people like Steve Binder, Jerry Reed and Chips Moman into his life.

[jurasic1968]

Well, I cannot compare Crying in the Chapel with Do the Clam. The first song was very beautiful, emotional, sensitive and touching. Elvis' voice was to me like he sang in the next room. The second....I don't want to say anything else.

[brian]

I feel that we should feel proud of Crying in the chapel it was a good song that became a big hit all over the world. As for Do the Clam Elvis never should have recorded the song and RCA certainly never should have released it as a single. One of his most embarrassing music moments. Elvis could have had a #1 hit in Japan and Singapore with a better song than that.

[Hard Rocker]

Not his greatest recording, no-one ever said it was. It was from a movie soundtrack and this is where he was mainly at from 62 - 65: non-secular movie songs. But he knew himself that it was time to get back to quality and it did not take him to do it.
However... the fact remains Elvis Presley was still a major global superstar in 1965, the year that Do The Clam was an international hit.
It's very simple and if anyone has a problem with that then that's their problem. Too bad.