Girl Happy

A romantic musical comedy
Starring
Elvis Presley & Shelley Fabares

I mentioned in my earlier blog that I became interested in songs and musical comedies way back at the age of 13-14 and living in Australia with my family. I was also one of the first persons in Australia to watch the first Elvis Presley film, G.I. Blues, and all the rest of Elvis’s films which came to our theatre. One of his films which I liked tremendously was a 1965 musical romantic comedy and beach party film, GIRL HAPPY, starring Elvis and the beautiful young actress Shelley Fabares and I should like to share some of the happy songs in the movie with you.

Let’s start first with the trailer of the movie so that you get a drift of the story.

(Trailer)

As you can see, GIRL HAPPY, directed by Boris Sagal and starring Elvis Presley and Shelley Fabares, is about a Chicago mobster who hires a rock and roll singer and his band to keep an eye on his daughter during Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This romantic comedy movie features the songs “Spring Fever”, "Puppet on a String", “Do the Clam” as well as seven other songs.

What I loved most about this film which won a fourth place prize Laurel Award in the category Top Musical of 1965, I remember, was the song “Spring Fever” which alternately showed Elvis and his friends driving towards Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the same time that Shelley Fabares and her friends were driving towards it to spend their holidays.

SPRING FEVER
Words & music by Giant - Baum - Kaye



Spring fever
Love is in the air
Spring is everywhere

A little bird, he told me so
He said come on, get on the go
Open your eyes the sky is full of butterflies
The blossoms on the trees stir up the honey bees
Spring makes my feet alive
Spring fever

Spring fever, Spring is here at last
Spring fever, my heart's beating fast

There is no doubt about it
Love is in the air
Get up, get out, spring is everywhere

Well if you feel the wanderlust
Just grab a car or hop a bus
In every town there's excitement to be found
So much is happening
Don't miss the joy of spring
The world's in love just look around

Spring fever comes to everyone
Spring fever, it's time for fun

There is no doubt about it
Spring is in the air
Get up, get out, spring is everywhere

Spring fever
It's spring fever time
Spring fever, watch that fever climb

There is no doubt about it
Love is in the air

Get up, get out spring is everywhere
Up, out, spring is everywhere

Shortly after GIRL HAPPY was released, Shelley Fabares gave an interview that while filming the scene on the speedboat when Elvis was singing a song called “Puppet On A String” to her, to tease her he kept on changing the words that made her laugh so much that the movie director had to re-shoot the scene. After many such retakes, she could see that the director was getting exasperated so in the next take, Shelley tried not to look directly at Elvis and successfully put her mind on other things. This scene on the boat, accompanied by Elvis’ singing, was one of the romantic highlights of the film for me. "Puppet on a String", written by Roy C. Bennett and Sid Tepper, reached #14 on America’s Billboard Hot 100,

PUPPET ON A STRING
Words & music by Tepper - Bennett



Every time you look at me
I'm as helpless as can be
I become a puppet on a string
You can do 'most anything with me

All you do is touch my hand
And your wish is my command
I become a puppet on a string
You can do 'most anything with me

If you really love me
Darling please be kind
I offer you the truest love
That you will ever find

Take my heart and please be fair
Handle it with loving care
For I'm just a puppet on a string
You can do 'most anything with me

If you really love me
Darling please be kind
I offer you the truest love
That you will ever find

Take my heart and please be fair
Handle it with loving care
For I'm just a puppet on a string
You can do 'most anything with me
You can do 'most anything with me

One of the hit songs in this movie, “Do the Clam", is a pop song written by Dolores Fuller, Sid Wayne, and Ben Weisman. In some parts of the world, it was released as a single, reaching No. 21 on Billboard in the United States. “Do the Clam", was very successful in Australia, where it reached No. 4. In the trailer, we could see young people joining Elvis and Shelley in this new dance on the beach.

DO THE CLAM
Words & music by Wayne - Weisman - Fuller



Hey, everybody gather round
Listen to that bongo sound
Grab the first one in your reach
Now we're going to shake the beach
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Do the Clam, do the Clam
Grab your barefoot baby by the hand
Turn and tease, hug and squeeze
Dig right in and do the Clam

You can get your heart to spin
On the outside looking in
Moon ain't gonna last all night
Well let's work up an appetite

Do the Clam, do the Clam
Grab your barefoot baby by the hand
Turn and tease, hug and squeeze
Dig right in and do the Clam

Everybody's got that beat
Well listen to those happy feet
Ain't you glad that you found out
What the Clam is all about

Do the Clam, do the Clam
Grab your barefoot baby by the hand
Turn and tease, hug and squeeze
Dig right in and do the Clam

Do the Clam, do the Clam
Grab your barefoot baby by the hand
Turn and tease, hug and squeeze
Dig right in and do the Clam
Dig right in and do the Clam

***********

Shelley Fabares

Before I end this blog, I should like to say that when I started to write it, I looked up some reference about beautiful Shelley Fabares with respect to this movie and found a video taped interview with host Frankie Verroca. Asked by Verroca what it was like to work with Elvis Presley, Shelley said it was absolutely fabulous, an extraordinary experience. She said Elvis was beautiful and had a charisma that was amazing. When he came into the room, everybody just stopped what they were doing and looked at him. On the set Shelley and Elvis just clicked and they had a fabulous time.

In 1962 Shelley Fabares' recording of "Johnny Angel" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. You may want to hear this lovely song “Johnny Angel” by Shelley.

JOHNNY ANGEL
Word & Music by Lee Pockriss, Lyn Duddy



*Johnny Angel ..
Johnny Angel ..
Johnny Angel ..
Johnny Angel ..
You're an angel to me

Johnny Angel
How I love him
He's got something that I can't resist
But he doesn't even know that I exist

Johnny Angel
How I want him
How I tingle when he passes by
Every time he says hello
My heart begins to fly

I'm in heaven
I get carried away
I dream of him and me
And how it's gonna be
Other fellas
Call me out for a date
But I just sit and wait, I'd rather concentrate

On Johnny Angel
'Cause I love him
And I pray that someday he'll love me
And together we will see how lovely heaven will be

I'm in heaven
I get carried away
I dream of him and me
And how it's gonna be
Other fellas
Call me out for a date
But I just sit and wait, I'd rather concentrate

On Johnny Angel
'Cause I love him
And I pray that someday he'll love me
And together we will see how lovely heaven will be

*Johnny Angel ..
Johnny Angel ..
Johnny Angel ..
Johnny Angel ..
You're an angel to me

**************

Elvis Presley

As for Elvis Presley, of course you all have heard of this King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, nicknamed Elvis the Pelvis because he would use dance moves in which he vigorously moved his legs and his knees. But, just as a record, here is a short profile on him.

Elvis Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. Born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis came from very humble beginnings and grew up to become one of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll. He was young and attractive, and had a great voice. He died at the age of 42 of heart failure.

Presley helped popularize rock 'n' roll music in America. He also won three Grammy Awards for his gospel recordings. Elvis' musical style was a combination of black Rhythm & Blues, country, blues, pop music of the day, and gospel. A major musical force, Presley had 18 No. 1 singles, including "Don't Be Cruel," "Good Luck Charm" and "Suspicious Minds" as well as countless gold and platinum albums. He had 24 Gold singles. Songs recorded by Elvis numbered 759.

In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender, and went on to make 30 more films plus two concert performance documentaries. Some of his best films are King Creole, Flaming Star, and Jailhouse Rock.

DON’T BE CRUEL
Words & music by Otis Blackwell



You know I can be found,
Sitting home all alone,
If you can't come around,
At least please telephone.
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.

Baby, if I made you mad
For something I might have said,
Please, let's forget the past,
The future looks bright ahead,
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
I don't want no other love,
Baby it's still you I'm thinking of.

Don't start hanging up,
Don't make me feel this way,
Come on over here and love me,
You know what I want you to say.
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
Why should we be apart?
I really love you baby, cross my heart.

Let's walk up to the preacher
And let us say I do,
Then you'll know you'll have me,
And I'll know that I'll have you,
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
I don't want no other love,
Baby it's just you I'm thinking of.

Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
I don't want no other love,
Baby it's just you I'm thinking of.

****************