Elvis by Request: Flaming Star and 3 Other Great Songs

Recording and releases

Recording for the soundtrack took place on August 8 and October 7, 1960, at Hollywood’s Radio Recorders. Four songs were originally written for the film, but two—“Britches” and “Summer Kisses Winter Tears”—were cut. Only two tracks actually appear in the movie: “Flaming Star” and “A Cane and a High Starched Collar.” Presley recorded an early take of “Flaming Star” under the film’s working title “Black Star,” which was eventually released in the 1990s. Some observers have linked the lyrics of that version to David Bowie’s album Blackstar, and it’s worth noting that Presley and Bowie share the same birthday, January 8.

Two months after the film premiered, RCA put out an extended play single called Elvis By Request – Flaming Star (catalogue LPC 128). It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The EP included the title track, the rejected “Summer Kisses, Winter Tears,” and two of Presley’s 1960 number-one hits, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” and “It’s Now or Never.” “Summer Kisses” later turned up on the 1965 compilation Elvis for Everyone, while “A Cane and a High Starched Collar” appeared on Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2. “Britches” finally saw release on Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3 in 1979.

The song “Flaming Star” also became the title track of Elvis Sings Flaming Star. That album was initially sold only through select stores that carried Singer sewing machine products, as a promotional tie-in with Presley’s 1968 Christmas TV special, which Singer sponsored. It kicked off a series of budget Presley releases on RCA’s Camden subsidiary. Notably, Elvis by Request is the only Presley EP that plays at 33 1/3 rpm; all his other EPs were 45 rpm.