new movie Elvis Presley Baz Luhrmann’s latest film, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, combines a variety of musical genres.From classic rock to contemporary hip-hop, the accompanying soundtrack Elvis Presley As diverse as the songs in a Luhrmann film the great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge! The range is eclectic and diverse.
There are 36 tracks in total Elvis Presley Much of the album appears during the film’s nearly three-hour running time. Fans of the movie clearly enjoyed several of the songs from the album, which were ranked based on streaming popularity on Spotify.
Note: Spotify listener numbers continue to grow, so these rankings may differ from when published.
“Baby, Let’s Play House” (598,569 plays)
This rock song, originally recorded by Presley in 1955, is one of the few Elvis songs to have a complete musical number in a film. Performed and re-recorded by Austin Butler, “Baby Let’s Play House” showcases Butler’s incredible sonic transformation.
The “Baby, Let’s Play House” scene reflects Luhrmann’s retelling of key moments in Elvis Presley’s life. As told by Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), Presley’s performance of the song inspired Parker to manage the artist. Butler’s performance of the song also paid homage to Presley’s charismatic stage presence and physicality.
“Don’t Fly Away (PNAU Remix)” (759,607 plays)
One of the songs in the end credits Elvis Presley Giving Presley’s music a classic Luhmann-esque spin. “Don’t Fly Away” is a medley of two Elvis Presley songs (“Suspicious Minds” and “Any Day Now”), produced by the Australian band PNAU with a powerful groove Dance music reinterpreted.
Luhrmann’s contemporary interpretations of Presley’s original music demonstrate the rocker’s lasting impact on popular culture and the musical landscape familiar to today’s consumers. In an interview on RCA Records’ YouTube page, Luhrmann commented on how this mixture of sad songs played over a disco beat truly embodies the juxtaposition of sad and uptempo music throughout disco’s history.
“Just Love” (played 1,268,919 times)
Perhaps most surprisingly, one of the most circulated songs online Elvis Presley The soundtrack is the ballad “It’s Only Love.” This 1971 Presley record is a cover in itself. The original song was recorded and released in 1969 by BJ Thomas. Presley’s version was released late in his career (Presley died unexpectedly in 1977 at the age of 42).
Although “It’s Only Love” does not have its own musical number in the film, it is a haunting ballad anchored by Presley’s soulful and powerful vocals. The song’s inclusion in the film’s soundtrack also reflects Luhrmann’s portrayal of Elvis as a talented artist whose ability to express vulnerability and emotion through his voice was sometimes overshadowed by the flashy performances for which he became famous.
“Tupelo Shuffle” (1,395,146 plays)
“Tupelo Shuffle” is from Elvis Presley It was the soundtrack and served as the album’s second single. Featuring Swae Lee and Diplo, the song incorporates inspiration from Elvis Presley (sung by Austin Butler) while incorporating subtle modern dance rhythms, hip-hop sensibilities and Gary Clark Jr.’s guitar.
Luhrmann described the idea behind “Tupelo Shuffle” in a video commentary for RCA Records. He expressed a desire to showcase Elvis’ musical impact on the culture, as well as the musical impact of Tupelo, Mississippi itself. Swae Lee, Diplo, and of course Elvis himself were all from Tupelo, Mississippi, and the song represents a patchwork of culture and sounds that were part of the city.
“Trouble” (1,573,332 plays)
Austin Butler’s other energetic musical performance in the film is definitely his performance of “Trouble.” The song was played at a concert where Elvis was advised not to move or dance so as not to disturb the more conservative audience. This is one of the key moments in the film where the audience witnesses Elvis rebelling against what he was “supposed” to do.
In addition to its significance to the film’s plot and the singer’s portrait, Austin Butler’s performance in this scene is charismatic and seductive. He captured this aspect of Elvis’s character while imbuing the character with a universal human desire to be unapologetically and fully himself on stage and in the public eye.
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1,710,991 plays)
The song is probably one of the most recognizable in the Elvis Presley canon, so much so that it appears twice on the soundtrack to the Luhrmann biopic. However, this version is a cover version that was played briefly in the movie, sung by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves.
Musgraves brings her usual softness and easy breathing to the song, bringing a unique emotional vulnerability to the song. This version opts for a simple piano, whereas Elvis Presley’s original recording included more instruments and background harmonies.
“Any Day Now” (1,760,956 plays)
The album’s other hit, also an Elvis Presley original, is a remastered version of “Any Day Now.” This is one of the few songs on the album that doesn’t contain a contemporary feel, but instead showcases Elvis’ talent and musicianship.
It seemed appropriate that Luhrmann would occasionally include unmodified Presley recordings on the album. This choice was consistent with his approach to cinema itself, which found its strength when the frenetic contemporary style slowed down and focused solely on the men’s talents.
“If I Can Dream” (3,368,954 plays)
Like Kacey Musgraves’ cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Italian rock band Måneskin’s take on Presley’s “If I Can Dream” Made his own interpretation. This pairing on the album is surprising considering Måneskin are probably more associated with uptempo songs, but their rendition of “If I Can Dream” shows a new side of the band.
Luhrmann commented (via his RCA Record Review) on his fascination with Måneskin and how after he contacted Måneskin to collaborate, he was surprised that they asked to cover “If I Can Dream”. Luhrmann once again found a way to incorporate Elvis into contemporary music while also incorporating a highly modern band like Måneskin into Elvis’ catalog.
“The King and I” (played 5,965,444 times)
Another hit single from Elvis Presley The soundtrack is an original song “The King and I” sung by rapper Eminem and R&B singer CeeLo Green. The song contains a sample of Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” while also incorporating some lyrical references to the original hit. The song’s title is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Elvis’s “King of Rock and Roll” nickname and, of course, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.
This isn’t the first time Eminem has lent his talents to the soundtrack of a major film.One of his signature songs, “Lose Yourself,” won him an Academy Award for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture. 8 miles. His work on The King and I may put him in contention for awards next year, as his fast-paced delivery and lengthy lyricism are on full display.
“Vegas” (85,048,287 plays)
The most successful song from the new album Elvis Presley The film is not an original remastered recording of The King himself, nor is it a cover or musical composition performed by Austin Butler. Conversely, the most played song on Spotify is “Vegas,” an original song recorded by rapper/singer Doja Cat.
“Vegas” debuted in the film’s trailer and immediately generated buzz as to what an artist like Doja Cat would bring to the Elvis Presley-inspired material. The song appears briefly in the film after showing Presley being influenced by the music of black artists. “Vegas” echoes this idea by sampling Presley’s “Hound Dog,” itself a cover of a song originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton. “Vegas” perfectly embodies Baz Luhrmann’s vision of placing Elvis Presley’s music in cultural dialogue with the past and present.