SLS – A House That Has Everything – by Elvis Presley

This week Jim Adams has prompted us with Diamond/Emerald/Jade/Pearl/Ruby/Sapphire for this weeks Song Lyric Sunday. Happy Easter everyone! I chose Elvis this week as I haven’t given you my favorite entertainer in a while. Plus, I was looking for a song with sapphire in it as it is my birthstone.

“A House That Has Everything” was written by M. Arnold, J. Morrow & C. Martin for the movie “Clambake” starring Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, Will Hutchins and Bill Bixby. “Clambake” is a musical film released in December, 1967 in which Presley plays Scott Hayward, heir to an oil fortune who trades places with a water-ski instructor, Tom Wilson, played by Will Hutchins. Fabares is cast as a gold digger named Dianne Carter who is trying to impress a young wealthy playboy James J. Jamison III played by Bixby. Scott changes places to see if girls will like him for himself and not for his father’s money. The story takes place at a Miami hotel in Florida, however most of the film was shot in southern California.

Fun Facts:

• “Clambake” the soundtrack reached #40 on the Billboard album chart.
• “Clambake” the movie was the last film that Elvis was guaranteed 1 million dollars on his contract.
• Presley and Fabares starred in 3 of his movies together. “Girl Happy” (1965), “Spinout” (1966) and “Clambake” (1967)
• There were many bloopers in post production for “Clambake” like mountains in the background and oil fields in which Florida has neither.
• According to a 1985 book “Elvis and Me” written by Priscilla Presley and Sandra Harmon, Elvis was becoming distressed with the quality of his films during the shooting of “Clambake”. He wanted to play more serious rolls and do some real acting, but Colonel Tom Parker (his manager) wasn’t having it.
• “Clambake” received mixed reviews from being his best film to not living up to what was expected.
• Presley considered “Clambake” his worst film.

"A House That Has Everything"
(from "Clambake" soundtrack)

I can see you now living like a queen
In a house that has everything, everything but love
Crystal chandeliers, chauffeured limousines
Yes you'll really have everything, everything but love

I see diamonds, sables, sapphires and pearls
And as the picture clears
Poor little rich girl sitting all alone
Counting her treasures in tears
Better just a shack where two people care
Than a house that has everything, everything but love

I see diamonds, sables, sapphires and pearls
And as the picture clears
Poor little rich girl sitting all alone
Counting her treasures in tears
Better just a shack where two people care
Than a house that has everything, everything but love
Than a house that has everything, everything but love

Written by:  Roy C. Bennett and Sid Tepper