Bobby Vinton (CD1, Tk9)
Blue Velvet (1963)

The pop music scene did not stop with the advent of rock and roll. Even the leaders of rock, such as Elvis, became involved in the pop music scene. The songs that Elvis sang in his movies were created for the crooners who sang the romantic ballads. From this time forward, the line between what was pop and what was rock was increasingly blurred. The line between the two will be arguable for all time.

Bobby Viinton was the pop worlds answer to Elvis. He had the voice and the corporate support but lacked the charismatic persona to take the pop world by storm. This very popular recording was the ultimate challenge to Elvis. Although very successful during its initial release (it spent three weeks at the top of the pop charts in 1963) and still a popular play on oldies stations, Blue Velvet could not capture the audience that Elvis had attracted through his movies.

This recording is sophisticated and very well produced. It is a great example of the corporate endeavor. It is also a well-crafted song. A new element that made similar romantic ballads of this time sound incredibly lush was the use of reverb. Notice the texture of the lead voice and how it sounds like it is in a huge reflective room. As a new electronic technique, reverb was used very effectively to enhance love songs. Today there are numerous effects that can be applied to a sound to enhance it. In the early 1960s, reverb was the most prevalent, and it made the performers sound much larger than life.