While catching up with the hot new Sony Legacy release "From Elvis in Nashville," Justin & Gurdip are inspired to take a look at the first album comprised of material from those June 1970 sessions: That's The Way It Is. Blending live and studio cuts and bearing perhaps the most prominent influence of the 70s adult contemporary style (reflecting artists like BJ Thomas and Tom Jones), does the not-so-soundtrack album accompanying the documentary film stand on its own 50 years out from its original release? Where does it sit within Elvis' greater discography? And are there still new insights to glean from the songs?

All this and more in this week's TCBCast, plus Gurdip rings in the holiday season with "Here Comes Santa Claus" while Justin wraps up his tale of a 1962 movie cut with a "Happy Ending."

If you haven't done so yet, we highly recommend picking up or streaming on an official platform of your choice the new compilation set "From Elvis in Nashville." https://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Nashville-Presley/dp/B08928MGYK

Justin, Gurdip & Hugh continue their review of 1988's "Heartbreak Hotel." The fantasy of Elvis living the domestic life in small town Ohio wears thin as Gurdip laughs off the horrible impersonations and Hugh draws more comparisons between the film and other 80s classics. Justin, meanwhile, goes apoplectic from the leaps in logic and culturally problematic plot points.

Then, to cool everything off, Hugh flies us down to "Blue Hawaii" for Song of the Week. Justin picks the legendary 1972 classic "Always On My Mind" to definitively disprove the film's premise, and For the Millionth and (probably not) the Last Time, Gurdip spotlights an underrated favorite from the early 1960s.

Justin & Gurdip are joined by movie buff and longtime listener of the show Hugh McKenna to review the 1988 film "Heartbreak Hotel." Written & Directed by Chris Columbus, who was right between two massive hits, Adventures in Babysitting and Home Alone, and with shades of John Hughes teen comedies and Back to the Future all over it, this flop of an Elvis flick should be right up our alley... yet over the years it still has a lot of fans for its fantastical yet oddly domestic spin on the Presley myth. Join us down at the cinema down at the end of lonely street to see if it's perhaps been misjudged - and check back in next week for Part 2 and Songs of the Week!

After nearly a year and a half, Gurdip & Justin return to an early TCBCast topic to discuss some of the Elvis tracks that don't quite inspire them. Gurdip gets Justin riled up picking one of Justin's country favorites, while Justin not only backpedals hard on his previously even-handed thoughts on a glacially slow 50s ballad off Elvis' second album, but also very nearly retracts his position on "Golden Coins" from the first time around! Then, for Song of the Week, Elvis teaches us how to "Do the Vega" in Justin's pick, while Gurdip distracts himself from colder weather by dreaming of having "Fun in Acapulco."

Feature Songs of the Week:

Gurdip: Fun in Acapulco Justin: Do The Vega

To celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year, Gurdip & Justin meet up at a haunted mansion to explore novelty recordings from throughout Elvis' lifetime, including several with Elvis connections. Just before Song of the Week, something wicked this way comes... and gets Justin!

Gurdip reminds us to "Never Say Yes" to those who write off the Spinoff soundtrack, while Justin the Friendly Ghost comes back down to this plane to sing the praises of "Working on the Building," the classic gospel tune Elvis cut for his 1960 album "His Hand in Mine."

Just ahead of Halloween, Gurdip, Ryan and Justin wrap their review of the spookiest film in Elvis' movie oeuvre: 1965's "Tickle Me." With the back half of the film set in a haunted hotel aesthetically ripped right out of a Scooby-Doo cartoon, the guys finally settle on where this slightly outdated movie rests in Elvis' filmography before diving into their Songs of the Week.

Apropos for the review of a movie about Elvis surrounded by women, Ryan selects the title track of "Girls! Girls! Girls." In a bizarre coincidence, Gurdip ALSO selects a song from that same 1962 film, "We're Coming in Loaded." Finally, Justin highlights the interesting backstory behind a rarely heard studio snippet of Elvis singing the Chips Moman-penned "This Time."

Ryan Droste is back this week to join Gurdip & Justin in reviewing the 1965 musical film "Tickle Me." Notable for its extremely low budget and reused Elvis recordings, the film still had some comedy pedigree, with a script penned by writers known for working with The Three Stooges.

Do the film's "far out" zany antics still hold up in 2020? What do the guys make of the recycled soundtrack? All this and more on this week's TCBCast - plus, trivia returns again for another week, all questions related to the making of this film! Song of the Week will return in next week's Part 2 of the Tickle Me review.

Justin & Gurdip reflect this week on the life and songs of singer-songwriter Mac Davis. For Song of the Week, they decide to pay tribute to Mac by selecting two of the biggest songs he wrote for Elvis. Justin selects "In The Ghetto," the plea against indifference toward the cycle of poverty, crime and systemic racism that unfortunately remains potently relevant. Gurdip, on the other hand, selects the syrupy-sweet ballad "Memories," which conjures up poetic reflections on a life well lived. Rest in peace, Mac.

Featured Songs of the Week:

Justin: In the Ghetto

Gurdip: Memories

TCBCast listeners know that Gurdip has few good words for Elvis' 1973 album "Raised on Rock" due to an inexplicable title track and the universally derided "Three Corn Patches," but can Justin make a case for the rest of the album?

And what were the implications of the album's commercial and creative disappointments for Elvis' career going forward? Was it genuinely a low point, or just a misfire? All that and more in this episode - plus, some excellent listener emails!

Gurdip selects Elvis' cover of The Spiders' R&B hit "Witchcraft" as his Song of the Week, and after all this, all Justin needs is the rain, selecting a bluesy country track from the 1968 film "Stay Away Joe"

Justin & Gurdip spend the whole episode gushing over the very best of Elvis' performances - whether live, in the studio, or in the films - that have wowed them or evoked strong reactions from them. From fun rockers like "Ready Teddy" to inspirational and moving tracks like "If I Can Dream," sometimes it's just celebrate why we love listening to an artist's incredible music.

Then, for Song of the Week, Gurdip highlights the elegant ballad "Anything That's Part of You." Justin, meanwhile, goes in a complete 180 and picks a comedy number that even Elvis' recording company has never acknowledged as an official track - but Justin's gonna make a case for it!

Featured Songs of the Week:

Justin: Range Round-Up

Gurdip: Anything That's Part of You