Frankie and Johnny is the twelfth soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3553, in April 1966.
Both are in the public domain, and the team of Giant, Baum, and Kaye captured the publishing for Freddy Bienstock and Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
[12] Peter Jones and Jopling Norman described the record as "very rag-time", with vibrant, brassy backings that add variety to Presley's catalogue.
[2] Adam Litovitz noted the mix of traditional songs "with an ersatz Dixieland flavor" alongside "blues, gospel, and gypsy music at their cheesiest.
[13] In his retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that the album's Dixieland style kept Presley "far, far away from the swinging Mod explosion in pop music in 1966", further commenting that although the double-time breakdowns on "Shout It Out" features hints of "high-booted go-go-music", its impact is lessened by the late appearance of the song on the record, after "the clamor of the brass bands, tambourines, and bass drums".
He added that "What Every Woman Lives For" and "Beginner's Luck" were minor highlights but that overall, "Frankie and Johnny is one relentless, noisy, ugly record, its decibel level cranked to the breaking point and Presley appearing singularly mirthless throughout.
[2] During the 1970s, Pickwick Records obtained the rights to reissue Presley compilation albums previously issued under the budget RCA Camden label between 1969 and 1973.
In 2003 Frankie and Johnny was reissued on the Follow That Dream label in a special edition that contained the original album tracks along with numerous alternate takes.