27 December 1963
Did Brendan Bowyer have an Elvis franchise for Ireland? Here he is following up his first Irish number one, ‘Kiss Me Quick’, with another chart-topping Elvis cover – this time a whimsical acoustic ditty from the movie Blue Hawaii.
Yes, it’s pretty much the same thing as his ‘Kiss Me Quick’, but Bowyer’s lighter, more energetic singing style actually appeals to me more than Elvis’s early-’60s phase of Daniel O’Donnell doing an Elvis impression. Also, the showband arrangement gives Bowyer’s version some oomph. I know I’m starting from a low base here, but I’ll borrow a phrase: even better than the real thing.
Irish Number Ones 