The Sixties cult movie and music icon returns with a new festive single.
It’s the festive comeback that you probably didn’t expect and possibly didn’t want – Sixties pop culture icon Ann-Margret, once dubbed ‘the female Elvis’ for no good reason beyond having appeared onscreen with the big man in a couple of movies (critics are nothing if not lazy and unimaginative), has issued a new recording of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree as a preview of her forthcoming album.
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree sees the 80-year-old performer team with blues legend Sonny Landreth for a decent if sometimes strained rendition of the festive favourite. This is a song that has had a lot of indignities heaped upon it over the years and this is actually one of the better versions – over and done with in two minutes, it’s short, sweet and inconsequential. If Ann-Margret isn’t quite up to the standard of her Sixties recordings, that’s understandable – a lot of people of that age are barely capable of shufflin’ around the Christmas tree, so good luck to her.
The album, set for 2022, features guest appearances from Clem Burke, Bye Bye Birdie co-star Bobby Rydell, rockabilly artist Danny B. Harvey and others.
You can buy the festive single here.
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FYI – Ann-Margret made only one film with Elvis.