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Elvis talks like a Mesopotamian on new album

A Finnish academic has released an album of Elvis Presley songs in an ancient Middle Eastern language.

Jukka Ammondt has translated The King's songs into ancient Sumerian, a language spoken in Mesopotamia between 4000 and 1800 BC.

Instead of being told to "lay off my Blue Suede Shoes," the line translates to "but my sandals of sky blue leather, do not touch."

Mr Ammondt's recordings of Elvis tracks in Latin have already gained cult status and he was awarded an honorary medal by the Pope, The Irish Times reports.

The Finn will be wearing a loin cloth and blue sandals for the launch of the Sumerian Elvis album at an international conference of Assyriology and Near Eastern Archaeology in Helsinki today.

Mr Ammondt said: "I believe this record will give people an understanding of their roots and that we here in Finland respect those roots."

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2001