Available today from Sony’s RCA/Legacy label, the five-CD boxed set Young Man With The Big Beat features a ton of 1956 material. For die-hard fans, the crown jewel of the set is the first-ever release of Elvis’ December 15, 1956, concert that marked the singer’s final appearance on the Louisiana Hayride radio program.
Also released today is the Sony Legacy edition of his debut album, Elvis Presley, which is paired with his second album, Elvis.
Note that this set is also available for purchase in digital format (audio only) at a substantially reduced price for the full set.
UPDATE: Possibly along with others, Amazon US is offering the opportunity to buy individual tracks in digital format. This means fans who only want the Hayride material do not have to purchase the entire set. Thank you to Sony for this consideration.
Below is a full break-down of the Young Man With The Big Beat set, adapted from Sony’s press release and marketing material.
Disc 1: Studio Recordings
17 tracks recorded in New York, Nashville, and Hollywood, starting with the 12 songs on the debut LP, Elvis Presley (‘1254’), followed by non-LP single A-sides and B-sides, and EP tracks.
- Blue Suede Shoes
- I’m Counting On You
- I Got A Woman
- One-Sided Love Affair
- I Love You Because
- Just Because
- Tutti Frutti
- Trying To Get To You
- I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)
- I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)
- Blue Moon
- Money Honey
- Heartbreak Hotel
- I Was The One
- My Baby Left Me
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
- Shake, Rattle And Roll
Disc 2: Studio Recordings
22 tracks recorded in New York, Nashville, and Memphis, starting with the 12 songs on the second LP, Elvis (‘1382’), followed by non-LP single A-sides and B-sides, and EP tracks.
- Rip It Up
- Love Me
- When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
- Long Tall Sally
- First In Line
- Paralyzed
- So Glad You’re Mine
- Old Shep
- Ready Teddy
- Anyplace Is Paradise
- How’s The World Treating You
- How Do You Think I Feel
- I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
- Hound Dog
- Don’t Be Cruel
- Any Way You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be)
- Too Much
- Playing For Keeps
- Love Me Tender
- Let Me
- Poor Boy
- We’re Gonna Move
Disc 3: Live Recordings
Rare remasters of shows at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas (four songs); Little Rock, Arkansas (seven songs); and a recently discovered, previously unreleased concert in Shreveport, Louisiana, in December (ten songs).
Recorded Live At The Venus Room, Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas, May 6
1. Heartbreak Hotel
2. Long Tall Sally
3. Blue Suede Shoes
4. Money Honey
Recorded Live At The Robinson Memorial Auditorium, Little Rock, Arkansas, May 16
5. Heartbreak Hotel
6. Long Tall Sally
7. I Was The One
8. Money Honey
9. I Got A Woman
10. Blue Suede Shoes
11. Hound Dog
Recorded Live At The Hirsch Youth Center, Louisiana Fairgrounds, Shreveport, Louisiana, December 15
12. Heartbreak Hotel
13. Long Tall Sally
14. I Was The One
15. Love Me Tender
16. Don’t Be Cruel
17. Love Me
18. I Got A Woman
19. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
20. Paralyzed
21. Hound Dog
Disc 4: Outtakes
Four outtakes from the first historic RCA session in January (“I Got A Woman,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “I’m Counting On You,” “I Was The One”), segueing into the complete session of February 3rd (11 takes of “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy” and 12 takes of “Shake, Rattle And Roll”); plus the first of the interviews – the complete Warwick Hotel (NYC) interview by Robert Brown in March.
- I Got A Woman – take unknown
- Heartbreak Hotel – take 06
- I’m Counting On You – take 13
- I Was The One – take 02
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 01
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 03
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 04
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 05
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 06
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – takes 07, 08, 09
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 10 (master)
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – takes 11, 12
- Shake, Rattle And Roll – takes 01, 02
- Shake, Rattle And Roll – takes 03, 05, 06, 07
- Shake, Rattle And Roll – take 08
- Shake, Rattle And Roll – takes 09, 10, 11, 12, 12 (undubbed master)
- The Complete Warwick Hotel Interview
Disc 5: Interviews
The Paul Wilder interview, plus his interviews with Colonel Parker and Oscar Davis; plus two segments of Elvis’ rarely heard candid monologue, “The Truth About Me,” and two advertisements for RCA Victrolas.
- The Complete TV Guide Presents Elvis interview
- Colonel Parker Interview
- The Truth About Me
- The Truth About Me Interview
- Victrola Radio ad 1
- Victrola Radio ad 2
Book
The focal point of the book, spread across its 80 pages, will be a unique, meticulously-researched, day-by-day chronology of Elvis’ iconic year, including every concert, every recording date, every television appearance, personal events in Elvis’ life, and much more. A dazzling photo array of memorabilia will illustrate each day and entry. Concert ticket stubs, RCA memoranda, letters from fans, postcards from Elvis to his family, tour itineraries, magazine covers and articles, trade charts, fan club relics, RCA publicity photos, concert photos, candid photos, and more will be a feast for the eyes and the imagination as 1956 unfolds.
Other Items
Will also include five rare 8×10 photographs, five original-size poster replicas, and a replica concert ticket stub.
#15 Elvis’ Christmas Album (recorded 1957)
#1 That’s The Way It Is (1970)
According to iTunes, out of 2,564 Elvis tracks, the one I played most often this year was: “Burning Love,” his 1972 single.
I recently picked up an old FTD from the year 2000, one of their first releases. The CD is called In A Private Moment. It contains home recordings from 1959-1966. I played it for the first time today and listened to what has to be the weirdest Elvis song I’ve heard to this point. Which is saying something, because I’ve heard some pretty strange stuff over the years.
Closing Night is actually a 2004 release. For reasons that have escaped my memory, I didn’t pick this one up back then.
