Author: TY

Music of the Year for 2016 [Pastimescapes blog]

/ TY / 4 Comments

It is the end of the year, which means I like to crunch the numbers around my digital music collection and listening habits.

According to iTunes, out of 10,217 unique tracks in my collection, the one I played most often in 2016 was “Rey’s Theme,” composed by John Williams for Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). I played this beautiful piece 21 times this year.

When it comes to music, 2016 was apparently the year of Star Wars for me. Out of my 40 most played tracks, a whopping 38 of them are by John Williams for various Star Wars films. For instance, I played “Princess Leia’s Theme” from Star Wars (1977) 14 times throughout the year.

I love Star Wars music, but even I was shocked at how it dominated considering the diverse amount of music to which I think I listen.

Cover of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS soundtrack

Cover of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS soundtrack

Elvis Presley was the only other individual to crack my top 40. “Burning Love” (1972) came in at #4 overall with 17 plays. “How The Web Was Woven” (1970) finished in a 4-way tie for #37 with 11 plays.

I listened to 6,083 Elvis songs using iTunes or my iPods in 2016 (including additional plays of the same song, such as “Promised Land” [1973] 10 times).

On average, that is nearly 17 Elvis songs a day. I listened to 2,231 different Elvis tracks during the year, out of 4,050 unique Elvis recordings in my collection.

I currently have 6,167 non-Elvis tracks in my collection. With 5,815 total plays, I listened to about 16 non-Elvis songs a day.

Overall, I listened to 11,898 music tracks using iTunes or my iPods this year. That works out to almost 33 recordings a day.

These counts exclude the additional time I spent listening to records and CDs. While not as many CDs, I definitely played a ton of records this year. The funny thing is, many of them were also Star Wars and Elvis Presley. I suppose I am nothing if not consistent.

Thank you for reading my little blog. Here’s hoping you have a wonderful 2017.

Elvis: It’s Only Live [Pastimescapes blog]

/ TY / 4 Comments
Elvis Presley's 1972 RCA single version of "An American Trilogy." (From the author's collection.)

Elvis Presley’s 1972 RCA single version of “An American Trilogy.” (From the author’s collection.)

I thought it might be interesting to start a list of live Elvis Presley songs officially released for which no formal studio recordings are available. It turned out longer than I expected – over 50 songs so far, and that is not including any that I might have missed.

  • Hearts Of Stone
  • Tweedlee Dee
  • Little Mama
  • Maybellene
  • Flip, Flop & Fly
  • Baby, What You Want Me To Do
  • Tiger Man [according to legend, Elvis recorded a studio version at SUN but it has yet to surface]
  • Yesterday
  • Runaway
  • My Babe
  • I Can’t Stop Loving You
  • Johnny B. Goode
  • Words
  • Proud Mary
  • Let It Be Me
  • Walk A Mile In My Shoes
  • Sweet Caroline
  • Polk Salad Annie
  • See See Rider
  • Release Me
  • The Wonder Of You
  • I Just Can’t Help Believin’
  • Something
  • You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
  • When The Snow Is On The Roses
  • The Impossible Dream
  • An American Trilogy
  • Never Been To Spain
  • You Gave Me A Mountain
  • It’s Impossible
  • It’s Over
  • What Now My Love
  • I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
  • Welcome To My World
  • Steamroller Blues
  • Mama Don’t Dance
  • Softly, As I Leave You
  • Why Me, Lord
  • Let Me Be There
  • You Can Have Her
  • Turn Around And Look At Me
  • Aubrey
  • Alright, Okay, You Win
  • You’re The Reason I’m Living
  • If You Love Me
  • Little Darlin’
  • Jambalaya
  • School Days
  • America The Beautiful [“studio” version recorded in Graceland den, but only a small fragment survives]
  • O Sole Mio
  • Auld Lang Syne
  • Unchained Melody
  • You Better Run

Note that many of these songs have non-live versions available – including rehearsals that are similar to formal recordings. For example, “Never Been To Spain” appears on Elvis On Tour: The Rehearsals, which was actually recorded at RCA’s Hollywood studio. However, I still consider the recording to be of an informal nature for the purposes of this list.

You've just crossed over into... the edge of reality. (With apologies to Serling.)

You’ve just crossed over into… the edge of reality. (With apologies to Serling.)

Most of the above songs actually work best for Elvis in a live context, but there are about a dozen for which I wish he had made formal studio recordings as well.

From the edge of reality, here is the track listing for an imaginary album of my picks.

Elvis: What Does It Matter

Side A

  1. Johnny B. Goode
  2. Baby, What You Want Me To Do
  3. Never Been To Spain
  4. I Just Can’t Help Believin’
  5. Walk A Mile In My Shoes
  6. When The Snow Is On The Roses

Side B

  1. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
  2. Maybellene
  3. My Babe
  4. I Can’t Stop Loving You
  5. Tiger Man
  6. Unchained Melody

How about you? From his live recordings, which do you feel Elvis should have tackled in the studio?

Thanks to reader Michel Cornec for inspiring this topic as well as performing some of the initial research.

Which “Jungle Room” Elvis CD Should You Buy? [Pastimescapes blog]

/ TY / 8 Comments

[Side Note: Introducing the new look of Pastimescapes, which now leverages the Expound theme. Look for more tweaks in the coming days.]

Cover of WAY DOWN IN THE JUNGLE ROOM (2016, Sony)

Cover of WAY DOWN IN THE JUNGLE ROOM (2016, Sony)

Memphis. When it comes to Elvis Presley, there is something magical about the music he created in his adopted hometown.

That magic is tangible, no matter if we are talking about his early SUN sides of 1954-1955, the American Sound sessions of 1969, the Stax recordings of 1973, the Mid-South Coliseum concerts of 1974, or the Graceland sessions of 1976 – where his home’s den was converted into a makeshift recording studio.

Those Graceland sessions, which proved to be the last “studio” recordings of Elvis’ career, initially resulted in two albums: From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee, and the bulk of Moody Blue.

Since then, of course, alternates and outtakes from the Graceland sessions have appeared on numerous releases. The Jungle Room Sessions, for instance, is reportedly one of the best-selling CDs ever released by the Follow That Dream (FTD) collectors label for Elvis fans. The disc is so-named for the nickname given after Elvis’ death to Graceland’s uniquely decorated den.

Earlier this month, Sony released the latest compilation of these songs, Way Down In The Jungle Room. The release contains all of the Graceland master recordings on Disc 1 and selected alternates/outtakes on Disc 2.

Due to already having all of the material from both discs, I had actually planned to skip Way Down In The Jungle Room. I then found out more information about Disc 2 by reading Bob Mehr’s Memphis Commercial Appeal article on the project.

Thanks to the article, I did not skip it, and I can now highly recommend Way Down In The Jungle Room due to the incredible sound of Disc 2’s alternate/outtake versions – newly mixed by Matt Ross-Spang at Sam Phillips Recording Service.

However, my purpose today is not so much to review Way Down In The Jungle Room, but to expand upon an answer to a question I recently received from Wellsy – a Pastimescapes reader and longtime Elvis fan. A frequent commenter, he even wrote a guest post on The Mystery Train Blog a few years back for me.

Wellsy emailed me on vacation from Memphis about some CDs he was considering purchasing. Somewhere in the course of our ongoing exchange, he asked, “What is the difference between FTD’s The Jungle Room Sessions and Sony’s Way Down In The Jungle Room?”

Frozen In Time: Graceland's den in 2016 essentially looks the same as it did in 1977. According to legend, Elvis bought the Witco furnishings after his father commented that it was ugliest furniture he had ever seen. (Photo by Wellsy.)

Frozen In Time: Graceland’s den in 2016 essentially looks the same as it did in 1977. According to legend, Elvis bought the Witco furnishings after his father commented that it was ugliest furniture he had ever seen. (Photo by Wellsy.)

If you are interested in the Graceland sessions, the underlying question is which of the Elvis releases covering this material should you buy? In addition to Way Down In The Jungle Room, there have been quite a few, including:

  • From Elvis Presley Boulevard (RCA): Masters from the February 1976 Graceland sessions (#19 on my recent “50 Greatest Elvis Albums” list)
  • Moody Blue (RCA): Remaining masters from the February and October 1976 Graceland sessions, supplemented with live recordings from 1974 and 1977 (#7 on my list)
  • The Jungle Room Sessions (FTD): Alternates/outtakes from the 1976 Graceland sessions
  • From Elvis Presley Boulevard (FTD Classic Album Edition): Masters and alternates/outtakes from the original RCA album, including relevant portions of The Jungle Room Sessions in improved sound quality and some previously unreleased tracks
  • Moody Blue (FTD Classic Album Edition): Masters and alternates/outtakes from the original RCA album, including relevant portions of The Jungle Room Sessions in improved sound quality and some previously unreleased tracks

People who know me offline, and I am sure some online have picked up on this as well, understand that I am a very analytical person. Sometimes to the point of annoyance, but, hey, it pays the bills. Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to compare some of the releases covering the Graceland sessions in a more visual fashion.

The below chart captures the master and other complete takes for each of the songs recorded at the Graceland sessions that have been officially released to date. In an attempt to keep this to a manageable size, I left out things like rehearsals, false starts, and FTD-generated splices.

Graceland Sessions Comparison Chart

As noted in the graphic, my key information sources for the above were:

Any mistakes you might find, though, were entirely of my own making.

So, which one should you buy?

For typical, casual, new, or would-be Elvis fans, I recommend you buy Way Down In The Jungle Room. It gives you all of the master takes as well as a manageable number of alternates in great sound quality. This 2-CD set is a real value at less than US $15. Incidentally, there is also an LP vinyl version, but it does not include the masters.

For “totally insane” Elvis fans (like me), who enjoy listening to multiple alternates of the same song, I recommend you buy the FTD “Classic Album” editions of From Elvis Presley Boulevard and Moody Blue. Each of these 2-CD sets will run you around US $30, but they are more than worth it to experience the making of these albums. However, you will probably want to pick up the seemingly redundant Way Down In The Jungle Room as well at some point – simply for the sound experience on Disc 2.

No matter which you choose, settle back and enjoy some Memphis magic, courtesy of Elvis.

Thanks to Wellsy for inspiring this topic as well as giving permission to use his photo of Graceland’s den.

The 50 Greatest Elvis Presley Albums of All Time (Part 5: The Top 10) [Pastimescapes blog]

/ TY / 10 Comments

This is the final installment of a countdown of Elvis Presley’s best albums.

To be eligible for consideration, a release had to consist of no more than two discs (CDs/records), contain at least one-third previously unreleased content (not including singles and Extended Plays), and be from an official label (no bootlegs).

Albums were judged solely on their new material and not on any of the reissued content they might have contained. Recording information noted below is also only for an album’s new content.

Though cultural impact was taken into account in various ways, that was not the lone consideration. Ultimately, personal impact — how much I love a particular album — was the most important factor.

Tomorrow marks the 39th anniversary of the death of Elvis at the age of 42. I am 41, so that 42 age seems younger and younger to me with each passing year. Though gone too soon, he accomplished much in that short time – as attested by the 50 incredible albums covered in this series of posts.

Elvis has been dead the majority of my life, yet has had a profound influence on it. His music has gotten me through some tough times … and has been there for many more good times as well.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the ten greatest Elvis albums of all time.

#10 Promised Land
Recorded: 1973 | Memphis
Released: 1975 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Promised Land”
“Aw, get on it! I left my home in Norfolk, Virginia; California on my mind. I straddled that Greyhound and rode him into Raleigh and on across Caroline.”
What Makes It Great: Recorded at Stax studios, Promised Land is, in many ways, a perfect Elvis album – a mixture of rock ‘n’ roll, country, inspirational, and adult contemporary. It is a testament to the power of the remaining albums on this list that I was not able to nudge this one farther up in the rankings.

#9 Elvis’ Golden Records, Volume 3
Recorded: 1960-1962 | Nashville
Released: 1963 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Are You Lonesome Tonight”
“You know, someone said that the world’s a stage, and each must play a part. Fate had me playing in love, with you as my sweetheart.”
What Makes It Great: This collection of top-selling singles makes a strong argument against those who claim that, musically, “Elvis died in the Army.” There are so many treats here, like “Little Sister” and “His Latest Flame.”

#8 Almost In Love
Recorded: 1967-1969 | Hollywood; Nashville; Memphis
Released: 1970 (Camden)
Essential Song: “Rubberneckin’”
“People say I’m wastin’ time, yeah, but I don’t really care.”
What Makes It Great: Almost In Love is a hodge-podge of songs, including some movie tunes, that manage not only to work, but combine into what is, obviously, one of his best albums ever. This was a “budget” album on RCA’s Camden label. Unfortunately, most of Elvis’ Camden releases were of far lower quality.

#7 Moody Blue
Recorded: 1976-1977 | Memphis; Ann Arbor; Kalamazoo
Released: 1977 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Pledging My Love”
“Always and forever, I’ll love only you.”
What Makes It Great: Recorded at his home and on the road in front of his fans, Moody Blue ends Elvis’ career in style. Elvis’ last album is released on July 19, 1977, less than a month before his death. In the subsequent record store rush, many folks pick up this stellar album – pressed on blue vinyl. The album includes “He’ll Have To Go,” the last song Elvis ever recorded in a “studio” setting (actually, his den at Graceland).

#6 From Elvis In Memphis
Recorded: 1969 | Memphis
Released: 1969 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Power Of My Love”
“My love will haunt you, yes, haunt you night and day.”
What Makes It Great: From Elvis In Memphis capitalizes on the success of the ELVIS special and propels him forward in a new, adult style unlike anything he has recorded before.

#5 On Stage – February, 1970
Recorded: 1969-1970 | Las Vegas
Released: 1970 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Polk Salad Annie” (February 18, 1970, Midnight Show)
“Everybody calls it polk salad. Now that’s polk… [boom]… salad… [boom-boom]. Lord, have mercy.”
What Makes It Great: Primarily recorded in February 1970, with a couple of related highlights from August 1969 thrown in for good measure, On Stage illustrates the power of Elvis as a live performer in this time period. This album pairs well with Elvis In Person (August 1969). In fact, a 2010 “Legacy Edition” of On Stage does just that.

Trivia Interlude: Of those released in his lifetime in the United States, On Stage is one of only two Elvis albums that do not include his name on the front or back cover. The other is For LP Fans Only (#17 on this countdown).

#4 How Great Thou Art – As Sung By Elvis
Recorded: 1966; 1960 | Nashville
Released: 1967 (RCA)
Essential Song: “How Great Thou Art”
“I see the stars. I hear the rolling thunder. Thy power throughout the universe displayed.”
What Makes It Great: How Great Thou Art is Elvis’ masterpiece, which earns him his first Grammy Award. Out of all of the albums on this Top Ten list, it is undoubtedly the one he cared about most. The entire album is a must-listen when it comes to understanding his music.

#3 Elvis Country – I’m 10,000 Years Old
Recorded: 1970 | Nashville
Released: 1971 (RCA)
Essential Song: “I Really Don’t Want To Know”
“Just let it, let it remain your secret. Oh, for darlin’, darlin’ I love you so. No wonder, yeah, no wonder, I wonder, ’cause I really don’t want, I don’t want to know.”
What Makes It Great: Elvis Country is an album that rather haphazardly came together in the course of Elvis’ summer 1970 “marathon” session in Nashville. This, of course, makes it more perfect than any planned album would have been. Nashville was the ideal location for Elvis to delve into a definitive country album. Remember, it’s not just country, it’s Elvis country.

#2 Elvis’ Golden Records
Recorded: 1956-1957 | Hollywood; New York; Nashville
Released: 1958 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Jailhouse Rock”
“I wanna stick around awhile and get my kicks, let’s rock!”
What Makes It Great: The first of many volumes, Elvis’ Golden Records captures the songs that took him to international superstardom in 1956 and 1957. These classic songs have been compiled dozens and dozens of times since then, but Elvis’ Golden Records was the first and the best.

#1 That’s The Way It Is
Recorded: 1970 | Nashville; Las Vegas
Released: 1970 (RCA)
Essential Song: “How The Web Was Woven”
“At last I’m where you want me, don’t you know that’s where, where I wanna be.”
What Makes It Great: I have written about this album more than any other, so I am sure it landing at the top spot was no surprise to anyone who has followed my writing over the years. The That’s The Way It Is project – RCA album and MGM documentary – represents the culmination of the “comeback” that began with the How Great Thou Art sessions and caught fire with the ELVIS special. Elvis reached perfection in this time period as an artist. I cannot choose any album but this one as his absolute best.

Shopping Tip: If you buy the 2014 “Legacy Edition” of That’s The Way It Is (the previously unreleased material of which was already covered as #41 on this countdown), you will get the original album (#1 here), the associated singles, a few outtakes, and a complete live show on 2 CDs. Definitely a huge value, if you do not already have the material.

The 50 Greatest Elvis Presley Albums of All Time (click for larger version)

The 50 Greatest Elvis Presley Albums of All Time (click for larger version)

So, there you have them, the 50 Greatest Elvis Presley Albums of All Time – at least according to one fan on one day.

No doubt, your list will vary. Were you shocked by any inclusions or omissions? Make your case in the comments below.

Finally, I want to close out by saying how much fun this series of Elvis posts has been for me. By 2014, when I ended The Mystery Train Blog, I was burned out on writing about Elvis (not burned out on listening to his music, however).

I started Pastimescapes a year ago to continue writing about Elvis but also expand to other areas of interest. The flexibility of this “open topic” blog with the cumbersome name has been a tremendous help.

For Elvis fans, this is a special week – one that many of us use to celebrate his life, rather than dwell on his death. For me, that life was about music.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I intend to crank up that music a little louder than usual tomorrow.

Thank you for reading.

2016 marks the 60th anniversary of millions of people around the world becoming Elvis fans. I dedicate this series of posts to those first generation fans. Without you, the rest of us might never have heard of The Memphis Flash.

For Elvis VHS Lovers Only [Pastimescapes blog]

/ TY / 4 Comments

UPDATE: The tapes have been claimed. Stay tuned, though, because you never know what other items I will free from the vault.

I am cleaning up my “Fortress of Solitude,” and it is time to part with most of my Elvis VHS collection – particularly since I have no way to play them anymore.

If any fellow Elvis fan is interested, they are yours free. However, it is all or nothing, as I do not want to ship these individually all over the place. As far as I know, they are all in playable condition – but I have not tried any of them in at least a decade.

First to want them in the comments to this post gets them. If no one claims by August 20, then I will find somewhere local to donate them. I hope you enjoy!

Elvis on VHS: ELVIS IN HOLLYWOOD, KING CREOLE, ELVIS, ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, CHARRO, THE ALTERNATE ALOHA CONCERT, and THIS IS ELVIS

Elvis on VHS: ELVIS IN HOLLYWOOD, KING CREOLE, ELVIS, ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, CHARRO, THE ALTERNATE ALOHA CONCERT, and THIS IS ELVIS

The 50 Greatest Elvis Presley Albums of All Time (Part 4) [Pastimescapes blog]

/ TY / 2 Comments

This is Part 4 of a countdown of Elvis Presley’s best albums.

To be eligible for consideration, a release had to consist of no more than two discs (CDs/records), contain at least one-third previously unreleased content (not including singles and Extended Plays), and be from an official label. Albums were judged solely on their “new” material, not on any reissued content.

Elvis has provided much of the soundtrack to my life thus far. From hundreds of his albums, I have narrowed down the 50 best. The countdown now continues at #20.

#20 His Hand In Mine
Recorded: 1960 | Nashville
Released: 1960 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Working On The Building”
What Makes It Great: Elvis’ first full-length gospel album is a beautiful collection of songs.

#19 From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee
Recorded: 1976 | Memphis
Released: 1976 (RCA)
Essential Song: “For The Heart”
What Makes It Great: “Hurt” establishes the tone of this album right from the start. Recorded at Graceland, From Elvis Presley Boulevard is no doubt his most thematically depressing album, but it is also his most introspective.

#18 One Night In Vegas
Recorded: 1970 | Las Vegas
Released: 2001 (FTD)
Essential Song: “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” – I know I choose various live performance of this again and again, but Elvis really tore this one up in 1969 and 1970
What Makes It Great: This release captures the August 10, 1970, Opening Show from the Las Vegas engagement documented by MGM’s Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Elvis at his best as a live performer and showman. A few rehearsal tracks from the time of the documentary are also included as bonuses.

#17 For LP Fans Only
Recorded: 1954-1956 | Memphis; New York; Hollywood; Nashville
Released: 1959 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Mystery Train” – Elvis’ best recording of the 1950s
What Makes It Great: Covering his SUN to early RCA years, For LP Fans Only is a rock ‘n’ roll masterpiece.

#16 Elvis Is Back!
Recorded: 1960 | Nashville
Released: 1960 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Reconsider Baby”
What Makes It Great: Blues and rock ‘n’ roll dominate this stellar album, recorded shortly after Elvis returned from serving in the US Army.

#15 Memories Of Christmas
Recorded: 1966-1971 | Nashville
Released: 1982 (RCA)
Essential Song: Remake version of “I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day” – one of the bluesiest performances of his career unfortunately went unreleased for over a decade
What Makes It Great: Alternate and extended versions of Elvis Christmas classics.

#14 Elvis’ Christmas Album
Recorded: 1957 | Hollywood
Released: 1957 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” – Elvis gets dirty
What Makes It Great: This is a true Christmas classic that, along with its slightly superior sequel below, has spawned dozens of re-release compilations. This original format of Elvis’ Christmas Album includes gospel songs, such as “Peace In The Valley,” as well as Christmas songs. Unfortunately, the gospels are often dropped from subsequent reissues – including a 1970 reissue on the Camden label, which went ten times platinum (versus three times platinum for the original configuration).

#13 Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas
Recorded: 1971 | Nashville
Released: 1971 (RCA)
Essential Song: “I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day”
What Makes It Great: Another Christmas classic, with additional notable performances including “Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees,” “On A Snowy Christmas Night,” “Merry Christmas Baby,” and a rockin’ version of “Winter Wonderland.” His Christmas music was the most consistent of his career, which is why I placed his three key Christmas albums so close together in the countdown.

#12 ELVIS-TV Special
Recorded: 1968 | Burbank
Released: 1968 (RCA)
Essential Song: “If I Can Dream” – Elvis’ best recording of the 1960s
What Makes It Great: After allowing his music career to suffer in favor of his acting aspirations, Elvis came back in full force in the form of a television special – the excitement of which is ably captured on this soundtrack album.

#11 Memories: The ’68 Comeback Special
Recorded: 1968 | Burbank
Released: 1998 (BMG)
Essential Song: “One Night” (June 27, 6 PM Show; Disc 2/Track 15 version)
What Makes It Great: This 2-CD set provides an in-depth, audio documentation of the ELVIS special – including rehearsals and live versions that did not make the actual special or original album. The absolute highlight of Memories, though, is the debut of the complete June 27, 6 PM Show, which was taped before a small studio audience. This was the first (and best) of the two “sit-down” shows captured for the special. Elvis starts out on acoustic guitar. After a planned swap with Scotty Moore for his electric guitar, the informal jam session is energized as Elvis plays with a ferocity he would never display again after this night. Unfortunately, the majority of this footage did not appear in the 1968 TV special. Premium channel HBO aired the 6 PM show 17 years later in its entirety as Elvis: One Night With You in 1985. Unbelievably, it took another 13 years after that for the audio finally to receive an official release via this album.

To Be Concluded . . .

elvisTopAlbums11-50

2016 marks the 60th anniversary of millions of people around the world becoming Elvis fans. I dedicate this series of posts to those first generation fans. Without you, the rest of us might never have heard of The Memphis Flash.

The 50 Greatest Elvis Presley Albums of All Time (Part 3) [Pastimescapes blog]

/ TY / 7 Comments

This is Part 3 of a countdown of Elvis Presley’s best albums.

To be eligible for consideration, a release had to consist of no more than two discs (CDs/records), contain at least one-third previously unreleased content (not including singles and Extended Plays), and be from an official label. Albums were judged solely on their “new” material, not on any reissued content.

And now . . . back to our countdown.

#30 Stereo 57: Essential Elvis – Volume 2
Recorded: 1957 | Hollywood
Released: 1989 (BMG)
Essential Song: Take 14 of “Mean Woman Blues”
What Makes It Great: Elvis did not begin making recordings intended for stereo release until 1960 (“Stuck On You”/”Fame And Fortune,” Elvis Is Back!, etc.). During certain Elvis sessions in the 1950s, however, RCA made safety copies in “binaural” format – essentially, Elvis is in the left channel, while the backing music and vocals are in the right channel. Stereo 57 releases 15 of these binaural recordings for the first time, capturing alternate takes. While his 1950s mono recordings will always remain the real classics, of course, these binaural outtakes provide a freshness that holds up even in 2016.
What Holds It Back: Only eight different songs are covered. Multiple versions of “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” and “I Beg Of You” can take away from the value of repeated listens to this album.

#29 A Date With Elvis
Recorded: 1954-1957 | Memphis; Hollywood
Released: 1959 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Baby, Let’s Play House”
What Makes It Great: Cobbled together to keep product on the shelves while Elvis was serving in the US Army, A Date With Elvis primarily consists of SUN recordings and (mostly) quality movie tunes that had not yet been released on album. This is yet another Elvis release that should not work, yet turns out terrific.
What Holds It Back: The unfortunate inclusion of the wretched “We’re Gonna Move” from the Love Me Tender soundtrack. Right from the start in 1956, Elvis’ movie tunes were often of lesser quality than his standard recordings.

#28 The On Stage Season: The Opening And Closing Shows – February, 1970
Recorded: 1970 | Las Vegas
Released: 2013 (FTD)
Essential Song: “True Love Travels On A Gravel Road” (January 26, 1970, Opening Show) – with extra points because Elvis plugs his From Elvis In Memphis album prior to singing it.
What Makes It Great: This 2-CD album includes the January 26, 1970, Opening Show, and the February 23, 1970, Closing Show from Elvis’ 57-show engagement at the International Hotel in early 1970. Though RCA recorded portions of several concerts in the middle of this series to compile the majority of the On Stage album, these two soundboard recordings are actually the first and only complete concerts officially released from this engagement. Both performances are terrific, but the Closing Show is really something special. It features a segment where Elvis plays piano for “Blueberry Hill” & “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy” and later picks up his electric guitar to play “One Night” & “It’s Now Or Never.” Pure magic.
What Holds It Back: “All Shook Up” does not work very well as an opening song – especially compared to the likes of “That’s All Right” (August 1970 season) and “Blue Suede Shoes” (August 1969 season). Also, keep in mind that this is a soundboard recording, so it does not have the sound quality of RCA’s recordings for the On Stage album. While both shows are definitely very listenable, the Opening Show has more sound issues due to peak distortion on Elvis’ vocals. The Closing Show is much easier on the ears.

#27 Elvis Presley
Recorded: 1954-1956 | Nashville; Memphis
Released: 1956 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Blue Moon”
What Makes It Great: This is Elvis’ first album. Of course it made the list!
What Holds It Back: Think of how much stronger his debut album would have been if “I Love You Because” and “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry” were replaced by “I Was The One” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”

#26 Elvis’ Gold Records: Volume 4
Recorded: 1958-1966 | Nashville; Hollywood
Released: 1968 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Witchcraft”
What Makes It Great: This is a compilation of some of Elvis’ best singles of the 1960s. Even the two movie tunes included are strong.
What Holds It Back: Though unique, “Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello” fails to hold interest on repeat listens.

#25 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong: Elvis’ Gold Records – Volume 2
Recorded: 1957-1958 | Hollywood; Nashville
Released: 1959 (RCA)
Essential Song: “One Night”
What Makes It Great: This is another installment chock full of classics, this time from the 1950s.

Trivia Interlude: Of those released in his lifetime, the odd volumes (1 & 3) in this series were called Elvis’ Golden Records, while the even volumes (2 & 4) were called Elvis’ Gold Records. Now you know!

#24 From Elvis In Memphis (Classic Album Edition)
Recorded: 1969 | Memphis
Released: 2013 (FTD)
Essential Song: Take 7 of “Power Of My Love” (undubbed master)
What Makes It Great: Alternate and undubbed versions help present a new perspective on a truly classic album.

#23 From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis
Recorded: 1969 | Las Vegas; Memphis
Released: 1969 (RCA)
Essential Song: “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” (August 25, 1969, Midnight Show)
What Makes It Great: Elvis’ first 2-record set includes a killer compilation of highlights from his 1969 Vegas concerts as the first record – later re-released separately as Elvis In Person.

#22 Hot August Night: The Complete Midnight Show, August 25, 1969
Recorded: 1969 | Las Vegas
Released: 2013 (FTD)
Essential Song: “Suspicious Minds” (August 25, 1969, Midnight Show) – a mistake actually makes this one better! When Elvis apparently misses his intro, James Burton keeps going with a longer guitar lick until Elvis is ready. You gotta crank this one up.
What Makes It Great: Speaking of those fantastic 1969 Vegas concerts, here is a full concert that contributed to the Elvis In Person compilation. Sound quality is incredible.

#21 Live In Vegas: August 26, 1969 Dinner Show
Recorded: 1969 | Las Vegas
Released: 2011 (FTD)
Essential Song: “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” (August 26, 1969, Dinner Show) – a perfect mix
What Makes It Great: This is the very next show after the above CD, and Elvis is still on fire. A couple of songs from this show also contributed to Elvis In Person.

To Be Continued . . .

elvisTopAlbums21-50

2016 marks the 60th anniversary of millions of people around the world becoming Elvis fans. I dedicate this series of posts to those first generation fans. Without you, the rest of us might never have heard of The Memphis Flash.