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Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Prior to the 1992 release of the five-disc box set The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters, RCA's approach to reissuing Elvis Presley on CD -- or on LP, for that matter -- was rather scatter-shot, seeming to follow the dictates of the market more than the demands of history. There were some excellent releases of archival material and in 1987, on the tenth anniversary of the King's death, there was a stellar series of compilations, but most of what was released was a constant stream of recycled hits, which this box most certainly is not. This set is sharply and expertly assembled, presenting Elvis' peak as a creative and cultural force in staggering detail. Despite the subtitle of this box, this does not contain everything Presley recorded in the '50s; there are alternate takes not present on this set, including second takes for Sun that were included on the subsequent collection Sunrise, and after this release, more acetates recorded around the same time as his privately recorded "My Happiness" (unveiled here for the first time) were found and released. That said, those alternate takes are the province of collectors, particularly since the best of those are chronicled on the fifth and final disc of this set. That means, anything a real serious fan or listener needs is on this exhaustive set, since it chronicles the rise of the greatest figure of American music in the 20th century.
The first disc is largely devoted to the released Sun singles, both the As and Bs, and this remains the rawest, liveliest, nerviest music Presley ever cut, retaining its power over the years; decades later, it still sounds alive and unpredictable -- it still is possible to hear rock & roll being created in its very grooves and it's just as thrilling to hear the kinetic energy of this lean combo create an entirely new music; anybody who doubts Elvis as an innovator need only hear this to be proven wrong. Toward the end of the first disc, Elvis leaves Sun for RCA, and the production is a little cleaner and the material a little more streamlined, but that's just a relative judgment. This is still the birth of rock & roll, and when "I Got a Woman" and "Heartbreak Hotel" inaugurate the RCA years, that wild energy is still palpable, even now. As this set illustrates, partially through its sheer scope, that energy could be dissipated by an inclination to move toward the pop mainstream, which could result in beautiful, heartbreaking ballads, but also the safe pop crooning that debilitated his career in the '60s. Fortunately, at no time in the '50s did he sink into the murk that enveloped him for a period in the '60s. He may have recorded forgettable ballads and trifle (including, ironically, one of his few compositions, the corny "We're Gonna Move"), sometimes succumbing to either his trite side or the demands of the marketplace, but the remarkable thing about this box is how consistently compelling, even thrilling, this music is. The overly familiar hits, and they're all here, are given new life in this context, which has the feeling of history unraveling in front of your ears. That's what makes this box set transcendent -- the music and annotation alone would make it necessary for libraries, but this is better because it is thoroughly listenable, while presenting history in a compelling narrative context. Yes, some of these tunes sound like light pop tied to their time, but they make for very few cuts on this 140-track box. Most of this is dynamic, thrilling music that presents Elvis at his very best. Historically, this is surely essential, but what makes the box so great is that it's so entertaining, providing ample proof that Elvis' music is indeed every bit as influential and timeless as the history books state.
Track List:
Disk: 1
1. My Happiness
2. That's All Right
3. I Love You Because
4. Harbor Lights
5. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
6. Blue Moon
7. Tomorrow Night
8. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')
9. I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
10. Just Because
11. Good Rockin' Tonight
12. Milk Cow Blues Boogie
13. You're A Heartbreaker
14. Baby, Let's Play House
15. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
16. Mystery Train
17. I Forgot To Remember To Forget
18. Trying To Get To You
19. When It Rains, It Really Pours
20. I Got A Woman
21. Heartbreak Hotel
22. Money Honey
23. I'm Counting On You
24. I Was The One
25. Blue Suede Shoes
26. My Baby Left Me
27. One-Sided Love Affair
28. So Glad You're Mine
29. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry
30. Tutti Frutti
Disk: 2
1. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
2. Shake, Rattle And Roll/Flip, Flop And Fly
3. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
4. Hound Dog
5. Don't Be Cruel
6. Any Way You Want Me (That's How I Will Be)
7. We're Gonna Move
8. Love Me Tender
9. Poor Boy
10. Let Me
11. Playing For Keeps
12. Love Me
13. Paralyzed
14. How Do You Think I Feel
15. How's The World Treating You
16. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
17. Long Tall Sally
18. Old Shep
19. Too Much
20. Anyplace Is Paradise
21. Ready Teddy
22. First In Line
23. Rip It Up
24. I Believe
25. Tell Me Why
26. Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do!
27. All Shook Up
28. Mean Woman Blues
29. There 'll be Peace In The Valley For Me
Disk: 3
1. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
2. Take My Hand, Precious Lord
3. It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)
4. Blueberry Hill
5. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
6. Is It So Strange
7. Party
8. Lonesome Cowboy
9. Hot Dog
10. One Night Of Sin
11. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
12. Don't Leave Me Now
13. I Beg Of You
14. One Night
15. True Love
16. I Need You So
17. Loving You
18. When It Rains, It Really Pours
19. Jailhouse Rock
20. Young And Beautiful
21. I Want To Be Free
22. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care
23. Don't Leave Me Now
24. Blue Christmas
25. White Christmas
26. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Lane)
27. Silent Night
28. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
29. Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
30. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
31. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Disk: 4
1. Treat Me Nice
2. My Wish Came True
3. Don't
4. Danny
5. Hard Headed Woman
6. Trouble
7. New Orleans
8. Crawfish
9. Dixieland Rock
10. Lover Doll
11. Don't Ask Me Why
12. As Long As I Have You
13. King Creole
14. Young Dreams
15. Steadfast, Loyal And True
16. Doncha' Think It's Time
17. Your Cheatin' Heart
18. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
19. I Need Your Love Tonight
20. A Big Hunk O' Love
21. Ain't That Loving You Baby
22. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I
23. I Got Stung
24. Interview With Elvis
Disk: 5
1. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
2. Fool, Fool, Fool
3. Tweedle Dee
4. Maybellene
5. Shake, Rattle And Roll
6. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
7. Blue Moon
8. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
9. Reconsider Baby
10. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
11. Shake, Rattle And Roll
12. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
13. Introduction And Heartbreak Hotel
14. Talking And Long Tall Sally
15. Talking And Blue Suede Shoes
16. Talking And Money Honey
17. We're Gonna Move
18. Old Shep
19. I Beg Of You
20. Loving You (Slow)
21. Loving You (Fast)
22. Young And Beautiful
23. I Want To Be Free
24. King Creole
25. As Long As I Have You
26. Ain't That Loving You Baby
big thanks to my best friend huddel for repacking and (of course) sharing this :punk:
enjoy & share :)
...more will follow
Prior to the 1992 release of the five-disc box set The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters, RCA's approach to reissuing Elvis Presley on CD -- or on LP, for that matter -- was rather scatter-shot, seeming to follow the dictates of the market more than the demands of history. There were some excellent releases of archival material and in 1987, on the tenth anniversary of the King's death, there was a stellar series of compilations, but most of what was released was a constant stream of recycled hits, which this box most certainly is not. This set is sharply and expertly assembled, presenting Elvis' peak as a creative and cultural force in staggering detail. Despite the subtitle of this box, this does not contain everything Presley recorded in the '50s; there are alternate takes not present on this set, including second takes for Sun that were included on the subsequent collection Sunrise, and after this release, more acetates recorded around the same time as his privately recorded "My Happiness" (unveiled here for the first time) were found and released. That said, those alternate takes are the province of collectors, particularly since the best of those are chronicled on the fifth and final disc of this set. That means, anything a real serious fan or listener needs is on this exhaustive set, since it chronicles the rise of the greatest figure of American music in the 20th century.
The first disc is largely devoted to the released Sun singles, both the As and Bs, and this remains the rawest, liveliest, nerviest music Presley ever cut, retaining its power over the years; decades later, it still sounds alive and unpredictable -- it still is possible to hear rock & roll being created in its very grooves and it's just as thrilling to hear the kinetic energy of this lean combo create an entirely new music; anybody who doubts Elvis as an innovator need only hear this to be proven wrong. Toward the end of the first disc, Elvis leaves Sun for RCA, and the production is a little cleaner and the material a little more streamlined, but that's just a relative judgment. This is still the birth of rock & roll, and when "I Got a Woman" and "Heartbreak Hotel" inaugurate the RCA years, that wild energy is still palpable, even now. As this set illustrates, partially through its sheer scope, that energy could be dissipated by an inclination to move toward the pop mainstream, which could result in beautiful, heartbreaking ballads, but also the safe pop crooning that debilitated his career in the '60s. Fortunately, at no time in the '50s did he sink into the murk that enveloped him for a period in the '60s. He may have recorded forgettable ballads and trifle (including, ironically, one of his few compositions, the corny "We're Gonna Move"), sometimes succumbing to either his trite side or the demands of the marketplace, but the remarkable thing about this box is how consistently compelling, even thrilling, this music is. The overly familiar hits, and they're all here, are given new life in this context, which has the feeling of history unraveling in front of your ears. That's what makes this box set transcendent -- the music and annotation alone would make it necessary for libraries, but this is better because it is thoroughly listenable, while presenting history in a compelling narrative context. Yes, some of these tunes sound like light pop tied to their time, but they make for very few cuts on this 140-track box. Most of this is dynamic, thrilling music that presents Elvis at his very best. Historically, this is surely essential, but what makes the box so great is that it's so entertaining, providing ample proof that Elvis' music is indeed every bit as influential and timeless as the history books state.
Track List:
Disk: 1
1. My Happiness
2. That's All Right
3. I Love You Because
4. Harbor Lights
5. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
6. Blue Moon
7. Tomorrow Night
8. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')
9. I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
10. Just Because
11. Good Rockin' Tonight
12. Milk Cow Blues Boogie
13. You're A Heartbreaker
14. Baby, Let's Play House
15. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
16. Mystery Train
17. I Forgot To Remember To Forget
18. Trying To Get To You
19. When It Rains, It Really Pours
20. I Got A Woman
21. Heartbreak Hotel
22. Money Honey
23. I'm Counting On You
24. I Was The One
25. Blue Suede Shoes
26. My Baby Left Me
27. One-Sided Love Affair
28. So Glad You're Mine
29. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry
30. Tutti Frutti
Disk: 2
1. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
2. Shake, Rattle And Roll/Flip, Flop And Fly
3. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
4. Hound Dog
5. Don't Be Cruel
6. Any Way You Want Me (That's How I Will Be)
7. We're Gonna Move
8. Love Me Tender
9. Poor Boy
10. Let Me
11. Playing For Keeps
12. Love Me
13. Paralyzed
14. How Do You Think I Feel
15. How's The World Treating You
16. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
17. Long Tall Sally
18. Old Shep
19. Too Much
20. Anyplace Is Paradise
21. Ready Teddy
22. First In Line
23. Rip It Up
24. I Believe
25. Tell Me Why
26. Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do!
27. All Shook Up
28. Mean Woman Blues
29. There 'll be Peace In The Valley For Me
Disk: 3
1. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
2. Take My Hand, Precious Lord
3. It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)
4. Blueberry Hill
5. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
6. Is It So Strange
7. Party
8. Lonesome Cowboy
9. Hot Dog
10. One Night Of Sin
11. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
12. Don't Leave Me Now
13. I Beg Of You
14. One Night
15. True Love
16. I Need You So
17. Loving You
18. When It Rains, It Really Pours
19. Jailhouse Rock
20. Young And Beautiful
21. I Want To Be Free
22. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care
23. Don't Leave Me Now
24. Blue Christmas
25. White Christmas
26. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Lane)
27. Silent Night
28. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
29. Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
30. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
31. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Disk: 4
1. Treat Me Nice
2. My Wish Came True
3. Don't
4. Danny
5. Hard Headed Woman
6. Trouble
7. New Orleans
8. Crawfish
9. Dixieland Rock
10. Lover Doll
11. Don't Ask Me Why
12. As Long As I Have You
13. King Creole
14. Young Dreams
15. Steadfast, Loyal And True
16. Doncha' Think It's Time
17. Your Cheatin' Heart
18. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
19. I Need Your Love Tonight
20. A Big Hunk O' Love
21. Ain't That Loving You Baby
22. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I
23. I Got Stung
24. Interview With Elvis
Disk: 5
1. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
2. Fool, Fool, Fool
3. Tweedle Dee
4. Maybellene
5. Shake, Rattle And Roll
6. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
7. Blue Moon
8. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
9. Reconsider Baby
10. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
11. Shake, Rattle And Roll
12. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
13. Introduction And Heartbreak Hotel
14. Talking And Long Tall Sally
15. Talking And Blue Suede Shoes
16. Talking And Money Honey
17. We're Gonna Move
18. Old Shep
19. I Beg Of You
20. Loving You (Slow)
21. Loving You (Fast)
22. Young And Beautiful
23. I Want To Be Free
24. King Creole
25. As Long As I Have You
26. Ain't That Loving You Baby
big thanks to my best friend huddel for repacking and (of course) sharing this :punk:
enjoy & share :)
...more will follow