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Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Since The King of Rock 'n' Roll was the complete '50s masters, it was easy to assume that its five-disc '60s sequel, From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters, rounded up all the masters from that decade, which is simply not the case. The producers deliberately avoided the soundtracks to Elvis' movies, which perhaps makes sense, given that they are roundly and rightly disparaged as Presley's low point, which then opened the doors to presenting just what they judged as the best non-soundtrack recordings he made during the '60s. They also disregarded the gospel recordings, saving them for the double-disc 1994 collection Amazing Grace: His Greatest Gospel Songs, leaving this as an overview of the best of his pop and rock material of the '60s, all recorded after he got back from the army. Instead of being a detriment, this is a brilliant move, distilling his erratic, wide-ranging '60s recordings to their very best, providing a relatively comprehensive overview of the greatest material Elvis recorded during his most inconsistent decade. Its biggest flaw is that in its zeal to overlook the soundtracks, the box skips over even the hits from the films, so this does not have "Can't Help Falling in Love," "GI Blues," "Follow That Dream," "Viva Las Vegas," "Little Less Conversation," and "Return to Sender," as well as other, lesser hits. They are missed, particularly because there is a surfeit of pop-oriented material from the early '60s. That's one area where this box excels: It proves that Presley did turn toward pop in the early '60s. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he did not abandon rock & roll, and there are many tough performances from the early years of the decade that stand their own with the '50s RCA sides, but by the middle of the box -- which roughly corresponds with the middle of the decade -- it becomes clear that Elvis needed to change his approach, and he did with stunning power.
That's where the scope of the box comes into play: By disc three, there's been plenty of good, sometimes great, music, but when Elvis gets his swagger back just before the songs that formed From Elvis in Memphis, the growing energy is kinetic, and the fourth disc, along with half of the fifth, are intoxicating in how Presley rediscovers his power and starts to not only sing songs worthy of his talents, but have productions and performances that match. This is the greatest music on this set -- "Long Black Limousine," "Rubberneckin'," "Wearin' That Loved on Look," "In the Ghetto," "Suspicious Minds," "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road," and "Kentucky Rain" are among the best of this batch -- towering over the rest of the music here and holding its own with the Sun material. This is presented in more thorough form elsewhere, but the long view and scope of this set really make his comeback dramatic on From Nashville to Memphis. That narrative makes the set essential, as does the judicious selection of his early- and mid-'60s highlights. It's done well -- well enough to almost excuse the very, very big hits that are missing, even if it doesn't completely account for their absence. That is a pretty big flaw, but even so, From Nashville to Memphis is necessary for any serious pop library, which speaks volumes for the quality of the music within the box.
--
Review by William Ruhlmann
Command Performances, a two-disc, 62-track compilation, completes the survey of Elvis Presley's 1960s recordings begun with From Nashville to Memphis. That box set chronicled Presley's secular non-movie studio recordings of the decade; Command Performances distills his extensive soundtrack work. Since Presley's string of musical comedy films of the '60s and their accompanying soundtrack songs are not among his most critically acclaimed efforts, the album has the challenge of providing a revisionist view, which it does in two ways. First, Susan M. Doll's liner notes attack the criticisms head on. You say the material is slight? You fail to realize the songs are written for the "integrated musical" nature of the films, to advance the plots and explain character. You say the movies themselves are slight? But they must be seen in the context of the other star vehicles of the time, the "beach- and ski-party movies" of Frankie Avalon and others. You complain that Presley's choice of material was restricted to songs from a publishing firm in which he had a financial interest? OK, but what about the top-flight songwriters, like Otis Blackwell and Leiber & Stoller, whose songs were used? It's a brave but largely failed effort to resurrect the reputation of some minor efforts by a major figure. But the second and more successful way the set resurrects the movie music is found in the music itself. Producers Ernst Mikael Jorgensen and Roger Semon have made an intelligent selection of the material. There are hits, including the Top Tens "Can't Help Falling in Love," "Return to Sender," and "Bossa Nova Baby," as well as 15 more Top 40 singles. And there is probably no collection better at displaying Presley's versatility. He can rock out on songs like "G.I. Blues," wax sincere on ballads like "Can't Help Falling in Love," and display his abilities at pop, doo wop, country, and R&B, not to mention Hawaiian and Spanish music. In a sense, the very mediocrity of much of even the best material here is another reflection of Presley's talent: who else could do so much with so little?
From Nashville to Memphis
Disk: 1
1. Make Me Know It
2. Soldier Boy
3. Stuck On You
4. Fame And Fortune
5. A Mess Of Blues
6. It Feels So Right
7. Fever
8. Like A Baby
9. It's Now Or Never
10. The Girl Of My Best Friend
11. Dirty, Dirty Feeling
12. Thrill Of Your Love
13. I Gotta Know
14. Such A Night
15. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
16. Girl Next Door Went A'Walking
17. I Will Be Home Again
18. Reconsider Baby
19. Surrender
20. I'm Comin' Home
21. Gently
22. In Your Arms
23. Give Me The Right
24. I Feel So Bad
25. It's A Sin
26. I Want You With Me
27. There's Always Me
Disk: 2
1. Starting Today
2. Sentimental Me
3. Judy
4. Put The Blame On Me
5. Kiss Me Quick
6. That's Someone You Never Forget
7. I'm Yours
8. (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame
9. Little Sister
10. For The Millionth And The Last Time
11. Good Luck Charm
12. Anything That's Part Of You
13. I Met Her Today
14. Night Rider
15. Something Blue
16. Gonna Get Back Home Somehow
17. (Such An) Easy Question
18. Fountain Of Love
19. Just For Old Time Sake
20. You'll Be Gone
21. I Feel That I've Known You Forever
22. Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello
23. Suspicion
24. She's Not You
25. Echoes Of Love
26. Please Don't Drag That String Around
27. (You're The) Devil In Disguise
28. Never Ending
29. What Now, What Next, Where To
30. Witchcraft
31. Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers
32. Love Me Tonight
Disk: 3
1. (It's A) Long Lonely Highway
2. Western Union
3. Slowley But Surely
4. Blue River
5. Memphis Tennessee
6. Ask Me
7. It Hurts Me
8. Down In The Alley
9. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
10. Love Letters
11. Beyond The Reef
12. Come What May (Alternate Take 7)
13. Fools Fall In Love
14. Indescribably Blue
15. I'll Remember You (Original Unedited Master)
16. If Every Day Was Christmas
17. Suppose (Master)
18. Guitar Man/What I'd Say (Original Unedited Master)
19. Big Boss Man
20. Mine
21. Just Call Me Lonesome
22. Hi-Heel Sneakers (Original Unedited Master)
23. You Don't Know Me
24. Singing Tree
25. Too Much Monkey Business
26. U.S. Male
Disk: 4
1. Long Black Limousine
2. This Is The Story
3. Wearin' That Loved On Look
4. You'll Think Of Me
5. A Little Bit Of Green
6. Gentle On My Mind
7. I'm Movin' On
8. Don't Cry Daddy
9. Inherit The Wind
10. Mama Liked The Roses
11. My Little Friend
12. In The Ghetto
13. Rubberneckin'
14. From A Jack To A King
15. Hey Jude
16. Without Love (There Is Nothing)
17. I'll Hold You In My Heart
18. I'll Be There
19. Suspicious Minds
20. True Love Travels On A Gravel Road
21. Stranger In My Own Home Town
22. And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind
23. Power Of My Love
Disk: 5
1. After Loving You
2. Do You Know Who I Am
3. Kentucky Rain
4. Only The Strong Survive
5. It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'
6. Any Day Now
7. If I'm A Fool (For Loving You)
8. The Fair Is Moving On
9. Who Am I?
10. This Time/I Can't Stop Loving You (Informal Recording)
11. In The Ghetto (Alternate Take 4)
12. Suspicious Minds (Alternate Take 6)
13. Kentucky Rain (Alternate Take 9)
14. Big Boss Man (Alternate Take 2)
15. Down In The Alley (Alternate Take 1)
16. Memphis Tennessee (Alternate Take 1 From The "1963 Session")
17. I'm Yours (Alternate Take 1 Undubbed Version)
18. His Latest Flame (Alternate Take 4)
19. That's Someone You Never Forget (Alternate Take 1)
20. Surrender (Alternate Take 1)
21. It's Now Or Never (Original Undubbed Master)
22. Love Me Tender/Witchcraft (From "The Frank Sinatra Timex Special" Recorded March 26., 1960 At Hotel Fontainebleau, Miami
Command Performances
Disk: 1
1. G.I. Blues
2. Wooden Heart
3. Shoppin' Around
4. Doin' The Best I Can
5. Flaming Star
6. Wild In The Country
7. Lonely Man
8. Blue Hawaii
9. Rock-A-Hula Baby
10. Can't Help Falling In Love
11. Beach Boy Blues
12. Hawaiian Wedding Song
13. Follow That Dream
14. Angel
15. King Of The Whole Wide World
16. I Got Lucky
17. Girls! Girls! Girls!
18. Because Of Love
19. Return To Sender
20. One Broken Heart For Sale
21. I'm Falling In Love Tonight
22. They Remind Me Too Much Of You
23. Fun In Acapulco
24. Bossa Nova Baby
25. Marguerita
26. Mexico
27. Kissin' Cousins
28. One Boy Two Little Girls
29. Once Is Enough
30. Viva Las Vegas
31. What'd I Say
Disk: 2
1. Roustabout
2. Poison Ivy League
3. Little Egypt
4. There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon
5. Girl Happy
6. Puppet On A String
7. Do The Clam
8. Harem Holiday
9. So Close, Yet So Far
10. Frankie And Johnny
11. Please Don't Stop Loving Me
12. Paradise, Hawaiian Style
13. This Is My Heaven
14. Spinout
15. All That I Am
16. I'll Be Back
17. Easy Come, Easy Go
18. Double Trouble
19. Long Legged Girl (With The Short Dress On)
20. Clambake
21. You Don't Know Me
22. Stay Away, Joe
23. Speedway
24. Your Time Hasn't Come Yet, Baby
25. Let Yourself Go
26. Almost In Love
27. A Little Less Conversation
28. Edge Of Reality
29. Charro!
30. Clean Up Your Own Back Yard
31. Change Of Habit
this is another co-operation with huddel :punk:
enjoy & share ;)
Since The King of Rock 'n' Roll was the complete '50s masters, it was easy to assume that its five-disc '60s sequel, From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters, rounded up all the masters from that decade, which is simply not the case. The producers deliberately avoided the soundtracks to Elvis' movies, which perhaps makes sense, given that they are roundly and rightly disparaged as Presley's low point, which then opened the doors to presenting just what they judged as the best non-soundtrack recordings he made during the '60s. They also disregarded the gospel recordings, saving them for the double-disc 1994 collection Amazing Grace: His Greatest Gospel Songs, leaving this as an overview of the best of his pop and rock material of the '60s, all recorded after he got back from the army. Instead of being a detriment, this is a brilliant move, distilling his erratic, wide-ranging '60s recordings to their very best, providing a relatively comprehensive overview of the greatest material Elvis recorded during his most inconsistent decade. Its biggest flaw is that in its zeal to overlook the soundtracks, the box skips over even the hits from the films, so this does not have "Can't Help Falling in Love," "GI Blues," "Follow That Dream," "Viva Las Vegas," "Little Less Conversation," and "Return to Sender," as well as other, lesser hits. They are missed, particularly because there is a surfeit of pop-oriented material from the early '60s. That's one area where this box excels: It proves that Presley did turn toward pop in the early '60s. Contrary to conventional wisdom, he did not abandon rock & roll, and there are many tough performances from the early years of the decade that stand their own with the '50s RCA sides, but by the middle of the box -- which roughly corresponds with the middle of the decade -- it becomes clear that Elvis needed to change his approach, and he did with stunning power.
That's where the scope of the box comes into play: By disc three, there's been plenty of good, sometimes great, music, but when Elvis gets his swagger back just before the songs that formed From Elvis in Memphis, the growing energy is kinetic, and the fourth disc, along with half of the fifth, are intoxicating in how Presley rediscovers his power and starts to not only sing songs worthy of his talents, but have productions and performances that match. This is the greatest music on this set -- "Long Black Limousine," "Rubberneckin'," "Wearin' That Loved on Look," "In the Ghetto," "Suspicious Minds," "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road," and "Kentucky Rain" are among the best of this batch -- towering over the rest of the music here and holding its own with the Sun material. This is presented in more thorough form elsewhere, but the long view and scope of this set really make his comeback dramatic on From Nashville to Memphis. That narrative makes the set essential, as does the judicious selection of his early- and mid-'60s highlights. It's done well -- well enough to almost excuse the very, very big hits that are missing, even if it doesn't completely account for their absence. That is a pretty big flaw, but even so, From Nashville to Memphis is necessary for any serious pop library, which speaks volumes for the quality of the music within the box.
--
Review by William Ruhlmann
Command Performances, a two-disc, 62-track compilation, completes the survey of Elvis Presley's 1960s recordings begun with From Nashville to Memphis. That box set chronicled Presley's secular non-movie studio recordings of the decade; Command Performances distills his extensive soundtrack work. Since Presley's string of musical comedy films of the '60s and their accompanying soundtrack songs are not among his most critically acclaimed efforts, the album has the challenge of providing a revisionist view, which it does in two ways. First, Susan M. Doll's liner notes attack the criticisms head on. You say the material is slight? You fail to realize the songs are written for the "integrated musical" nature of the films, to advance the plots and explain character. You say the movies themselves are slight? But they must be seen in the context of the other star vehicles of the time, the "beach- and ski-party movies" of Frankie Avalon and others. You complain that Presley's choice of material was restricted to songs from a publishing firm in which he had a financial interest? OK, but what about the top-flight songwriters, like Otis Blackwell and Leiber & Stoller, whose songs were used? It's a brave but largely failed effort to resurrect the reputation of some minor efforts by a major figure. But the second and more successful way the set resurrects the movie music is found in the music itself. Producers Ernst Mikael Jorgensen and Roger Semon have made an intelligent selection of the material. There are hits, including the Top Tens "Can't Help Falling in Love," "Return to Sender," and "Bossa Nova Baby," as well as 15 more Top 40 singles. And there is probably no collection better at displaying Presley's versatility. He can rock out on songs like "G.I. Blues," wax sincere on ballads like "Can't Help Falling in Love," and display his abilities at pop, doo wop, country, and R&B, not to mention Hawaiian and Spanish music. In a sense, the very mediocrity of much of even the best material here is another reflection of Presley's talent: who else could do so much with so little?
From Nashville to Memphis
Disk: 1
1. Make Me Know It
2. Soldier Boy
3. Stuck On You
4. Fame And Fortune
5. A Mess Of Blues
6. It Feels So Right
7. Fever
8. Like A Baby
9. It's Now Or Never
10. The Girl Of My Best Friend
11. Dirty, Dirty Feeling
12. Thrill Of Your Love
13. I Gotta Know
14. Such A Night
15. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
16. Girl Next Door Went A'Walking
17. I Will Be Home Again
18. Reconsider Baby
19. Surrender
20. I'm Comin' Home
21. Gently
22. In Your Arms
23. Give Me The Right
24. I Feel So Bad
25. It's A Sin
26. I Want You With Me
27. There's Always Me
Disk: 2
1. Starting Today
2. Sentimental Me
3. Judy
4. Put The Blame On Me
5. Kiss Me Quick
6. That's Someone You Never Forget
7. I'm Yours
8. (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame
9. Little Sister
10. For The Millionth And The Last Time
11. Good Luck Charm
12. Anything That's Part Of You
13. I Met Her Today
14. Night Rider
15. Something Blue
16. Gonna Get Back Home Somehow
17. (Such An) Easy Question
18. Fountain Of Love
19. Just For Old Time Sake
20. You'll Be Gone
21. I Feel That I've Known You Forever
22. Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello
23. Suspicion
24. She's Not You
25. Echoes Of Love
26. Please Don't Drag That String Around
27. (You're The) Devil In Disguise
28. Never Ending
29. What Now, What Next, Where To
30. Witchcraft
31. Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers
32. Love Me Tonight
Disk: 3
1. (It's A) Long Lonely Highway
2. Western Union
3. Slowley But Surely
4. Blue River
5. Memphis Tennessee
6. Ask Me
7. It Hurts Me
8. Down In The Alley
9. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
10. Love Letters
11. Beyond The Reef
12. Come What May (Alternate Take 7)
13. Fools Fall In Love
14. Indescribably Blue
15. I'll Remember You (Original Unedited Master)
16. If Every Day Was Christmas
17. Suppose (Master)
18. Guitar Man/What I'd Say (Original Unedited Master)
19. Big Boss Man
20. Mine
21. Just Call Me Lonesome
22. Hi-Heel Sneakers (Original Unedited Master)
23. You Don't Know Me
24. Singing Tree
25. Too Much Monkey Business
26. U.S. Male
Disk: 4
1. Long Black Limousine
2. This Is The Story
3. Wearin' That Loved On Look
4. You'll Think Of Me
5. A Little Bit Of Green
6. Gentle On My Mind
7. I'm Movin' On
8. Don't Cry Daddy
9. Inherit The Wind
10. Mama Liked The Roses
11. My Little Friend
12. In The Ghetto
13. Rubberneckin'
14. From A Jack To A King
15. Hey Jude
16. Without Love (There Is Nothing)
17. I'll Hold You In My Heart
18. I'll Be There
19. Suspicious Minds
20. True Love Travels On A Gravel Road
21. Stranger In My Own Home Town
22. And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind
23. Power Of My Love
Disk: 5
1. After Loving You
2. Do You Know Who I Am
3. Kentucky Rain
4. Only The Strong Survive
5. It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'
6. Any Day Now
7. If I'm A Fool (For Loving You)
8. The Fair Is Moving On
9. Who Am I?
10. This Time/I Can't Stop Loving You (Informal Recording)
11. In The Ghetto (Alternate Take 4)
12. Suspicious Minds (Alternate Take 6)
13. Kentucky Rain (Alternate Take 9)
14. Big Boss Man (Alternate Take 2)
15. Down In The Alley (Alternate Take 1)
16. Memphis Tennessee (Alternate Take 1 From The "1963 Session")
17. I'm Yours (Alternate Take 1 Undubbed Version)
18. His Latest Flame (Alternate Take 4)
19. That's Someone You Never Forget (Alternate Take 1)
20. Surrender (Alternate Take 1)
21. It's Now Or Never (Original Undubbed Master)
22. Love Me Tender/Witchcraft (From "The Frank Sinatra Timex Special" Recorded March 26., 1960 At Hotel Fontainebleau, Miami
Command Performances
Disk: 1
1. G.I. Blues
2. Wooden Heart
3. Shoppin' Around
4. Doin' The Best I Can
5. Flaming Star
6. Wild In The Country
7. Lonely Man
8. Blue Hawaii
9. Rock-A-Hula Baby
10. Can't Help Falling In Love
11. Beach Boy Blues
12. Hawaiian Wedding Song
13. Follow That Dream
14. Angel
15. King Of The Whole Wide World
16. I Got Lucky
17. Girls! Girls! Girls!
18. Because Of Love
19. Return To Sender
20. One Broken Heart For Sale
21. I'm Falling In Love Tonight
22. They Remind Me Too Much Of You
23. Fun In Acapulco
24. Bossa Nova Baby
25. Marguerita
26. Mexico
27. Kissin' Cousins
28. One Boy Two Little Girls
29. Once Is Enough
30. Viva Las Vegas
31. What'd I Say
Disk: 2
1. Roustabout
2. Poison Ivy League
3. Little Egypt
4. There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon
5. Girl Happy
6. Puppet On A String
7. Do The Clam
8. Harem Holiday
9. So Close, Yet So Far
10. Frankie And Johnny
11. Please Don't Stop Loving Me
12. Paradise, Hawaiian Style
13. This Is My Heaven
14. Spinout
15. All That I Am
16. I'll Be Back
17. Easy Come, Easy Go
18. Double Trouble
19. Long Legged Girl (With The Short Dress On)
20. Clambake
21. You Don't Know Me
22. Stay Away, Joe
23. Speedway
24. Your Time Hasn't Come Yet, Baby
25. Let Yourself Go
26. Almost In Love
27. A Little Less Conversation
28. Edge Of Reality
29. Charro!
30. Clean Up Your Own Back Yard
31. Change Of Habit
this is another co-operation with huddel :punk:
enjoy & share ;)