Elvis Compilations-Good or Bad?

[dennyelvis]

This is not a criticism of Elvis in fact its because he covered so many genres that I raise this point. Nearly all comps u listen to just don't flow simply because they use tracks that jump from the 50s to 60s/70s etc and in most cases with very little thought behind it, have u ever bought a comp that u thought delivered, or do u stay away Joe?

[TINML]

What's the criteria? A single CD? Artist of the Century?

[TINML]

I guess it depends on the compilation. Going down a list of the most recent official compilations (last ~5-6 years) nothing strikes me as particularly odd. In most cases they tend to be chronologically sequenced, which makes sense. Do you have examples of comps that seem to bother you?

Going further back there's a handful from the late 90s-early 00s that jump around and ironically those are the ones I tend to like better because they aren't beholden to the typical 50s-then 60s-then 70s ordering that makes compilation tracklists otherwise predictable. And in any case, to me they seem better thought out as far as moment-to-moment pacing & content is concerned than the hodge-podges released within his life time like the Camdens (and I say that with affection for the Camdens). Although I do question who thought Old Shep ever should have been on 50 Greatest Love Songs.

Yeah but other than that it had a strong tracklist and the cover is gorgeous (this is coming from a straight guy).

[poormadpeter2]

At the current moment in time no less than one hundred different compilations from RCA/BMG/Sony can be ordered via Amazon Prime - thus giving the assumption that they are still in print or leftover stock being sold off. 100 compilations in 20 years or so is a ridiculous amount, and it is no wonder that new fans are put off. If we look at recent ones from the last few years we have such examples as:

Elvis Presley: 80th Anniversary 2CD - which is a kind of best of but includes album tracks, mostly in chronological order
The Real Elvis Presley (the 60s) - a weird mish-mash of 60s tracks that jumps all over the place
Elvis 80 - a 3CD that is one of the most bizarre compilations yet put out
Elvis Presley: the 60s - just 12 tracks.
Elvis Presley: the 70s - just 12 tracks.
Bossa Nova Baby: The Ultimate Party Album
Elvis Presley: the 50s 4Cd boxed set - but only 12 tracks on each disc!
Elvis Sings... - an album of Elvis singing covers, with some very strange track selections
Playlist: the Very Bes of Elvis Movie Songs - 14 tracks covering the Love Me Tender through to Trouble with Girls
The Nation's Favourite Elvis Songs
Elvis Uncovered - Cover songs
Elvis Uncovered 2 - cover songs

People moan about the grey market releases coming out - but Sony are hardly setting a great example!

[Domino]

Favorite single disc compilation from 1999.

619-fpNsKiL._SY355_.jpg

[dennyelvis]

What's the criteria? A single CD? Artist of the Century?

Mainly single disc, but AoftheC is one of my favourite comps ....

[dennyelvis]

Funnily enough I was playing Elvis 80 when I made this thread, man that's a crazy comp, and by Sony too seems strange ..... box sets really should be able to deliver a more coherent flow than a single disc, but not in this case.
Speaking of vinyl, I remember liking the Elvis Ballads release from the 80s

[Will]

Favorite single disc compilation from 1999.

619-fpNsKiL._SY355_.jpg

This is a brilliant CD and goes very nicely with For The Asking

[bajo]

I think E1 and E2 are great compilations. Artist Of The Century and Good Rockin' Tonight are also two very good compilations imo. Then there's the strange title Essential Elvis which I have come across in more than one variation regarding the songs in the album. A Swedish release titled The Swedish Hit Collection:
1. King Of The Whole Wide World 2:07
2. Suspicious Minds 4:29
3. Jailhouse Rock 2.27
4. Don't Be Cruel 2:02
5. I Need Your Love Tonight 2:04
6. Kiss Me Quick 2:46
7. One Night 2:32
8. She's Not You 2:07
9. I Got Stung 1:49
10. Such A Night 2:59
11. I Feel So Bad 2:53
12. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 2:15
13. Good Rockin' Tonight 2:12
14. A Fool Such As I 2:36
15. I Just Can't Help Believin' 4:35
16. Little Sister 2:30
17. A Big Hunk O' Love 2:12
18. Are You Lonesome Tonight? 3:06
19. It's Now Or Never 3:14
20. Good Luck Charm 2:23
21. Devil In Disguise 2:18
22. Suspicion 2:34
23. Ain't That Loving You Baby 2:22
24. Rock A Hula Baby 1:59
25. Hound Dog 2:15
26. Teddy Bear 1:45
27. Treat Me Nice 2:10
28. Tutti Frutti 1:58
29. A Mess Of Blues 2:40
30. Follow That Dream 1:37

1. In The Ghetto 2:45
2. Burning Love 2:50
3. Blue Suede Shoes 1:58
4. Heartbreak Hotel 2:08
5. His Latest Flame 2:06
6. King Creole 2:09
7. Hard Headed Woman 1:53
8. Crying In The Chapel 2:22
9. Stuck On You 2:17
10. Surrender 1:51
11. Viva Las Vegas 2:21
12. Love Letters 2:48
13. Witchcraft 2:21
14. Flaming Star 2:25
15. Bossa Nova Baby 2:02
16. Joshua Fit The Battle 2:37
17. No More 2:22
18. Wooden Heart 2:02
19. Return To Sender 2:05
20. Such An Easy Question 2:18
21. Don't 2:48
22. Long Lonely Highway 2:18
23. One Broken Heart For Sale 1:34
24. Loving You 2:12
25. The Wonder Of You 2:37
26. Don't Cry Daddy 2:45
27. Are You Lonesome Tonight? 2:53
28. Moody Blue 2:49
29. An American Trilogy 4:26
30. Can't Help Falling In Love 2:29

Not bad at all!

[splanky]

I'm not a great fan of compilations of best songs or greatest hits , because we tend to get the same tracks over and over again .

Theme-based compilations I find much more interesting , and of course we have already had a lot of those as well .

But the compilation that sticks out for me is From The Heart - His Greatest Love Songs from 1992 . In spite of its age , it has
very good sound quality and I still enjoy listening to it .

[chop983]

Welcome to my World.

[Squire Smart]

I'm not a great fan of compilations of best songs or greatest hits , because we tend to get the same tracks over and over again .

Theme-based compilations I find much more interesting , and of course we have already had a lot of those as well .

But the compilation that sticks out for me is From The Heart - His Greatest Love Songs from 1992 . In spite of its age , it has
very good sound quality and I still enjoy listening to it .

Yeah, it is a beauty and is the first album that I heard of Elvis and what got me into him. Although I remeber as a teenager thinking that Unchained Melody was very over the top to point of reflecting all of the 1970s excess and gaudiness! Hahha!

It was the live cuts that really intrigued me. They sounded great but why were they live recordings, why didn't they include (what I thought existed) the studio versions? Ahh the innocence of an Elvis novice!

[King Volcano]

Best I ever bought: Tomorrow is a Long Time when I was a new fan: It significantly contributed to me becoming a HUGE fan.

Worst I ever bought: Essential Elvis 3.0 : 3 discs in a crappy digipack that made it impossible to remove the middle disc without ripping or cutting the card. The tiny tracklist on the "bonus" disc 3 leaves most of the available disc space wasted and empty. And what a stupid title - "3.0"! A shambles, 100% made for fleecing collectors basically.

[poormadpeter2]

Best I ever bought: Tomorrow is a Long Time when I was a new fan: It significantly contributed to me becoming a HUGE fan.

Worst I ever bought: Essential Elvis 3.0 : 3 discs in a crappy digipack that made it impossible to remove the middle disc without ripping or cutting the card. The tiny tracklist on the "bonus" disc 3 leaves most of the available disc space wasted and empty. And what a stupid title - "3.0"! A shambles, 100% made for fleecing collectors basically.

Tomorrow is a Long Time is a good example of how compilations can actually be helpful when are put together with a little bit of care and attention and with a purpose in mind - in this care to highlight an unfairly overlooked group of recordings made during the course of just a couple of years. Sadly, it's a rarity in that most other compilations are simply a case of throwing a handful of tracks together on CD for no apparent reason, add a nice picture, and call it "Elvis," "Elvis Presley," "Greatest Hits," "All Time Greatest Hits," "This is really the Greatest Hits album you Need," "This time we got a greatest hits album right," "Yet another Greatest Hits collection," "The Essential Greatest Hits," "Here are some of Elvis's Greatest Hits," and "Elvis's Greatest Hits."

[tarobe]

In my opinion, the first one was the best.
Elvis' Golden Records, released in March 1958, compiled all his big hits from 1956 and 1957. It accurately covered his career as the "King of Rock and Roll" before his induction into the Army.