The Essential Elvis track list

I wasn't aware there was a new Spector collection. Claus how many tracks are on the new Spector set? Is there more stuff than on the previous release?

It's a primer only. 22 tracks and the christmas album. Hopefully it's only the beginning of a complete catalog overhaul in the not too distant future.

I uploaded a few samples on another forum:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showp ... stcount=39

Claus: I don't think "Elvis-Christmas" or "Essential Elvis" signal a catalog restructuring. Rather, "Christmas" is just another repackaging of the two original Christmas albums. (Vintage wine in a new bottle). "Essential Elvis" is merely Sony/BMG adding Elvis to their Essential Artist series.

This set is out today. Anyone rushing to get it?

I do like to see how Elvis' music can be "boiled" down to its essence and in that way I welcome this song line-up, much as I did "Artist of the Century," if I could get over the aspect of it being the umpteenth repackaging of his music.

Anyone rushing out to get it? Not me. But I might get it eventually.

Anyone rushing out to get it? Not me. But I might get it eventually.

Not me. But may get in sometime in the futute. Pretty sure I already have all of those songs on various albums, but still nice to have them all on one set. Plus I really dig that cover.

After listening to a few of the tracks I'm sorry to report that from a mastering perspective "Essential Elvis" is another mixed bag. While most of the tracks on there seem to have been sourced from recent DSD masters and are the original mixes it appears they threw in a few remixed tracks for good measure, e.g. "If I can dream", "In the ghetto", "Kentucky Rain", "Don't Cry Daddy", "Always on my mind", "Moody Blue"---all sourced from the dreadful 30#1 Hits/2nd to None era---rather than using the DSD masters (as used on "Elvis by the Presleys", etc.).

Funnily enough, "The Wonder of you" is the version that first appeared on the U.S. version of "Hitstory", it is the undubbed master and not the single version (which can be found in all its DSD beauty on "Love, Elvis"). They got them mixed up again, can you believe that? It would have been nice if this collection had featured all the original mixes in DSD quality (as was achieved on the brilliant U.S. singles box set), obviously that was not bound to happen on this collection. The level of carelessness is simply stunning, another missed opportunity, very sad!

P.S.: I thought the horrible version of "In the ghetto" on 30#1 Hits would never see the day of light, but here it is!

Last edited by thenexte on Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:49 pm, edited 6 times in total.

From Elvisinfonet: "The Essential Elvis" CD track listing: Here is the track listing for the upcoming 2 CD BMG release "The Essential Elvis Presley" which is due for release on January 9, 2007. Track Listing:

Disc 1:
1. That's All Right/
2. Baby, Let's Play House/
3. Mystery Train/
4. Heartbreak Hotel/
5. I Was The One/
6. Blue Suede Shoes/
7. Hound Dog/
8. Don't Be Cruel/
9. Love Me Tender/
10. All Shook Up/
11. Peace In The Valley/
12. Jailhouse Rock/
13. Trouble
14. Fever/
15. It's Now Or Never/
16. Reconsider Baby/
17. Are You Lonesome Tonight?/
18. Little Sister/
19. Follow That Dream/
20. Can't Help Falling In Love

Disc 2:
21. Return To Sender/
22. Devil In Disguise/
23. Bossa Nova Baby/
24. Viva Las Vegas/
25. Big Boss Man/
26. A Little Less Conversation/
27. If I Can Dream/
28. Memories/
29. In The Ghetto/
30. Suspicious Minds/
31. Don't Cry Daddy/
32. Kentucky Rain/
33. Polk Salad Annie/
34. The Wonder Of You/
35. I Just Can't Help Believin'/
36. Burning Love/
37. Always On My Mind/
38. Steamroller Blues/
39. Hurt/
40. Moody Blue


Now, of course we all have these tracks a zillion times, but as a birthday present to my sister, who wonders what all the fuss is about, this seems to be absolutely suitable!

Nice to see a stronger representation of post-1964 tracks than often before on other compilations. Still only 8 tracks of 40 from the '70's, though.

Of course I will NOT buy this....!

Here are the ISRC codes for "The Essential Elvis Presley":

DISC 1:

TRACK 01
TITLE "That’s All Right (Mama)"
ISRC USA820400067

TRACK 02
TITLE "Baby, Let’s Play House"
ISRC USA820400079

TRACK 03
TITLE "Mystery Train"
ISRC USA820400081

TRACK 04
TITLE "Heartbreak Hotel"
ISRC USRC10200074

TRACK 05
TITLE "I Was The One"
ISRC USA820400219

TRACK 06
TITLE "Blue Suede Shoes"
ISRC USRC10301059

TRACK 07
TITLE "Hound Dog"
ISRC USRC10201414

TRACK 08
TITLE "Don’t Be Cruel"
ISRC USRC10200073

TRACK 09
TITLE "Love Me Tender"
ISRC USRC10201463

TRACK 10
TITLE "All Shook Up"
ISRC USRC10200070

TRACK 11
TITLE "Peace In The Valley"
ISRC USA820400064

TRACK 12
TITLE "Jailhouse Rock"
ISRC USRC10200071

TRACK 13
TITLE "Trouble"
ISRC USRC10301067

TRACK 14
TITLE "Fever"
ISRC USA820600152

TRACK 15
TITLE "It’s Now Or Never"
ISRC USRC10200339

TRACK 16
TITLE "Reconsider Baby"
ISRC USA820600089

TRACK 17
TITLE "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
ISRC USRC10200340

TRACK 18
TITLE "Little Sister"
ISRC USRC10301072

TRACK 19
TITLE "Follow That Dream"
ISRC USRC10201493

TRACK 20
TITLE "Can’t Help Falling In Love"
ISRC USRC10200080

DISC 2:

TRACK 01
TITLE "Return To Sender"
ISRC USRC10200077

TRACK 02
TITLE "Devil In Disguise"
ISRC USRC10200345

TRACK 03
TITLE "Bossa Nova Baby"
ISRC USRC10301074

TRACK 04
TITLE "Viva Las Vegas"
ISRC USRC10301075

TRACK 05
TITLE "Big Boss Man"
ISRC USA820600087

TRACK 06
TITLE "A Little Less Conversation"
ISRC USRC19900989

TRACK 07
TITLE "If I Can Dream"
ISRC USRC10301076

TRACK 08
TITLE "Memories"
ISRC USRC10301077

TRACK 09
TITLE "In The Ghetto"
ISRC USRC10200079

TRACK 10
TITLE "Suspicious Minds"
ISRC USRC10201481

TRACK 11
TITLE "Don’t Cry Daddy"
ISRC USRC10301078

TRACK 12
TITLE "Kentucky Rain"
ISRC USRC10301079

TRACK 13
TITLE "Polk Salad Annie"
ISRC USA820600078

TRACK 14
TITLE "The Wonder Of You"
ISRC USA820500125

TRACK 15
TITLE "I Just Can’t Help Believin’"
ISRC USRC10201479

TRACK 16
TITLE "Burning Love"
ISRC USRC10200076

TRACK 17
TITLE "Always On My Mind"
ISRC USRC10301082

TRACK 18
TITLE "Steamroller Blues"
ISRC USRC17301884

TRACK 19
TITLE "Hurt"
ISRC USA820600153

TRACK 20
TITLE "Moody Blue"
ISRC USRC10301084

Last edited by MysteryTrain on Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.

There is no such thing as a Elvis compilation. He recorded around 760 songs. Where do you start ?
How wonderful of BMG to give us another comp.
Okay, okay, I don't have to buy it and I won't. I'll save for FTDs.

Even Bruce Springsteen saw fit to cover it on that tribute years ago. I think it stands up even outside of movie songs.

Follow That Dream is a personal Elvis favorite of Springsteen. He used to sing that song in many live shows during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Even these artists, however, to my knowledge, already have their own "Best of" or "Greatest hits" sets, so they are not really necessary for them, either.

That's why Springsteen insisted on Sony issuing a three-disc set (w/o charging extra bucks), featuring unreleased songs and live versions (only for the first three months of release).

Anyone rushing out to get it? Not me. But I might get it eventually.

Update: I'll not be buying this, ever!! See thenexte post on this page.

I did, and while I've learned a lot about being an "audiophile" from thenexte and others here, I still don't buy the hysteria about the following:

all sourced from the dreadful 30#1 Hits/2nd to None era---rather than using the DSD masters (as used on "Elvis by the Presleys", etc.).

We well know the critiques of E1 in particular and somewhat for the follow-up but I dare say some of it sounds just fine to me. Yeah, probably too hot and too loud but other times I think some of the versions (the Memphis '69 tracks on E2) are worth hearing...It does get subjective ..and all of it is better than most of my old worn out vinyl...

"Viva Las Vegas" is a definitive track one of the very best he ever did. A great arrangement that mixes rock, swing and Latin sources and a dramatic background by the Jordanaires on a top of a towering lead by Elvis. Plus one of the very best lyrics he ever got to sing. "Viva Las Vegas with your neon lights a flashing/And your one armed bandits crashing/All those hopes down the drain/Viva Las Vegas turning day into night time/Turning night into day time/You'll never be the same again." Does that sum up Vegas or what? Like all great lyrics it sounds better in tune but VLV is anything but a compromise on an Elvis hits collection.

That and more LTB. An Elvis masterpiece and not too thought off because it was a soundtrack. Nevertheless great.

I did, and while I've learned a lot about being an "audiophile" from thenexte and others here, I still don't buy the hysteria about the following:

all sourced from the dreadful 30#1 Hits/2nd to None era---rather than using the DSD masters (as used on "Elvis by the Presleys", etc.).

We well know the critiques of E1 in particular and somewhat for the follow-up but I dare say some of it sounds just fine to me. Yeah, probably too hot and too loud but other times I think some of the versions (the Memphis '69 tracks on E2) are worth hearing...It does get subjective ..and all of it is better than most of my old worn out vinyl...

Don't get me wrong, E1/E2 has a valid place in anybody's collection, what I object to on "The Essential Elvis" is the fact that it features original mixes alongside remixed originals, which makes for a very uneven presentation if you ask me. The only new DSD remastered original mix on there seems to be "Hurt" and it's a huge improvement over the 70's box or the album reissue.

The only new DSD remastered original mix on there seems to be "Hurt" and it's a huge improvement over the 70's box or the album reissue.

I improved or restored that one. Sounds great. No funny business but straight subtle EQ and itsy bitsy compression on some frequencies. Elvis'voice stands out more and drums much clearer but the BASS is weak and nothing but a new mix can help there.

Last edited by Juan Luis on Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'd love to hear it.

Don't get me wrong, E1/E2 has a valid place in anybody's collection, what I object to on "The Essential Elvis" is the fact that it features original mixes [b]alongside remixed originals, which makes for a very uneven presentation if you ask me.[/b] The only new DSD remastered original mix on there seems to be "Hurt" and it's a huge improvement over the 70's box or the album reissue.

Thanks for the qualification!

I'd love to hear it.

Don't get me wrong, E1/E2 has a valid place in anybody's collection, what I object to on "The Essential Elvis" is the fact that it features original mixes [b]alongside remixed originals, which makes for a very uneven presentation if you ask me.[/b] The only new DSD remastered original mix on there seems to be "Hurt" and it's a huge improvement over the 70's box or the album reissue.

Thanks for the qualification!

... http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?a ... 9720A91724

Hey JLGB, You have any other mp3's u wanna trade or share

That file isn't working, anymore, JLGB. I must have missed it.

Feel free to re-post it or to PM it to me!

The only new DSD remastered original mix on there seems to be "Hurt" and it's a huge improvement over the 70's box or the album reissue.

I improved or restored that one. Sounds great. No funny business but straight subtle EQ and itsy bitsy compression on some frequencies. Elvis'voice stands out more and drums much clearer but the BASS is weak and nothing but a new mix can help there.

Does Hurt sound better than the track available on the Japanese E.P. Boulevard CD?

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?a ... 22613CA5AE good job here I think.

The only new DSD remastered original mix on there seems to be "Hurt" and it's a huge improvement over the 70's box or the album reissue.

I improved or restored that one. Sounds great. No funny business but straight subtle EQ and itsy bitsy compression on some frequencies. Elvis'voice stands out more and drums much clearer but the BASS is weak and nothing but a new mix can help there.

Does Hurt sound better than the track available on the Japanese E.P. Boulevard CD?

Yes, it does sound better on here compared to the 20-bit Japan reissue, the new DSD master is the best version we have had yet.

On the other hand do you want to buy this new set just for one new better sounding track? Probably not...