AUSTRALIA

ELVIS - THE CREAM OF THE CATALOGUE - MCA / RCA / BMG GILBEY 1

Contents: Don't Be Cruel; Ready Teddy; Love Me Tender; Too Much; All Shook Up; Teddy Bear; Loving You; Mean Woman Blues; Party; Jailhouse Rock; Treat Me Nice; Wear My Ring Around Your Neck; Hard Headed Woman; Trouble; Girl Of My Best Friend; Wooden Heart; Surrender; Flaming Star; Little Sister; His Latest Flame; Follow That Dream; Return To Sender; Suspicion; Ain't That Loving You Baby; Little Egypt.
Issued circa mid-1990's by BMG Australia to promote the Elvis catalogue in Australia.
Sound quality: Digitally remastered but not from the original master tapes.
Total running time: 55:00 minutes

This promo CD is almost impossible to obtain. It is packaged in a jewel case. The front cover insert is dark green and opens up three-fold to provide recording information on each track. The front of the cover has a black and green painting of a 50's Elvis including the TCB logo. The back cover is all green and list the 25 tracks included on this release. Also included is the "For Promotional Use Only - Not For Resale Or General Distribution" phrase. The inside of the cover states: "It is a compilation that represents some of the finest songs in the Elvis Presley Music / Gladys Music/ Leiber $ Stoller catalogues. This CD was not produced for commercial release but rather to demonstrate the on-going vitality and unrivaled popularity and appeal of these songs that are owned by the Elvis Presley Estate and were preferred by The King himself ". The CD itself is black with silver and green print. In addition, the TCB logo is also included on the disc.

Contents: Make The World Go Away; You Don't Know Me; This Is Our Dance; By And By; Put Your Hand In The Hand; Bosom Of Abraham.
Issued in 1997 by BMG Australia to promote the "More Romantics" (tracks: 1, 2, 3) and "Gospel Favourites" (tracks: 4, 5, 6) Australian CDs.
Sound quality: Digitally remastered but not from the original master tapes.
Total running time: 13:57 minutes

This 6 track CD is presented in a slim jewel case. The front cover shows three identical, but different size black and white pictures of Elvis from 1957 (same one as the cover of the bootleg CD - "When All Was Kool") on a yellow background. The titles of the 6 tracks are also listed on the front cover. In the lower right corner, there is the RCA logo. The inside of the insert again shows the three pictures and lists the titles of the tracks. In addition, the covers and catalog numbers of the two releases being promoted are listed. It also states: "Romantic Songs and Gospel Music were Elvis' favourite styles". RCA and BMG logos are also printed in the lower right corner. The overleaf of the insert states: "For Promotional Use Only. Not For Resale. PROCD21032." The CD itself is black with silver print. The title of the release is printed in the upper part of the CD. On the left side, the titles of the tracks are printed, and on the left side we have the BMG and RCA logos, the catalog number and the regular warning: "Promo Use Only. Not For Resale".

Contents: I'll Never Stand In Your Way; A Big Hunk O'Love (Take 4); It Feels So Right (Take 3); Oh How I Love Jesus; For The Heart (Take 1); Johnny B. Goode.
Issued in 1997 by BMG Australia to promote the Elvis Presley - Platinum - A Life In Music 4 CD box set release.
Sound quality: Digitally remastered from the original master tapes. Total running time: 14:14 minutes

This promo CD package is a monster. The CD comes in a cardboard sleeve which is attached to the cover of a 100 page magazine. The magazine is presented in full color and measures 8" by 11". The magazine is titled "Elvis The Legend Lives Forever" and contains 21 articles on various Elvis topics. The front of the CD sleeve contains a close-up picture of the "Platinum - A Life In Music" box set cover. The word "Sampler" is printed on the of the cover. The rear cover lists the 6 tracks included on the CD and summarizes the contents of the box set itself. The BMG and RCA logos are also printed in the lower left corner. The CD itself is all white with silver lettering. The phrase: "SAMPLER - Promo Only-Not For Sale" is printed on the left side of the disc. The right side of the disc contains a black picture of Elvis with his guitar dancing on the RCA logo. It looks just gorgeous. The unusual thing about this release is that it was available to the Australian public for a very limited time. It has been said that the magazine sold out within a day. The magazine has a printed price of $9.95 and the CD came as a free gift when the magazine was purchased. However, this price has multiplied several times on the collectors' markets.

Contents: Can't Help Falling In Love (movie version); Shoppin' Around; Doin; The Best I Can; Rock-A-Hula-Baby; Trouble; King Creole; Jailhouse Rock; Loving You; Teddy Bear; Love Me Tender (stereo).
Issued in 1997 by BMG Australia to promote the reissues of 'Blue Hawaii', 'G.I. Blues', 'Loving You', 'King Creole' and 'Jailhouse Rock' soundtrack releases.
Sound quality: Digitally remastered from the original master tapes.
Total running time: 23:15 minutes

At first glance, it appears that this release is identical to its European cousin. However, it is not. First of all, this Australian release is presented in a slim jewel case. The front cover, just like the European release, features a black and white photo of Elvis on the set of "Loving You" with the title of the CD in white and blue print. However, the front cover is a little bit darker, and the picture appears to be out of focus. In addition, the word "Sampler" has been deleted from the front cover. Since this CD is presented in a slim jewel case, there is no back cover and the disc is visible through the jewel case. The inside of the cover insert lists the 10 tracks included on the release and shows the color covers of the 5 reissued soundtracks. The entire layout has a look of a mosaic puzzle. It is very colorful and totally different than the European release. In the bottom left corner it states: "Promo Only - Not For Sale". The CD itself is a picture disc featuring the cover photo against a blue background with the title in silver and light blue lettering. The European disc is much lighter and the lettering is all silver. The disc also states: "For Promotional Use Only - Not For Sale" and contains the RCA and BMG logos.