Elvis' Christmas Album --> Mystery No More?

[Barry]

I'm going to go with Nov/1958 as the release date for LPM-1951 in the U.S.

[drjohncarpenter]

I'm going to go with Nov/1958 as the release date for LPM-1951 in the U.S.

Barry, please explain how you arrived at this conclusion.

1) The back cover photos are from 1959
2) There is zero evidence (ads, reviews, charts) of its release in 1958

[Barry]

Doc. I will stick with Nov/58.

[pjdlibra]

Awesome Doc very informative topic.
Thanks so much for the education.

[Juan Luis]

I wrote PD about this topic cause I remember the research he did in NY years ago for a book still unpublished about releases,production etc of EP records. He will later chime in but authorized me to show this.....
EPA 4340 RELEASE DATE SEPT 22, 1959

LPM 1951 OCT 9, 1959

LOC 1035 OCT 15, 1957

[Barry]

Great, with these facts, RCA Canada was the first to release LPM-1951 in 1958, that would explain why the cover was almost the same as LOC-1035, as the artwork for the 59 issue was not yet decided upon.

[Barry]

Paul Dowling.

[Barry]

You're Welcome

[ekenee]

I wrote PD about this topic cause I remember the research he did in NY years ago for a book still unpublished about releases,production etc of EP records. He will later chime in but authorized me to show this.....
EPA 4340 RELEASE DATE SEPT 22, 1959

LPM 1951 OCT 9, 1959

LOC 1035 OCT 15, 1957

Ok, this makes sense.

So then, why didn't LOC 1035 chart in 1958?
Since it was a number one christmas album in 1957, it shoud have charted something in 1958.

[MysteryTrain]

I don't know when RCA started using Tuesday as its "release day," but from PD's listed dates I observe the following:

EPA 4340, released Tuesday, September 22, 1959;
LPM 1951, released Friday, October 9, 1959;
LOC 1035, released Tuesday, October 15, 1957.

Is the "release day" for LPM 1951 still wrong?

MT

[Barry]

David Petrelle --Solid Gold Elvis, also stated 1959 as the release date of LPM-1951.

[Luuk]

Was the Schwann catalogue published in 1958, 1959 and/or 1960? They list all new releases.
I had these in the 70's but do not know when they started being published and if they are still being published.

[Juan Luis]

Juan Luis, Please forgive me for not being privy to the info that you are, but who is "PD"?

Sorry just read this. Glad you got the answer. Was late and tired.

[drjohncarpenter]

JL, thank you for adding to the mix. Paul Dowling knows his Presley discs, and a whole lot more. What is intriguing is that there appears to be NO media attention to an Oct 1959 release of LPM 1951. Not an ad, not a comment, nothing.

Otherwise ...

One thing people need to remember is that, in the late 1950s, albums (LPs) were a luxury buy, especially for teenagers following their favorite act. This is why EPA 4108 was a perennial favorite: it had the best, most rockin' of the Christmas tracks all on one more affordable disc. This may also be why EPA 4340 didn't hardly make a dent on the charts, it had the most boring third of the Christmas album tracks.

I'm still awaiting some testimony from another Presley expert. Stay tuned.

[Barry]

Doc, the lack of media attention may have been due to the fact it was a reissue?

[drjohncarpenter]

Doc, the lack of media attention may have been due to the fact it was a reissue?

No.

If you review Billboard back then, all new or reissue label releases were at the very least detailed on a long list, and often commented upon. Given that it's Elvis, one might assume RCA would also place some kind of ad, create some kind of media excitement over the reissue -- they're in the business of selling units.

Also, if you recall page 1 of this topic, you will see one article I discovered, scanned and posted that shows how the new photo used on the cover of EPA 4340 -- the same chosen for LPM 1951 -- is made note of in 1959.

Conjecture is fun, facts are better.

[wwelvis]

Thanks to Juan Luis Brugal for posting that info for me as I've been very busy.

Anyway, in 1992 I was allowed to go through RCA's archives in New York and photocopy ANYTHING I wanted and I ended up with over 3000 pages of all kinds of information. This took me around six months going up there almost every other week! When I get some time I will find the production cards for the Christmas EP and LP's in question and put them on this site. The information I gave Juan came from these cards and these were the dates written on them. Whether RCA actually did release them on this date is unfortunately not known but at least it appears as if this was the plan.

Maybe one day I'll come out with my gigantic WORLDWIDE ELVIS PRESLEY DISCOGRAPHY but it's now way over 4000 pages and I need a year easily just to revise and update it! Anyone know a publisher willing to pay me to complete it? Or actually I should say - would anyone out these want a huge book like this??

[Frankie Teardrop]

Thanks to Juan Luis Brugal for posting that info for me as I've been very busy.

Anyway, in 1992 I was allowed to go through RCA's archives in New York and photocopy ANYTHING I wanted and I ended up with over 3000 pages of all kinds of information. This took me around six months going up there almost every other week! When I get some time I will find the production cards for the Christmas EP and LP's in question and put them on this site. The information I gave Juan came from these cards and these were the dates written on them. Whether RCA actually did release them on this date is unfortunately not known but at least it appears as if this was the plan.

Maybe one day I'll come out with my gigantic WORLDWIDE ELVIS PRESLEY DISCOGRAPHY but it's now way over 4000 pages and I need a year easily just to revise and update it! Anyone know a publisher willing to pay me to complete it? Or actually I should say - would anyone out these want a huge book like this??

Yes, I want that book.

[drjohncarpenter]

Thanks to Juan Luis Brugal for posting that info for me as I've been very busy.

You are always busy!!!

Anyway, in 1992 I was allowed to go through RCA's archives in New York and photocopy ANYTHING I wanted and I ended up with over 3000 pages of all kinds of information. This took me around six months going up there almost every other week! When I get some time I will find the production cards for the Christmas EP and LP's in question and put them on this site. The information I gave Juan came from these cards and these were the dates written on them.

Whether RCA actually did release them on this date is unfortunately not known but at least it appears as if this was the plan.

THAT is now our big question.

Again, great info -- and pretty much seals the deal on dismissing 1958 as the year EPA 4340 or LPM 1951 appeared.

Maybe one day I'll come out with my gigantic WORLDWIDE ELVIS PRESLEY DISCOGRAPHY but it's now way over 4000 pages and I need a year easily just to revise and update it! Anyone know a publisher willing to pay me to complete it? Or actually I should say - would anyone out these want a huge book like this??

Me!

[ekenee]

Thanks to Juan Luis Brugal for posting that info for me as I've been very busy.

Anyway, in 1992 I was allowed to go through RCA's archives in New York and photocopy ANYTHING I wanted and I ended up with over 3000 pages of all kinds of information. This took me around six months going up there almost every other week! When I get some time I will find the production cards for the Christmas EP and LP's in question and put them on this site. The information I gave Juan came from these cards and these were the dates written on them. Whether RCA actually did release them on this date is unfortunately not known but at least it appears as if this was the plan.

Maybe one day I'll come out with my gigantic WORLDWIDE ELVIS PRESLEY DISCOGRAPHY but it's now way over 4000 pages and I need a year easily just to revise and update it! Anyone know a publisher willing to pay me to complete it? Or actually I should say - would anyone out these want a huge book like this??

Actually, I think the original plan was to release the LP in 1958, but it must have gotten delayed until 1959.
That is going by the LPM-1951 catalog number.

[wwelvis]

Hey Mumphisfan!
No disrespect at all! I'm not even sure if I want the book to come out! Way too much work. I think I'll just let Don Juan do it, ok.

[jbnva58]

I just want to say,this is one of the BEST threads on FECC in a while.
Thanks Doc,and all who contributed!

[drjohncarpenter]

I just want to say,this is one of the BEST threads on FECC in a while.
Thanks Doc ...

You are most welcome -- the doc is your man -- and the topic is not yet quite done.

To recap:

FOR SURE --> no release of EPA 4340 or LPM 1951 in Nov 1958
FOR SURE --> release of EPA 4340 in Nov 1959

Change your databases, folks.

POSSIBLE --> release of LPM 1951 in Nov 1959

POSSIBLE --> release of LPM 1951 in Nov 1960


Thankyouverymuch!

[Barry]

Memphis---58 looks like the issue date LPM-1951, most of the evidence points that out.

[KiwiAlan]

I don't see where it has been established for sure that LPM 1951 was not released in 1958.

It would seem that Canada did release it then.