Since its establishment in 1999, the Follow That Dream label has been a collector’s dream for fans of Elvis Presley.  Taking its name from Presley’s 1962 film of the same name, Follow That Dream has operated as an authorized “bootleg series,” reissuing Elvis titles of varying origins (soundtracks, studio albums, live gigs) in expanded editions with an emphasis on previously unreleased session material, alternate takes and unheard performances.  These titles are available exclusively through international fan clubs and the official ShopElvis.com website.

Adding to its roster of roughly 100 releases, Follow That Dream has announced six new titles to bring 2011 to a close.  October’s trio was due to begin shipping on or around October 31, while the remaining titles are set for early December shipment.  Leading off the October pack is an expanded CD edition of He Touched Me in FTD’s Classic Albums series.  The Grammy Award-winning 1972 album was the third and arguably the finest of Presley’s studio gospel albums.  The deluxe edition’s 2 CDs include the original LP master and 27 tracks of session outtakes, as well as a 12-page booklet with all relevant historical data and illustrations.  It’s joined by Forty Eight Hours to Memphis in the FTD live series.  Memphis was recorded live onstage in Richmond, Virginia on March 18, 1974, and is derived from “what must have been a professional 16-track multi- track recording,” with “absolutely great sound,” according to the label.   It is, however, heard in mono.  The 16-page booklet contains photos from the performance on March 18, as well as new liner notes. It comes in a 7-inch digipak format.  The third October release is a vinyl-only title.  Guitar Man is an “album that never was,” released as a limited edition special 2-disc 180-gram vinyl set.  Its four sides and 25 performances were remastered from the original analogue U.S. tapes.  This is not the 1981 posthumous album produced by Felton Jarvis, but a different release with songs such as “Guitar Man,” “Big Boss Man,” “Just Call Me Lonesome” and “Come What May.”  Guitar Man was previously released on CD by Follow That Dream and was itself an expanded version of the RCA Victor CD compilation Tomorrow is a Long Time.  The new LP is abridged from the original FTD compact disc edition.

Hit the jump for info on the December slate, plus full track listings for all titles!

2011’s final Follow That Dream titles arrive in December.  Appropriately, one is a reissue of Presley’s 1971 Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas.  As his holiday collections have been packaged and repackaged ad infinitum, it’s refreshing to see an original album sequence, remastered and expanded.  The original album reached number one on Billboard’s Christmas/Holiday albums chart and sold more than three million copies, certified triple platinum by the RIAA.  Disc 1 of the 2-CD set features the original eleven tracks plus the remake master of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” and six first takes.  The second disc offers another 16 tracks of alternate takes!  With classics like “Merry Christmas, Baby,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Silver Bells,” Wonderful World is one of Elvis’ most beloved Christmas collections.  1974’s Promised Land is another expanded original album.  Recorded in December 1973 at the legendary Stax Records, it’s considered by many to be the singer’s finest studio album of the decade.  Its title track, a cover of Chuck Berry’s 1965 hit, reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The original ten-track album has been bolstered by 37 additional tracks of sessions and alternate takes!  The third December release is another FTD vinyl premiere.  The 2-LP Elvis is Back! is, according to the label, “the most requested FTD album for vinyl release ever.”  This limited release of the expanded 1960 album has been remastered from the original analogue tapes and includes photos from the Graceland archives in Memphis.   For Presley’s tenth album, sessions took place on March 20 and April 3, 1960, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. It was his first album to be released in true stereo and peaked at number two on the Top Pop Albums chart; it was certified Gold on July 15, 1999, by the RIAA.

Follow That Dream remains a dream come true for Presley’s legions of serious fans and collectors, and these releases make wonderful complements to the mainstream titles from RCA/Legacy such as this year’s comprehensive Young Man with the Big Beat box set.  Now if only other much-requested artists like The Beatles and The Beach Boys would follow suit with similar programs…here’s hoping!  All six FTD titles can be ordered now at ShopElvis.com.

Elvis Presley, The Elvis is Back! Sessions (Follow That Dream, 2011 – LP only - Original album released as RCA Victor LSP-2231, 1960)

SIDE ONE

1. Such a Night (Take 1) 3:14
2. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Takes 1, 2) 3:39
3.  Make Me Know It (Take 3) 2:12
4.  It’s Now Or Never (Take 1) 3:28
5.  It Feels So Right (Take 1) 2:08
6. Thrill Of Your Love (Takes 1,2,1-PB) 4:09
7.  Stuck on You (Take 1) 2:19

SIDE TWO

1. Reconsider Baby (master) 3.44
2. Soldier Boy (Take 1) 3:03
3. A Mess Of Blues (Take 1) 2:56
4. The Girl Of My Best Friend  (Takes 2, 4, 5, 6) 5:15
5. Fame And Fortune (Take 2) 2:33
6. Like A Baby (Take 1-FS/BD) 2:13
7. Like A Baby (Take 2) 2:42

SIDE THREE

1. Dirty, Dirty Feeling  (Takes 2, 3-sp last chord    from 4/m) 1:44
2. I Gotta Know (including Take 1) 2:57
3. Such A Night (Takes 2, 3, 4/5-sp) 3:50
4. Fever (Take 1) 3:48
5. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Takes 4-FS, 3, wp 1/2-sp) 2:54
6.  Make Me Know It (Takes 9, 10, 11) 2:41
7. The Girl Next Door (Went A’Walking) (Takes 1, 2, 3) 3:43

SIDE FOUR

1. It’s Now Or Never (Take 2) 3:245
2. It’s Now or Never (Takes 3, 4) 3:56
3. It Feels So Right (Takes 4, 3) 2:41
4. The Girl Of My Best Friend (Take 9) 2:26
5. A Mess Of Blues (Takes 2, 3) 2:50
6. Soldier Boy (Takes 9, 10) 3:39
7. Make Me Know It (Takes 17, 18) 2:46

Elvis Presley, Forty-Eight Hours to Memphis (Follow That Dream, 2011)

1. Also Sprach Zarathustra
2. See See Rider
3. I Got A Woman/Amen
4. Love Me
5. Trying To Get To You
6. All Shook Up
7. Steamroller Blues
8. Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel
9. Love Me Tender
10. Medley: Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/Your Mama Don't Dance/Flip, Flop and Fly/Jailhouse Rock/Hound Dog
11. Fever
12. Polk Salad Annie
13. Why Me Lord?
14. Suspicious Minds
15. Introductions by Elvis
16. I Can't Stop Loving You
17. Help Me
18. American Trilogy
19. Let Me Be There
20. Funny How Time Slips Away
21. Can't Help Falling In Love
22. Closing Vamp
23. Sweet Caroline
24.  Johnny B. Goode
25. That’s All Right

All tracks recorded in Richmond, Virginia, March 18, 1974.  All tracks in mono.
Tracks 23-25 are from cassettes tapes recorded through the mixing console.

Elvis Presley, He Touched Me (Follow That Dream, 2011)

CD 1: The Original Album plus Alternate Takes (Tracks 1-12 from RCA Victor LSP-4690, 1972)

1. He Touched Me
2. I’ve Got Confidence
3. Amazing Grace
4. Seeing Is Believing
5. He Is My Everything
6. Bosom Of Abraham
7. An Evening Prayer
8. Lead Me, Guide Me
9. There Is No God But God
10. A Thing Called Love
11. I, John
12. Reach Out To Jesus
13. He Touched Me - Take 2
14. An Evening Prayer – Take 2
15. Seeing Is Believing – Takes 1-4
16. A Thing Called Love – Take1
17. He Is My Everything – Take 1
18. Bosom Of Abraham – Takes 2, 3
19. Reach Out To Jesus - Takes 1-7 & 9
20. The Lord’s Prayer

CD 2: Alternate Takes

1. Johnny B. Goode
2. He Touched Me – Take 3 – incomplete
3. An Evening Prayer – Take 3
4. Seeing Is Believing – Take 7
5. A Thing Called Love – rehearsal
6. There Is No God But God – Takes 1,3,4,2
7. Amazing Grace Takes 1, 2
8. Seeing Is Believing – Takes 8,9,10
9. An Evening Prayer – Take 5
10. I, John – Take 1
11. Bosom Of Abraham – Take 4
12. A Thing Called Love – Takes 2, 3
13. I’ve Got Confidence – Take 1
14. An Evening Prayer – Take 7
15. He Is My Everything – Takes 2, 4
16. Bosom Of Abraham – Takes 5, 7
17. A Thing Called Love – Takes 4-7
18. An Evening Prayer - Take 8
19. Seeing Is Believing – Takes 11, 12

Elvis Presley, Promised Land (Follow That Dream, 2011)

CD 1: The Original Album (Tracks 1-10 from RCA Victor LP APL1-0873, 1975)

1. Promised Land
2. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In)
3. Help Me
4. Mr. Songman
5. Love Song Of The Year
6. It’s Midnight
7. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming
8. If You Talk In Your Sleep
9. Thinking About You
10. You Asked Me To

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS – THE ALTERNATE ALBUM

1. Promised Land – Take 4
2. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – Takes 3,2,7
3. Help Me - Take 1 (undubbed master)
4. Mr. Songman – Take 2
5. Love Song Of The Year – Take 1
6. It’s Midnight – Take 9
7. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming - Take 10
8. If You Talk In Your Sleep - Take 5
9. Thinking About You – Take 4
10. You Asked Me To – Take TBD

MORE SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

1. Promised Land – Take 5
2. Love Song Of The Year – Take 7
3. It’s Midnight – Take 11
4. Thinking About You – Takes 5,6
5. You Asked Me To – Take TBD

CD 2:  Sessions: The Making of Promised Land

1. It’s Midnight – Takes 1-4, 8,7
2. You Asked Me To – Take TBD
3. Mr. Songman Take 1
4. Thinking About You – rehearsal
5. Thinking About You – Take 3
6. Promised Land – Take 3,2
7. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – Takes 2,3
8. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – Take 4
9. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – Take 1
10. Love Song Of The Year – rehearsal
11. Love Song Of The Year – Take 2
12. It’s Midnight – Take 10
13. If You Talk In Your Sleep –Takes 6,7, 8
14. Mr. Songman – Takes 3,6
15. Love Song Of The Year – Takes x,y, 8 (undubbed master)
16. You Asked Me To – Take 3B (4 ??)
17. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – Takes TBD
18. It’s Midnight – Takes 15,16
19. Promised Land – Take 6 – undubbed master
20. Thinking About You – Take TBD
21. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – Take 8
22. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – Take 9

Elvis Presley, Sings Guitar Man (Follow That Dream, 2011- LP only)

SIDE ONE

1.  Guitar Man – Takes 11, 12 (unedited undubbed master)
2.  Big Boss Man – Takes 7, 9
3. Love Letters – Take 8
4. Just Call Me Lonesome – Takes 5, 6
5. Come What May – Take 6
6. Mine (original master)
7.  Fools Fall In Love (original master)

SIDE TWO

1. I'll Remember You (vocal overdub, unedited master)
2. High Heel Sneakers – Take 7 (unedited master)
3. Down In The Alley – Take 6
4.  Indescribably Blue (vocal overdub) - Take 1
5. Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Takes 1, 2

SIDE THREE

1. Big Boss Man – Take 2
2. Just Call Me Lonesome – Takes 3, 4
3.  Down In The Alley – Takes 2, 3, 4
4.  Come What May – Takes 3, 4
5.  We Call On Him - Take 8
6.  Singing Tree – (remake) Takes 1, 2, 3
7.  Guitar Man – Take 10

SIDE FOUR

1. Love Letters – Take 2
2. Fools Fall In Love – Takes 1, 4
3. Singing Tree – Takes 10, 13
4. You Don't Know Me – Take 2
5. Come What May – Take 7
6. High Heel Sneakers – Take 5

Elvis Presley, Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas (Follow That Dream, 2011)

CD 1: The Original Album plus First Takes (Tracks 1-11 from RCA Victor LSP-4579, 1971)

1. O Come, All Ye Faithful  2:48
2. The First Noel  2:09
3. On A Snowy Christmas Night  2:49
4. Winter Wonderland  2:17
5. The Wonderful World Of Christmas  1:57
6. It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without You) 2:41
7. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day  3:48
8. If I Get Home On Christmas Day  2:51
9. Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees  2:52
10. Merry Christmas Baby  5:44
11. Silver Bells  2:26
12. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day (Bonus Track) – remake master  3:43
13.  It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without You) -Takes 1-3  4:36
14. If I Get Home On Christmas Day - Take 1  3:37
15. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day - Takes 1-3  7:54
16. Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - Takes 1,2  3:13
17. Silver Bells - Takes 1,2  4:41
18. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day – remake Takes 1,2  5:48

CD 2: Alternate Takes

1. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day – Take 4  4:58
2. If I Get Home On Christmas Day- Takes 2,3  3:51
3. Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - Take 3  2:27
4. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day      – remake Take 3  4:24
5. It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without You) - Takes 4,5  3:03
6. O Come, All Ye Faithful      – Take 2  4:28
7. If I Get Home On Christmas Day     - Take 5  3:00
8. The Lord’s Prayer  3:01 (Public Domain)
9. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day      - Takes 5,6  4:26
10. Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - Takes 4  2:36
11. It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without you) - Take 6  3:14
12. Merry Christmas Baby – Take 1     (unedited version)  8:29
13. I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day  –  Remake Takes 4-9  7:24
14. If I Get Home On Christmas Day   -  Take 7  2:57
15. Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - Takes 5-8  3:39
16. Winter Wonderland  –  Takes 7,8  3:53