If a Legacy Edition of Elvis' Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis wasn't enough excitement from the King, try this one on for size: Sony's U.K. arm is releasing a 20-disc box set collecting Elvis Presley's soundtrack albums.
From the beginning of his career, Elvis Aaron Presley had an eye on Hollywood. He enjoyed acting, despite having no formal training in it, and had a screen test for Paramount Pictures just days after his first long-player for RCA Victor was released. Producer Hal Wallis (Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon) offered him a contract with Paramount, though he was allowed to work with other studios; it was in fact for 20th Century-Fox that he landed his first role. Originally titled The Reno Brothers, it was renamed for a song Elvis would perform in the film; that song, "Love Me Tender," was a gigantic hit, and Presley was on his way to Hollywood stardom.
A run of relatively dramatic performances (Loving You, Jailhouse Rock (both 1957) and King Creole (1958)) was halted by Elvis' stint in the U.S. Army; when he came back, he was back to work in pictures, but all was not well. Elvis loathed the low-budget films, with their by-the-numbers plotting. And the songs he was often given to record were among the worst in his discography, despite a few classics like "Can't Help Falling in Love" (from 1961's Blue Hawaii), "Return to Sender" (from Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962)) and the title track to 1964's Viva Las Vegas.
As Elvis remained stuck on soundstages, American audiences turned to other pop stars to look up to; the all-time low occurred when his final soundtrack album, Speedway (1968), posted a sales tally of under six figures. Elvis would complete five more films afterward, none of which had a soundtrack album. But fortunately for the King, he was able to reclaim his crown at the end of 1968 with a landmark comeback television special on NBC.
Most of the 20 discs in this box set are familiar to fans - and nothing on here is unreleased - but there are a few notable rarities and oddities herein:
- While the American Jailhouse Rock soundtrack was simply an EP's length of songs, the album presented here is in fact an LP that was pressed only in South Africa, featuring other album cuts.
- The set's fifth disc features selections from the films Follow That Dream, Kid Galahad and Flaming Star, all of which were released as soundtrack EPs. This reordered disc features only the relevant tracks from those films, in turn dropping half the Flaming Star EP (which consisted of non-movie hits "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and "It's Now or Never") and in turn adding two tracks from Follow That Dream that never ended up on the original LP. (One was released on 1965's Elvis for Everyone, the other was not released until a 1991 rarities compilation.)
- Viva Las Vegas is presented as the 2010 album-length CD reissue released with several other soundtrack reissues for what would have been The King's 75th birthday.
Elvis: The Movie Soundtracks is available now in the U.K., with a U.S. import date of January 14. Hit the jump to get your copy and check out the full repertoire!
Elvis Presley, Elvis: The Movie Soundtracks (RCA/Sony Music (U.K.), 2014)
Disc 1: Loving You (RCA Records LPM-1515, 1957)
- Mean Woman Blues
- (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
- Loving You
- Got a Lot O' Livin' to Do!
- Lonesome Cowboy
- Hot Dog
- Party
- Blueberry Hill
- True Love
- Don't Leave Me Now
- Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
- I Need You So
Disc 2: Jailhouse Rock (RCA Records 31126 (South Africa), 1957)
- Jailhouse Rock
- Young and Beautiful
- I Want to Be Free
- Don't Leave Me Now
- (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care
- Treat Me Nice
- I Beg of You
- Don't!
- Playing for Keeps
- Shake, Rattle and Roll
- Good Rockin' Tonight
- I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine
Disc 3: King Creole (RCA Records LPM 1884, 1958)
- King Creole
- As Long As I Have You
- Hard Headed Woman
- Trouble
- Dixieland Rock
- Don't Ask Me Why
- Lover Doll
- Crawfish
- Young Dreams
- Steadfast, Loyal and True
- New Orleans
Disc 4: G.I. Blues (RCA Records LSP 2256, 1960)
- Tonight is So Right for Love
- What's She Really Like
- Frankfort Special
- Wooden Heart
- G.I. Blues
- Pocketful of Rainbows
- Shoppin' Around
- Big Boots
- Didja Ever
- Blue Suede Shoes
- Doin' the Best I Can
Disc 5: Selections from Follow That Dream, Kid Galahad and Flaming Star
- Follow That Dream
- What a Wonderful Life
- I'm Not the Marrying Kind
- A Whistling Tune
- Sound Advice
- Angel
- King of the Whole Wide World
- This is Living
- Riding the Rainbow
- Home is Where the Heart Is
- I Got Lucky
- A Whistling Tune
- Flaming Star
- Summer Kisses, Winter Tears
Tracks 1-3 and 6 released as Follow That Dream EP (RCA Records EPA 4368, 1962)
Track 4 from Elvis for Everyone (RCA Records LSP 3450, 1965)
Track 5 from Collectors Gold (RCA Records 3114-1-R, 1991)
Tracks 7-12 released as Kid Galahad EP (RCA Records EPA 4371, 1962)
Tracks 13-14 from Elvis By Request: Flaming Star EP (RCA Records LPC-128, 1961)
Disc 6: Blue Hawaii (RCA Records LSP 4246, 1961)
- Blue Hawaii
- Almost Always True
- Aloha Oe
- No More
- Can't Help Falling in Love
- Rock-A-Hula Baby
- Moonlight Swim
- Ku-U-I-Po
- Ito Eats
- Slicin' Sand
- Hawaiian Sunset
- Beach Boy Blues
- Island of Love
- Hawaiian Wedding Song
Disc 7: Girls! Girls! Girls! (RCA Records LSP 2621, 1962)
- Girls! Girls! Girls!
- I Don't Wanna Be Tied
- Where Do You Come From
- I Don't Want To
- We'll Be Together
- A Boy Like Me, A Girl Like You
- Earth Boy
- Return to Sender
- Because of Love
- Thanks to the Rolling Sea
- Song of the Shrimp
- The Walls Have Ears
- We're Comin' In Loaded
Disc 8: It Happened At The World's Fair (RCA Records LSP 2697, 1963)
- Beyond the Bend
- Relax
- Take Me to the Fair
- They Remind Me Too Much of You
- One Broken Heart for Sale
- I'm Falling in Love Tonight
- Cotton Candy Land
- A World of Our Own
- How Would You Like to Be
- Happy Ending
Disc 9: Fun in Acapulco (RCA Records LSP 2756, 1963)
- Fun in Acapulco
- Vino, Dinero y Amor
- Mexico
- El Toro
- Marguerita
- The Bullfighter Was a Lady
- (There's) No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car
- I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here
- Bossa Nova Baby
- You Can't Say No in Acapulco
- Guadalajara
- Love Me Tonight
- Slowly But Surely
Disc 10: Kissin' Cousins (RCA Records LSP 2894, 1964)
- Kissin' Cousins (Number 2)
- Smokey Mountain Boy
- There's Gold in the Mountains
- One Boy, Two Little Girls
- Catchin' On Fast
- Tender Feeling
- Anyone (Could Fall in Love With You)
- Barefoot Ballad
- Once is Enough
- Kissin' Cousins
- Echoes of Love
- (It's a) Long Lonely Highway
Disc 11: Viva Las Vegas (released as RCA/Sony Music CMG 88697 63237-2, 2010)
- Viva Las Vegas
- I Need Somebody to Lean On
- You're the Boss
- If You Think I Don't Need You
- What'd I Say
- Today, Tomorrow and Forever
- C'mon Everybody
- Do The Vega
- Night Life
- The Yellow Rose of Texas/The Eyes of Texas
- The Lady Loves Me
- Santa Lucia
Tracks 2, 4 and 6-7 released as RCA Records EPA 4382, 1964
Disc 12: Roustabout (RCA Records LSP 2999, 1964)
- Roustabout
- Little Egypt
- Poison Ivy League
- Hard Knocks
- It's a Wonderful World
- Big Love Big Heartache
- One Track Heart
- It's Carnival Time
- Carny Town
- There's a Brand New Day on the Horizon
- Wheels on My Heels
Disc 13: Girl Happy (RCA Records LSP 3338, 1965)
- Girl Happy
- Spring Fever
- Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
- Startin' Tonight
- Wolf Call
- Do Not Disturb
- Cross My Heart and Hope to Die
- The Meanest Girl in Town
- Do the Clam
- Puppet on a String
- I've Got to Find My Baby
- You'll Be Gone
Disc 14: Harum Scarum (RCA Records LSP 3468, 1965)
- Harem Holiday
- My Desert Serenade
- Go East Young Man
- Mirage
- Kismet
- Shake That Tambourine
- Hey Little Girl
- Golden Coins
- So Close Yet So Far (from Paradise)
- Animal Instinct
- Wisdom of the Ages
Disc 15: Frankie and Johnny (RCA Records LSP 3553, 1966)
- Frankie and Johnny
- Come Along
- Petunia the Gardener's Daughter
- Chesay
- What Every Woman Lives For
- Look Out Broadway
- Beginner's Luck
- Down by the Riverside/When the Saints Go Marching In
- Shout It Out
- Hard Luck
- Please Don't Stop Loving Me
- Everybody Come Aboard
Disc 16: Paradise, Hawaiian Style (RCA Records LSP 3643, 1966)
- Paradise, Hawaiian Style
- Queenie Wahine's Papaya
- Scratch My Back
- Drums of the Islands
- Datin'
- A Dog's Life
- House of Sand
- Stop Where You Are
- This is My Heaven
- Sand Castles
Disc 17: Spinout (RCA Records LSP 3702, 1966)
- Stop, Look and Listen
- Adam and Evil
- All That I Am
- Never Say Yes
- Am I Ready
- Beach Shack
- Spinout
- Smorgasbord
- I'll Be Back
- Tomorrow is a Long Time
- Down in the Alley
- I'll Remember You
Disc 18: Double Trouble (RCA Records LSP 3787, 1967)
- Double Trouble
- Baby If You'll Give Me All of Your Love
- Could I Fall in Love
- Long Legged Girl (with the Short Dress On)
- City by Night
- Old MacDonald
- I Love Only One Girl
- There is So Much World to See
- It Won't Be Long
- Never Ending
- Blue River
- What Now, What Next, Where To
Disc 19: Clambake (RCA Records LSP 3893, 1967)
- Guitar Man
- Clambake
- Who Needs Money
- A House That Has Everything
- Confidence
- Hey Hey Hey
- You Don't Know Me
- The Girl I Never Loved
- How Can You Lose What You Never Had
- Big Boss Man
- Singing Tree
- Just Call Me Lonesome
Disc 20: Speedway (RCA Records LSP 3989, 1968)
- Speedway
- There Ain't Nothing Like a Song (Duet with Nancy Sinatra)
- Your Time Hasn't Come Yet Baby
- Who Are You (Who Am I)
- He's Your Uncle, Not Your Dad
- Let Yourself Go
- Your Groovy Self
- Five Sleepy Heads
- Western Union
- Mine
- Goin' Home
- Suppose
Scott says
I pre-ordered this from Amazon about a month ago and just got an e-mail today from them saying that shipping has been delayed for an unspecified time. It still shows a release date of 1/14 on the site though.
I have 6 or 7 of these albums already, but $40 for the other 13 or 14 is still a great deal. I have the other box they did ("20 Original Albums") and it's a nice, albeit random set.
The "20 Original Albums" set also included a nice booklet with notes and full track listings/credits, but I haven't seen anything to indicate whether this box does as well.
fatimaxberg says
The set (it was released last week in Germany) includes a 36-page booklet with liner notes, short summaries of the movies and track-by-track details.
fatimaxberg says
Oh and disc 5 only has 13 tracks (Track 4, from "Elvis For Everyone," is not included)!
Scott says
Thanks!!
Zubb says
It's a great price for this set at $40!
Herb P. says
One of these days they should issue a soundtrack for "Viva Las Vegas" with the Ann-Margret solos. That's never been done. I have all the tracks but from the comments on Amazon a number of people would like to see it all on one disc.
Ken Ward says
It may be a bargain in the USA but it costs 50% more in the UK.. Its $39.99 in the US but is the equivalent of almost $60 in the UK.. As you state that this set is from the UK arm of Sony, Amazon seem to have come up with yet another bizarre price.
Scott says
I paid $60 (US) for the "20 Original Albums" box. When I saw this was only $40, I jumped on it right away to lock in the price thinking it would increase before it was released. So far the price seems to be holding steady though,
Kevin says
Are you Ken of Memphis radio fame?
Christopher says
Can someone confirm that the masters used on this set are from the 2007 Vic Anesini masterings? Thank you.
fatimaxberg says
Yes they are: "Mastering: Vic Anesini". Sony/BMG only use these nowadays.
Kevin says
I'd love seeing a box with all of the FTD issues in proper mini-LP sleeves (Japanese style) at a bargain price!!
Christopher says
Thank you, fatimaxberg; that is great news!
Steven says
Amazon requires anyone who ordered this set and hasn't gotten it yet to log in to their account by March 7 and reaffirm that they still want the set, otherwise Amazon will cancel the order. Sounds like they don't want to fulfill their super low price.