Elvis: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Amazon's Elvis Presley Store

Music

Photos

Videos

Biography

Elvis Aaron Presley is one of the biggest-selling artists of all-time, but mere numbers cannot begin to explain the colossal cultural impact he had in the mid-20th Century. He was a central figure in the transformation of the grey, conservative 50s into the technicolor 60s through the liberalizing effect of rock and pop music. Frank Sinatra had proved extremely popular in the 40s with young ... Read more in Amazon's Elvis Presley Store

›

Visit Amazon's Elvis Presley Store

for 1006 albums, 9 photos, 3 videos, discussions, and more.

Product details

Audio CD (17 Jan 2005)
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Extra tracks
Label: RCA
ASIN: B0006TL9CI
Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download

Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 86,212 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars When my blue moon turns to gold again 5 Jun 2011

By Dangerous Dave TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

"Elvis" was the second of the man's albums and was the first to feature purely RCA studio material - his first album had been bulked up by tracks recorded whilst he was still at Sun. The CD release adds six tracks recorded in the same timeframe (mid to late 1956) and released as singles.

The breakdown of the 12 tracks on the original album was as follows: 4 rockers (inc. 3 Little Richard covers), 4 ballads, 2 easy-listening (or what we used to call middle-of-the-road), 1 mid tempo old country chugalong, and 1 blues (a cover of yet another Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup number - Elvis evidently obviously knew his catalogue well). The 6 bonus tracks have a not dissimilar profile: 2 rockers, 3 ballads, 1 R&B number. Difficult to avoid the impression that, from as early as his second album, Elvis was being groomed for adult acceptance. Most worrying to me were the pair I've labelled, with tongue slightly in cheek, as easy-listening. The first was "Anyplace is Paradise". The otherwise excellent Notes refer to it as jazzy and state that "few had the in-depth musical knowledge to make this song work". I'm more inclined to think that there was someone in the control booth saying "you know that guy doesn't sound too bad when you give him a half decent song". The other track was "How do you think I feel". If I can quote the Notes again "an engagingly light rhumba treatment". This was the sort of thing that Elvis would trot out during the bad years, could even have been the theme song from one of the fluffy movies. OK I've got that out of my system. Neither is terrible but they weren't the sort of things I wanted to hear in 1957.

One other gripe. It's on this album that group vocal backing adorns the majority of numbers. This emanates from the Jordanaires, originally a gospel harmony group.... They first appeared on "I'm counting on you" from the previous album. From April `56 the Jordanaires were present at nearly all of Presley's recording sessions over the next 14 years - this was at Presley's own in insistence. They're a mixed blessing. On the more dramatic records they provide a form of counter balance to the Elvis histrionics. On others they operate almost as a doo-wop group with Elvis singing lead. However on many rockers they can dull the edge of the song. I hadn't realised until listening to the album again that these guys are singing during Scotty's famous break in "Hound Dog". But the great man rides over them regardless.

On the positive side, within the bonus tracks on this album are two of his best rockers, "Hound Dog" and "Don't be cruel". Is there anyone who hasn't heard the former? A new super-aggressive Elvis with Scotty matching him every step of the way for both mood and volume and, in the process creating one of the best guitar breaks in rock`n`roll. How far away was heavy metal? The Notes record the fact that Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, writers of "Hound Dog" felt that Presley had brutalised their song. "Don`t be Cruel" is a complete contrast. It has the lightness of rockabilly without any of the genre's characteristic traits. Instead the Jordanaires supply a doo wop backing which on this occasion, works very well. The writer for this song was Otis Blackwell, who also supplied Elvis with "Paralysed" (on this album) and "All Shook Up" (recorded as a single within months) - all three get similar treatment.

The three Little Richard numbers were virtually current hits - the double A sider, "Rip it Up" / "Ready Teddy" was released in July `56 and "Long Tall Sally" in January `57 - and Presley had already recorded a Little Richard number on his previous album. Of this group "Rip it Up" comes off best. Elvis captures the mood and Scotty provides extra urgency and a harsher sound in his solo. I feel that the other pair suffer from some over-enthusiasm; hoarseness from Elvis (from trying to imitate the Richard vocal or too many takes?) and heavy drumming. I'd add that Floyd Cramer, if it was him on piano, gets a bit lost on "Long Tall Sally". Every rocker worth his weight tried to do Richard Penniman. Very, very few succeeded. Elvis didn't do badly but one misses the sheer joy and exuberance of the originals, not to mention those horns.

Of the ballads, "Love me Tender" has to be the stand out track, featuring a breathy, intimate Elvis seemingly accompanied by little more than an acoustic-sounding guitar - the session band was totally different than usual at the insistence of the producer of the film to which this song was the theme. Almost as striking are "Love Me" and "Any Way you want me"; both dramatic, pleading numbers, not dissimilar to "Trying to get to you" from the Sun period. Presley's voice suited this material and he gives the impression of enjoying acting out such mini-dramas.

One of the ballads divides critics and reviewers alike. "Old Shep" is a heartstring-tugging country song about a dog. Elvis sang it in his first public performance at the age of ten. There's a simple piano intro and then it's Elvis singing with evident sincerity, with many of the usual vocal tricks absent, accompanied by not much more than the Jordanaires. Musically, to me, it works if you can back off a bit from the content. But I may be in a minority.

And then there's the one solitary blues number, Big Boy Crudup's "So Glad you're mine". This comes from the January sessions in `56 rather than the later sessions and the difference shows. It's rougher . Elvis is more connected. His voice is playful - he's enjoying it, you can tell - this may have been a single take. Oh, and there's no sign of the Jordanaires.

There were quite a few things going on in these sessions. The rock'n'roll had gotten heavier but there was room for lighter stuff as well viz. "Paralysed" and "Don't be Cruel". Rockabilly itself had almost completely disappeared. A range of approaches to ballads were used, from the intimate "Love me Tender" to the operatic, "Any Way you want me". Material was coming from a wide variety of sources but was increasingly solicited from writers and publishers. Numbers which appeared to be aimed at the grown-ups were included, though one shouldn`t discount Presley`s own propensity for such material. The ubiquitous choral backing whilst initially differentiating Presley records from some of the competition does today give much of the material a dated sound.

Scotty Moore and Bill Black left in June 1958, being replaced by session men. Read more ›

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars His second original LP in superb sound ! 6 Sep 2007

By Charlie

Format:Audio CD

This album has some cool 50's jazzy numbers like 'Anyplace is Paradise' or Chat Atkins ballad 'How's the world treating you' which are rare for casual fan. Great covers of Little Richard's 'Rip it up', 'Long Tall Sally' and 'Ready Teddy' are showing us that Elvis & boys knew from the very start how to approach music in different way.
With great remastering job done by Kevan Budd, and Sony DSD tehnology you can hear the diference.
Even cheesy numbers like 'Love me' or 'Old shep' realy shine this time.

This release features more ballads then his debut LP, but smart inclusion of rockin' numbers, like his double gold single 'Don't be Cruel'/'Hound Dog' as bonus tracks makes it still great R'n'R album.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Rocking Elvis 17 Oct 2005

By Mr. Robert Mathers

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

A really enjoyable selection for all rockin' Elvis fans.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My Second Elvis Album 30 Jan 2009

By Keith R. Burgess

Format:Audio CD

I call this my second Elvis album because my first was Elvis's Golden Records vol 1, bought in 1960. This album - then called "Elvis Rock 'N' Roll volume Two" I bought at Christmas in 1961 When I was able to spend money on LPs as I'd started work in the summer of that year. (my very first record of any sort I bought was a 78 of "All Shook Up" in 1957 when I was 11 years old)Ever since then I have had a special place in my heart for this album with it's mix of rock, blues and ballads. I still get a thrill listening to "Anyplace is Paradise" and "How's The world Treating You" "Reddy Teddy" "Rip It Up" and the rest of this classic mix of the raw pre-army Elvis. Nothing he did after leaving the army comes close to the fifties classics. If you like this you MUST get "Elvis The Fifties Masters" a five CD boxed set that is in my top ten greatest albums!

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

5.0 out of 5 stars More Early Elvis 10 Mar 2013

By Dennis Smith

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Fantastic is the the word to describe Elvis when he first blew onto the scene. Different than anything that had gone before or indeed was to come later. Elvis, before his term with Uncle Sam, was the man, unique, dynamic and wonderful

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

5.0 out of 5 stars CD 11 Jan 2013

By susan horsfield

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Bought for my husband..... brought back memories of when we had it on an album back along in the 60s. Elvis at his best!

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

5.0 out of 5 stars Think it's Elvis' best album 20 April 2011

By Angantyr

Format:Audio CD

And why? I'd admit some of the fast tunes - though Ready Teddy may be even better than Richard�s original - are disappointing, but the album's got, besides real bluesy tunes like "So Glad You're Mine" and the sophisticated "Anyplace is Paradise", the best country selection Elvis ever made. These country ballads are so beautiful and heartfelt they make the album surpass his first and perhaps more immideately appealing. What came after is ... nice, but it seems popular artists tend to reach their prime right at the start of their career, in contrast to, say, classical composers.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Elvis' first true album 3 Mar 2011

By X. Dolan

Format:Audio CD

As has been noted by a previous reviewer, Elvis' first RCA album contained Sun recordings,which in one sense, invalidates the title of first album, especially if like me, you consider his Sun recordings as unique, different from his earliest RCA recordings, and in a nutshell are treasures, and should be considered in their true context, his time at Sun (1954-1955) rather than an add on in 1956, to an album considered his first studio album (indeed RCA brought out these Sun recordings on singles in 1956, hihglighting the quality of these earlier non-RCA, Sun recordings).

For me this album, 'Elvis' also known in the UK as 'Rock n' Roll no.2' is his first true RCA album. Yes it's rockin tracks are great, and are often not included in various compilations of Elvis' rockin tunes for example 'Long tall Sally; Ready Teddy; Rip it up'. His ballads on this album are outstanding, in particular 'Love me' which one reviewer, criticised as 'being cheesy ' is an absolute sin to say. 'Love me' is a wonderful Leiber/stoller tune (probably the most successful rock n' roll writing team equivalent to Lennon & McCartney but a 50s version). The ballads on this album, with the Jordinaires on background vocals will send shivers up your spine.

This ablum, also includes wonderful RnB tunes such as 'So glad your mine' 'Paralyzed', 'Any place in paradise' again wonderful RnB tunes not included on his various compilations over the years.

Then we have his uptempo country tunes 'when my blue moon turns to gold again' 'how do you think I feel', with the former and the ballad 'old Shep' both songs Elvis often sang in his early days and at his live shows (on albums now) but again, such tunes are often not included on various albums since this 1956 album.... Read more ›

Elvis [Extra tracks]

Amazon's Elvis Presley Store

Music

Photos

Videos

Biography

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Product details

Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Product Description

Customer Reviews

Customer Discussions

Start a new discussion

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

Listmania!

Look for similar items by category

Feedback