Black Cat Bone

talking about the dreck of the soundtrack years, here is my little Isabella's JAM



(it's garbage, she loves it)

I now have all three of the "Essential Masters" series and have been listening like crazy. The 70s are erratic as hell, of course, but even with those you get some great performances ("A Hundred Years From Now" and "Promised Land" are both pretty great, for starters, and even some of the overwrought stuff - sappy or no, "The Wonder of You" is marvelous). But the 50s and 60s ones don't leave out much that I can tell.

I also have the Sun Sessions, the first two RCA records, the comeback special, the deluxe "Elvis is Back!", The Memphis Sessions, and the Gospel Box.

What am I missing that's "must have?" I feel pretty covered now.

Yeah, i'd say you're pretty much covered there Hatzy. You really should have the Xmas album too though.

Oh, and maybe Elvis is Back! as well.

I really want a vinyl copy of "Having Fun With Elvis on Stage" too, just for the absurdity of it.

fange wrote:Oh, and maybe Elvis is Back! as well.

Got it. See above.

Dave, you. need. it. ALL!

toomanyhatz wrote:

fange wrote:Oh, and maybe Elvis is Back! as well.

Got it. See above.

Ah, the deluxe, i missed that. Any good?

It's great. It's got the original album and Something For Everybody (the next one, though it's a couple years later) in their entirety, plus outtakes and singles from the period. Most of it's on the 50s and 60s master comps, but it's nice to have it all in one place.

Matt is trying to talk me into buying this behemoth, but I have neither the room nor the inclination for the whole damn thing.

Q:You know what sounds great these days?

A: All of the records once regarded as “bad” Elvis.

All? Really? I'm not weeding through the 60s soundtracks to see if you're right.

Brand new, 145 bucks. It takes up less space on your shelf than all three of the box sets you already have - which you can trade in of course once you get this one. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... n&_sacat=0

Matt Wilson wrote:Brand new, 145 bucks.

If I'm going to spend that much, there are a lot of things I want more.

It takes up less space on your shelf than all three of the box sets you already have

Actually, I'm pretty convinced it doesn't. And my shelf is more geared toward "book" type CD packages - which they are - than boxes. Plus I like the individual essays in the books.

which you can trade in of course once you get this one.

I'm pretty sure I have at least 99% of what I actually feel the need to own. I've no need to hear every recorded note. Are you really trying to convince me that the time I'd spend listening to, say, great soul hits from the 60s and 70s that I haven't heard before would be better-spent weeding through Elvis soundtracks?

The lack of "Having Fun on Stage" is a deal-breaker too.

toomanyhatz wrote:
The lack of "Having Fun on Stage" is a deal-breaker too.

toomanyhatz wrote: Are you really trying to convince me that the time I'd spend listening to, say, great soul hits from the 60s and 70s that I haven't heard before would be better-spent weeding through Elvis soundtracks?

All I know is that there’s a lot of fun to be had on those soundtracks.

There’s a box set of only those records - and I spent a glorious few days with it on shuffle not long ago.

Most of them are a Clambake too far, Davey.

fange wrote:Most of them are a Clambake too far, Davey.

Clambake is a jam!

If it's a jam it's probably tomato or cactus, mate.

Davey the Fat Boy wrote:

fange wrote:Most of them are a Clambake too far, Davey.

Clambake is a jam!

Speaking of clams -- different words and this could have been a hit. Or at least a big production number.