This was the beginning of what was to become the largest collection of Gold Records in history. Garth Brooks may have out sold Elvis in the United States but Elvis Presley is the biggest record seller Internationally. In 1957 when this album was first released RCA had just begun what I call their Reign Of Terror. Never before has an artist been so mishandled by a record company. Elvis had enough gold records to warrant a double album but RCA chose to cut some of the songs and do a single album, and so they did from then on. Elvis' Golden Records Volume 1 through 5 were all treated this way. Now some 40 years later RCA has gone back and reissued all five albums digitally remastered on compact disk and have included all the tracks that should have been on the original albums to begin with. This particular album has six additional tracks that were not on the original album. What is interesting to note is some of these orignal exclusions were songs originally recorded at the Memphis based Sun Studios an independent studio ran by Sam C. Phillips who was the first person to record Elvis Presley. It's amazing to think that this independent label produced three gold hits That's All Right, Baby Let's Play House and Mystery Train this early on in Rock History. Theres not a bad song on this album. They are all repackaged very nicely. All the discs are redone to look like original Elvis 45 gold records. My suggestion: Purchase the whole lot. Vol.1-5. You will not be disappointed.

This is a superb collection of the music by the man who changed not only the world's musical direction, but also changed an entire culture. Elvis Presley, through his music and even his movies, changed the way the world viewed youth, sex, style and naturally enough, music and movies. This album contains the early, hard rockin' Elvis beginning with the song that started it all, "Heartbreak Hotel", the bluesy, edgey ballad of lost love. Elvis' vocal talents are on ample display in this selection, maybe like never before. An often overlooked piece, "Anyway You Want Me" is also featured. It is a wailing ballad of a desperate heart trying to attain the unattainable love. This is a hauntingly romantic song that I feel still strikes a nerve today. The rocker Elvis is featured in "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock", the latter of which far and away the best. "Hound Dog" was not a song that Elvis particularly liked and although it was a huge selling record, it cannot even compare with "Jailhouse Rock". If you want an example of early, classic rock n' roll, this is it. "Jailhouse Rock" may be the quintessential rock song of all time. But, my favorite on this album, is cool, yet plaintive, "Don't Be Cruel". This song is Elvis. It is the definition of 1950s cool. If I could only have one recording in my collection, it would probably be this one.If you are a Generation X-er and wonder what real rock n' roll was like, listen to this album. This is the way rock was born and brought up. Everything that has followed owes its roots to the songs on this album.

If you are planning to start collecting Elvis music, this is a must-have! It has all of the the early hits including his first record "That's All Right, Mama". Sales on "Elvis' Golden Records" were continuning to boost throughout the years, and this has been awarded sextuple platinum by RIAA, as of Aug. 1999.

I'm 14 and one of the few young Elvis fans in the world, and I love this CD! While you're at it, collect the other Golden Record voulmes.

Who doesn't know these recordings? Forty five years since the majority of these songs were recorded, the first volume of Elvis' greatest hits can still be heard every day on radio, television, films, commercials and in every karaoke bar the world over. Such is the lasting appeal of pop music's greatest star and the sheer quality of the songs themselves. There hasn't been a better pop song written than Don't Be Cruel, while the atmospheric Heartbreak Hotel still has the same impact when played today as it did in 1956 - an astonishing vocal performance by a barely 21 year old singer on the verge of greatness. I enjoy Elvis' recordings from his entire career - the best of his 60s and 70s output equals the material on this CD - but for pure fun and enjoyment, it has to be Golden Records volume 1 every time.

I know that some will disagree, but who cares? This IS the beginning of the ROCK era and after Elvis, nothing was the same. I'm not into giving musical history lessons, but this music and his SUBLIME voice shine thru.......oh, yeh, Its even better than the overly overrated Beatles 1 cd!