Rock Bands & Pop Stars
Elvis Presley Pictures
Artist:
Elvis Presley
Origin:
United States, Memphis - Tennessee (Born in Mississippi)United States
Born date:
January 8, 1935
Death date:
August 16, 1977
Elvis Presley Album: «Elvis By the Presleys (Bonus CD)»
Elvis Presley Album: «Elvis By the Presleys (Bonus CD)» (Front side)
    Album information
  • Customers rating: (4.3 of 5)
  • Title:Elvis By the Presleys (Bonus CD)
  • Release date:
  • Type:Audio CD
  • Label:
  • UPC:
Customers rating
Track listing
Review - Product Description
This 2 CD set is the soundtrack to the definitive family biography. Features such Elvis classics such as 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'Always On My Mind', 'Bridge Over Trouble Water' & 'Suspicious Minds'. A Bonus disc with outtakes and previously unreleased material is also included. RCA. 2005.
Review - Amazon.com
This 32-track, double CD set--a companion to a television special--is marketed as the King's "most emotionally affecting tunes," songs he connected to his real-life romance with his wife and daughter. Well, that's a novel repackaging ploy, especially as this collection contains "Heartbreak Hotel," a song Elvis recorded in 1956, well before he met Priscilla. However, the second disc, a collection of rarities, is far more interesting, beginning with "It Wouldn't Be the Same Without You," one of the four known demos Presley recorded before winning his Sun contract. His tone here--pure and almost girlish--is the sweet sound of a boy who would be Dean Martin, not a revolution in the making. Private recordings of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and "Baby What You Want Me to Do" are so "living room" as to seem deliciously voyeuristic. But the most fascinating glimpse here comes as an alternate take of "You'll Be Gone," a song Presley wrote in 1962 with friends Red West and Charlie Hodge. Utterly awful, it finds him meandering into the squishy no man's land that characterized much of the period. He played it for the visiting Priscilla, who said she liked his rock 'n' roll stuff better, and, crushed, he supposedly never tried to write a song again. That was history's loss, but Priscilla ended up being a better A&R director than anybody else Elvis had around him at the time. And not a bad album packager it turns out, though the "rare, never-before-seen family photos" promised in the booklet don't quite cut the mustard. --Alanna Nash
Customer review
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
- The King in All His Glory!

This is a great collection in great sound. It's not the same ol' greatest hits type package with Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel, Blue Suede Shoes, etc. Those are all great songs but this album expands the horizons for the casual listener and introduces songs such as "I Got a Woman," "It's Over," "You'll be Gone," "My Way," and "I've Got a Feeling in My Body." You even get a 1977 live version of Blue Christmas. In other words - this CD contains the songs that are cherished and loved by the diehard fans such as myself. These are the songs that "hook" you on Elvis. And once you're hooked you can never shake it.

Elvis is the best entertainer in the history of music and it's about time he got the respect is due.

Customer review
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
- Great!

Although I am not a big fan of repackaged material; all of these cuts can be found on other discs in some shape or form - this is a killer 2 disc set for newbies. It provides a very nice, well-rounded perspective of the King's career.

Everyone concentrates on the 1950's Elvis when in fact some of his best performances were recorded in the 70's. Here you'll find a nice cross-section of material from all three decades of his recording career.

One can't help but wonder what type of music Elvis would be recording today if he was still alive. Music has changed so dramatically since he passed away in 1977 but Elvis had such a great ear for talent, style and sound that I am sure there would have been some exceptional music coming out of Memphis these past 25 or so years. Unfortuantely the operative words here are "would have" or should I say "should have"?

Nonetheless, the price for this set is excellent and if you are looking to be introduced to an area of the King's work that you might not be familiar with or if you just want to round out your collection - this would be a great set to pick-up.

Customer review
46 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
- More of the Same

Don't Waste Your Time Just To Get New Liner Notes.

Ever since BMG purchased RCA years ago, the recirculation of Elvis' material has bubbled over. They are not giving us anything new - just the same stuff with different packaging. This way people will feel compelled to have new liner notes and pictures.

Of course, being business-only-minded, they want your money - nothing else. And, unfortunately people are giving it to them.

How many times do I need "Hound Dog" or "Jailhouse Rock"? If you have it once, then you have it - period. I would rather have Elvis singing "Bad Moon Rising" which he did in concert but hasn't been released, yet.

If you want to have Elvis' proper commercial releases then don't buy this drivel. Instead, get the boxed sets:

50's Masters

60's Masters

Command Performances

Amazing Grace

70's Masters

The only excellent releases by BMG (now Sony BMG) are "Tiger Man" and the "1968 Comeback Special." These mentioned cds will give you all that you need.

I do appreciate BMG trying to get younger fans to appreciate Elvis' music but enough is enough. And this is now more than enough.

Customer review
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
- The King is in back in the building!

Although I am not a big fan of repackaged material; all of these cuts can be found on other discs in some shape or form - this is a killer 2 disc set for newbies. It provides a very nice, well-rounded perspective of the King's career.

Everyone concentrates on the 1950's Elvis when in fact some of his best performances were recorded in the 70's. Here you'll find a nice cross-section of material from all three decades of his recording career.

One can't help but wonder what type of music Elvis would be recording today if he was still alive. Music has changed so dramatically since he passed away in 1977 but Elvis had such a great ear for talent, style and sound that I am sure there would have been some exceptional music coming out of Memphis these past 25 or so years. Unfortuantely the operative words here are "would have" or should I say "should have"?

Nonetheless, the price for this set is excellent and if you are looking to be introduced to an area of the King's work that you might not be familiar with or if you just want to round out your collection - this would be a great set to pick-up.

Customer review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
- Thank you Priscilla and Lisa Marie

Disc one is a very good collection. From the fantastic Sun recordings Trying To Get To You through Heartbreak Hotel, Indescribably Blue, Suspicious Minds to A Little Less Conversation everybody can find favourites. I specially happy to have If I Can Dream, I'll Hold You In My Heart, Steamroller Blues and Trouble. They shows Elvis at his best.

Disc two is for the real collector.