I am now importing my comments on starting an Elvis Presley collection from The Day the Music Died thread. There is a 'new' discovery I've made which involves his 50s music so I suggest interested parties who want to start their Elvis collection read that closely!
There is also a massive boxset with all of his studio recordings that I will give information on!
ELVIS PRESLEYI'll first mention a way (my way
) to get almost all of Elvis Presley's studio recordings! First, get the The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters boxset; then 'From Nashville To Memphis- Essential 60's Masters' boxset; then Command Performances: The Essential 60's Masters II double cd set of his movie soundtracks; then Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters !
You'd then pretty much have everything! I know some would add 'Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances' 2 Cd set to isolate his gospel stuff but I believe it is found spread out amongst the boxsets I mentioned.
I think all those boxes are in print except the Walk A Mile...70s one which would be quite expensive.
Elvis has so many recordings on the market it is mindboggling; so I went the most direct route that I mentioned above!
BEST CAREER SPANNING BOXSET AT A BUDGET PRICE- Elvis 75-Good Rockin' Tonight Ok, the best one stop shop set I've seen for Elvis is 'Elvis 75-Good Rockin' Tonight', a 4Cd box with 100 tracks. It appears to scan his whole career up to the remix hit version of A Little Less Conversation from somewhat recent times! There are definitely some omissions (ie his later hit Moody Blue) but the track list looks solid to these eyes for the price and the broad scope.
SUPPLEMENTS to ELVIS 75: GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT CAREER BOXSETI'd supplement that boxset later with the 2CD 'Memories: The '68 Comeback Special' which is the live show and in the round that relaunched his career in the late 60s!
Those inclined to gospel (Elvis was more king of it than rock n roll) would be served by the Amazing Grace 2CD set or the single disc Elvis: Ultimate Gospel.
The economical single disc Great Country Songs or the packed 2CD set 'Country Side of Elvis' would fill many holes!
The very economical Elvis R&B cd would fill in some holes from throughout his career.
Personally, I think his Sun stuff is essential and should be heard in it's entirety and can be done without getting the 50s boxset by getting the 2CD 'Sunrise' set or the cream of the crop can be heard on the cheap cd 'Elvis At Sun'.
ELVIS PRESLEY 5CD BOXSET of 50s Material for less than $9 There is now a fantastic alternative to 'The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters' boxset! It is a 5CD boxset with 75 cuts of Elvis' prime early material at Sun Records and the smash hits he had at RCA throughout the later half of the 50s.
The box is simply titled:
' ELVIS PRESLEY' - 5CD BOXSET of 50s Material Here is an amazon link:
www.amazon.com/Elvis-Presley/dp/B001UE27DI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1298358759&sr=1-1And a Track Listing:
DISC 1:
1. Jailhouse Rock
2. King Creole
3. That's All Right, Mama
4. Lawdy Miss Clawdy
5. Don't Be Cruel
6. Blue Suede Shoes
7. You're a Heartbreaker
8. Paralyzed
9. Loving You
10. Tomorrow Night
11. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
12. You're So Square (Baby, I Don't Care)
13. Ready Teddy
14. Long Tall Sally
15. I Forgot to Remember to Forget
DISC 2:
1. Heartbreak Hotel
2. Love Me Tender
3. Teddy Bear
4. Good Rockin' Tonight
5. Baby, Let's Play House
6. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
7. Milk Cow Blues Boogie
8. How's the World Treating You?
9. Steadfast Loyal and True
10. Treat Me Nice
11. Young Dreams
12. New Orleans
13. Dontcha Think It's Time?
14. Crawfish
15. Hard-Headed Woman
DISC 3:
1. All Shook Up
2. True Love
3. Shake, Rattle and Roll
4. My Baby Left Me
5. I Love You Because
6. Blue Moon of Kentucky
7. As Long As I Have You
8. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)
9. Poor Boy
10. Tutti Frutti
11. We're Gonna Move
12. Mean Woman Blues
13. I Need You So
14. Any Place is Paradise
15. I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine
DISC 4:
1. Hound Dog
2. Rip It Up
3. I Got a Woman
4. Blue Moon
5. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?
6. Hot Dog
7. Lover Doll
8. Trouble
9. Young & Beautiful
10. Party
11. Love Me
12. Blueberry Hill
13. Don't Ask Me Why
14. Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do
15. Just Because
DISC 5:
1. I Believe
2. It s No Secret (What God Can Do)
3. Peace in the Valley
4. Take My Hand Precious Lord
5. I Beg of You
6. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
7. Trying to Get to You
8. Don't
9. Harbor Lights
10. I Got Stung
11. Money Honey
12. Mystery Train
13. Don't Leave Me Now
14. I Want to Be Free
15. One Night
The Complete Elvis Presley Masters - 30 CD BOX And finally, there is a new way to get all of Elvis Presley's 711 studio sides. It is the 30 disc set, The Complete Elvis Presley Masters !