ELVIS
BMG CD REVIEWS
ELVIS’ GOLD RECORDS,
VOLUME 2
Reviewed by:
George Nelson 2002/06/06
50,000,000
ELVIS FANS CAN’T BE WRONG
LPM-2075 (1959)
PCD1-5197 (1984)
67463-2 (1997)
This review will
be over the last album release of the 1950’s and the last
before Elvis returned home from the army. The original release
contained 10 songs and clocked in just under 29 minutes. Basically
the Gold Record Series from this point on, would only feature
songs that were released on singles and not on albums. This
CD with the ten songs was great. However I will be reviewing
the 1997 upgrade, which gave some life to an already great
released.
Elvis had cut
some songs just before he was sent to Germany. Elvis never
recorded any songs in a studio during his tour of duty. Most
of these songs hit the top ten while Elvis was away. The re-release
used the original cover art on the booklet and a new picture
on the inlay. It contained an eight page booklet with information
on the songs and as with most of the upgrades, this contained
better sounding tapes, along with 10 bonus tracks.
"HEY BABY,
AIN’T ASKIN’ MUCH OF YOU", A Big Hunk O’ Love starts
out this CD and Unfortunate take 3 used on the 50’s masters
box is used instead of the original spliced master. However
it sounds just as good. The only way you can get this version
is to buy the 1984 version of this CD. A Big Hunk O’ Love
hit number 1 on the billboard hot 100 chart. The flip side
My Wish Came True follows. It was recorded during Elvis’ Christmas
session in September of 1957. It would be tried out again
in January and February 1958, but with no luck. No tape from
the 1958 sessions of this song are known to exist.
A fool Such as
I and I Need your Love Tonight were recorded just before Elvis
went to Germany. A Fool Such as I had been recorded by Hank
Snow only a couple of years earlier. Elvis did a great job
with this song. Backed with I Need your Love Tonight this
was a big seller in 1959.
Don’t was recorded
during the Elvis 1957 Christmas session. It was written by
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. This is a beautiful ballad.
This song would go to number one on the billboard charts.
The flip side I Beg of You was tried out in January of 1957,
but with no success. The version recorded in February would
become the master take.
The United Kingdom
didn’t, and still don’t, always release the same things the
U.S. releases. The next single is from the UK Santa Bring
My Baby Back (to me) and Santa Claus is Back in Town. It was
a huge success and yielded a gold single.
The UK Also released
Party backed with Got a Lot O’ Livin’ to do! Both songs were
taken from the movie LOVING YOU. Party would not be released
as a single in the US Another UK Single featured is Paralyzed.
Paralyzed was backed with When My Blue Moon turns to gold
again (which is not on this release). Paralyzed had the same
tempo as Don’t be Cruel. Paralyzed was recorded in September
of 1956.
One Night was
originally recorded as One Night of Sin in January 1957, during
his LOVING YOU, recording session. RCA thought it was to vulgar
for the times so they had Elvis re-record it as "One
Night with You". One Night was backed with I Got Stung.
I Got Stung was the last studio song recorded by Elvis before
he was sent to Germany. It took over 20 takes to get it the
way he wanted it.
For the movie
King Creole, RCA in the UK released King Creole backed with
Dixieland Rock (does not appear on this CD). King Creole was
a big hit and not to mention one of his best acting movies.
Wear My Ring
Around Your Neck, is perhaps one of Elvis’ best songs recorded
before leaving for Germany. I love this song especially the
ending. It’s to bad he never did this song live. Doncha’ Think
It’s Time was first tried out in January 1958 at the KING
CREOLE recording session, no tape of this session is known
to exist. Elvis retried it again in February and that is where
this tape is from. The original single splice is used on this
CD. Take 40 was accidentally released on the original LP.
Mean Woman Blues
from the movie LOVING YOU appears on this CD. It appeared
on the Extended Play, LOVING YOU, VOL. 2. This song is great.
To bad it was never released as a single.
Playing for Keeps
is Up Next. This was the flip side of Too Much, which was
released on Elvis’ Golden Records. It is a slow song, but
pretty. It was recorded September 1957.
Another song
from the movie KING CREOLE appears on this release. This time
though from the good old USA and later the rest of the world.
Hard Headed Woman became another number one hit for Elvis.
It was backed with Don’t ask me Why (not on this CD). These
two songs did not appear on KING CREOLE, Vol. 1 and KING CREOLE,
Vol. 2 Extended plays.
Finally the last
song from this album is actually from Elvis’ first attempt
at singing gospel music. Peace in the Valley became an instant
success after Elvis sang the song on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Although Peace in the Valley was not a single at the time,
it was the lead song on an extended play entitled, PEACE IN
THE VALLEY.
My only advice
on this release is, if you want a the original masters of
A Big Hunk o’ love and the Alternate take of Doncha’ Think
it’s time get the original version of this CD. If you want
a more complete over view of the late1956 - 1959 time period
get the upgraded version.
1959 version:
I NEED YOUR LOVE
TONIGHT / DON’T / WEAR MY RING AROUND YOUR NECK / MY WISH
CAME TRUE / I GOT STUNG / ONE NIGHT / A BIG HUNK O’ LOVE /
I BEG OF YOU / A FOOL SUCH AS I / DONCHA’ THINK IT’S TIME
(alternate take 40)
1997 version:
A BIG HUNK O’
LOVE (take 3) / MY WISH CAME TRUE / A FOOL SUCH AS I / I NEED
YOUR LOVE TONIGHT / DON’T / I BEG OF YOU / SANTA BRING MY
BABY BACK / SANTA CLAUS IS BACK IN TOWN / PARTY / PARALYZED
/ ONE NIGHT / I GOT STUNG / KING CREOLE / WEAR MY RING AROUND
YOUR NECK / DONCHA’ THINK IT’S TIME / MEAN WOMAN BLUES / PLAYING
FOR KEEPS / HARD HEADED WOMAN / GOT A LOT O’ LIVIN’ TO DO!
/ PEACE IN THE VALLEY