Elvis Presley - Anthology (2015)
Elvis Presley - Anthology (2015)
Elvis Presley - Anthology (2015)
The ultimate digitally remastered collection from the original RCA Records Label® master tapes,
featuring the very best of Elvis’ studio, concert and informal recordings.
To call Elvis a cultural icon is to shortchange him. He is THE cultural icon. Years after his untimely
death on August 16, 1977 it was still unclear how history would judge Elvis Presley, but now it’s no
exaggeration to say he is regarded not only as the ultimate Rock ‘n’ roll icon, but the embodiment
of American popular music in the latter half of the 20th Century. Elvis is not only inextricable from
so much that surround us, but his unprecedented level of achievement is still the benchmark by
which artistic success is measured.
As early as 1956, the search was on for someone who would become the next Elvis Presley, but now
we know better: There’ll never be another Elvis. One day maybe someone might score more hits,
maybe even sell more records, but they’ll never be Elvis. No one will single-handedly change the
way we think about popular music the way Elvis did.
Elvis Presley - Anthology on MP3 goes beyond the established master recordings, and documents
the invaluable “music-making” of the world’s most successful recording artist. It chronicles the
outstanding career of Elvis Presley from a unique perspective, allowing us to follow his career almost
on a session-by-session basis.
Each track presented here has been digitally remastered from the best possible sound source to
ensure state-of-the-art sonic quality. It symbolizes years of work, research and technical proficiency
and reflects the commitment to restore and preserve this most valuable of all contemporary music
legacies. The sound varies due to tape source, but every effort has been made to achieve optimum
sound quality; however, priority has been given to historic content.
Elvis Presley - Anthology on MP3 tells a truly fascinating and different story, it’s not just about his
several hundred million record sales worldwide, nor about the Rock ‘n’ roller turned Pop star and
certainly not about the activities of his non-musical private life. This collection is a unique testament
to the broad scope of his career and the vast musical legacy of the singer, the performer, the
greatest recording artist of all time…
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His Name Was Elvis Aaron Presley
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Biography:
Unfortunately, to much of the public, Elvis is more icon than artist… Innumerable bad
Hollywood movies, increasingly caricatured records and mannerisms, and a personal life
that became steadily more sheltered from real-world concerns (and steadily more bizarre)
gave his story a somewhat mythic status. By the time of his death, he’d become more a
symbol of gross Americana than of cultural innovation. The continued speculation about his
incredible career has sustained interest in his life, and supported a large
tourist/entertainment industry, that may last indefinitely, even if the fascination is fueled
more by his celebrity than his music.
Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo,
Mississippi, on January 8, 1935, in the heart of Depression. His twin brother, Jessie Garon,
was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to
Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, where he absorbed the vibrant melting pot of Southern
popular music in the form of blues, country, bluegrass, and gospel. Elvis graduated from
Humes High School there in 1953. After graduating from high school, he became a truck
driver, rarely if ever singing in public.
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Some 1953 and 1954 demos, recorded at the emerging Sun label in Memphis primarily for
Elvis’ own pleasure, helped stir interest on the part of Sun owner Sam Phillips. In mid-1954,
Phillips, looking for a white singer with a black feel, teamed Presley with guitarist Scotty
Moore and bassist Bill Black. Almost by accident, apparently, the trio hit upon a version of
an Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup blues tune, “That’s All Right,” that became Elvis’ first single.
Elvis’ five Sun singles pioneered the blend of R&B and C&W that would characterize
Rockabilly music. For quite a few scholars, they remain not only Elvis’ best singles, but the
best Rock ‘n’ roll ever recorded. Claiming that Elvis made Blues acceptable for the white
market is not the whole picture; the singles usually teamed Blues covers with Country and
Pop ones, all made into Rock ‘n’ roll (at this point a term that barely existed) with the pulsing
beat, slap-back echo, and Elvis’ soaring, frenetic vocals. “That’s All Right,” “Blue Moon Of
Kentucky,” “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” “Baby, Let’s Play House,” and “Mystery Train” remain
core early Rock classics.
The singles sold well in the Memphis area immediately, and by 1955 were starting to sell
well to Country audiences throughout the South. Presley and The Blue Moon Boys (Moore
and Black) hit the road with a stage show that grew ever wilder and more provocative, Elvis’
swiveling hips causing enormous controversy. The move to all-out Rock was hastened by
the addition of drums. The last Sun single, “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” b/w “Mystery
Train,” hit number one on the national Country charts in late 1955. Presley was obviously a
performer with superstar potential, attracting the interest of bigger labels and Colonel Tom
Parker, who became Elvis’ manager. In need of capital to expand the Sun label, Sam Phillips
sold Presley’s contract to RCA in late 1955 for 35,000 dollars; a bargain, when viewed in
hindsight, but an astronomical sum at the time.
This is the point where musical historians start to diverge in opinion. For many, the whole
of his subsequent work for RCA - encompassing over 20 years - was a steady letdown, never
recapturing the pure, primal energy that was harnessed so effectively on the handful of Sun
singles. Elvis, however, was not a purist. What he wanted, more than anything, was to be
successful. To do that, his material needed more of a pop feel; in any case, he’d never
exactly been one to disparage the mainstream, naming Dean Martin as one of his chief
heroes from the get-go.
At RCA, his Rockabilly was leavened with enough Pop flavor to make all of the charts, not
just the Country ones.
At the beginning, at least, the results were hardly any tamer than the Sun sessions.
“Heartbreak Hotel,” his first single, rose to number one and, aided by some national
television appearances, helped make Elvis an instant superstar. “I Want You, I Need You, I
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Love You” was a number one follow-up; the double-sided monster “Hound Dog” b/w “Don’t
Be Cruel” was one of the biggest-selling singles the industry had ever experienced up to that
point. Albums and EP’s were also chart-toppers, not just in the U. S., but throughout the
world. The 1956 RCA recordings, while a bit more sophisticated in production and a bit less
rootsy in orientation than his previous work, were still often magnificent, rating among the
best and most influential recordings of early Rock ‘n’ roll.
Elvis’ (and Colonel Parker’s) aspirations were too big to be limited to records and live
appearances. By late 1956, his first Hollywood movie, “Love Me Tender,” had been
released; other screen vehicles would follow in the next few years, “Jailhouse Rock” being
the best. The hits continued unabated, several of them (“Jailhouse Rock,” “All Shook Up,”
“Too Much”) excellent, and often benefiting from the efforts of top early rock songwriter
Otis Blackwell, as well as the emerging team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The
Jordanaires added both Pop and Gospel elements with their smooth backup vocals.
Yet worrisome signs were creeping in. The Dean Martin influence began rearing his head in
smoky, sentimental ballads such as “Loving You”; the vocal swoops became more
exaggerated and stereotypical, although the overall quality of his output remained high.
And although Moore and Black continued to back Elvis on his early RCA recordings, within
a few years the musicians had gone their own ways.
Presley’s recording and picture careers were interrupted by his induction into the Army in
early 1958. There was enough material in the can to flood the charts throughout his two-
year absence (during which he largely served in Germany). When he re-entered civilian life
in 1960, his popularity, remarkably, was at just as high a level as when he left.
One couldn’t, unfortunately, say the same for the quality of his music, which was not just
becoming more sedate, but was starting to either repeat itself, or opt for operatic ballads
that didn’t have a whole lot to do with Rock. Elvis’ rebellious, wild image had been tamed
to a large degree as well, as he and Parker began designing a career built around Hollywood
films. Shortly after leaving the Army, in fact, Presley gave up live performing altogether for
nearly a decade to concentrate on movie-making. The films, in turn, would serve as vehicles
to both promote his records and to generate maximum revenue with minimal effort.
For the rest of the ‘60s, Presley ground out two or three movies a year that, while mostly
profitable, had little going for them in the way of story, acting, or social value.
While there were some quality efforts on Presley’s early ‘60s albums, his discography was
soon dominated by forgettable soundtracks, mostly featuring material that was dispensable
or downright ridiculous. In time he became largely disinterested in devoting much time to
his craft in the studio. The soundtrack LP’s themselves were sometimes filled out with
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outtakes that had been in the can for years (and these, sadly, were often the highlights of
the albums). There were some good singles in the early ‘60s, like “Return To Sender”; once
in a while there was even a flash of superb, tough Rock, like “Little Sister” or “(Marie’s The
Name) His Latest Flame.” But by 1963 or so there was little to get excited about, although
he continued to sell in large quantities.
The era spanning, roughly, 1962-1967 has generated a school of Elvis apologists, eager to
wrestle any kernel of quality that emerged from his recordings during this period. They also
point out that Presley was assigned poor material, and assert that Colonel Parker was
largely responsible for Presley’s emasculation. True to a point, but on the other hand it
could be claimed, with some validity, that Presley himself was doing little to rouse himself
from his artistic stupor, letting Parker destroy his artistic credibility without much apparent
protest, and holing up in his large mansion with a retinue of yes-men that protected their
benefactor from much day-to-day contact with a fast-changing world.
The Beatles, all big Elvis fans, displaced Presley as the biggest Rock act in the world in 1964.
What’s more, they did so by writing their own material and playing their own instruments;
something Elvis had never been capable of, or particularly aspired to.
They, and the British and American groups the Beatles influenced, were not shy about
expressing their opinions, experimenting musically, and taking the reins of their artistic
direction into their own hands. The net effect was to make Elvis Presley, still churning out
movies in Hollywood as psychedelia and soul music became the rage, seem irrelevant, even
as he managed to squeeze out an obscure Dylan cover, “Tomorrow Is A Long Time,” on the
“Spinout” soundtrack album in 1966.
By 1967 and 1968, there were slight stirrings of an artistic reawakening by Elvis. Singles like
“Guitar Man,” “Big Boss Man,” and “U. S. Male,” though hardly classics, were at least
genuine Rock ‘n’ roll that sounded better than much of what he’d been turning out for
years. A 1968 television special gave Presley the opportunity he needed to reinvent himself
as an all-out leather-coated rocker, still capable of magnetizing an audience, and eager to
revisit his blues and country roots.
The 1969 album “From Elvis In Memphis” was the first LP in nearly a decade in which
Presley seemed cognizant of current trends, as he updated his sounds with contemporary
compositions and touches of Soul to create some reasonably gutsy late ‘60s Pop/Rock. This
material, with hits like “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto,” returned him to the top of
the charts. Arguably, it’s been overrated by critics, who were so glad to have him singing
Rock again that they weren’t about to carp about the slickness of some of the production,
or the mediocrity of some of the songwriting.
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But Elvis’ voice did sound good, and he returned to live performing in 1969, breaking in with
weeks of shows in Las Vegas. This was followed by national tours that proved him to still be
an excellent live entertainer, even if the exercises often reeked of show-biz extravaganza.
(Elvis never did play outside of North America and Hawaii, possibly because Colonel Parker,
as it was later revealed, was an illegal alien who could have faced serious problems if he
traveled abroad.) Hollywood was history, but studio and live albums were generated at a
rapid pace, usually selling reasonably well, although Presley never had a Top Ten hit after
1972’s “Burning Love.”
Presley’s 1970’s recordings, like most of his ‘60s work, are the focus of divergent critical
opinion. Some declare them to be, when Elvis was on, the equal of anything he did,
especially in terms of artistic diversity. It’s true that the material was pretty eclectic, running
from Country to Blues to all-out Rock to Gospel (Presley periodically recorded Gospel-only
releases, going all the way back to 1957). At the same time, his vocal mannerisms were
often stilted, and the material - though not nearly as awful as that ‘60s soundtrack filler -
sometimes substandard. Those who are not serious Elvis fans will usually find this late-
period material to hold only a fraction of the interest of his ‘50s classics.
Elvis’ final years have been the subject of a cottage industry of celebrity bios, tell-alls, and
gossip screeds from those who knew him well, or (more likely) purported to know him well.
Those activities are really beyond the scope of a mini-bio such as this, but it’s enough to
note that his behavior was becoming increasingly instable. His weight fluctuated wildly; his
marriage broke up; he became dependent upon a variety of prescription drugs. Worst of
all, he became isolated from the outside world except for professional purposes (he
continued to tour until the end), rarely venturing outside of his Graceland mansion in
Memphis. Colonel Parker’s financial decisions on behalf of his client have also come in for
much criticism.
On August 16, 1977, Presley was found dead in Graceland. The cause of death remains a
subject of widespread speculation, although it seems likely that drugs played a part.
An immediate cult (if cult is the way to describe millions of people) sprang up around his
legacy, kept alive by the hundreds of thousands of visitors who make the pilgrimage to
Graceland annually. Elvis’ memorabilia, much of it kitsch, is another industry in his own
right. Dozens if not hundreds make a comfortable living by impersonating the King in live
performance. And then there are all those Elvis’ sightings, reported in tabloids on a
seemingly weekly basis.
Although Presley had recorded a mammoth quantity of both released and unreleased
material for RCA, the label didn’t show much interest in repackaging it with the respect due
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such a pioneer. Haphazard collections of outtakes and live performances were far rarer than
budget reissues and countless re-packagings of the big hits. In the CD age, RCA/BMG (now
Sony) finally began to treat the catalog with some of the reverence it deserved, at long last
assembling a box set containing nearly all of the 1950’s recordings. Similar, although less
exciting, box sets were documenting the 1960’s, the 1970’s, and his soundtrack recordings.
And exploitative reissues of Elvis’ material continue to appear constantly, often baited with
one or two rare outtakes or alternates to entice the completists (of which there are many).
Fortunately, with a little discretion, a good Elvis library can be built with little duplication,
sticking largely to the most highly recommended selections…
Richie Unterberger
Writer, author of USA - The Rough Guide To Music.
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ELVIS PRESLEY – ANTHOLOGY ON MP3
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When My Blue Moon Turns To
035 02:23 Walker - Sullivan 1956
Gold Again
036 Paralyzed 02:26 Blackwell - Presley 1956
037 Too Much 02:36 Rosenberg - Weinman 1956
038 Anyplace Is Paradise 02:27 Joe Thomas 1956
039 Ready Teddy 01:58 Blackwell - Marascalco 1956
040 First In Line 03:23 Schroeder - Weisman 1956
041 Rip It Up 02:08 Blackwell - Marascalco 1956
When The Saints Go Marchin’ In
042 02:17 Purvis - Black 1956
(Informal Performance)
043 Tell Me Why 02:10 Titus Turner 1957
044 Got A Lot O’ Livin’ To Do! 02:33 Schroeder - Weisman 1957
045 All Shook Up 02:04 Blackwell - Presley 1957
046 Mean Woman Blues 02:31 Claude Demetrius 1957
047 Peace In The Valley 03:25 Thomas A. Dorsey 1957
048 I Beg Of You (Alternate Take 12) 01:54 McCoy - Owens 1957
That’s When Your Heartaches
049 03:51 Raskin - Brown - Fisher 1957
Begin
050 Take My Hand, Precious Lord 03:20 Dorsey - Allen 1957
051 Teddy Bear 01:50 Mann - Lowe 1957
052 Hot Dog 01:17 Leiber - Stoller 1957
053 Is It So Strange? 02:30 Faron Young 1957
054 Party 01:30 Jessie Mae Robinson 1957
Bartholomew - King -
055 One Night 02:34 1957
Steiman
056 Loving You 02:16 Leiber - Stoller 1957
057 When It Rains, It Really Pours 01:51 Billy "The Kid" Emerson 1957
058 Jailhouse Rock 02:30 Leiber - Stoller 1957
059 Young And Beautiful 02:05 Schroeder - Silver 1957
060 Treat Me Nice (Movie Version) 02:00 Leiber - Stoller 1957
061 I Want To Be Free 02:16 Leiber - Stoller 1957
062 Baby, I Don’t Care 01:55 Leiber - Stoller 1957
063 Blue Christmas 02:10 Hayes - Johnson 1957
064 My Wish Came True 02:36 Ivory Joe Hunter 1957
065 Don’t 02:51 Leiber - Stoller 1957
066 Santa Claus Is Back In Town 02:26 Leiber - Stoller 1957
067 Hard-Headed Woman 01:56 Claude Demetrius 1958
068 Trouble 02:19 Leiber - Stoller 1958
069 New Orleans 02:01 Tepper - Bennett 1958
070 Crawfish (With Kitty White) 02:22 Wise - Weisman 1958
071 King Creole 02:10 Leiber - Stoller 1958
Doncha’ Think It’s Time?
072 01:59 Otis - Dixon 1958
(Single Version)
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073 Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 02:16 Caroll - Moody 1958
074 I Need Your Love Tonight 02:07 Wayne - Reichner 1958
075 A Big Hunk O’ Love 02:16 Schroeder - Wyche 1958
076 Ain’t That Loving You, Baby? 02:25 Otis - Hunter 1958
077 A Fool Such As I 02:59 Bill Trader 1958
078 I Got Stung 02:06 Schroeder - Hill 1958
Elvis Sails
079 02:53 Public Domain 1958
(Press Conference - Excerpt)
080 Mona Lisa (Home Recording) 02:28 Livingston - Evans 1959
081 Stuck On You 02:21 Schroeder - McFarland 1960
082 Fame And Fortune 02:33 Wise - Weisman 1960
083 A Mess Of Blues 02:43 Pomus - Shuman 1960
084 It Feels So Right 02:15 Wise - Weisman 1960
085 Fever 03:35 Cooley - Davenport 1960
086 Like A Baby 02:53 Jesse Stone 1960
Capurro - di Capua -
087 It’s Now Or Never 03:18 Mazzucchi - Schroeder - 1960
Gold
088 The Girl Of My Best Friend 02:24 Ross - Bobrick 1960
089 Thrill Of Your Love 03:02 Stanley A. Kesler 1960
090 I Gotta Know 02:18 Evans - Williams 1960
091 Such A Night 03:02 Lincoln Chase 1960
092 Are You Lonesome Tonight? 03:09 Turk - Handman 1960
093 Reconsider Baby 03:45 Lowell Fulson 1960
094 Doin’ The Best I Can 03:12 Pomus - Shuman 1960
095 G.I. Blues 02:40 Tepper - Bennett 1960
Kaemfert - Twomey - Wise -
096 Wooden Heart 02:05 1960
Weisman
097 Pocketful Of Rainbows 02:39 Wise - Weisman 1960
098 Frankfurt Special 02:59 Wayne - Edwards 1960
099 Flaming Star 02:31 Wayne - Edwards 1960
Milky White Way
100 02:33 Coleman - Gray 1960
(Alternate Take 3)
I Believe In The Man In The Sky
101 02:10 Richard Howard 1960
(Alternate Take 1)
De Curtis - De Curtis -
102 Surrender 01:54 1960
Pomus - Shuman
Traditional - Arr. by Elvis
103 Joshua Fit The Battle 02:41 1960
Presley
104 Swing Down, Sweet Chariot 02:35 Traditional - Burleigh 1960
105 Crying In The Chapel 02:27 Artie Glenn 1960
106 Lonely Man (Solo Version) 02:04 Benjamin - Marcus 1960
107 In My Way 01:25 Wise - Weisman 1960
108 Wild In The Country 01:55 Peretti - Creatore - Weiss 1960
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109 Gently 02:18 Wizell - Lisbona 1961
110 I Feel So Bad 02:56 Chuck Willis 1961
111 I Want You With Me 02:15 Woody Harris 1961
112 There’s Always Me 02:19 Don Robertson 1961
113 Sentimental Me 02:35 Cassin - Morehead 1961
114 Put The Blame On Me 01:58 Blagman - Twomey - Wise 1961
115 No More 02:35 Yradier - Robertson - Blair 1961
116 Blue Hawaii 02:38 Robin - Rainger 1961
117 Hawaiian Wedding Song 02:54 King - Hoffman - Manning 1961
Martini - Peretti - Creatore -
118 Can’t Help Falling In Love 03:04 1961
Weiss
119 Rock-A-Hula Baby 02:02 Wise - Weisman - Fuller 1961
120 Kiss Me Quick 02:49 Pomus - Shuman 1961
That’s Someone You Never
121 02:51 West - Presley 1961
Forget
122 His Latest Flame 02:09 Pomus - Shuman 1961
123 Little Sister 02:34 Pomus - Shuman 1961
124 Angel 02:40 Tepper - Bennett 1961
Follow That Dream
125 01:40 Wise - Weisman 1961
(Alternate Take 4)
126 Good Luck Charm 02:27 Schroeder - Gold 1961
127 Anything That’s Part Of You 02:07 Don Robertson 1961
128 I Met Her Today 02:44 Robertson - Blair 1961
129 Night Rider 02:12 Pomus - Shuman 1961
Home Is Where The Heart Is
130 02:35 Edwards - David 1961
(Unedited Master)
131 I Got Lucky 01:58 Wise - Weisman - Fuller 1961
King Of The Whole Wide World
132 02:43 Batchelor - Roberts 1961
(Unedited Master)
133 Something Blue 03:10 Evans - Byron 1962
134 Gonna Get Back Home Somehow 02:31 Pomus - Shuman 1962
135 Easy Question 02:22 Blackwell - Scott 1962
136 You’ll Be Gone 02:27 West - Presley - Hodge 1962
137 Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello 01:59 Leiber - Stoller 1962
138 Suspicion 02:37 Pomus - Shuman 1962
139 She’s Not You 02:12 Leiber - Stoller - Pomus 1962
Thanks To The Rolling Sea
140 01:25 Batchelor - Roberts 1962
(Alternate Take 10)
141 Girls! Girls! Girls! 02:34 Leiber - Stoller 1962
142 Return To Sender 02:08 Blackwell - Scott 1962
They Remind Me Too Much Of
143 02:33 Don Robertson 1962
You
144 One Broken Heart For Sale 01:46 Blackwell - Scott 1962
145 Bossa Nova Baby 02:03 Leiber - Stoller 1963
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Please, Don’t Drag That String
146 01:56 Blackwell - Scott 1963
Around
147 Devil In Disguise 02:22 Giant - Baum - Kaye 1963
148 Never Ending 02:02 Kaye - Springer 1963
149 Witchcraft 02:25 Bartholomew - King 1963
Long, Lonely Highway
150 02:23 Pomus - Shuman 1963
(Album Version)
151 I Need Somebody To Lean On 03:04 Pomus - Shuman 1963
152 Viva Las Vegas 02:27 Pomus - Shuman 1963
You’re The Boss
153 02:46 Leiber - Stoller 1963
(With Ann-Margret)
154 Today, Tomorrow And Forever 03:27 Liszt - Giant - Baum - Kaye 1963
155 Kissin’ Cousins 02:15 Wise - Starr 1963
156 Memphis, Tennessee 02:10 Chuck Berry 1964
Modugno - Giant - Baum -
157 Ask Me 02:09 1964
Kaye
158 It Hurts Me 02:28 Byers - Daniels 1964
159 Little Egypt 02:19 Leiber - Stoller 1964
Traditional - Tepper -
160 Puppet On A String 02:41 1964
Bennett
161 Animal Instinct 02:16 Giant - Baum - Kaye 1965
162 Please, Don’t Stop Loving Me 02:05 Panzeri - Salerno - Byers 1965
163 Frankie And Johnny 02:36 Gottlieb - Karger - Weisman 1965
164 This Is My Heaven 02:37 Giant - Baum - Kaye 1965
Datin’
165 03:14 Wise - Starr 1965
(Alternate Takes 6-8, 11 & 12)
166 Stop, Look And Listen 01:32 Joy Byers 1966
167 Spinout 02:35 Wayne - Weisman - Fuller 1966
168 Adam And Evil 01:56 Wise - Starr 1966
169 I’ll Be Back 02:05 Wayne - Weisman 1966
170 If I Loved You (Home Recording) 01:42 Hammerstein II - Rodgers 1966
Tennessee Waltz
171 01:22 King - Stewart 1966
(Home Recording)
172 Run On 02:24 Traditional 1966
173 How Great Thou Art 03:04 Boberg - Hine 1966
174 Stand By Me 02:32 Charles Albert Tindley 1966
175 Where No One Stands Alone 02:46 Mosie Lister 1966
176 Down In The Alley 02:52 Jesse Stone 1966
177 Tomorrow Is A Long Time 05:24 Bob Dylan 1966
178 Love Letters 03:04 Young - Heyman 1966
179 Indescribably Blue 02:51 Darrell Glenn 1966
I’ll Remember You
180 02:46 Kuiokalani Lee 1966
(Album Version)
181 If Every Day Was Like Christmas 02:55 Red West 1966
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182 Suppose (Demo) 03:02 Dee - Goehring 1966
183 The Girl I Never Loved 01:54 Randy Starr 1967
184 Let Yourself Go 03:01 Joy Byers 1967
185 Guitar Man 02:21 Jerry Reed Hubbard 1967
186 Big Boss Man 02:53 Smith - Dixon 1967
187 Hi-Heel Sneakers (Single Version) 02:48 Robert Higginbotham 1967
You Don’t Know Me
188 02:32 Walker - Arnold 1967
(Album Version)
You’ll Never Walk Alone
189 02:59 Hammerstein II - Rodgers 1967
(Alternate Take 2)
190 All I Needed Was The Rain 01:50 Wayne - Weisman 1967
191 Too Much Monkey Business 02:33 Chuck Berry 1968
192 U.S. Male 02:45 Jerry Reed Hubbard 1968
193 Edge Of Reality 03:41 Giant - Baum - Kaye 1968
A Little Less Conversation
194 02:12 Strange - Davis 1968
(Album Version)
195 If I Can Dream 03:10 W. Earl Brown 1968
196 Memories 03:06 Strange - Davis 1968
197 Trying To Get To You (Live) 02:57 Singleton - McCoy 1968
Baby, What You Want Me To Do?
198 03:54 Jimmy Reed 1968
(Live)
199 Lawdy, Miss Clawdy (Live) 01:58 Lloyd Price 1968
200 Tiger Man (Live) 02:46 Lewis - Burns 1968
201 Clean Up Your Own Back Yard 03:11 Strange - Davis 1968
202 Long Black Limousine 03:44 George - Stovall 1969
203 This Is The Story 02:32 Arnold - Morrow - Martin 1969
204 Wearin’ That Loved-On Look 02:48 Frazier - Owens 1969
205 You’ll Think Of Me 04:01 Mort Shuman 1969
206 I’m Movin’ On 02:56 Hank Snow 1969
207 A Little Bit Of Green 03:24 Arnold - Morrow - Martin 1969
208 Gentle On My Mind 03:25 John Hartford 1969
209 Rubberneckin’ 02:15 Jones - Warren 1969
210 In The Ghetto 02:58 Scott "Mac" Davis 1969
211 Don’t Cry, Daddy 02:47 Scott "Mac" Davis 1969
212 Without Love 02:56 Danny Small 1969
213 I’ll Hold You In My Heart 04:34 Dilbeck - Horton - Arnold 1969
214 Suspicious Minds 04:38 Mark James 1969
215 Stranger In My Own Home Town 04:40 Percy Mayfield 1969
True Love Travels On A Gravel
216 02:40 Frazier - Owens 1969
Road
And The Grass Won’t Pay No
217 03:11 Neil Diamond 1969
Mind
218 Power Of My Love 02:47 Giant - Baum - Kaye 1969
219 After Loving You 03:09 Miller - Lantz 1969
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220 Do You Know Who I Am? 02:50 Bobby Russell 1969
221 Kentucky Rain 03:19 Rabbitt - Heard 1969
222 Only The Strong Survive 02:44 Gamble - Huff - Butler 1969
223 Any Day Now 03:02 Hilliard - Bacharach 1969
224 Johnny B. Goode (Live) 02:07 Chuck Berry 1969
225 Runaway (Live) 02:28 Shannon - Crook 1969
226 My Babe (Live) 02:16 Traditional - Willie Dixon 1969
227 Suspicious Minds (Live) 07:31 Mark James 1969
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
228 02:55 Turk - Handman 1969
(Live)
229 Proud Mary (Live) 02:34 John Fogerty 1970
230 Let It Be Me (Live) 03:46 Bécaud - Delanoë - Curtis 1970
231 The Wonder Of You (Live) 02:41 Baker Knight 1970
Rainey - Arant - Arr. by Elvis
232 See See Rider (Live) 02:36 1970
Presley
233 Polk Salad Annie (Live) 04:56 Tony Joe White 1970
Medley: Men With Broken
234 Hearts/Walk A Mile In My Shoes 03:35 Hank Williams / Joe South 1970
(Live)
235 Twenty Days And Twenty Nights 03:19 Weisman - Westlake 1970
236 The Sound Of Your Cry 03:16 Giant - Baum - Kaye 1970
237 The Fool 02:34 Naomi Ford 1970
238 Bridge Over Troubled Water 04:29 Paul Simon 1970
Medley: Got My Mojo
Preston Foster / Bowman -
239 Working/Hands Off (Informal 04:41 1970
McShann
Performance)
240 How The Web Was Woven 03:28 Westlake - Most 1970
241 Stranger In The Crowd 03:48 Winfield Scott 1970
242 Mary In The Morning 04:12 Cymbal - Rashkow 1970
You Don’t Have To Say You Love Donaggio - Pallavicini -
243 02:32 1970
Me Wickham - Napier-Bell
244 Just Pretend 04:06 Flett - Fletcher 1970
245 I Really Don’t Want To Know 02:48 Barnes - Robertson 1970
246 Faded Love 03:17 Wills - Wills 1970
247 Tomorrow Never Comes 03:56 Tubb - Bond 1970
248 The Next Step Is Love 03:34 Evans - Parnes 1970
249 Funny How Time Slips Away 04:22 Willie Nelson 1970
I Washed My Hands In Muddy
250 03:52 Joe Babcock 1970
Water
251 There Goes My Everything 03:01 Dallas Frazier 1970
252 Patch It Up 03:09 Rabbitt - Bourke 1970
253 I’ve Lost You (Live) 03:45 Howard - Blaikley 1970
254 I Just Can’t Help Believin’ (Live) 04:42 Mann - Weil 1970
255 Something (Live) 03:49 George Harrison 1970
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Medley: Mystery Train/Tiger Man Parker - Burns / Lewis -
256 03:08 1970
(Live) Burns
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
257 04:27 Mann - Weil - Spector 1970
(Live)
258 I Got A Woman (Live) 02:29 Charles - Richard 1970
259 Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On 03:05 Williams - David 1970
260 Rags To Riches 01:58 Adler - Ross 1970
The First Time Ever I Saw Your
261 03:46 Ewan MacColl 1971
Face
Traditional - Newton - Rees -
262 Amazing Grace (Alternate Take 2) 03:29 1971
Arr. by Elvis Presley
263 Early Morning Rain 02:57 Gordon Lightfoot 1971
264 For Lovin’ Me 02:10 Gordon Lightfoot 1971
265 Merry Christmas, Baby 05:46 Baxter - Moore 1971
I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day
266 03:51 Michael Jarrett 1971
(Alternate Take 4)
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
267 02:44 Bob Dylan 1971
(Informal Performance)
Help Me Make It Through The
268 02:49 Kris Kristofferson 1971
Night
269 Until It’s Time For You To Go 04:01 Buffy Sainte-Marie 1971
Lady Madonna (Informal
270 01:14 Lennon - McCartney 2010
Performance)
271 It’s Still Here (Album Version) 02:10 Ivory Joe Hunter 1971
I’ll Take You Home Again,
272 02:27 Thomas Westendorf 1971
Kathleen
273 I Will Be True 02:33 Ivory Joe Hunter 1971
274 I’m Leavin’ 03:52 Jarrett - Charles 1971
I Shall Be Released
275 00:50 Bob Dylan 1971
(Informal Performance)
276 It’s Only Love 03:27 James - Tyrell 1971
Johnson - McFadden -
277 I, John 02:17 1971
Brooks
Johnson - McFadden -
278 Bosom Of Abraham 01:55 1971
Brooks
279 Never Been To Spain (Live) 03:33 Hoyt Axton 1972
280 A Big Hunk O’ Love (Live) 02:11 Schroeder - Wyche 1972
Rivgauche - Dieval - Wayne
281 It’s Impossible (Live) 03:01 1972
- Manzanero
282 Separate Ways 02:52 West - Mainegra 1972
283 For The Good Times 03:14 Kris Kristofferson 1972
284 Burning Love 02:58 Dennis Linde 1972
285 Fool 02:40 Sigman - Last 1972
James - Christopher -
286 Always On My Mind 03:40 1972
Carson
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287 Lead Me, Guide Me (Rehearsal) 02:27 Doris Akers 1972
288 The Impossible Dream (Live) 02:38 Leigh - Darion 1972
289 I Can’t Stop Loving You (Live) 02:34 Don Gibson 1972
290 You Gave Me A Mountain (Live) 03:28 Marty Robbins 1973
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
291 02:25 Hank Williams 1973
(Live)
Traditional - Mickey
292 An American Trilogy (Live) 04:27 1973
Newbury
293 If You Don’t Come Back 02:48 Leiber - Stoller 1973
I’ve Got A Thing About You,
294 02:22 Tony Joe White 1973
Baby
295 Raised On Rock 02:41 Mark James 1973
296 For Ol’ Times Sake 03:38 Tony Joe White 1973
297 Sweet Angeline 03:05 Arnold - Martin - Morrow 1973
298 I Miss You 02:16 Donnie Sumner 1973
299 Are You Sincere? 02:06 Wayne Walker 1973
300 It’s Midnight 03:23 Wheeler - Chesnut 1973
301 You Asked Me To 03:04 Jennings - Shaver 1973
302 If You Talk In Your Sleep 02:36 West - Christopher 1973
303 Thinking About You 03:10 Tim Baty 1973
Bourtayre - François - Martin
304 My Boy 03:21 1973
- Coulter
305 Loving Arms 02:54 Tom Jans 1973
Good Time Charlie’s Got The
306 03:14 Danny O’Keefe 1973
Blues
307 Promised Land 02:59 Chuck Berry 1973
308 There’s A Honky Tonk Angel 03:06 Seals - Rice 1973
309 Steamroller Blues (Live) 02:59 James Taylor 1974
310 Green, Green Grass Of Home 03:38 Claude "Curly" Putman, Jr. 1975
And I Love You So
311 03:42 Don McLean 1975
(Alternate Take 2)
312 T-R-O-U-B-L-E 03:05 Jerry Chesnut 1975
313 Pieces Of My Life 04:06 Troy Seals 1975
314 Moody Blue 02:51 Mark James 1976
315 For The Heart 03:24 Dennis Linde 1976
316 Hurt 02:09 Crane - Jacobs 1976
317 Danny Boy 03:53 Frederic E. Weatherly 1976
318 Way Down 02:43 Layng Martine, Jr. 1976
319 Pledging My Love 02:53 Washington - Robey 1976
320 Unchained Melody (Live) 02:52 North - Zaret 1977
François - Thibault - Revaux
321 My Way (Live) 04:06 1977
- Anka
A Little Less Conversation
322 03:36 Strange - Davis 2002
(Junkie XL Remix)
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Rubberneckin’
323 03:59 Jones - Warren 2003
(Paul Oakenfold Remix)
Bossa Nova Baby
324 03:07 Leiber - Stoller 2010
(Viva Elvis Remix)
We’re Coming In Loaded
325 02:01 Blackwell - Scott 2014
(Spankox Remix)
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Overview Of Achievements:
Record Sales
It is estimated that Elvis Presley has sold over one billion record units worldwide, more than anyone
in record industry history. In America alone, Elvis has had 150 different albums and singles that have
been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA), with more certifications expected as research into his past record sales continues and as
current sales go on. Research is also underway to document his record sales achievements in other
countries. It is estimated that 40% of Elvis’ total record sales have been outside the United States.
International Acclaim
Elvis Presley’s trophy room at Graceland is filled with gold and platinum records and awards of all
kinds from around the world. Some of the countries represented are: Norway, Yugoslavia, Japan,
Australia, South Africa, England, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and The Netherlands.
It is interesting to note that, except for a handful of movie soundtrack songs, Elvis did not record in
other languages, and, except for five shows in three Canadian cities in 1957, he did not perform in
concert outside the United States. Still, his recordings and films enjoyed, and continue to enjoy,
popularity all over the globe, and he is known throughout the world by his first name.
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same Sullivan appearance that Elvis was shown on camera from the waist up only, one of early
television history’s most memorable moments. Elvis’ next network television appearance was in
1960, when Frank Sinatra gave his variety show a “Welcome Home, Elvis” theme to herald Elvis’
return from the Army. Elvis was paid $125,000 to appear - again, making history.
Television Specials
Elvis Presley’s three network television specials - “Elvis” (1968), “Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via
Satellite” (1973), and “Elvis in Concert” (1977) - stand among the most highly rated specials of their
time. His 1968 special, “Elvis,” is one of the most critically acclaimed music specials of all time. His
1973 special, “Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite,” was seen in 40 countries by 1 billion to 1.5
billion people and made television history. It was seen on television in more American homes than
man’s first walk on the moon.
Grammy Awards
Elvis received 14 Grammy nominations from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
(NARAS). His three wins were for gospel recordings - the album “How Great Thou Art” (1967), the
album “He Touched Me” (1972) and his live Memphis concert recording of the song “How Great
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Thou Art” (1974). In 1971, NARAS also recognized him with their Lifetime Achievement Award
(known then as the Bing Crosby Award in honor of its first recipient). Elvis was 36 years old at the
time.
Six of Elvis’ recordings, all of them his original studio masters, have been inducted into the NARAS
Hall of Fame: “Hound Dog” (1956 recording, inducted 1988); “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956 recording,
inducted 1995); “That’s All Right” (1954 recording, inducted 1998); “Suspicious Minds” (1969
recording, inducted 1999); “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956 recording, inducted 2002); and “Are You
Lonesome Tonight” (1960 recording, inducted 2007). The Recording Academy’s national trustees
established the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical
significance that are at least 25 years old. Many inductees are recordings that were created and
released before the 1958 inception of NARAS and the Grammy Awards.
Charitable Endeavors
Elvis Presley was famous for giving away Cadillacs, cash and jewelry, often on the spur of the
moment. But, the true depth and breadth of his generosity and community involvement is not so
widely known. In 1961, Elvis gave a benefit concert at Bloch Arena in Hawaii that raised over $65,000
toward the building of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The resulting publicity gave new
life to the fund-raising effort, which had, by then, lost its momentum. The memorial opened a year
later. Audience tickets for his 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii” television special and its pre-broadcast
rehearsal show carried no price, as each audience member was asked to pay whatever he or she
could. The performances and concert merchandise sales were a benefit raising $75,000 for the Kui
Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii. Each year, for many years, Elvis gave $1,000 or more to each of 50
Memphis-area charities, but also continually made many other charitable donations in Memphis
and around the country.
Most of Elvis’ philanthropic endeavors received no publicity at all. Throughout his adult life, for
friends, for family, and for total strangers, he quietly paid hospital bills, bought homes, supported
families, paid off debts, and much more.
Elvis’ legacy of generosity continues through the work of the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation,
which is the philanthropic branch of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and the creator of the Elvis Presley
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Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Memphis. The tradition of giving also continues
through the work of the Elvis fan clubs worldwide, most of which are heavily involved in charitable
endeavors in Elvis’ memory.
Graceland Mansion
Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home and refuge for 20 years, is one of the most visited homes in America
today, now attracting over 600,000 visitors annually. In 1991, Graceland Mansion was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places. In 2006, Graceland was designated a National Historic
Landmark.
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Hall in New York. The August 1998 tour included the excitement of Elvis’ “return” to the Las Vegas
Hilton with an eight-show engagement. The January/February 1999 European tour opened with a
sell-out at London’s Wembley Arena and, in effect, marked Elvis’ first-ever concerts outside of North
America. As of 2010, the show continues to tour worldwide.
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Elvis – The Music:
RCA Records owned all of Elvis’ recordings. The RCA Records Label was bought by BMG in the 1980s
and in 2004 BMG merged with Sony Music Entertainment to become Sony BMG. Sony BMG owns
Elvis’ recordings and they continue to use the RCA Records label for issuing Elvis releases. They also
have a special Elvis collector’s label, Follow That Dream. The various composers/publishers own the
songs themselves. People get confused about the ownership of the recordings with that of the
songs. Also, they get confused about a deal Elvis and his manager made with RCA in 1973. Here is
our attempt to sort it all out for you:
The Recordings:
Elvis began his recording career with Sun Records in Memphis in the summer of 1954. Sun Records
owner/producer Sam Phillips sold Elvis’ recording contract and the catalog of Elvis’ Sun recordings
to RCA in the fall of 1955. Elvis began recording for RCA in January 1956 and continued under
contract with RCA for the rest of his life. Elvis never had ownership in his Sun or RCA recordings.
Elvis received an artist’s royalty on record sales, per the terms of his contracts with the record
company. That’s typically how it’s done.
In March 1973, Elvis and and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, went to the record company
proposing that Elvis get a large lump sum payment in lieu of all his future artist’s royalties for
ongoing sales of anything he had recorded up to that time. The deal was made. RCA paid $5.4
million, which Elvis and the Colonel split 50-50. That meant Elvis no longer got (EPE today does not
get) his artist’s royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal.
However, Elvis did continue (EPE today continues) to get his artist’s royalties on sales of recordings
created after the March 1973 deal. Some people misunderstand and think that Elvis had a share in
the ownership of his recordings and that this is what he sold to RCA. He did not.
Music Publishing:
Totally separate from the ownership of Elvis’ recordings is the ownership of the songs themselves.
Elvis recorded over 700 songs. Elvis, through his own publishing companies (Elvis Presley Music,
Gladys Music, Whitehaven Music and Elvis Music, Inc.) was part owner (typically half or third) of a
great many of the songs he recorded and even some songs he did not record. Hill & Range Music,
owned by brothers Julian and Jean Aberbach, was his publishing partner for the most part. Typically,
in the deals made with the publishing companies, the composers retain a share. The publishing
companies manage the material. Elvis did not sell his publishing interests. EPE still holds those
interests and they are one of our major assets.
26
Thus, the 1973 deal regarding Elvis’ artist’s royalties had no effect on his publisher’s royalties. Elvis
continued to get (EPE still gets) his publisher’s royalties on sales of recordings of songs he had
publishing interest in, no matter what date they were recorded. Elvis also recorded many songs that
he did not have publishing interest in. Once in a while, per the contracts signed in Elvis’ lifetime, his
publishing interests expire on some songs.
Learn More:
For the person who wants lots of detail, Peter Guralnick’s books “Last Train to Memphis” and
“Careless Love” explain the evolution of Elvis’ recording and publishing deals rather well. These two
books, together with Ernst Jørgensen’s “Elvis Presley, A Life in Music, The Complete Recording
Sessions,” are recommended reading for the person who wants to dive off into the details and
complexities of these topics.
Musical Achievements:
It is estimated that Elvis Presley has sold over one billion record units worldwide, more than anyone
in record industry history. In America alone, Elvis has had over 150 different albums and singles that
have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA).
It is estimated that 40% of Elvis’ total record sales have been outside the United States. Elvis
Presley’s trophy room at Graceland is filled with gold and platinum records and awards of all kinds
from around the world. Some of the countries represented are: Norway, Yugoslavia, Japan,
Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and The
Netherlands.
Elvis has had no less than 149 songs to appear on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Chart in America. Of these,
114 were in the top forty, 40 were in the top ten, and 18 went to number one. His number one
singles spent a total of 80 weeks at number one. He has also had over 90 charted albums with ten
of them reaching number one. These figures are only for the pop charts and only in America. He was
also a leading artist in the American country, R&B, and gospel fields, and his chart success in other
countries was substantial.
27
Gold & Platinum Albums:
This section contains a list of the Elvis albums (Long Form Albums), singles and extended-plays (Short
Form Albums) whose American sales have received gold, platinum, multi-platinum or diamond
designations from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Sales requirements for gold, platinum and diamond status have changed through the years. This
section of certifications is based upon current standards: 500,000 copies for a gold single or
album, one million copies for a platinum single or album, ten million copies for a diamond single or
album. For double or multiple disc albums/CD packages, each disc’s sales are counted. For instance,
a 5-disc box set goes gold after selling 100,000 sets as 5 discs X 100,000 sets sold = 500,000 discs
sold.
For the RIAA to award gold, platinum or diamond certifications, an artist’s record company must
submit sales figures and request the certifications. Sony Music continues to document Elvis’ ongoing
record sales and continues to research past sales and seek appropriate RIAA certifications.
This section will be updated whenever there is new information.
It is estimated that Elvis has sold over one billion records worldwide, more than anyone else in the
history of the record business. It is estimated that 60% of these sales have been in the United States
and 40% in other countries. Not all of Elvis’ record sales have been documented, so the one-billion
figure is a good faith estimate among the Elvis-knowledgeable. Not all of Elvis’ record sales have
been recognized with gold or platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA) or by the appropriate bodies in foreign countries. Still, Elvis has more RIAA
certifications than anyone else and his international success is generally regarded as astounding.
The subject of record sales and gold/platinum awards is endlessly complex. Here, we attempt to
give a basic explanation to respond to the constant flow of inquiries we get about this topic.
In August 1992, BMG/RCA Records and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
posthumously awarded to Elvis 110 gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums and singles, the
largest presentation of gold and platinum record awards in history. The idea was to present all at
once Elvis’ entire American record sales achievement from the start of his career to the present day
- recognizing again all the certifications that had ever been made up to that time, recognizing sales
during Elvis’ lifetime that had not been properly certified, and recognizing sales since his death that
had not yet been certified. It was determined that Elvis had, by that date, 110 different albums and
singles that had earned gold, platinum or multi-platinum status. One award was presented for each
of the 110 titles, with an indication on the award whether title was gold or platinum or how many
times platinum. RCA also presented a 9-foot glass sculpture proclaiming Elvis the greatest recording
artist of all time. Since then, research has continued into Elvis’ past sales and his ongoing sales
continue to be documented and certified. Existing gold and platinum award-winners continue to be
28
upgraded as appropriate (upgrades do not change the total number of titles) and new first-time gold
and platinum certifications continue to be awarded.
Elvis’ RIAA gold and platinum certifications are designated using today’s requirements for
certification: gold single or album - 500,000 copies sold; platinum single or album - 1 million copies
sold. In the era when singles were big sellers, the standard was 1 million copies for a gold single; 2
million copies for platinum single. In the old days, a gold album was awarded for a million dollars in
sales, but the current requirements for a gold or platinum album have been the same for many
years. Platinum status was created in the 1970s. The RIAA is the official body to which record
companies report record sales figures and request the awarding of gold and platinum records to
their artists for American sales achievements. The RIAA came into existence in 1958. Elvis had many
gold records before that time that were awarded in-house from his record company, RCA. However,
RCA, for the most part, did not request retroactive RIAA certification of these pre-RIAA record sales
achievements. Also, over the years, they did not often request additional certification when the
records went gold again, or request retroactive platinum certifications when the platinum status
was created in the 1970’s.
Therefore, in Elvis’ lifetime he did not get all of the gold and platinum certifications he was due and
in the years following his death the award certifications became even more badly outdated. Some
time after BMG bought RCA Records, the new administration decided to go back and make it right.
But, pre-computer-age files on Elvis’ sales were mis-filed, incomplete, lost, and scattered.
It happened that in 1990 Graceland had acquired the lifetime collection of files, photography, and
memorabilia of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ long-time career manager. Colonel’s files were more
complete and were well-organized. In early 1992, RCA and Graceland worked together to bring
auditors from the RIAA to Graceland to go through Colonel’s files. The auditors were able to locate
sales figures to prompt an amazing number of certifications for the August 1992 presentation
previously described. Since then, RCA Records has continued working on retroactive certifications
and certification of ongoing American sales. They are also working on the even more difficult task
of documenting Elvis’ past and ongoing international sales.
It is estimated that 40% of Elvis’ record sales have been outside the U.S. But, exact sales figures for
all the countries around the world are even harder to come by than the American sales figures.
Dramatic evidence of the beginning of this effort was during August 1997, when they made a very
special presentation at Graceland. BMG/RCA had invited all non-U.S. factions of their company to
provide gold and platinum discs for all Elvis’ documented sales achievements in their countries. Over
100 awards were presented in the ceremony, with a large centerpiece plaque from the parent
company heralding their estimation that Elvis had sold over 400 million records outside the U.S. But,
most of the individual awards presented had no statistical value, as most of the foreign branches of
BMG/RCA decided to create 20th Anniversary tributes instead. It will take some time for actual sales
29
figures to be researched and documented and for the appropriate awards update to be presented.
If and when that day comes, it will be a little bit more confusing than the American awards because,
with the varying sizes of the foreign countries and their record-buying populations, the sales
requirements for gold and platinum status vary from country to country.
Elvis Discography/Sessionography
A detailed history of all Elvis’ recording sessions, his record releases and related topics is found in
the outstanding book “Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, The Complete Recordings Sessions,” by Ernst
Jørgensen.
Below is a list of 91 Albums (Long Form Albums) that Elvis has received Gold, Platinum or Diamond
award status on.
Elvis, Platinum
50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Elvis’ Gold Records, Vol. 2), Platinum
Roustabout, Gold
30
Elvis, NBC TV Special, Platinum
Elvis Sings Burning Love and Hits from His Movies, Vol. 2, 2X Platinum
31
Our Memories of Elvis, Gold
Elvis, The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50’s Masters, 2X Platinum
32
Love Me Tender (1987 compilation), Gold
SINGLES
Below is a list of the 53 singles for which Elvis Presley has received Gold or Platinum award status.
Singles
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You/My Baby Left Me, Platinum
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I Got Stung/One Night, Platinum
(Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such as I/I Need Your Love Tonight, Platinum
One Broken Heart For Sale/They Remind Me Too Much of You, Gold
(You’re the) Devil in Disguise/Please Don’t Drag That String Around, Gold
34
Kentucky Rain/My Little Friend, Gold
My Way/America, Gold
35
King Creole, Volume, 2 Platinum
DVD’S
Below is a list of the DVD releases that Elvis has received Gold or Platinum awards for.
DVD Releases
The Great Performances, Vol. 2 – The Man And The Music, 2x Multi Platinum
Elvis has had no less than 149 songs to appear on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Chart in America. Of these,
114 were in the top forty, 40 were in the top ten, and 18 went to number one. His number one
singles spent a total of 80 weeks at number one. He has also had over 90 charted albums with ten
of them reaching number one. These figures are only for the pop charts and only in America. He was
also a leading artist in the American country, R&B, and gospel fields, and his chart success in other
countries was substantial.
Information regarding Elvis’ chart success in other countries is more complex to research and
summarize and, thus, is not included here. These figures are for the U.S., based upon the Billboard
charts.
36
POP SINGLES
Song Title Pop Chart Year Released
Heartbreak Hotel 1 1956
I Was The One 19 1956
Blue Suede Shoes 20 1956
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You 1 1956
Don’t Be Cruel (To A Heart That’s True) 1 1956
(You Ain’t Nothing But A) Hound Dog 1 1956
Love Me Tender 1 1956
Any Way You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be) 20 1956
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again 19 1956
Love Me 2 1957
Too Much 1 1957
All Shook Up 1 1957
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear 1 1957
Loving You 20 1957
Jailhouse Rock 1 1957
Treat Me Nice 18 1957
Don’t 1 1957
I Beg Of You 8 1957
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 2 1958
Doncha’ Think It’s Time? 15 1958
Hard Headed Woman 1 1958
One Night 4 1958
I Got Stung 8 1958
(Now And Then There’s) A Fool Such As I 2 1959
I Need Your Love Tonight 4 1959
A Big Hunk O’ Love 1 1959
My Wish Came True 12 1959
Stuck On You 1 1960
37
Fame And Fortune 17 1960
It’s Now Or Never 1 1960
Are You Lonesome Tonight? 1 1960
I Gotta Know 20 1960
Surrender 1 1961
Flaming Star 14 1961
I Feel So Bad 5 1961
Little Sister 5 1961
(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame 4 1961
Can’t Help Falling In Love 2 1961
Good Luck Charm 1 1962
Follow That Dream 15 1962
She’s Not You 5 1962
Return To Sender 2 1962
One Broken Heart For Sale 11 1963
(You’re The) Devil In Disguise 3 1963
Boss Nova Baby 8 1963
Kissin’ Cousins 12 1964
Such A Night 16 1964
Ask Me 12 1964
Ain’t That Lovin’ You, Baby? 16 1964
Crying In The Chapel 3 1965
(Such An) Easy Question 11 1965
I’m Yours 11 1965
Puppet On A String 14 1965
Love Letters 19 1966
If I Can Dream 12 1968
In The Ghetto 3 1969
Suspicious Minds 1 1969
Don’t Cry, Daddy/Rubberneckin’ 6 1969
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Kentucky Rain 16 1970
The Wonder Of You/Mama Liked The Roses 9 1970
You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me/Patch It Up 11 1970
Burning Love 2 1972
Separate Ways 20 1972
Streamroller Blues/Fool 17 1973
If You Talk In Your Sleep 17 1973
Promised Land 14 1974
My Boy 20 1975
Way Down 18 1977
COUNTRY SINGLES
Song Title Country Chart Year Released
Baby, Let’s Play House 5 1955
I Forgot to Remember To Forget/ 1 1955
Mystery Train 11 1955
Heartbreak Hotel/ 1 1956
I Was The One 8 1956
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You/ 1 1956
My Baby Left Me 13 1956
Don’t Be Cruel (To A Heart That’s True)/ 1 1956
(You Ain’t Nothing But A) Hound Dog 1 1956
Love Me Tender 3 1956
Love Me 10 1957
Too Much/ 3 1957
Playing For Keeps 8 1957
All Shook Up 1 1957
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/ 1 1957
Loving You 15 1957
Mean Woman Blues 11 1957
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Jailhouse Rock/ 1 1957
Treat Me Nice 11 1957
Don’t/ 2 1957
I Beg Of You 4 1957
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 3 1958
Hard Headed Woman 2 1958
Don’t Cry, Daddy 13 1969
There Goes My Everything 9 1971
Always On My Mind 16 1972
I’ve Got A Thing About You, Baby 4 1974
Help Me 6 1974
It’s Midnight 9 1974
My Boy 14 1975
T-R-O-U-B-L-E 11 1975
Hurt 6 1976
Moody Blue 1 1976
Way Down 1 1977
My Way 2 1977
Unchained Melody 6 1978
Are You Sincere? 10 1979
There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In) 6 1979
Guitar Man 1 1981
Lovin’ Arms 8 1981
Note: Some songs on this list are followed by a “/.” The next song you see listed after this mark is
its flip side. This means that the flip side charted independently within the Top 20 on the chart.
40
R&B SINGLES
Song Title R&B Chart Year Released
Heartbreak Hotel/ 5 1956
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You 10 1956
Don’t Be Cruel/Hound Dog 1 1956
Love Me Tender/ 4 1956
Too Much 7 1957
All Shook Up 1 1957
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/ 1 1957
Jailhouse Rock/ 1 1957
Don’t/I Beg Of You 4 1957
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 7 1958
Hard Headed Woman/Don’t Ask Me Why 2 1958
One Night/ 10 1958
(Now And Then There’s) A Fool Such As I/ 16 1959
A Big Hunk O’ Love 10 1959
My Wish Came True 15 1959
Stuck On You/ 6 1960
It’s Now Or Never 7 1960
Are You Lonesome Tonight?/ 3 1960
I Feel So Bad 15 1961
She’s Not You 13 1962
Return To Sender 5 1962
One Broken Heart For Sale 21 1963
(You’re The) Devil in Disguise 9 1963
Boss Nova Baby 20 1963
Note: Some songs on this list are followed by a “/.” The next song you see listed after this mark is
its flip side. This means that the flip side charted independently within the Top 20 on the chart.
41
POP ALBUMS
Album Title Peak Position Year Released
Elvis Presley 1 1956
Elvis 1 1956
Peace In The Valley (EP) 3 1957
Loving You 1 1957
Just For You (EP) 16 1957
Elvis’ Christmas Album 1 1957
Elvis Golden Records 3 1958
King Creole 2 1958
For LP Fans Only 19 1959
Elvis Is Back! 2 1960
G.I. Blues 1 1960
His Hand In Mine 13 1961
Something For Everybody 1 1961
Blue Hawaii 1 1961
Pot Luck 4 1962
Girls! Girls! Girls! 3 1962
It Happened At the World’s Fair 4 1963
Elvis’ Golden Records, Volume 3 3 1963
Fun In Acapulco 3 1963
Kissin’ Cousins 6 1964
Roustabout 1 1964
Girl Happy 8 1965
Elvis For Everyone! 10 1965
Harum Scarum 8 1965
Frankie And Johnny 20 1966
Paradise, Hawaiian Style 15 1966
Spinout 18 1966
How Great Thou Art 18 1967
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Elvis’ TV Special 8 1968
From Elvis In Memphis 13 1969
From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis (2-disc set) 12 1969
On Stage – February 1970 13 1970
Elvis Country 12 1971
Elvis As Recorded At Madison Square Garden 11 1972
Elvis – Aloha from Hawaii, Via Satellite (2-disc set) 1 1973
Moody Blue 3 1977
Elvis In Concert (2-disc set) 5 1977
ELV1S 30 #1 Hits 1 2002
Elvis 2nd To None 3 2003
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