A Boy from Tupelo - The Complete 1953-55 Recordings
Label:
FTD [FTD 205] [506020 975049]
Format:
Book + Triple CD
Number of tracks:
100
Running time:
221:00
Type of album:
Studio / Recording session / Concert
Linked to:
FTD discography
Year:
2012
Recording date:
July 18, 1953 - November 4, 1955
Release date:
August 16, 2012
Singles:
---
A Boy from Tupelo - The Complete 1953-55 Recordings is the first work by RCA and Sony, in partnership with Follow That Dream, to officially bring together all available recordings from the early period of Elvis' career, including rarities that were thought to have been lost forever. The triple CD accompanies a book detailing the rise of the King of Rock to world stardom. The work is no longer in the label's catalogue.
Upon turning 18, in early 1953, the young Elvis Presley already showed a great interest in music. With his basic studies finished and working as an electrician for Crown Electric, Co., the journeys in the company truck through Memphis allowed him to observe frequently the great movement of artists in search of success in the small studio located on Union Street, Sun, a small division of the Memphis Recording Service opened just three years earlier, and that caught his eye.
Elvis was no stranger to music, particularly Gospel and Rockabilly, genres he was most fond of. In fact, the King of Rock had already won a small prize for taking third place in a music competition in 1945, aged just ten, where he sang a soulful version of "Old Shep". In interviews given years after the singer's death, JD Sumner often recounted that the boy regularly attended his performances with The Blackwood Brothers in Memphis since 1948, and that he frequently approached them with seemingly meaningless questions about music.
After plucking up courage and asking his boss for a salary advance, Elvis grabbed his guitar and went to Sun Studio to record a two-track acetate on July 18, 1953 (date disputed by documents showing August 22).
His excuse was that it would be a gift for his mother's birthday, which today sounds strange because we know that Gladys was born on April 25th and that the Presleys and their family could not afford to have a record player. It is then believed that the young man's true intention was to hear his recorded voice and to show it to the studio owner, Sam Phillips, to find out if it was musical and salable.
Nothing would happen and once again Elvis would go to Sun, this time on January 4, 1954, to record two more tracks. He would be dismissed again, but thanks to Phillips' secretary, Marion Keisker, his name would be remembered when the boss admitted that he was looking for something new and unprecedented, a mixture of black rhythm and white voice.
A short rehearsal on June 26 proved fruitless, but when the singer was joined by Scotty Moore, Bill Black and D.J. Fontana on July 5, 1954 a certain magic happened: from an improvisation was born "That's All Right", the innovation that Phillips was looking for and that would become a local hit on its release 14 days later.
It didn't take long for Elvis Presley to become a known name in Southern states and headline shows such as The Louisiana Hayride and the Grand Ole Opry for the next two years.
In the second half of 1955, his singles began to make the national charts, with "I Forgot to Remember Forget" going to number 1, which convinced RCA to buy out the singer's contract. Presley and Rock 'n' Roll were still unproven successes, but from "Heartbreak Hotel", the first single on the new label, history would change completely.
"A Boy from Tupelo - The Complete 1953-55 Recordings" brings an almost complete audio journey through this period of ascension by making available all the Masters recorded by Elvis from 1953 to 1955 and most of their alternative takes, some of which were previously unpublished.
Surprisingly, the record companies' search was able to find the original Sun Masters tapes for "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky", making it possible for fans to hear the lost versions for the first time since their 1954 release, since from 1956 only RCA remasters were sold.
Also noteworthy are the remixes made by the label in 1955 and 1956 on the original Sun material, previously unreleased tracks and the 1965 version of "Tomorrow Night" with new overdubs added to the original recording.
In the alternative takes sector there are rarities that any fan is obliged to collect, such as the seven takes of "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version)" previously released only on the double LP "Sunrise", from 1988. All existing takes from the Sun recordings are featured on transfers from the original tapes, most of which have never been remastered since 1987's "The Complete Sun Sessions" double LP.
The live versions on the third CD don't feature much new stuff, most of which had been on the market for years as bootlegs, but this is the first time they've been put together in a high-quality and official way. The rarest and unreleased items here are the tracks recorded March 5, 1955 on The Louisiana Hayride, which were digitally transferred from a dilapidated acetate that was destroyed in the process.
The FTD box also features a 512-page book with mostly unpublished material. Of the 500 photos made available, 200 are seen here for the first time, as well as much of the information about how Elvis went from anonymity to national stardom in less than a year and a half. Both the book and the CDs were edited in a long and expensive process that began in 2007, which meant that this work was limited to 3,000 copies.
The work contains the following tracks:
CD 1
PRIVATE RECORDINGS
1. My Happiness (18/07/53)
2. That's When Your Heartaches Begin (18/07/53)
3. I'll Never Stand in Your Way (04/01/54)
4. It Wouldn't Be the Same (Without You) (04/01/54)
SUN RECORDINGS
5. Harbor Lights
6. I Love You Because
7. That's All Right [45 RPM SUN Master) [Original SUN sound as released in 1954]
8. Blue Moon of Kentucky (45 RPM SUN Master) [Original SUN sound as released in 1954]
9. Blue Moon (Original SUN tape)
10. Tomorrow Night
11. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')
12. I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine
13. Just Because
14. Good Rockin' Tonight
15. Milkcow Blues Boogie
16. You're a Heartbreaker
17. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version) [Original SUN tape]
18. Baby Let's Play House
19. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
20. I Forgot to Remember to Forget (SUN tape copy)
21. Mystery Train (SUN tape copy, with ending from digital transfer of 78 RPM RCA single)
22. Tryin' to Get to You
23. When It Rains, It Pours (Original SUN vocal channel slapback tape)
RCA REMASTERS
24.That's All Right (RCA Single Version) [With RCA added echo]
25. Blue Moon of Kentucky (RCA Single Version 78 RPM Master)
26. I Love You Because (RCA LP Version, spliced from takes 3 & 5)
27. Tomorrow Night (RCA 1965 LP Version, overdubbed and slowed down)
CD 2
ORIGINAL MASTERS AND ALTERNATE TAKES
1. Harbor Lights (Takes 1-2, level adjustments) [Original SUN tape]
2. Harbor Lights (Take 3/M) [Original SUN tape]
3. Harbor Lights (Take 4) [Original SUN tape]
4. Harbor Lights (Takes 5-6) [Original SUN tape]
5. Harbor Lights (Take 7) [Original SUN tape]
6. Harbor Lights (Take 8) [Original SUN tape]
7. I Love You Because (Take 1) [Original SUN tape]
8. I Love You Because (Take 2) [Original SUN tape]
9. I Love You Because (Take 3) [Original SUN tape]
10. I Love You Because (Take 4) [Original SUN tape]
11. I Love You Because (Take 5) [Original SUN tape]
12. That's All Right (Takes 1-2) [Original SUN tape]
13. That's All Right (Take 3) [Original SUN tape]
14. Dialogue [Digital transfer of SUN tape]
15. Blue Moon of Kentucky (Slow Tempo Outtake) [Digital transfer of SUN tape]
16. Blue Moon (takes 1-3) [Original SUN tape]
17. Blue Moon (take 4) [Original SUN tape]
18. Blue Moon (take 5) [Original SUN tape]
19. Blue Moon (takes 6-7) [Original SUN tape]
20. Blue Moon [take 8) [Original SUN tape]
21. Blue Moon (take 9/M) [Original SUN tape]
22. Dialogue Fragment (before 'Tomorrow Night') [Original SUN tape]
23. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') (Incomplete Take) [Original SUN tape]
24. Good Rockin' Tonight (Fragment from Vocal Slapback tape) [Original SUN tape]
25. I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine (takes 1-2) [Original SUN tape]]
26. I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine (take 3/M) [Original SUN tape]
27. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 1) [Original SUN tape]
28. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 2) [Original SUN tape]
29. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 3) [Original SUN tape]
30. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 4)[Original SUN tape]
31. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 5/M) [Original SUN tape]
32. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 6) [Original SUN tape]
33. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 7) [Original SUN tape]
34. How Do You Think I Feel (Guitar Slapback tape, rehearsal + take 1) [Digital transfer of SUN Guitar Channel Slapback tape]
35. How Do You Think I Feel (Guitar Slapback tape, rehearsals) [Digital transfer of SUN Guitar Channel Slapback tape]
36. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 1) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
37. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 2, rehearsal) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
38. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Takes 3-4) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
39. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 5/M) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
40. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 6-7) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
41. When It Rains It Pours [Vocal Slapback tape, Take 8) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
(text in red: hitherto unpublished material)
CD 3
LIVE AT THE LOUISIANA HAYRIDE
1. That's All Right (16/10/54)
2. Blue Moon of Kentucky (16/10/54)
3. Shake, Rattle and Roll (06/01/55)
4. Fool, Fool, Fool (06/01/55)
5. Hearts of Stone (15/01/55)
6. That's All Right (15/01/55)
7. Tweedlee Dee (15/01/55)
8. Shake, Rattle and Roll (19/01/55)
9. KSIJ Radio commercial with DJ Tom Perryman (??/??/55)
10. Money Honey (22/01/55)
11. Blue Moon of Kentucky (22/01/55)
12. I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine (22/01/55)
13. That's All Right (22/01/55)
14. Tweedlee Dee (05/03/55)
15. Money Honey (05/03/55)
16. Hearts of Stone (05/03/55)
17. Shake, Rattle and Roll (05/03/55)
18. Little Mama (05/03/55)
19. You're a Heartbreaker (05/03/55)
20. Good Rockin' Tonight (19/03/55)
21. Baby Let's Play House (??/03/55)
22. Blue Moon of Kentucky (19/03/55)
23. I Got a Woman (19/03/55)
24. That's All Right (19/03/55)
25. Tweedlee Dee (30/04/55)
26. Interview with Mae Boren Axton (12/05 ou 28/07/55) [Digital transfer of 1981 BBC broadcast tape copy]
27. That's All Right (26/05/55) [Broadcast tape]
28. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (02/07/55)
29. Baby Let's Play House (20/08/55)
30. Maybellene (20/08/55)
31. That's All Right (20/08/55)
32. Interview with Bob Neal (29-31/08/55)
(text in red: hitherto unpublished material)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:
A Boy from Tupelo - The Complete 1953-55 Recordings
Label:
Sony Legacy [88985 41773 2]
Format:
Book + Triple CD
Number of tracks:
85
Running time:
180:00
Type of album:
Studio / Recording session / Concert
Linked to:
Official discography
Year:
2017
Recording date:
July 18, 1953 - November 4, 1955
Release date:
July 28, 2017
Singles:
---
Five years after collaborating with FTD, Sony Legacy decided to release its own version due to the success of the previous one. The work brought practically the same material present in the 2012 box set, removing 15 tracks and adding the previously unreleased live rendition of "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" on October 29, 1955. From 512 pages, the book was reduced to a mere 120 with calendars and a kind of travel diary accompanying Elvis in his shows.
The Sony Legacy edition contains the following tracks:
CD 1
PRIVATE RECORDINGS
1. My Happiness (18/07/53)
2. That's When Your Heartaches Begin (18/07/53)
3. I'll Never Stand in Your Way (04/01/54)
4. It Wouldn't Be the Same (Without You) (04/01/54)
SUN RECORDINGS
5. Harbor Lights
6. I Love You Because (Unprocessed Master Edit)
7. That's All Right [45 RPM SUN Master) [Original SUN sound as released in 1954]
8. Blue Moon of Kentucky (45 RPM SUN Master) [Original SUN sound as released in 1954]
9. Blue Moon (Original SUN tape)
10. Tomorrow Night
11. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')
12. I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine
13. Just Because
14. Good Rockin' Tonight
15. Milkcow Blues Boogie
16. You're a Heartbreaker
17. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version) [Original SUN tape]
18. Baby Let's Play House
19. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone
20. I Forgot to Remember to Forget (SUN tape copy)
21. Mystery Train (SUN tape copy, with ending from digital transfer of 78 RPM RCA single)
22. Tryin' to Get to You
23. When It Rains, It Pours (Original SUN vocal channel slapback tape)
RCA REMASTERS
24.That's All Right (RCA Single Version) [With RCA added echo]
25. Blue Moon of Kentucky (RCA Single Version 78 RPM Master)
26. I Love You Because (RCA LP Version, spliced from takes 3 & 5)
27. Tomorrow Night (RCA 1965 LP Version, overdubbed and slowed down)
(text in red: hitherto unpublished material)
CD 2
ORIGINAL MASTERS AND ALTERNATE TAKES
1. Harbor Lights (Takes 1-3) [Original SUN tape]
2. Harbor Lights (Take 4) [Original SUN tape]
3. Harbor Lights (Takes 5-8) [Original SUN tape]
4. I Love You Because (Take 1, 2) [Original SUN tape]
5. I Love You Because (Take 3) [Original SUN tape]
6. I Love You Because (Take 4, 5) [Original SUN tape]
7. That's All Right (Takes 1-3) [Original SUN tape]
8. Blue Moon of Kentucky (Slow Tempo Outtake) [Digital transfer of SUN tape]
9. Blue Moon (takes 1-4) [Original SUN tape]
10. Blue Moon (take 5) [Original SUN tape]
11. Blue Moon (takes 6-8) [Original SUN tape]
12. Blue Moon (take 9/M) [Original SUN tape]
13. Dialogue Fragment (before 'Tomorrow Night') [Original SUN tape]
14. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') (Incomplete Take) [Original SUN tape]
15. Good Rockin' Tonight (Fragment from Vocal Slapback tape) [Original SUN tape]
16. I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine (takes 1-3/M) [Original SUN tape]
17. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 1) [Original SUN tape]
18. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 2) [Original SUN tape]
19. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 3) [Original SUN tape]
20. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 4-5/M) [Original SUN tape]
21. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version, Take 6-7) [Original SUN tape]
22. How Do You Think I Feel (Guitar Slapback tape, rehearsal + take 1) [Digital transfer of SUN Guitar Channel Slapback tape]
23. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 1) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
24. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 2, rehearsal), takes 3-4) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
25. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 5/M) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
26. When It Rains It Pours (Vocal Slapback tape, Take 6-8) [Original SUN Vocal Channel Slapback tape]
CD 3
LIVE AT THE LOUISIANA HAYRIDE
1. That's All Right (16/10/54)
2. Blue Moon of Kentucky (16/10/54)
3. Shake, Rattle and Roll (06/01/55)
4. Fool, Fool, Fool (06/01/55)
5. Hearts of Stone (15/01/55)
6. That's All Right (15/01/55)
7. Tweedlee Dee (15/01/55)
8. Shake, Rattle and Roll (19/01/55)
9. KSIJ Radio commercial with DJ Tom Perryman (??/??/55)
10. Money Honey (22/01/55)
11. Blue Moon of Kentucky (22/01/55)
12. I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine (22/01/55)
13. That's All Right (22/01/55)
14. Tweedlee Dee (05/03/55)
15. Money Honey (05/03/55)
16. Hearts of Stone (05/03/55)
17. Shake, Rattle and Roll (05/03/55)
18. Little Mama (05/03/55)
19. You're a Heartbreaker (05/03/55)
20. Good Rockin' Tonight (19/03/55)
21. Baby Let's Play House (??/03/55)
22. Blue Moon of Kentucky (19/03/55)
23. I Got a Woman (19/03/55)
24. That's All Right (19/03/55)
25. Tweedlee Dee (30/04/55)
26. That's All Right (26/05/55) [Broadcast tape]
27. I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (02/07/55)
28. Baby Let's Play House (20/08/55)
29. Maybellene (20/08/55)
30. That's All Right (20/08/55)
31. Interview with Bob Neal (29-31/08/55)
32. I Forgot to Remember to Forget (29/10/55)
(text in red: hitherto unpublished material)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:
A Boy from Tupelo - The Sun Masters
Label:
Sony Legacy [88985 43266 1]
Format:
LP
Number of tracks:
17
Running time:
42:00
Type of album:
Studio
Linked to:
Official discography
Year:
2017
Recording date:
July 5, 1954 - November 4, 1955
Release date:
July 28, 2017
Singles:
---
As a kind of follow-up to the above release, Sony Legacy put in stores the same day a vinyl of just the Masters from the Sun sessions.
The work contains the following tracks:
SIDE A
1. That’s All Right (45 RPM SUN Master) [Original SUN sound as released in 1954]
2. Blue Moon of Kentucky [45 RPM SUN Master) [Original SUN sound as released in 1954]
3. Good Rockin’ Tonight
4. I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine
5. Milkcow Blues Boogie
6. You’re a Heartbreaker
7. Baby Let’s Play House
8. I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone
9. I Forgot to Remember to Forget
SIDE B
10. Mystery Train
11. I Love You Because (RCA LP Version, spliced from takes 3 & 5)
12. Blue Moon
13. I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)
14. Just Because
15. Tryin’ to Get To You
16. Tomorrow Night
17. Harbor Lights
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECORDING SESSIONS
Date:
July 18, 1953 - November 4, 1955
Studio:
Sun Studio
Location:
Memphis, Tennessee
Musicians:
Musicians:
Voice: Elvis Presley
Accoustic guitar: Elvis Presley
Electric guitar: Scotty Moore
Bass: Bill Black
Drums: D. J. Fontana
Sound engineer / Recording engineer:
Accoustic guitar: Elvis Presley
Electric guitar: Scotty Moore
Bass: Bill Black
Drums: D. J. Fontana
Sound engineer / Recording engineer:
Sam Phillips, Marion Keisker
JULY 18, 1953
My Happiness WPA5 2531-NA
That's When Your Heartaches Begin WPA5 2532-NA
JANUARY 4, 1954
I'll Never Stand in Your Way CPA5 5101-NA
It Wouldn't Be the Same (Without You) CPA5 5102-NA
JUNE 26, 1954
Without You (Ensaio)
Rag Mop (Ensaio)
JULY 5, 1954
Harbor Lights EPA3 2742-03
I Love You Because G2WB 1086-SP
That's All Right F2WB 8040-04
JULY 7, 1954
Blue Moon of Kentucky F2WB 8041-NA
AUGUST 15-19, 1954
Blue Moon F2WB 8117-09
SEPTEMBER 12-16, 1954
Tomorrow Night F2WB 8115-07
I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') F2WB 8116-NA
Satisfied
Just Because F2WB 8118-NA
Good Rockin' Tonight F2WB 8043-02
I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine F2WB 8042-03
NOVEMBER 15, 1954
Milkcow Blues Boogie F2WB 8044-NA
You're a Heartbreaker F2WB 8045-NA
JANUARY 6, 1955
Shake, Rattle and Roll WPA5 2534-NA
Fool, Fool, Fool WPA5 2533-NA
JANUARY 19, 1955
Shake, Rattle and Roll HRA1 8699-NA
JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 4, 1955
I Got A Woman
Tryin' to Get to You
Baby Let's Play House F2WB 8046-01
MARCH 6, 1955
You're a Heartbreaker
I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone F2WB 8047-06
I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Slow Version) OPA1 4196-05
How Do You Think I Feel
JULY 21, 1955
I Forgot to Remember to Forget F2WB 8000-NA
Mystery Train F2WB 8001-01
Tryin' to Get to You F2WB 8039-NA
NOVEMBER 1-4, 1955
When it Rains, it Pours NPA5 5826-05
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SESSION LOGS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment!
REMEMBER: We will not post messages with any kind of offense and/or profanity.