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Re-re-re-releases

July 23, 2015 | Music

Several re-releases are announced. In Japan 10 albums will be re-issued: Elvis Presley, Elvis, Elvis’ Gold Records, Elvis’ Gold Records Vol. 2, G.I. Blues, Blue Hawaii, Elvis’ Golden Records Volume 3, Elvis That’s The Way It Is, Elvis Aloha From Hawaii and The Sun Sessions. 

Sony will reissue the 2001-set Live In Las Vegas and Sony Canada will re-release the first album on vinyl.

Source:Various
circleG wrote on July 23, 2015
Well what else are they going to do? Elvis albums have to be available to the public and I don't mean crappy compilations. Original albums at decent prices. It's sad to see what's on the shelves at music stores when you compare Elvis to other artists. I liked the expanded cds released in the late nineties and as a vinyl buff it's good to see records are back.
TheMemphisFan wrote on July 25, 2015
Some of the expanded CDs in the late 90s were nicely done, but Golden Records Volume 3, Volume 4, and Volume 5 were quite flawed and could've been so much better. I'll elaborate if anyone is interested.
circleG wrote on July 25, 2015
Please explain, the only one I had a problem with was volume 5.
EJF wrote on July 25, 2015
I'm with circleG on this. So please do explain TheMemphisFan. Of course, everyone would have his own personal favourites which perhaps were left out. Off hand, I can name one favourite of mine, "Suspicion," which I feel should have been included on Volume 3.
TheMemphisFan wrote on July 26, 2015
~ Flaws ~ 1997 CD, Elvis' Gold Records Volume 2... The original running order of the 10 original album tracks should have been maintained, with the 10 bonus songs following instead of being scrambled throughout the CD. ~ Flaws ~ 1997 CD, Elvis' Golden Records Vol. 3... The cd should've included 20 songs just like the two previous volumes (instead of only 18). "Rock-a-Hula Baby" & "Return To Sender" could've/should've been included instead of putting them on Volume 4. ~ Flaws ~ 1997 CD, Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4... The original running order of the 12 original album tracks should have been maintained. This cd also should've included 20 songs (instead of 18) with all bonus tracks following the original album instead of being interspersed throughout. Along with Bossa Nova Baby, Kissin' Cousins, Viva Las Vegas, and Crying In The Chapel, four more of the following eight 1960s singles could've easily been chosen to include as bonus tracks... One Broken Heart For Sale, Such A Night, Blue Christmas, (Such An) Easy Question, I'm Yours, Tell Me Why, Puppet On A String, Frankie And Johnny. ~ Flaws ~ 1997 CD, Elvis' Gold Records Volume 5... Once again, the original running order of the album tracks should have remained in place (they were for the most part with the exception of "If I Can Dream"). This cd also could've/should've had 20 tracks instead of only 16. Of the sixteen tracks that were included, two of them ("Memories" & "If I Can Dream") were strangely in mono. Four more additional bonus tracks could've/should've been included. Take your pick... Don't Cry Daddy, The Wonder of You, I Really Don't Want To Know, Separate Ways (and/or Always On My Mind), I've Got A Thing About You Baby, Steamroller Blues, My Boy, Promised Land, My Way.
TheMemphisFan wrote on July 26, 2015
EJF, as for "Suspicion" being omitted, I feel that was the right call for the 1997 cd reissue of the 1963 album, Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3. The song wasn't released as a single in the U.S. until 1964 (eight months after Volume 3 was originally issued), and the side of the single that was credited for reaching only #34 on the Billboard chart was actually "Kiss Me Quick". In the U.K. it wasn't released as a single until 1976. Elvis' recording of "Suspicion" is also one of my favourites, but I think it would have been an out-of-place misfit on Elvis' Golden/Gold Records, Volume 3... 4... or 5.
Gorse wrote on July 26, 2015
Interesting topic guys. I have always thought Volume 5 was unsatisfactory from the very beginning. When creating my own lists I find a good reason to include my favourites Kiss Me Quick, I'm Leavin' and If You Talk In Your Sleep to the list : all hits to varying degrees across the globe. Suspicion is another favourite of mine but I agree with TheMemphisFan on his remarks about Volume 4 but perhaps I could fiddle that on to Volume 5 :-).
Gorse wrote on July 26, 2015
I see that I slipped up on If You Talk In Your Sleep as it was amazingly on the original release but Promised Land was omitted. I also note For The Heart was included which is not a problem to me at all but Hurt omitted. I assume as it was deemed a double sided hit in some quarters but the selections on this release have always baffled me unless it was to ensure there were enough 'faster ' songs.
circleG wrote on July 26, 2015
Good points there. It's a shame these weren't addressed on the 90s expanded versions but it's still not too late to correct. I suppose the dilemma would be wether to follow track lists by the dates they were recorded or release dates. I'd go by release dates so putting suspision on vol 5 is okay by me. My peeve is any CD that starts with suspicious minds. Such a strong track should be later in the list.
Jamie wrote on July 26, 2015
Hello. The original GR5 had a curious track list and needed strong bonus tune more than the other GR volumes. It didn't get them. There's no way 'Edge Of Reality' or Elvis's bombastic reading of the forlorn love song 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' warranted inclusion. Swapping the stereo single mix of 'If I Can Dream' for the tv special version and hastily fading out the phony applause is a bizarre business. (Maybe the compiler accessed the tv master tape for 'Memories' and saved themselves a chore by sourcing 'If I Can Dream' from it too). I don't have a problem with the songs being re-sequenced - 'Return To Sender' is surely a brighter way to open GR4 than 'Love Letters' ever was. But on GR3 and GR4 many of the bonus selections are unexceptional film songs, eg, 'Kissin Cousins', 'King Of The Whole Wide World' and 'Wooden Heart'. They don't flatter Elvis and give the impression Sony/BMG wanted to avoid bundling all of his best work into a 5 disc series for fear of undermining the sales of other releases. The GR series remains a decent option for the curious buyer, but the later volumes increasingly do Elvis a disservice.
TheMemphisFan wrote on July 27, 2015
Jamie, yes... I agree that "Return to Sender" was/is a brighter way to open GR4 than "Love Letters" ever was, but the focus of the 1997 reissue project was supposed to be about the original albums (not just the songs). BMG used the original album artwork on all 5 volumes supposedly for a reason, yet they scrambled the songs excessively on Volumes 2 and 4. They were very inconsistent to say the least. "It's Now Or Never" wasn't exactly a bright/shiny way to kick off Volume 3 in 1963. "Little Sister" could've been a 'brighter way' to open GR3, yet BMG did do right in 1997 to stick to the original running order. Also, it's ironic that some of the tracks used for GR4 & GR5 have never actually been credited as certified gold records (in the US)... Love Letters & Indescribably Blue on Volume 4, and... If You Talk In Your Sleep, For The Heart, Moody Blue, Big Boss Man, Guitar Man, U.S. Male, & Memories on Vol. 5. To address that detail in a very subtle way on Gold Records Volume 4 in 1968, RCA printed in bold red letters ~ Worldwide Gold Records ~ on the back cover of the LP, which was a convenient way for them to sneak in a couple of hits that weren't actually certified gold records in the U.S. * Hey, maybe it's time for SONY Legacy to... uh... uh... uh... nah, forget it.
TheMemphisFan wrote on July 27, 2015
Gorse, "For The Heart" may have been chosen for inclusion on Gold Records Volume 5 simply because it was the A-side of the U.S. single (#PB-10601) when it was released in 1976, with "Hurt" as the B-side. Three or four years later RCA issued a Gold Standard single (#GB-11326) of "Moody Blue" as A-side, with "For The Heart" as B-side. As for "If You Talk In Your Sleep" being included instead of "Promised Land", the reason is probably because "If You Talk In Your Sleep" was the A-side of the U.S. RCA single #APB0-0280 (with "Help Me" as the B-side)... and... "Promised Land" was actually the B-side of the U.S. RCA single #PB-10074, with "It's Midnight" being the A-side. Plus, who knows, the "If You Talk In Your Sleep/Help Me" single may have sold a few thousand more copies than the "It's Midnight/Promised Land" single. I don't know. Sort of crazy and confusing, isn't it.
Gorse wrote on July 28, 2015
I understand your logic TheMemphisFan. Both Promised Land and if You Talk in Your Sleep were Billboard Top Twenty hits so I suppose one was sacrificed although I would have put them both on the original album as they are great favourites of mine. For The Heart/Hurt seems to have been a double sided hit so either inclusion would make sense. One of my personal pet irks is the insularity of Sony/USA when it comes to Kiss Me Quick. Number 3 in Germany and top Ten in 3 other European charts, number 11 in UK and number 3 in Canada, and Top Forty USA.. Apparently received a Gold Record from South Africa sales in 1964. OK not all huge sales territory but hey! it should be included every so often in a hits compilation.
TheMemphisFan wrote on July 28, 2015
Gorse, I agree with you concerning the song "Kiss Me Quick". It's an underrated rocker that deserves a little more notoriety by Sony. It really kicks with the volume turned up... as many Elvis songs do. Too bad it wasn't included on the Elvis75 4-cd box set in 2010. I much prefer it over the song "Judy" (which was included).
emjel wrote on August 16, 2015
One of the biggest problems I had with GR5 was the sleeve photo used.