FTD announced The His Hand In Mine Sessions, a 3CD set to be released next March. This 8” deluxe 3-CD package features a 28-page booklet with an insightful essay, recording data, memorabilia and rare photos.
Tracklisting
DISC 1
THE ORIGINAL ALBUM
SIDE 1
01 His Hand In Mine
02 I’m Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs
03 In My Father’s House (Are Many Mansions)
04 Milky White Way
05 Known Only To Him
06 I Believe In The Man In The Sky
SIDE 2
07 Joshua Fit The Battle
08 He Knows Just What I Need
09 Swing Down Sweet Chariot
10 Mansion Over The Hilltop
11 If We Never Meet Again
12 Working On The Building
THE ORIGINAL SINGLES SIDES
13 Crying In The Chapel
14 Surrender
DISC 2
THE OCTOBER 1960 SESSIONS
01 Milky White Way (takes 1-3)
02 Milky White Way (takes 4-5)
03 Milky White Way (takes 6-7/M)
04 His Hand In Mine (take 1)
05 His Hand In Mine (takes 2-4)
06 His Hand In Mine (take 5)
07 His Hand In Mine (splice of takes 5 and 4/M)
08 I Believe In The Man In The Sky (take 1)
09 I Believe In The Man In The Sky (takes 2-3)
10 I Believe In The Man In The Sky (take 4/M)
11 He Knows Just What I Need (take 1)
12 He Knows Just What I Need (takes 2-4)
13 He Knows Just What I Need (takes 5-7)
14 He Knows Just What I Need (take 8)
15 He Knows Just What I Need (take 9)
16 He Knows Just What I Need (take 10/M)
17 Surrender (take 1)
18 Surrender (take 2)
19 Surrender (takes 3-4/M)
20 Surrender (takes 5-6)
21 Surrender (take 7)
22 Surrender (takes 8-9)
23 Surrender (work part for take 4, takes 1-7)
DISC 3
THE OCTOBER 1960 SESSIONS (Continued)
01 Mansion Over The Hilltop (take 1)
02 Mansion Over The Hilltop (takes 2-3/M)
03 In My Father’s House (Are Many Mansions) (takes 1-6)
04 In My Father’s House (Are Many Mansions) ) (take 7)
05 In My Father’s House (Are Many Mansions) (take 8)
06 In My Father’s House (Are Many Mansions) (work part, take 1)
07 In My Father’s House (Are Many Mansions) (splice of take 8 and work part take 1/M)
08 Joshua Fit The Battle (take 1)
09 Joshua Fit The Battle (take 2)
10 Joshua Fit The Battle (take 3)
11 Joshua Fit The Battle (take 4/M)
12 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (take 1)
13 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (takes 2-3)
14 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (take 4/M)
15 I’m Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs (take 1/M)
16 I’m Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs (takes 2-3)
17 I’m Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs (take 4)
18 I’m Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs (take 5)
19 If We Never Meet Again (take 1/M)
20 Known Only To Him (takes 1-2)
21 Known Only To Him (takes 3-4)
22 Known Only To Him (take 5/M)
23 Crying In The Chapel (take 1)
24 Crying In The Chapel (takes 2-3/M)
25 Working On The Building (take 1)
26 Working On The Building (take 2)
27 Working On The Building (takes 3-4)
28 Working On The Building (take 5/M)
I'm looking forward to this release. These Session boxes are really a pleasure to have. I know there is not that much new music to expect, but the sound is really great. The quality of those Boxes is very high I think and I like to read the informative booklets while listening to the music.
My biggest hope lies in the release of real good sounding boxes with the Sessions from Girl Happy, Harum Scarum, Frankie And Johnny and Paradise, Hawaiian Style. With those we would get again not much new music, but I would hope for real good sounding CDs.
I’m a big fan of these session releases and I love this album. But to me, virtually the whole session was released on the first FTD outing of this album. There might be a few work parts but it’s not worth the money for that. I will have to skip this one regrettably. But keep up the wonderful work Ernst.
I love these session boxes and am torn with this one. As milky white way mentioned there is very little unreleased on here. The original ftd release will probably suffice for me. Wheras I do appreciate that there isn't a lot of unreleased stuff left, I would rather the label concentrated on sessions where there is some unreleased material available even if it the often sub par movie soundtracks.
I'm not sure why this needed to be a three cd set. The original ftd timings were: cd1 61.22 mins and cd2 79.14. Unless there is a shed load of studio banter then the sessions could easily fit 2 discs. This would reduce the purchase price. Rather than being torn with this release I'd buy it.
I've tried to find the correct English word for that and I think the impudence is the one. After horribly high pricing Bruce Jackson's set Ernst and co. are trying to fool us with a release of a session from which every single take was released on FTDs before with an exception of 32 seconds long take 1 of In my father's house workpart. I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the news. If Ernst would like to make 1960 sessions complete why on earth didn't he combine HHIM session with a full Flaming star session? 4 CDs would pack them all. And now we get more than half-empty cd1 and a full session which we already have plus new 32 seconds of workpart. Dear God, what's next? GI Blues which was also already released in full?
It looks like FTD is running out of ideas. Was it really necessary to include the original album on a separate cd (why even included for that matter) or FTD is simply trying to fool the fans once again?
By the way, what's going on with the CBS-TV Special Elvis in Concert? And please, I do not want to hear the usual response: The family does not want to release the tv-special because of the deteriorating health of Elvis.
Obviously there is less and less new material to discover but this beautifully designed boxset (except the black frame around the original album cover) seems to be of very good quality, I certainly buy it because I like these sessions. I hope the sound is the best it can be. For those who are not interested, it will simply not be necessary to buy it (for example the boxes "something ... viva las vegas or Elvis is back do not interest me so I do not buy), we each have our preferences and I find that Ernt & Co do a superb job, I love "From Elvis in Nashville" for example ... cordially
Just a determination ! Here in Belgium the FTD HHIM (2006) available for 22 €. The HHIM-sessions available for 39.50 €. Same content (+/- 99,50 %) but 79.50 % more expensive. Coclusion ???
It's not a matter of 'you don't like it, don't buy it'. It's a matter of fans opinions which should be adequately received by the FTD team to help them create product which is really welcomed by fans. There are still plenty of sessions where the tapes are available and we still miss many many takes. Why don't they release them first? We are not getting younger. In my opinion they should leave sessions like HHIM and GIBlues for the conclusion of the series. Despite my harsh critic of the forthcoming HHIM I'm a strong follower of FTD since Burbank 68. I just think Ernst and co. should listen to the fans voice instead of preparing 32 sec.-new irritating release.
I agree with Adams. It took 50 years to release all of the Vegas Shows from 1969, and TTWII plus including all the rehearsals from MGM. So this pretty much gives you an approximate timeline. First we had single cds, then came the two-cd movies soundtracks, now we have the 3-4 cd sessions repackaged with mostly previously released tracks from FTD. I'm wondering if in 2070 they will still be releasing Teddy Bear, Hound dog or Britches!
Ultimately we have a choice whether to buy anything. That's not in dispute. However, Adams is right. As consumers we are entitled to have an opinion. The majority of producers actively engage with their customers to improve their products and to ultimately sell and make money. Those who don't will perish. The difference for FTD and this sits comfortably with the colonels strategy, is that there will be a core number who will buy everything. They are a given. Much as the colonel knew fans would see an elvis movie at least twice, probably three times irrespective of the quality or integrity of the product. However even that strategy started to fail as the 60s wore on. Yes, we are fortunate; an unprecedented volume of material been released of which many other artists fans could only dream of. I have purchased and enjoyed the majority of it and will continue to do so for as long as the label functions. My biggest regret with ftd is that the engagement with fans is limited and any constructive criticism is taken personally.
Can someone at ElvisNews transfer the last three posts in this thread to Ernst & co. ?
Of course there are unreleased takes. What is the point of releasing them all? I don't think artists would want all they ever created made public. It's like publishing the first draft of a novel.
Martin DJ - I don't think the artist in question is in much of a position to be bothered! The label has embarked on a strategy of releasing complete sessions. I don't wish to sound uncharitable but i fear you have missed the point. If Elvis were alive today or and had continued to record and release material for thirty plus years after 1977 i can't ever envisage myself clamouring for unreleased takes from Clambake! Indeed, i'm pretty confident the artist himself would be reluctant to have so much of this stuff released. (Although given RCA bought his recording pre 74, he might not have had much of a choice i.e legendary performer vol 1 and 2 albums!) Sadly, the reality is somewhat differrent. We are fortunate that so much of what he did was recorded. In the absence of 'newly' recorded material, this is what we have and what i persoanlly would like to hear as much of it as i can.
great launch, but as I have the previous version of FTD, maybe don't buy this
I checked with my regular suppliers and this is retailing at from 45 - 50 pounds dependant on which one i get it from. Given the cost of the original HHIM FTD CD, and that there is so little by way of unreleased stuff, that is far too steep and frankly an insult. The 'high end' quality of the box and it's booklet do not justify the price. What more can possibly be said or pictures that collectors dont have in a plethora of books? I would not be surprised to see Jailhouse Rock or GI Blues getting the same treatment. The Colonel would be pleased.
I think we all expecpt different releases but we won't get a release for everyone. I don't know who someone else is thinking but for me every release has its own story. So Elvis country and elvis in nashville are two different things to listen to. The His Hand In Mine is surely a controversy for itself (money rules the world) but I will buy it anyway. Show me any artist who can come up with more than 150 releases from 1999 onward when he died 1977.
Stefan74, everyone is grateful for the work that has been accomplished by the folks at FTD. There is no dispute over this.
The issue here is that we are seeing releases with mostly previously released material with two or three previously unreleased tracks. At a higher price! And this is by FTD!
I understand that no one is in the obligation to buy any of these releases but when you are targeting a specific clientele then this is an insult in my opinion.
If these releases were to be sold to the general public, I think no one would be complaining because you are trying to attract a new clientele which is normal.
And I’m wondering if the price would’ve been cheaper if these releases were to be sold regularly in record stores.
Stefan74 : You'll buy it anyway? Good for you, no problem, enjoy ! But....permit me :" Show me any artist who can come up with more than 150 releases from 1999 onward when he died 1977."
Agreed, 300% , there is indeed no other artist ! But IMHO that doesn't justify the price FTD is charging for this release. See my comment of January 31, 2020. Almost 80% more expensive for the same content. Sorry, but no thanks. Anyway, as always, "to each his own". Best regards.
Sorry, typo, meant january 31, 2021 of course !
You're right for that benny scott. This is true for that release and surely for the bruce jackson book. The firt cd is not necessary the second sounds dull and the most important third cd just soso. I am a fan of the atlanta show but in that sound its no fun to listen to.
I think that is what you mean and you are completely right. I hope for many more boxes but with more content. Adams wrote that they could have made a combi with Flaming Star and although I prefer seperate releases this would have been the only fair way to offer it the fans.
Let' s see how it sells and what comes next.
By the way Psilopechtris is right to demand a proper Elvis In Concert release.
