From Nashville To Memphis - The Essential 60's Masters

Great follow-up to th 50's box.

The year is 1993 and after the release of the essential 50’s, it is time for the 60’s now!
Again a wonderful box set was presented by BMG, with all the masters on it from this time period, except from the soundtracks and gospels.

Design
The box set looks really great, well taken care of with all the information in a very complete booklet. The pictures of the covers are wonderful and in excellent quality of course. BMG really did a fine job here.

Sound: They also did a great job remastering the sound. The quality is outstanding and makes it possible to enjoy this release over and over again.

Content
No where else you will find such complete image of the roaring 60’s, which in Elvis’ case are really a bit undervalued. Here is the ultimate proof Elvis did a lot more then making movies after he returned from the army. 130 high quality songs will reach your ears, listening to these great CD’s.

Listen with me if you like!

The first CD starts up tempo with Make Me Know It and makes me drumming my fingers right from the start. Soldier Boy, Stuck On You, Fame And Fortune bring us to A Mess Of Blues. The rhythm of the song is outstanding. More important thought is Elvis’ voice here.
Like no one else he is able to share his feelings with us here. The warmth, the sensuality is stunning. He goes on with It Feels So Right and those are exactly the words I would like to use for this song. The words, coming out of his mouth in a very slow manner, give you really a bluesy feeling! Fever is next. What can I say? This song is a true favourite of mine and really gives me fever every time I hear it. The whole atmosphere of this CD is great! Especially the sax in the next song: Like A Baby makes me shiver and makes me wonder why this song is not more known among the non-Elvis fans (are there any btw?).
After It’s Now Or Never it’s time for The Girl Of My Best Friend. Maybe not the most interesting song, but the melody is lovely and nice. Really up tempo is Dirty Dirty Feeling and if this song doesn’t make everybody dance, nothing can! After Thrill Of Your Love it is time for I Gotta Know; here Elvis’ voice is complete in every way. A jewel according to my ears! Such A Night, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, Girl Next Door Went A’ Walking and I Will Be Home Again brings us to Reconsider Baby! The best blues song ever sung by Elvis!
The piano, the sax, the dragging of the music together with Elvis’ voice make me want more of this. With Surrender we get an Elvis singing every note he is able to. From high to low with an easiness that makes you wonder how he did this! Next are I’m Coming Home, Gently, In Your Arms and Give Me The Right. Again the bluesy feeling is here! I Feel So Bad, It’s A Sin, I Want You With Me bring us to There’s Always Me, maybe the most sensitive song of this CD. Together with Floyd Cramer on piano Elvis really touches my soul with his warm voice!
CD 2: The wonderful tune of Starting Today reaches my ears. A very warm and tender song with Elvis in a sensitive mood. It is easy to predict the next song: Sentimental Me. The Jordanaires are doing a fine job here. The year is still 1961 and the song hasn’t lost any glory over the years. With Judy, Put The Blame On Me, Kiss Me Quick we come to That’s Someone You Never Forget. A true jewel to listen to! Red West wrote this masterpiece and I am sure Elvis had some influence here too. How he sings from one note to another is so recognizable and really his strength. I’m Yours, His Latest Flame and Little Sister are next and lead us to For The Millionth And The Last Time. Along with the other songs so great to listen to! I really love his voice bending over, with so much warmth. After Good Luck Charm my personal favourite starts: Anything That Is Part Of You. Apart from the beautiful lyrics, which are able to move me every time I hear those words, the melody is tender and Elvis’ voice is sincere and sensual. Of course it goes to far to mention every song, but the next one: I Met Her Today is sung with such dedication, it sure will put you in a sentimental mood! The tempo increases with Night Rider. A real catching song! Then we move to 1962 with Something Blue; this song has caught my heart right from the first time I ever heard it. The lyrics, the melody, Elvis’ voice, all is just perfect! Gonna Get Back Home Somehow brings us to (Such An) Easy Question, which is really easy to listen to. A real Blackwell song if I may say so. Fountain Of Love changes the tempo again a bit, but not for long. Just For Old Time Sake is next, followed by You’ll Be Gone, sung with passion and due to the guitar play I have to think of Spain. A real beauty, I Feel That I’ve Known You Forever, right from the start Floyd Cramer set his mark on this song. Wonderful! Different tempo starts with Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello. Anyway, it makes my feet wanna move. Suspicion is next. No suspicion on my part though, this song torments my heart right from the start. Every woman will feel her heart in her throat with She’s Not You. Moving to 1963 with Echoes Of Love, Please Don’t Drag That String Around My Neck and Devil In Disguise.
Never Ending begins… Walk down the beach at sunset and listen to this beautiful ballad, where Elvis’ voice is so warm and tender, and brings tears to my eyes. What Now, What Next, Where To, Witchcraft, Finders Keepers, Loosers Weepers and Love Me Tonight bring us to put the next one in the player!
CD 3: Kind of up-tempo is It’s A Long Lonely Highway, what really want you to move around the room. The year is 1963 and Western Union is next, bringing us to Slowly But Surely, what is a favourite of mine for a very long time. Elvis sure made me his with these lyrics. Blue River is the last song from 1963 and Memphis Tennessee is the promise that 1964 will indeed be a perfect year on this release. Again the tempo is up-tempo and my fingers drum on my desk. Ask Me, a really sentimental song, but I don’t like the organ. It gives it just a too old fashion touch. Oh boy, It Hurts Me is the next. I think I was a very little girl when I first heard this song and the images from the NBC special are in my thought right from the start, where Mr. Presley stole my heart for ever. A jump to 1966 with Down In The Alley. Don’t you like those saxes here? Real bluesy sound from every note we here! Tomorrow Is A Long Time, Love Letters, Beyond The Reef, Come What May, Fools Fall In Love and Indescribably Blue bring us to I’ll Remember You. This version from 1966 is so sincere, so tender, it makes me shiver all over and cry a little. Much more delicate than the Aloha version, with such true emotions it really convince me Elvis was singing with his heart.
Not for every time of the year suited, but If every Day Was Like Christmas (thanks again Red) is my favourite song in December, no doubt about that! Of course moving to 1967 now with Suppose, sung like a poem. Touchy, but a bit too dramatically for my taste. Guitar Man, the original master, is a joy for your ears and feet! At least, for mine, cause I have to move on this one. What’d I Say ends the song in a special way. Big Boss Man, well what can I say, I just love the horn section. Elvis you are the boss for me! Mine, Just Call Me Lonesome, a bit too slow for my taste, but followed by Hi-Heel Sneakers where the horns are doing their best again. Do you have one moment please? I really have to snap my fingers on this one.
Oh boy, what a change of mood: You Don’t Know Me; if this is not the ultimate proof that at least one song used in a movie is wonderful, I don’t know nothing any more. This song is so personal to me that it always makes me cry with lots of love for someone special. Luckily he does know me now! And for that same reason I have to skip the next song: Singing Tree. ;-) No comment on this one, sorry!
Moving to 1968 with Too Much Monkey Business; why on earth did they change the music on the FTD release with the same title? There is ab

From Nashville To Memphis - The Essential 60's Masters

CD

ElvisNews review

Tracklisting