ELV1S 30 #1 Hits Deluxe 2 CD Edition
CD
ElvisNews review
We already had the “standard” version, the Japanese edition with bonus CD, the Wal-Mart version with bonus CD and the special version from Thailand and various media like vinyl, tape, CD and DVD-A. Now we have the worldwide Special Edition of “ELV1S 30 #1 Hits”.
Design
The CD’s come in a good looking book-like package, the same format as the special editions of "G.I. Blues" and "Blue Hawaii". The artwork and content of the booklet is the same as the original “30 #1 Hits”.
What makes this edition special are the comments of fans from around the world who told BMG what the remix “A Little Less Conversation” meant to them. It is nice to see the comments from a lot of fans and people you know from the World Wide Web or in person. We know there were negative comments too, but obviously BMG left them out.
The information on the bonus tracks is very limited, only one column with the title, version and author of the song. Since these bonus tracks are part of the “special” of this edition we would have expected a little more information on the special versions, or at least the same information as the original tracks of E1 get.
Content
We already reviewed the CD and DVD of “ELV1S 30 #1 Hits”, so see our earlier reviews for the first CD of this package. Besides seeing their names in the booklet (did you make it?) a lot of fans will be interested in the 15 bonus tracks on the second disc. In contrary to what the sticker on the cover states, the bonus tracks are not unreleased or hard to get, all versions have been released on the Follow That Dream label (and the extended version of "A Little Less Conversation" on the single). So we don’t have to go into these tracks either, you can read all about it in our Follow That Dream reviews.
The audio quality on the bonus disc is not as good as the sound of the first CD since the tracks were not remastered (with DSD-technology) for this CD. This does not mean they sound bad though, but after the sound of the first CD it is so clearly audible. This is a missed opportunity for the collectors label, with this release the collectors label could show what they do for the Elvis fans (great work). A special FTD-section in the booklet would have been a good idea. The last remix and “2nd To None” compilation might deliver BMG some new fans who could be buying this release too. On the other hand, this makes the first CD sound even better.
Conclusion
What can we say about this one, it is a special edition, so the collectors will probably get it (if only to see their name in an official Elvis release). The average fan will get a nice bonus promo CD for the Follow That Dream label ... Although, at the price we paid for this CD – twice to triple as much as we paid for the original E1 release – that fan will most probably buy the standard version.
Tracklisting
- Heartbreak Hotel
- Don't Be Cruel
- Hound Dog
- Love Me Tender
- Too Much
- All Shook Up
- Teddy Bear
- Jailhouse Rock
- Don't
- Hard Headed Woman
- One Night
- A Fool Such as I
- A Big Hunk o' Love
- Stuck on You
- It's Now or Never
- Are You Lonesome Tonight?
- Wooden Heart (Muss I Denn)
- Surrender
- His Latest Flame
- Can't Help Falling in Love
- Good Luck Charm
- She's Not You
- Return to Sender
- Devil in Disguise
- Crying in the Chapel
- In the Ghetto
- Suspicious Minds
- The Wonder of You
- Burning Love
- Way Down
- A Little Less Conversation (radio edit 2002 remix)
- Heartbreak Hotel (rehearsal 1972/03/31)
- All Shook Up (rehearsal 1972/03/31)
- Teddy Bear (rehearsal 1972/03/3; medley)
- Don't Be Cruel (rehearsal 1972/03/3; medley)
- A Big Hunk o' Love (take 2)
- Stuck on You (take 1)
- It's Now or Never (takes 2,3)
- Surrender (take 2)
- His Latest Flame (take 2)
- She's Not You (take 4)
- Devil in Disguise (takes 2,3)
- In the Ghetto (take 11)
- Burning Love (take 2)
- Way Down (take 2)
- In the Ghetto (vocal only)
- A Little Less Conversation (extended version)
