http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Sat, 5 Jul 2008 15:48:59 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/07/05/132529.php#comment-730984 HI David thanks for all your excellent articles on Elvis' Album output recently. Most of his albums are much maligned today because they were created as collections of songs, not as concepts (such as the last 40 years). When Elvis went into the studio he didn't set out to make an "album" per se (with the exception of the gospel recordings or soundtracks)he went in to record songs to be used on albums and singles and often left it up to the record company to decide the song sequence and selection on an album. This you have pointed out in several reviews where you have indicated that the hit singles were left off the LP's, at the Colonel's request, in order to not sell the same song twice to the same fan on a single and an LP. Which leads me to my question, you have been doing your reviews in the order that the LP's were released but you have skipped over four LP's. Two I understand as they are not essential (For LP Fans Only and A Date With Elvis) but I think you missed the boat on skipping "Elvis' Golden Records" (released March 1958)and "50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong - Elvis' Golden Records Vol. 2 (Release December 1959). These are essential because they were the only way to get the hits at the time in Album form and they were Monster Successes (in particular Elvis Golden Records from 1958 which is now certified 6X Platinum). All 14 songs on the original album were million sellers over the previous 2 years. (14 Million selling singles in 2 years! any artist would drool for one, what an amazing achievment). Yes, they are compilations, but in the record industry in the 1950's they were not thought of as such. As much as "Elvis Presley" was the first Rock and Roll album, and RCA's first Million selling LP - "Elvis' Golden Records" was the first Greatest Hits Record of Rock and Roll and set the standard that is the cornerstone of what is left of the record industry today (or CD industry). It charted for 50 weeks, peaking at No. 3. As for the second volume of this series (50,000,000 Elvis' Fans Can't Be Wrong - Elvis' Golden Records Vol 2) - althought it did not sell as much as the first release(it is certified Platinum) it's accomplishment is still large. It has an Iconic cover that has been imitated countless times - ask Bon Jovi about that - and was the firts Vol 2 package of Greatest Hits in Rock and Roll. Where as the first volume contained an unheard of set of 14 million selling songs in 2 years this album collects another set of 10 million selling singles from 18 month period. So between January 1956 and June 1959 (the period in which these two albums represent) Elvis had 24 million selling (or more) singles. How can the albums that collect these songs not be considered essential? I hope you reconsider and put forth reviews of these two LP's as well. Don't Forget Elvis' Gold Records Vol 3 in 1963 and to a much lesser extent Vol 4 in 1968. thanks again, Anthony 730984@blogcritics.org Sat, 5 Jul 2008 15:48:59 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/07/05/132529.php#comment-730973 PS. The sleave should have been warning enough! 730973@blogcritics.org Sat, 5 Jul 2008 14:25:18 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/07/05/132529.php#comment-730971 Yes David, "There's Always Me" is a classic. It should have been a single! I would move the needle......er stylus manually on this vinyl Album. "Judy" is very good too. I remember being a little disappointed with the album.Elvis had previously set such high a standard we were not prepared for the........well let's be honest, the more tame rockers and ballads. 730971@blogcritics.org Sat, 5 Jul 2008 14:22:55 EDT