W
hen most people think of Elvis Presley’s music they think of “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Love Me Tender,” and “Jailhouse Rock,” but in the ‘50s and ‘60s hit songs weren’t released on albums. The rule in the music industry was to release big hits as singles, to maximize profits. Because of this, a lot of people aren’t familiar with specific Elvis Presley long-players.
If you’re looking to really dig into the music of Elvis, listening to the albums from beginning to end is a great way to start. You can buy and download all the “Greatest Hits” and “Number Ones” collections out there, but you’d be missing out on a lot of great music not included in those releases. Here’s a great place to start.
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Elvis Presley (1956)
Start with his first album, Elvis Presley. It's a mix of songs from the end of his Sun Records stint and the beginning of his RCA era. Hardcore fans probably love the CD reissues with bonus songs and outtakes. Call us crazy, but we’d rather hear Elvis sing without screwing up. The album kicks off with “Blue Suede Shoes.” Written and originally performed by Carl Perkins, “Blue Suede Shoes” might still be Elvis’ signature song. Other great songs include “I Got A Woman,” a great remake of a Ray Charles tune; Elvis’ take on the Little Richard classic “Tutti Frutti”; and “Blue Moon,” which shows off Elvis’ slow ballad-style which was later copied by Chris Isaak.
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Loving You (1957)
Another great album from Elvis’ early years, this was released as a soundtrack to the movie with the same title, but also featured “Don’t Leave Me Now,” which wasn’t performed in the movie. The album is anchored by the title track and “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear,” but also includes the Cole Porter song “True Love,” and the upbeat “Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do.”
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Elvis is Back (1960)
Elvis’ first studio album after returning from the military, Elvis is Back began his move away from the Sun Studios’ sound. The album mixes blues, jazz, and gospel. Featuring songs “Reconsider Baby,” Thrill of Your Love,” and “Such a Night,” Elvis showed he could still sing and sell records after he returning from the Army. But the standout song on the album is “Fever,” a Peggy Lee hit from 1958.
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Aloha from Hawaii (1973)
Elvis’ last released soundtrack during his lifetime, this live album has to be included because it’s Elvis singing most of his hits. The songs from his early years like “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Hound Dog” are a far cry from the original recordings when it comes to quality, but hearing his later music performed live really stands out, including "An American Trilogy" and "A Big Hunk O' Love." In fact, listening to the live versions of “Suspicious Minds” and “My Way” are worth the price of the entire album. If you’re going to buy a live Elvis album, this is the one.
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Good Times (1974)
A lot of critics considered this album to be just more average Elvis recordings from the 1970s. But we think Good Times is a great showcase of Elvis’ vocal range, and still is a great album to listen to—it stands the test of time. Recorded at Stax Studios in Memphis, it includes lesser known songs like "I've Got a Thing About You Baby" and “My Boy,” each of which actually hit the country and pop charts, despite never being included on later “greatest hits” releases.
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Elvis had a number of soundtracks, studio albums and live performances released, even after his death, and each one is worth listening to. The live album Elvis in Concert is worth mentioning. Released less than two months after his death, the album was recorded over two concerts about two months before Elvis died. The concerts are full of bright spots, and show how Elvis’ voice was still strong, but they also show how much he struggled with lyrics to songs he had been singing for years. It’s reality, it’s kind of eerie, and unfortunately it’s the way a lot of people remember Elvis, but we prefer him at the top of his game, with or without rhinestones.
