All Hail the King!

It's hard to believe that the most important body of recordings in all of rock music can be neatly fit onto four CDs; but that - along with a fifth disc of very agreeable rarities, alternate takes and live material - is exactly what THE KING OF ROCK & ROLL offers. Here it is, all beautifully remastered and conveniently assembled in one gorgeous and highly informative package: both sides of Elvis' 1953 debut acetate recording (a gift for his mother); all of the epochal 1954-55 Sun masters; the complete 1956-58 RCA sessions (chart-topping singles, underrated album tracks, all four 1950s movie soundtracks en toto with plenty of silly stuff to leaven the proceedings throughout); even a press interview from the King's final Stateside hours before leaving for army service in Germany! If the essence of everything rock music ever was, is or might someday be could possibly be tucked inside a box, then make no mistake - this is the box.

No one comes to Elvis (especially early Elvis) as a complete stranger, so I won't even attempt to catalogue or critique the 140 tracks offered herein; but whether you're buying this essential material for the first time or upgrading prior purchases, THE KING OF ROCK & ROLL is without question the cornerstone of any serious rock music collection.

The King changed popular music forever

Elvis is the singer who made rock'n'roll popular, although even in his early years he did not limit his music to that genre. This compilation containing (supposedly) every song that Elvis recorded during the fifties, plus alternate versions of some of them, shows just how good Elvis was at several different styles.

Here you get all his famous rockers including Heartbreak hotel, Don't be cruel, Blue suede shoes, Hound dog, Mystery train, Paralyzed, Party, All shook up, Jailhouse rock, Teddy bear and One night, together with great covers of Tutti fruiti, Shake rattle and roll and other classics. Of course, you also get his recording of That's alright Mama, the song that secured his recording contract.

Elvis also recorded a number of country songs, though not as many as he did later in his career. Sometimes (as with Blue moon of Kentucky), he re-interpreted them very differently from the originals, but most of his covers were more faithful, albeit adapted to his own style. I forgot to remember to forget, Old Shep, Have I told you lately that I love you, Your cheating heart and Fool such as I are among the country songs to be found here.

Elvis also recorded some brilliant pop ballads in the fifties. Love me tender is the most famous but there are plenty of others. Among the lesser known ones, I particularly like As long as I have you. Gospel music was important to Elvis and here you can find Peace in the valley, Take my hand precious lord, It is no secret and I believe. You also get the eight Christmas songs that Elvis recorded in the fifties including Blue Christmas and Santa bring my baby back.

This is the first of three boxed sets covering the music of Elvis. While the boxes for the sixties and seventies (which I reviewed a long time ago) are by no means complete, the music he recorded in the fits easily fits on five CD's. Indeed, there is enough room left for a long interview at the end of CD 4 (which I could have done without) and an entire CD of rarities.

This box illustrates just why Elvis was such a powerful influence on popular music in the fifties.

This is the 1st item of Elvis RCA-Box Set

This is the 1st item of Elvis RCA-Box Set: The King of Rock'n'Roll. It has 5 CDs in a box set (140 tracks) and covers the 50's studio recordings. Includes 14 unreleased records, 48-page full-color booklet and stamps depicting Elvis' 50's record covers. Generally RCA's Elvis Box Set is a MUST BUY set for all Elvis fans and for who wants an Elvis collection. To see the other items in RCA-Box Set of Elvis, you can click to 'see all my reviews' and reach there to other items.