Product Description

One month after Elvis' 1968 Comeback Special aired on national television, Presley made the most artistically successful recordings of his later career. In January and February of1969, he held sessions at American Studios in Memphis. Presley was reportedly worried that his recording career was finished, that he had been displaced by newcomers such as the Beatles. Perhaps goaded on by this perception, Presley reached new heights during the American sessions.
The material he chose was impassioned, gritty, and bluesy, the complete opposite of the movie songs he had sung for most of the previous decade. A slight case of laryngitis actually improved his performances, lending his voice an appropriate roughness. Many of the best recordings from these sessions appear on FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS, including the hit "In the Ghetto". FROMELVIS IN MEMPHIS demonstrates how thoroughly Presley could remake a song to suit his talents, especially on the countrystandards "Long Black Limousine" and "I'll Hold You In My Heart", which he transforms into R&B screamers. This is intense, heartfelt, adult music, much like the blues Presley loved as a kid on Beale Street.

Track Listing

1. Wearin' That Loved On Look
2. Only The Strong Survive
3. I'll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms)
4. Long Black Limousine
5. It Keeps Right On Hurtin'
6. I'm Movin' On
7. Power Of My Love
8. Gentle On My Mind
9. After Loving You
10. True Love Travels On A Gravel Road
11. Any Day Now
12. In The Ghetto
13. The Fair is Moving On (Bonus Track)
14. Suspicious Minds (Bonus Track)
15. You'll Think Of Me (Bonus Track)
16. Don't Cry Daddy (Bonus Track)
17. Kentucky Rain (Bonus Track)
18. Mama Liked The Roses

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26008 in Music
• Released on: 2000-05-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Extra tracks

Amazon.co.uk Review
In January 1969, Elvis Presley was still mighty fired up from the success of his legendary NBC-TV "comeback" special, which had aired only a little over a month before. Eager to record some relevant music after a decade of, for the most part, horrible movie soundtracks, Presley entered Chip Loman's famous (122 chart hits in three years at the time) American Studio in Memphis to jam with the also famous house band. Several hit singles would come from these sessions, including "Suspicious Minds", "Don't Cry Daddy", "In the Ghetto", and "Kentucky Rain". From Elvis in Memphis is the first of two albums that came from the American recordings--and it's slightly better than Back in Memphis, including as it does "Long Black Limousine" (about a huge star returning to a small hometown in a hearse, and a song many Presley obituaries would late quote) and a cover of Chuck Willis's "Any Day Now" that actually tops the original. It's worth noting that all the tracks from the American Sessions are available on the box set From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60s Masters. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews

Elvis Triumphant! A True Classic!
Elvis' best album and my own personal favourite. After wasting the best part of the 1960's on drivel, the King came back strong with a set of songs that paid tribute to the wide range of musical styles that influenced him: Gospel, Country, Blues, Soul and everything else in between. Why this album doesn't have the same prestige of a Sgt. Pepper's or a Pet Sounds I'll never know. Any greatest hits compilation might give you more famous Elvis songs, but 'From Elvis in Memphis' gives you a rarity: a coherent, thought-out album performed with enormous power and passion. The producer, Chips Moman, the musicians and accompanying vocalists also deserve their due in making this album a classic. This album came at a time when the King was back, and although the mood of the songs vary in mood from upbeat to tragedy, especially the standout track "In the Ghetto", there is a very optimistic feel to the whole album. The sessions also produced two other all-time greatest tracks, 'Suspicious Minds' and 'Kentucky Rain' that were originally only released on singles. For those of you who have only listened to the greatest hits, get this album. It will be a revelation!

His finest hour
From Elvis in Memphis is the best Elvis Presley album there is, period. This is most soulfull, tender and brilliant of his albums. Songs mix from powerhouse soul to country ballads and all of them work perfectly. Elvis never sounded better. There's more beauty, strenght and emotion in his voice then there ever was again.
The original album released in 1969 didn't include "Suspicious Minds" but this cd now does - it's a bonus track. This cd release shows the true potential of the recording session, that has become legendary. In early 1969 Elvis's recording career was worn out and stale, but these recordings gave his career a brand new light and meaning.
This is by far my favourite Elvis album. Elvis did other great albums too ("Elvis Country" for example) but this has it's all different, unique aura. I can recommend this to any lover of music - not just lover of Elvis.

Even more upgraded version of these sessions exist, called "Suspicious Minds". It's more expensive and only adds two more essential Presley classics "Stranger in My Own Home Town" and "Withot Love (There's Nothing)". So if you really are looking for value for your money, this is it. Don't look any further.

From Elvis In Memphis
One of the greatest albums of all time, an album which cannot be classified into a genre of music, this album has everything from Rock N Roll to early R&B, Country, and pop.
and for only £6.99 is amazing.

In 1969 this album ranked 2nd in the 'Best Album 1969' award behind The Beatles 'Abbey Road'.

Elvis spent January/February 1969 recording 32 songs in the Memphis studio in downtown memphis, meanwhile over in London the Beatles were recording their last album tracks for 'Let It Be'.

17 of the tracks Elvis recorded during those sessions are released here, they are considered to be the best of the 32 songs recorded, the next album 'Back In Memphis' which contains 10 more songs from these sessions is arguably as good.

The bonus tracks are singles released during 1969/1970, all gaining good chart positions, the greatest being 'Suspicious Minds' reaching #1 in the US and peaking at #2 in the UK (behind the dreadful 'two little boys' by rolf harris). 'Don't Cry Daddy' peaked at #6, while 'in The Ghetto' Peaked at #3, 'Kentucky Rain' peaked at #16, 'Mama Liked The Roses' was the B-side to 'The Wonder Of You'.

The Album is full of non-stop classics including 'In The Ghetto' and the relativley unknown stunner 'Any Day Now' which easily matches Suspicious Minds.

My conclusion is go out and buy this album if you haven't already got it, its absolutley fantastic all the way through and like I already said, it was voted in the best album awards with The Beatles 'Abbey Road' as the best albums of 1969, but they are still fantastic.