Elvis at Sun

Elvis Presley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 22, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bmg / Elvis
• ASIN: B00025L41W
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,967 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #63 in Music > Rock > Oldies & Retro > Rockabilly

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Though they would eventually be hailed as nothing short of the birth notice of rock 'n' roll, these seminal recordings--the product of a teenaged Memphis truck driver with virtually no public performance experience--were originally little more than energetic regional country hits that eventually led to a modest national record deal. Elvis Presley's five Sun singles, along with nine additional demos and outtakes from the era, have been meticulously cleansed of the reverb and echo effects added to the later LP versions RCA issued during the singer's meteoric rise to stardom, yielding a restored clarity that may startle even veteran Presley fans. Of course, it's the performances themselves that remain indelible benchmarks of modern American music, a fusion of R&B, C&W, Tin Pan Alley pop, and irrepressible ambition that seemed wholly formed even on the first single's pairing of the Arthur Crudup blues "That's Alright" with a joyously supercharged revamp of Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky." What the core trio on these recordings--Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore, and bassist Bill Black--accomplished in their brief tenure at Sun was as preternatural as it was groundbreaking, yielding a mindset and sound that continues to reverberate around the globe over a half-century later. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Japanese pressing live album contains 1 bonus track 'That's All Right' (alternate take). BMG. 2004. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About the track "I Love You Because", March 4, 2006

By 

Reinaldo F. Jesus Jr. (Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Elvis at Sun (Audio CD)

Hi folks, I just wanted to let you know that the track "I Love You Because" in this CD is the original version as recorded at Sun Studios. The famous master take which has been the subject of controversy here at amazon is the version released by RCA after Elvis left the Sun label. RCA edited the song by making a split of takes 2 and 4, leaving out the spoken part. Hence, if you want the RCA version, buy the remastered Elvis Presley (1956) album. Don't be fooled by people who haven't really purchased this CD and haven't taken their time to read the great booklet that brings all this information. This IS indeed the ultimate Elvis Sun Sessions masters album. Top quality!!!

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Early Elvis!!, July 4, 2004

By 

Louie Bourland (Garden Grove CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Elvis at Sun (Audio CD)

To commemorate 50 years since the young Elvis Presley stepped into Sun Records to make his initial recordings (and indeed, the birth of Rock and Roll), RCA has released yet another compilation of The King's historic Sun sessions.
There has already been countless questionable reviews on "Elvis at Sun" which state this collection isn't comprehensive enough or is missing key tracks. While this collection doesn't offer every note recorded during Elvis's priceless Sun sessions, it does offer an excellent sampling of this piece of musical history.
The sound quality and remastering done to the original session tapes is outstanding and gives the music an overall restored clarity. Just listen for those percussive slaps on Bill Black's bass and you'll see what I mean.
Overall, this is a great CD which display Elvis's budding talents in their best quality yet. Sure, there may be a few tracks missing but the outer label says 'most comprehensive' not 'most complete'.
Fantastic Historic Elvis and A Must For Any Fan of The King!!

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definite definite, April 19, 2006

By 

Soulboogiealex (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elvis at Sun (Audio CD)

We could mope about RCA's money machine al we want to. We could complain that this is the Nth re-release of Elvis' Sun recordings. Bitch about how this is probably not the end of it. Yes, this is reissue one-million and one. And yes, there are probably going to be others. Let's just focus on the music.

The Sun recordings were truly Elvis' greatest recordings ever. They earned him his legendary status while he was alive. His later RCA works pales in comparison. It was at RCA where Elvis would soon be grinded in the commercial machine until he would (almost) be no better than Pat Boone. Sure he recorded some great sides at RCA, but it takes a lot digging in the enormous amount of movie fluff and comeback albums to discover them. Elvis often sounded bored and tiresome after he arrived at RCA.

Here we get Elvis at his most impressive. At times the music is oozing with pure sexual energy. At others it is moving and melancholic. Always it's committed, raw and full of energy. The fact that he managed to accomplish this with very little instrumentation is stellar. Some fifteen years down the road rock 'n roll would need towers of amplifiers to create the same exiting buzz.

Aside from the obviously legendary tracks, the sound on this disc is unbelievable. Every single one of them sounds like they have been recorded yesterday. Although the crisp sound does strip it of some of its romance and nostalgia, you could suddenly imagine That's All Right Mama shooting up the charts once more. Making this truly the "definite" definite Sun recording. No matter what RCA will decide to fire at us in the future. Stick with this one!