Customer Reviews

Hit Story

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this collection mainly to consolidate my hodge-podge of Elvis vinyl, audio cassette, and a couple of CD's. I was looking for a single source that contained all of his most popular works. This one delivered what I was looking for quite satisfactorily, and ----

I was pleasantly surprised in discovering that the collection also contained some of his work that was new to me, but quite good. These tunes were unknown to me either because they were a bit less popular than the #1 stuff, or were simply a little older than my memory is (for example Fame and Fortune, Flaming Star, or Puppet on a String).

I note that some of the other reviewers are critical that CD #3 in the set, "The Story Continues", only contains 19 songs. I believe that answer is simply that the other 2 CD's, "30 #1 Hits" and "Second to None" were pre-existing stand alone album releases. Putting the three CD's into a single package yields a total of 81 songs. As these selections are biased towards "chart toppers" anyway, that is A LOT of high-end Elvis music. They didn't overlook much. There are a few little movie tunes that I would like to have seen included, but I'm happy with this collection.

I do have a criticism regarding the audio quality of some of the music. It is a mystery to me that a re-mixed 1959 song can sound crisp and pure, but one recorded in 1973 sounds like it is muffled through 12 inches of kleenex. Did different mastering technologies hold up over time better? Or is it just sloppy re-mixing?

Overall, the collection is close to perfect. The audio values on some of the songs are not quite as good, but I'm satisfied with the product.

Recommended as an excellent foundation for an Elvis collection.

This is the best Elvis "Greatest Hits" collection available. It contains all of his Billboard Top 20 hits plus several other hits and songs. It packages the previous "30 #1 Hits" and "2nd to None" CD's with a 3rd CD containing 19 songs. So if you do not already have "30 #1 Hits" and "2nd to None" this is the obvious choice!

If you already have "30 #1 Hits" and/or "2nd to None" the choice is not as clear. The problem I have with this collection is that they were rather skimpy with the new 3rd CD. It only contians 19 songs, Elvis' 19 top 20 hits that were left off the first two CDs. This could have been a must-have collection if they had included more songs on the 3rd CD. They should have included another 10 or so top 40 hits to really make this collection more attractive to those of us that already have "30 #1 Hits" and "2nd to None".

On a side note, the version of "I'm Yours" in this collection is 1965 single version and not the original released on the "Pot Luck" album in 1962. On the album version Elvis sings a dubbed "duet" with himself and also includes spoken words during the break in the song. The single version on here Elvis sings "solo" and there is no spoken part. Since this is a greatest hits collection, it is appropriate that they included the hit single instead of the album version.

By compiling "30 #1 Hits," "2nd to None" and a third, new collection, "The Story Continues" in one collection, most mid-level Elvis Presley fans should have enough Jailhouse Rock to last 'em for a lifetime. Obviously, the die-hard fans already have this stuff.

To recap, "30 #1 Hits" has all the classics--"Heartbreak Hotel," "Jailhouse Rock," "Suspicious Minds" and "Burning Love." Because of its chronological sequencing, it is also marred by embarrassing tracks like "Wooden Heart," "Crying in the Chapel" and the unnecessary "Way Down." "2nd to None," though lacking the firepower of the first collection, is the better disc. Including Sun Sessions classic "That's All Right," his great cover of Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes," one of his best early singles, "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," and his gradiose 1968 NBC-TV Special tracks "Memories" and "If I Can Dream," this is a more balanced collection. Also including fun stuff like "Viva Las Vegas" and "I'm a Roustabout," this disc covers his dreadful 60s movie years with respectability.

"The Story Continues" is a bit of a letdown -- leftovers from his career. But it is an interesting selection, focusing on Elvis' more placid songs, like "Ask Me," "Separate Ways" and "If You Talk in Your Sleep." Running only 45 minutes, it presents a listeners dilemma -- Should it have filled a whole 80 minutes? If so, would it just include 35 more minutes of mediocre Elvis tracks? Could they have included any previously unreleased studio outtakes?

Those criticisms aside, this is a comprehensive, affordable and FUN collection of Elvis Presley's music, one that puts aside the silly celebrity-worship and lets his reputation rest solely on his music -- which could be extraordinarily great and terrible.

The U.S. version of Hitstory makes a (long overdue) point of replacing five tracks originally included on E1 (alternative takes or defective mixes) with their correct versions, however while this is a commendable effort it turns out "The Wonder of you" is still not the original single version but is missing the overdubs, as the off-key Sweet Inspirations can now be heard on the original undubbed recording (coincidentally the correct single version of "The Wonder of you" with the overdubs can be found on "Love, Elvis", a compilation that BMG released just months earlier). You really have to wonder if anybody at BMG ever QA's these things before they get released, you would have thought they'd get it right the second time around, especially with a splicase package that is so nicely produced. On the upside the third disc of Hitstory contains material all newly DSD mastered (which sounds brilliant) which is apparently not the case for the overseas import version that features different tracks selected for the European market. For anybody that doesn't already own "30 #1 Hits" or "2nd to None" this set will be a worthwhile addition to your Elvis collection.

People might think it is a rehash or a reissue of the two compilations "#1's" and "Second to None." Technically they are, but to quote the Orlando Magic's management, BMG has "righted a wrong." Here are the wrongs that have been righted on this release:

Hound Dog has been fixed (no pop!!!)
Original Master Takes are used instead of Outtakes for these songs: A Fool Such As I, A Big Hunk O'Love, Suspicious Minds, The Wonder of You
Return to Sender has been remastered

The third disc is OK, the last track shouldn't even be there, but oh well, it is included. The UK version has a better song selection on the third disc, but they don't have the corrections on the first two discs.

They just keep coming. Well good I say. What we really get here is his "30 #1's" disc, obviously the biggest hits, his "2nd To None" disc, which was arguably the less popular hits, and a third disc of what didn't make the first two. For the casual fan who wanted more than they got on "30 #1's", this is an excellent collection, and is probably all that many may ever need. However the fanatic will forever be missing select tracks on something like this, even with 80 songs. For the most part "Hitstory" is so amazing it's really hard to fault. But personally, without "My Happiness", "Young And Beautiful", and "Mystery Train", I feel this is a tad incomplete. Thankyouverymuch.

Once again, it's the same ; and I've just bought it for the millionth times. It's always a pleasure to hear ELVIS with all thesegreat tunes, the disc 3 is not necessarely the hits, but the favorites for all the true fans like me.
I've bought HITSTORY and offered to my grand daughter and believe me, she's listening every day for a week. A good present for all those who don't much about ELVIS ( Artist Of The Century ).

To clarify previous reviews...this is not "Nothing New." The first one disc comp 30 #1s presented alternate versions of A Big Hunk o' Love, A Fool Such As I, and The Wonder of You. On top of that all stereo songs were remixed. Suspicious Minds has been subjected to flanging.

Now in gathering the two CDs (the above mentioned 30 #1s and 2nd to None) the correct versions are used and not remixed. Vic Anesini did a wonderful job on this! The third disc gathers 19 additional top twenty singles.

The title Hitstory is earned on an 80 songs comp that delivers the hit singles!

Very good service and good product. Product took very little time to arrive and I was pleased to see it in such good condition.

Although I would not consider myself an Elvis fanatic, I do enjoy some of his music. "Suspicious Minds" and "The Wonder of You" are two of my all-time favorite songs, and this collection contains both. Whether you are an Elvis fanatic or just a fair-weather fan like me, this collection of Elvis hits has something for everyone. It is complete. I could not come up with a single Elvis song that this collection does not contain. Three CD's of all Elvis hits for this price! Unbelievable. I recommend this collection to all Elvis fans, part-time fans, and anyone who remembers Elvis in his glory days.