Customer Reviews

Lost Album

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

 

 

On May 26, 1963, Elvis went into RCA's Studio B in Nashville to record a new non-soundtrack album. It was supposed to be his first one since POT LUCK, the previous summer. Unfortunately, his manager, thinking that soundtrack albums sold better than original albums, kept the album on the shelf and decided to use each song from the session as fillers for soundtracks or B-sides.
In 1990, RCA decided to release the songs from this session on an album which is known now as THE LOST ALBUM.
Below, I give you the information what the Colonel decided to do with each song:
-LONG LONELY HIGHWAY: bonus song on KISSIN' COUSINS soundtrack album (April 1964). Take 1 of this song was incidentally released by RCA on the B-side of the single I'M YOURS (August 1965).
-WESTERN UNION: bonus song on SPEEDWAY soundtrack album (May 1968)
-WITCHCRAFT: B-side of BOSSA NOVA BABY single (October 1963). N°32 on the Billboard.
-LOVE ME TONIGHT: bonus song on FUN IN ACAPULCO soundtrack album (11/1963)
-WHAT NOW WHAT NEXT WHERE TO: bonus song DOUBLE TROUBLE soundtrack album (06/1967)
-PLEASE DON'T DRAG THAT STRING AROUND: B-side to DEVIL IN DISGUISE single (06/1963)
-BLUE RIVER: bonus song on DOUBLE TROUBLE soundtrack album (06/1967)
-NEVER ENDING: same as above
-DEVIL IN DISGUISE: A-side single (06/1963), N°3 in U.S., N°1 in U.K.
-FINDERS KEEPERS: filler on ELVIS FOR EVERYONE album (08/1965)
-ECHOES OF LOVE: bonus song on KISSIN' COUSINS soundtrack album (04/1964)
-SLOWLY BUT SURELY: bonus song on FUN IN ACAPULCO soundtrack album (11/1963)
The last 3 songs on the CD were recorded on January 1964 in Nashville and were supposed to complete the untitled album recorded the previous year:
-IT HURTS ME: B-side to KISSIN' COUSINS single (02/1964), N°29 in Billboard
-MEMPHIS TENNESSEE: included on the ELVIS FOR EVERYONE album (08/1965)
-ASK ME: A-side single (09/1964), N°12 in Billboard

At last, this album is (or rather was) available.

An excellent concept, this album packages all the master tracks from two Nashville sessions in May 1963 and January 1964 into one complete set. Originally intended as an album, the May '63 tracks instead were used as singles and album "fillers" over the next few years.

Some of the mixes differ from their original releases: "Blue River" doesn't fade-out (unlike the version used on the "Double Trouble" soundtrack); while different mixes are noticeable on several tracks, including "Devil In Disguise", "(It's A) Long Lonely Highway" and "Witchcraft", in which Elvis's vocal is given more prominence at the expense of the backing vocals. All in all an essential addition to the Presley collection.

Amidst all of the Hollywood hoopla of '63, Elvis managed to squeeze in just one regular non-soundtrack session back in Nashville. It would seem that the pupose for these sessions was to complete key tracks for his next "non-movie" studio LP. But for whatever reason, RCA decided not to release that album. So these masters slowly trickled out through a number of singles, b-sides and albums over a period of several years. These tracks were collected together for the first time on this CD, and it turned out to be the best album Elvis never released. I highly recommend this CD to all Elvis fans.

of all the Elvis Cds released this must have stands above the others.The story behind this lost album is fascinating...that it was ready to go but shelved is just crazy.Thankfully it is now brought to life.Long,lonely Highway,Slowly but Surely,Memphis,Tennessee,Devil in Desguise are the best from this session.These songs showcase Elvis' energy and talent well.These tunes have life breathed into them by the one who can make a song walk on all fours.Had this album been released originally,maybe it would have re-energized Elvis and got him even more ancious to get back into the studio and away from the sound-tracks that seemed to frustrate him so.We'll never know.Elvis did record some great music in the mid-60's both in studio and on sound-tracks.these are some of his best non-movie recordings from this period.Long.lonely Highway and Slowly but Surely were used in the film Tickle Me.Get this historic CD and enjoy.Elvis is still more current than any other artist...listen and enjoy.

All of these songs are enjoyable - even when the tunes are veering on the trivial -lyrically cliched - Elvis manages to give them that extra "E" to keep them vital.
It must be surmised that Elvis was going for a more "mellow" sound, even on his uptemp songs - he pulls off a cool remake of The Spiders' Witchcraft but the result is rather subdued, vocally. It does work well because Boots Randolph and co. keep the sonics a-rockin'. On the groovy Long, Lonely Highway, a really swingin' Country affair (by the way, we have the "album" version here), Elvis goes down in his voice box and delivers a steady baritone, where some fans might expect something in a higher pitch. A few surprise chord changes elevate the drama.

To me, the only real A-side single choice shoulda/coulda been Slowly But Surely, a terrific upbeat toe-tapper. Drums too far forward and chorus too far back - unusual for a '60s Presley mix! - but this one was Top 10...and then some.

You may say, hold it! (You're The) Devil In Disguise *was* released as a plug-side 45, but let's put on our thinking caps. In those days, RCA did not place a hit-single-bid square on the face of an l.p. Look at the previous studio albums Elvis Is Back, Something For Everybody, Pot Luck - actually going back to 1956 - andnote not *one* hit single was [originally] found on them! There surely was no Heartbreak Hotel on the first album; no Are You Lonesome Tonight? on Elvis Is Back. I seriously doubt that Devil and Please Don't Drag would have made that album cut!

Here we have a couple of session recuts from about 7 months later plus a sensational ballad which lost traction on the B-side of a great movie song, the title tune to Kissin' Cousins. Would they have been included in the original "lost" album? Possibly only Memphis, Tennessee, as the other two wound up on singles.

Mentioning recuts: we must assume that Ask Me and Memphis were redone because Elvis could have done a better job at the earlier session. And it's tough to say, but this Reviewer feels he should have remade most of the cuts from May, 1963. If you disagree, play any track from Elvis Is Back and detect a decided decibel drop.

Three stars, my friends.

Throughout Elvis Presley's remarkable career, he established himself as a dynamic force in the world of popular music. His breakthrough in the mid-50's firmly set his path to the top of the mountain. His triumphant return to the live concert tour stage starting in 1970 reinvented his legacy. However, during the 60's, he was actively engaged in his successful movie career. Yet, he did manage to record some stellar non-soundtrack music that stands brilliantly on its own. In the early part of the decade, he was involved in some fascinating session work that resulted in many fine recordings from this era. In 1963, he attempted to lay down several tracks to form the basis of what would have been a brilliant stand-out album, had it actually been released during that time. The resulting product of songs were, instead, scattered throughout various other releases - mainly as bonus material for movie soundtrack albums. In the early 1990's, RCA finally assembled these legendary songs together onto a disc of its own, for the very first time; they titled it "The Lost Album". What you have here are 15 choice selections from this revolutionary phase of Elvis' recording career. The song titles are as follows, with information about their original appearances:

1. "(it's A) Long Lonely Highway" - The version featured here was first released as a bonus track on the "Kissin' Cousins" soundtrack in 1964. There was an alternate version of the song that was issued as a single.

2. "Western Union" - This song would remain unreleased for 5 years until it was featured as a bonus track on the "Speedway" soundtrack in 1968.

3. "Witch Craft" - This song would first be released as a single and would make its album debut in the 1968 compilation "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4".

4. "Love Me Tonight" - First included as a bonus track in the "Fun In Acapulco" soundtrack from 1963.

5. "What Now, What Next, Where To" - First released as a bonus track on the "Double Trouble" soundtrack in 1967.

6. "Please Don't Drag That String Around" - Originally released as a single, it would appear on an album for the first time in the 1968 "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4" compilation.

7. "Blue River" - Originally released as a single, it later appeared on the 1967 "Double Trouble" soundtrack as a bonus song.

8. "Never Ending" - This track made its debut as a bonus selection in 1967's "Double Trouble" soundtrack.

9. "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers" - This song first appeared in the 1965 album "Elvis For Everyone".

10. "(You're The) Devil In Disguise" - This was a top-five hit song when it first was released as a single a later was included in the "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4" compilation from 1968.

11. "Echoes Of Love" - First included as a bonus track in the 1964 "Kissin' Cousins" soundtrack.

12. "Slowly But Surely" - Another bonus track featured in the "Fun In Acapulco" soundtrack from 1963.

13. "It Hurts Me" - First issued as a single, and later, on the "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4" 1968 release.

14. "Memphis, Tennessee" - Made its first appearance in the "Elvis For Everyone" album in 1965.

15. "Ask Me" - A hit single that was also included in "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4".

When RCA decided to release this collection of songs together in 1991, it was a long-overdue and welcome addition to the endless variety of Elvis Presley releases that were being placed onto the music-buying public in the years following Elvis' passing in August 1977. In 1993, these 15 songs would be released together again as part of the boxed set "From Nashville To Memphis: The Essential 60s Masters I". Then, in 2010, would be released together once more in the critically-acclaimed 30-disc CD set "The Complete Elvis Presley Masters". However, "The Lost Album" is a great example of listening to these songs in one disc that perfectly showcases the Elvis album that might have been. The music included here is a fine showcase of the type of songs that Elvis was recording during this point in his career. An excellent assortment of fine music from the greatest singer of the 20th Century.

Too bad this wasn't released shortly after it was recorded. Great sound & songs. So glad I got this disc. A must have for big Elvis fans.

A list of the all-time top rock&rollers came out recently(?). It had the KING in the number 3 spot behind the Liverpool lads and Robert Zimmerman. Zimmerman??? I almost died.....laughing! Without the King, all of those other lads would be out there somewhere digging ditches.
That then-RCA sat on this album for over 25 years has, by now, been well-documented. Well-documented, as well, is the fact that Elvis could "sing all kinds". These 15 tracks are further proof of Elvis's incredible ability with a song, any song, be it Chuck Berry's MEMPHIS, TENNESEE or ASK ME, a ballad of italian origin, both included here.
Non-fans keep trying to knock The KING off his throne, to no avail. Elvis will ever be the King. This album is but another great example.
Get it while it is still available.