The Memphis 1969 Anthology: Suspicious Minds

Elvis Presley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 1999)
• Original Release Date: April 13, 1999
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Bmg / Elvis
• ASIN: B00000IFT8
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,050 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Tracks, Less Than Classic Remastering, April 3, 2005

By 

Richard B. Luhrs (Jackson Heights, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Memphis 1969 Anthology: Suspicious Minds (Audio CD)

While there's no debating the five-star quality of Elvis' 1969 American Studios recordings, SUSPICIOUS MINDS probably deserves to lose at least half a star for its extreme, and at times quite intrusive, remixing and remastering. Depending on your sound system, you may (as I did) find the King himself remastered right into the background on many tracks, while the instruments come forward with almost surreal (and decidedly post-sixties) clarity. I found that turning off the surround/loudness seemed to help a bit, but there were still more than a few awkward moments. The mix doesn't help things any, as the bass is confined to the left channel for most of the songs and the backing vocals are frequently all but inaudible no matter how one fiddles with the equalizer.
Several prior reviewers have given this set a thumbs-down in favor of 1987's THE MEMPHIS RECORD, which does indeed preserve the feel of the vinyl originals better overall. But with essential tracks like "My Little Friend" and "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" missing, TMR is an ultimately unsatisfying package as well. SUSPICIOUS MINDS' great strength is its comprehensiveness, as it offers at least one version of every song Elvis recorded at American Studios a well as numerous outtakes and alternates (many without overdubs) to paint a truly definitive picture of these legendary sessions.
And what songs they are! The justly famed album FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS starts things off, its original running order preserved intact. The King gives some epochal performances here, notably on "Only the Strong Survive," "Any Day Now," the wrenching mini-tragedy "Long Black Limousine," the wistful and wordy "Gentle on My Mind" and of course his trademark hymn of late-sixties social conscience, "In the Ghetto." The hit singles "Suspicious Minds," "Don't Cry Daddy" and "Kentucky Rain" follow close behind, though for some reason only the first of these is properly paired with its B-side ("You'll Think of Me"). Other standouts include "Without Love (There Is Nothing)," wherein Elvis gives a foretaste of the huge vocal presence he'd develop over the next few years; Neil Diamond's dreamy "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind"; "Inherit the Wind" and an effective spiritual, "Who Am I?"
1969 was, of course, the great turning point for the King. A couple of movies were still left to be made, but in the wake of his comeback TV special and these classic recordings no one could deny that Elvis had indeed returned to point the way forward as he'd always done it best - through his music.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For the Completist, June 21, 2000

By 

T. Schmidt "strangebird" (Mansfield TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Memphis 1969 Anthology: Suspicious Minds (Audio CD)

If you're an Elvis completist (I'm leaning in that direction) then this is the set for you! Otherwise, you will probably best served by the more concise 1-CD reissue of _From Elvis in Memphis_.

What does this set offer that _From Elvis in Memphis_ doesn't? Well, to begin with, tons of alternate takes. In addition to previously released alternates of "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto", the listener is treated to previously unreleased recordings of "Kentucky Rain", "I'm Movin' On", and "After Loving You", just to name a few.

There are also a number of previously released gems that were not included on the recent single-disc reissue. "Stranger in My Hometown" and the somewhat ridiculous "Rubberneckin'" are quite possibly the funkiest tracks that Elvis ever laid down. Other highlights not included on _From Elvis in Memphis_ are the lovely "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" and the majestic "This is the Story".

It's the numerous forgettable alternate takes that ultimately keep this from being a five-star collection. Who really needs to hear TWO versions of such relatively forgettable tracks like "Without Love", "You'll Think of Me" or "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'"? The cover of the Beatles' "Hey Jude" is entertaining but sloppy and the incomplete (ie. 12 second-long) take of "Poor Man's Gold" is a complete waste of time.

Also, there's been a fair amount of criticism concerning the mixing of this collection. When the Beach Boys' immortal _Pet Sounds_ album was remixed and released in stereo for the first time a couple of years ago, there was a universal negative outcry from fans. The same thing happened when an echo effect was added to many of Elvis' sun sides in the mid-80's. These recordings are presented in their historically accurate mixes and should not be tampered with in any way. End of discussion.

In the end though, it's such classics as "Wearin' That Loved On Look", "Long Black Limousine", "In the Ghetto", "Suspicious Minds", and "Gentle on my Mind" (just to name a few!) that elevate this collection to its deserved reputation as some of the best music that Elvis ever recorded. Enjoy!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rockin' Memphis with a Newer And Better Sound, March 17, 2001

By 

"tigerman1969" (Where ever I want to be) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Memphis 1969 Anthology: Suspicious Minds (Audio CD)

Simply put, this IS Elvis at his finest. After all the stupid movie soundtracks of the 60's, there had to be something to redeem him from that treadmill. And this is it. It did start with the '68 Special, but many (if not all) of those had been previously recorded by Elvis. This was the first step in a new direction for Elvis and his music. It's a tragedy that he didn't do more songs in this style in the later years, but let's be greatful for what we have. I love the content of both CDs and get a kick out of listening to them frequently. I love how powerful all of the songs are. There has been a lot of debate among reviewers about the remixes of the Memphis Record and the new discs here. I am going to say that I thoroughly enjoy the sound on this one (Suspicious Minds) much better. Yes, the bass pretty much takes over the duties of lead guitar, the drums are really loud, and there are a lot of horns, and Elvis' voice is in front of the music, but I not only feel this is the way that Elvis would have wanted it, but also that it makes you feel like you are there in the recording studio with Elvis and the musicians, listening to them and if you close your eyes picturing them making history with these songs. The alternate vocal/master/take selections on the second disc are superb. To have the "After Loving You" take with Elvis playing piano is priceless. This CD came out right when I was ready to buy The Memphis Record, and I was so glad that I waited to buy it. Also it's a money saving oppurtunity for us Elvis fans that couldn't shell out the $80 for the The 60's Masters that came out a few years before. I also loved the packaging and graphics. Very nice choices also over The Memphis Record. The picture on the front of The Memphis Record wasn't even taken in '69!!!!!! It was from the '68 Special. We get a very nice Las Vegas on stage picture of Elvis in the White Herringbone Suit. Excellent choice for an excellent collection.