Roots of Elvis [Paperback]

David Neale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2003

During Elvis Presley's career, he recorded some 800 songs in studio conditions, meant for release on record. In addition, many informal recordings were made of Elvis singing numbers that were never intended for record release. Such recordings were made at home, whilst visiting friends, during his stay in Germany, or even as one-liners or brief extracts during concert performances. Of all of these songs, David Neale has identified some 450 different titles that were recorded by someone else before Elvis got around to recording them. Roots of Elvis lists each of these songs, identifying the original recording artist and when the original was made (some date back to the 19th century!), as well as providing fascinating background to the numbers. Readers will be surprised to learn of Elvis's link with Ignacy Paderewski, for example, the man who prepared USA President Wilson's Treaty of Versailles. The range of music represented is quite extraordinary and is testimony to Elvis's versatility: rock'n'roll, blues, rhythm and blues, gospel, folk, and even a bit of classical: who would have thought that names such as Bach, Beethoven and Brahms would appear in a book about the music of Elvis Presley!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David Neale was born in 1948 in Wales, where discovered the magic of Elvis Presley some ten years later. He moved Belgium in 1971, where he still lives with his wife, Elise. He runs his own website of information for Elvis Presley fans and writes reviews of books about Elvis.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (September 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595295053
• ISBN-13: 978-0595295050
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,121,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb work - a true must-have for serious Elvis fan, October 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Roots of Elvis (Paperback)

David Neale has given us yet another very valuable tool to search out Elvis' impact on our culture. We are richer for his efforts. This book is a rare gem. It is a must-have for every Elvis library.

Mary Hancock Hinds
Compiler, Infinite Elvis

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical vignettes of Elvis songs, a new reference book!, December 3, 2003

By 

Charles T. Bradford "proseandpoetry" (Parkersburg, WV United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roots of Elvis (Paperback)

Since the enduring element in the popularity of Elvis Presley is his music, "Roots Of Elvis" by David Neale is a delightful resource to own. With the help of David's fascinating in-depth research into each title, it is possible to find and listen to the original versions of the songs that Elvis sang. David's ongoing research showcases both the versatility of the song choices and the genius of Presley's arrangements of them. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the music of Elvis Presley.