Today, Tomorrow & Forever [BOX SET] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Elvis Presley

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 25, 2002)
• Original Release Date: June 25, 2002
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Bmg / Elvis
• ASIN: B000066CDF
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,684 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Elvis Presley changed the world when he spontaneously kicked an obscure blues number called "That's All Right" into high gear, providing as likely a starting point for rock & roll as anyone will ever be able to pinpoint. Spontaneity became harder to come by as Presley's career progressed, which makes this four-disc assortment of outtakes, alternate takes, and live recordings such a treat. Dating from the 1954 date that produced "That's All Right" to February '76 Graceland sessions, Today, Tomorrow & Forever captures every phase in Elvis's career--frequently from lesser-explored vantage points. Here's the super-charged hep cat of the '50s charging through versions of "Heartbreak Hotel," "I Got a Woman," and "Hound Dog" before a rollicking Little Rock, Arkansas, audience. Here's the matinee idol trying to breathe life into increasingly moribund material. Finally, here's the comeback kid of the late '60s and the flailing Vegas attraction of the '70s. Indeed, late-period Presley benefits particularly well when it's stripped down to its alternate-take essence. Colin Escott's rewardingly frank liner notes ("Elvis had good reason to sleepwalk through 'The Love Machine,'" he notes of one mid-'60s soundtrack throwaway) and a generous assortment of vintage photos complete a package that will certainly appeal to aficionados and will win over more than its share of non-devotees. --Steven Stolder

Product Description

2002 release features 100 previously unreleased tracks all digitally remastered. Live recordings from Little Rock, AR 1956 & Las Vegas 1969-1970. Outtakes from many historic recording sessions. Newly discovered duet with Ann-Margret. Track by track commentary. 4 CDs in a hard-back digi-book.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Hidden Gems From the Presley Vaults, June 30, 2002

By	Scott Rivers (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, RCA has released "Today, Tomorrow & Forever" - a four-CD collection of previously unreleased material that chronicles virtually every aspect of his career. There are many gems in this box set: the exciting live tracks from Presley's 1956 concert in Little Rock; private recordings of "The Fool" and "Hide Thou Me"; revealing alternate takes from the 1960s and '70s (minus the instrumental overdubs); and more highlights of the King's 1969 Vegas triumph. Of course, there are a few ghastly numbers that should have remained in the RCA vaults, such as "My Desert Serenade" and "Life." However, some of the lesser-known movie tracks are worthy of revival: "Please Don't Stop Loving Me," "This Is My Heaven," "Long Legged Girl" and "Stay Away." By providing a chronological overview of his studio work, "Today, Tomorrow & Forever" gives Elvis Presley's recording legacy the respect it always deserved.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Just Another Repackage, October 20, 2003

By	george reynolds (acworth, ga United States) - See all my reviews

Why? was my reaction when first seeing the advance notice for "Today, Tomorrow and Forever." Why was BMG giving Elvis fans yet another redundant compilation of repackaged hits, misses, and assorted outtakes? I immediately dismissed the box set. Fortunately for me, though, my thoughtful wife ignored my pessimism and the four disk collection ended up in my Christmas stocking. I was pleasently surprised! Yes, the set contains more than a few repackaged hits, a couple of misses - most notably, the movie tunes "Mexico," "My Desert Serenade" and an insiped cover of the Anne Murray hit "Snowbird" - and a whole slew of alternate take recordings, but the entire 100 song repertoire plays out like a fresh introspective of the King's entire career. TTF offers up an exciting collection of alternate studio cuts, movie tracks, and live performances; most of which appear for the first time in the presented format. CD #1 feautures a raucous seven song set from one of Elvis's early 1956 concerts. The disk also contains several great alternate cuts, highlighted by "Rip it Up," "Doncha' Think It's Time," and "Got a Lot O' Livin' to Do." CDs 3 and 4 focus on late 1960s and 1970s output. The disks present a couple of great live recordings that are not the usual fare...of the bunch, "Baby What You Want Me to Do," "What'd I Say," and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" are the best offerings. The studio tracks are also noteworthy. "Long Legged Girl" - heretofore dismissed because it was released on the "Double Trouble" soundtrack - emerges as a rollicking throw back reminiscent of early Elvis. Ditto with the 1967 release "Big Boss Man" and 1968's "Guitar Man"; the latter featuring a smouldering version of "Trouble" as an intro. Movie tunes "The Love Machine" and "Let Us Pray" are infectious sing-alongs and the 1969 studio track "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" begs the question why was it never released as a single? "U.S. Male," is one of the few misses...I was nine years old when the song was released in 1968 and it's tough-guy lyrics quickly became my mantra...now, however, hearing Elvis utter the phrase "I catch you 'round my woman champ, I'll leave your head like the shape of a stamp" is embarrassingly hokey. CD #2 is the most rewarding disk of the entire collection. It features four wonderful Don Robertson ballads that highlight Elvis's subtly powerful vocals..."Anything That's Part of You" is the best of the foursome. The up tempo "Witchcraft," is such a strong performer I was left wondering how it ever ended up the B-Side of "Bossa Nove Baby." Disk #2 also offers up the box set's title track "Today, Tomorrow and Forever" - a great duet with Ann-Margaret from the movie "Viva Las Vegas"...another song in the "why wasn't it released as a single" catagory. Lastly, "TTF" features the most thorough and candid assortment of liner notes I have ever read...interesting, honest, and insightful. I highly recommend this box set...it is a masterful collection of music offering something for eveyone.

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars ...And Yet More Vault Scrounging..., July 6, 2002

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

Five years ago, to celebrate the 20th anniversity of Elvis' death (and exactly WHY does BMG find it necessary to commemorate the DEATH of their greatest recording artist? $$$$), BMG released a four-CD set entitled Platinum: A Life in Music. It was a very nicely done 100 track collection of hits and unreleased tracks. Now, five years and many vault-scrapings later, we are treated to yet another 100 unreleased tracks which supposedly "celebrate" the 25th anniversery of Elvis' death ($$$$).

Surprisingly, most of the recordings hold up well. The obvious highlight is the 1956 live Little Rock recording on disc one. Also noteworthy are 1959 home recording of "The Fool" (recorded by Elvis some 11 years later for Elvis Country) and a spectacular 1969 live recording of "Funny How Time Slips Away".

Mostly, though, these alternate takes don't really sound that different from the released masters. In several cases, these takes are significantly inferior to the released versions. Examples include a plodding take of "The Next Step is Love" and a simply pathetic early take of "For the Heart", which gives credence to the popular argument that late-period Elvis was a doped-up has-been (This is NOT the case! Just listen to the Moody Blue and Promised Land CDs). And then there are the miserable-sounding (quality-wise) takes of "Doncha Think It's Time" and "Got a Lot of Livin' to Do" which add absolutely nothing to any understanding of Elvis' 50's material.

Finally, I would like to point out that, although this is at least 3rd "alternate" take that has been released in recent years, the recording of "In the Ghetto" presented here is at least as good as the original master.

Over all, this recording will go a long way towards pleasing hard-core fans (like myself). Everybody else, however, would probably be well advised to pass this one by.