The Complete Million Dollar Quartet [IMPORT] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Elvis Presley

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 19, 2006)
• Original Release Date: September 19, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Bmg / Elvis
• ASIN: B000HEVALC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,582 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Fifty years after a 21-year-old Elvis Presley first shook the world comes a reissue of the famed Million Dollar Quartet recording, the off-the-cuff Sun Records jam session where Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash joined Presley for a loose-jointed romp through 46 songs. Except that's not quite right--Cash either put down his part off-mic or rolled out his big baritone-bass when the tape wasn't rolling (the more likely explanation). So that, as Colin Escott writes in his liner notes, technically makes this a $750,000 Trio. And while this new edition is billed as the "complete" quartet--since 12 more minutes surfaced on a tape of superior sound quality found in Elvis's private collection, and the session is now in its right sequence--it obviously isn't the whole thing. (The 12 extra minutes are essentially four short instrumentals and "Reconsider Baby" at the start, as well as bits and pieces at different points throughout the CD.) But what survives is nevertheless fascinating, of course, not only for the historical record but for the fervor the three bring to a handful of spirituals (their finest moment) and how young Presley--who is already recording for RCA, and has just been dropped by Sun--presents himself. His new notoriety brings out a cocky charm, as he devotes much of these renditions of "Don't Be Cruel" and "Paralyzed" to an imitation of Jackie Wilson imitating him (Elvis knows Wilson only as one of Billy Ward's Dominoes), and boasting that Pat Boone recorded a song that Elvis wouldn't even audition. This fly-on-the-wall voyeurism should appeal to any student of rock 'n' roll history. But serious Elvisphiles will especially enjoy hearing Presley talk about the seeds of recording "That's When Your Heartaches Begin," mimic Hank Snow on "I'm Gonna Bid My Blues Goodbye," and express bemused ire over Faron Young, who had sent him a song ("Is It So Strange") he hoped Elvis would record. "He didn't want to give me none of it--he wanted it all, you know," Elvis says with a chuckle, supposedly referring to the publishing/writing credit, something Elvis's manager, the iron-fisted Colonel Tom Parker, demanded. As the trio moves through a plethora of material--Christmas songs, gospel, blues, R&B, country, pop, Dixieland, cowboy, and bluegrass--they become the hammer, anvil, and steel, forging a new form of music. What you have here, then, is no less than the sound of it, taking shape. --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best ever representation of this historic jam!, September 27, 2006

By	Bill Porter "thenexte" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

Stunning sound quality makes this disc a must for all Elvis fans. This material simply never sounded better (due to new tapes they found) and in addition is complete and in the correct sequence.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, October 20, 2006

By	Paul Jones (Sturbridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews

Just want to agree with the previous reviewer. Although this session has been released many times before, this version is complete and in very good quality. it's worth the price just to hear Elvis talking on the Don't Be Cruel track about a fellow singers approach to that song - magic!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raw Nostalgia, like finding the Dead Sea Scrolls of Music!, February 15, 2007

By	Jeffrey K. Myers "Jeff Myers" (Germantown, Ky) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a Keyboard Player and a 33 year Musician, and an Elvis fan! A devoted follower of Jerry Lew Lewis and ALL the Sun Family. Sam Philips was smart enough to put an open mic in the room when this Jam Session happened. Elvis sings like he's in church on Sunday morning, wit so much feeling. Jerry Lee can't be lost no matter how many times Elvis switches songs. He grew up the same way.Carl Perkins thumbstyles that Guitar like the Lead Man he was! They stop and start, like it was all for fun (which it was). No formed up songs, no perfect clean things, Just raw gospel and country with a Rockabilly flair. I swear I didn't know these tapes existed, and I'm a music history idiot. Thank you for selling them amazon!! Any Elvis fan needs this one!! BUY IT!!