Elvis [1956]

• Artist: Elvis Presley
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1956 10
• Total Time: 29:47
• Genre: Rock

Review

If Elvis isn't quite as important historically as the Elvis Presley album that preceded it, that's only because it came second -- musically, it's a more confident and bolder work than his debut, and in any other artist's output it would have been considered a crowning achievement. At the sessions for his first album, the singer and all concerned were treading into unmapped territory and not sure what they were doing or if they were ready for it -- by September of 1956, when the three days of sessions behind the Elvis album took place, he was on top, a national phenomenon of a kind that hadn't been seen in music since Frank Sinatra a dozen years earlier, and he had some more experience recording. And with that confidence came better singing. The songs here were, for the most part, material that he knew well, with one new submission by Otis Blackwell. He slides through them seemingly effortlessly, transforming the 1940s country number "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again" into a smooth rocker; roaring through the Little Richard numbers "Long Tall Sally," "Ready Teddy," and "Rip It Up"; returns to his blues roots with a killer rendition of Arthur Crudup's "I'm So Glad You're Mine" (a leftover, amazingly enough, from his first RCA session); and shows how refined his voice was becoming on the ballad "First in Line" and the sentimental favorite "Old Shep." The Elvis album was reissued in 1999 with vastly improved sound and eight bonus tracks from the same and chronologically adjoining recording sessions, including the singles "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel," and "Anyway You Want Me," and that is the version to own on CD. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Rip It Up (Lyrics)	Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, John Marascalco	Elvis Presley	(1:50)
Love Me (Lyrics)	Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller	Elvis Presley	(2:41)
When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again (Lyrics)	Gene Sullivan, Wiley Walker	Elvis Presley	(2:18)
Long Tall Sally (Lyrics)	Little Richard, Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Enotris Johnson	Elvis Presley	(1:51)
First in Line	Aaron Schroeder, Ben Weisman	Elvis Presley	(3:21)
Paralyzed	Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell	Elvis Presley	(2:24)
So Glad You're Mine	Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup	Elvis Presley	(2:18)
Old Shep (Lyrics)	Red Foley	Elvis Presley	(4:10)
Ready Teddy	Bumps Blackwell, John Marascalco	Elvis Presley	(1:55)
Anyplace Is Paradise	Joe "Cornbread" Thomas	Elvis Presley	(2:26)
How's the World Treating You (Lyrics)	Chet Atkins, Boudleaux Bryant	Elvis Presley	(2:23)
How Do You Think I Feel (Lyrics)	Webb Pierce, Wiley Walker	Elvis Presley	(2:10)

Credits

Elvis Presley (Guitar), Elvis Presley (Piano), Elvis Presley (Vocals), Elvis Presley (Main Performer), James Burton (Guitar), The Sweet Inspirations (Vocals (Background)), Joe Babcock (Vocals), Dick Baxter (Digital Remastering), Kenneth A. Buttrey (Drums), Jerry Carrigan (Drums), Chip Young (Guitar), Glen D. Hardin (Piano), Glen D. Hardin (Arranger), Glen D. Hardin (String Arrangements), Delores Edgin (Vocals), Joe Esposito (Guitar), Joe Esposito (Percussion), Charlie Hodge (Guitar), Ginger Holladay (Vocals), The Imperials Quartet (Vocals), Felton Jarvis (Producer), Millie Kirkham (Vocals), The Nashville Edition (Vocals (Background)), June Page (Vocals), Norbert Putnam (Bass), Temple Riser (Vocals), Jerry Scheff (Bass), Ron Tutt (Drums), Hurshel Wiginton (Vocals), John Wilkinson (Guitar), Mary Holliday (Vocals), Kathy Westmoreland (Vocals), Charlie McCoy (Harmonica), Joe Guercio (Conductor), Jacqueline Murphy (Art Coordinator), J.D. Sumner & the Stamps (Vocals (Background)), Al Puchuci (Engineer), David Briggs (Piano)