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Elvis Inspirational

May 01, 2006 | Music
Released by SONY/BMG in a series of six themed compilations is the CD “Elvis Inspirational”. Didn’t we already have few of these?

Design

As put very well in the liner notes, Elvis (stylish) performance of “If I Can Dream” as “showstopper” showed us what Elvis was all about as a person. Although accused of doing the devil’s work he liked to hang out with angels. For a “gospel” compilation this image from the “’68 Comeback Special” is a great choice.

Content

The liner notes focus on Elvis personal love for gospel and message songs. Although a rocker on stage, he performed gospel music at home or with his (musical) friends. Reading the title we expected a gospel compilation, but we don’t get that.

Songs like “Danny Boy”. “In The Ghetto”, “Mama Liked The Roses”, “I’ll Take You Home Kathleen”, “A Thing Called Love”, “And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”, “Wonderful World” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” are great songs, but certainly not gospel songs. Some of these are message songs at the most, but “Mama Liked The Roses” (always thought BMG considered this a Christmas song since it pops up on Christmas compilations) or “Wonderful World”? The latter is a dissonant in an in other ways good sounding compilation; it falls kind of out of tune with the “sound” of the other songs.

Just as with the other two volumes in this series we can’t say it is a bad compilation. A lot of these DSD remasters have been taken from the previously DSD releases “ELV1S 30 #1 Hits”, Elvis 2nd To None”, Elvis By The Presley’s” and so on. So only a few new DSD remasters for the older fan.

Conclusion

So what do we get. A nice compilation of "message songs", but not the inpirational album we expected. Just like the “Elvis Country” and “Elvis Rock” compilations we want to describe these releases as “old wine in new bottles”, but old wine can taste very well.

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Gladyslove wrote on May 02, 2006
Always the sam old same old songs with a new cover... I am not gonna buy this one, I´ve had enough of these releases. They are crap. And the Elvis cataloge is full of these Cds. Come on BMG, let Elvis rock again.
shaneleebrown wrote on May 02, 2006
I'm not quite sure what people's problem is with the title/content. It doesn't say it is a gospel CD, it says it is an inspirational CD. This is shown even more by the image from If I Can Dream which, itself, was an inspirational song and not a gospel one. Yes, there are some odd song choices - most notable And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind and I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen - but I see nothing wrong with message songs appearing under this title. And yes, I think Bridge, can be read as a friendship song rather than a love song.
Greg Nolan wrote on May 08, 2006
Shane, that's a minor matter as it's obviously mostly another near-gospel retread release, coming just a year or so off of the last one, "Ultimate Gospel." The 1978 "He Walks Besides Me" compilation (itself also quite unnecessary) also blurred sacred with the profane, albeit of a so-called "inspirational" vein. I believe that traditionally, songs of inspiration, as they were called, usually meant gospel in content. At least that LP has an outtake or two. Along with "Country, "Rock," and "Inspirational," the genre set is further proof that RCA/Sony/BMG is fully exploiting Elvis' rich catalog in the worst sense of the word, caring little about the original albums as they shamelessly shill "new" product. What a waste.
JerryNodak wrote on May 09, 2006
I haven't bought any of these "genre" albums, but IF I buy one of the first three this would be the one. At least the track listing is interesting. The other two, Rock and Country. (especially Rock) is the same old, same old. Supposedly, there are three more of these "genre" collections coming in August. Movies, "Live" and R & B. I'll reserve judgement on these until I see the tracklists.
JerryNodak wrote on May 09, 2006
Gladyslove: Let Elvis rock again?? Lord, awmighty!! Those old "chestnuts" have been beaten to death worse than anything in the Presley catalogue.
elvis_fan wrote on May 10, 2006
I agree with shane. He is right, it isnt a Gosple CD it is an inspirational CD. And Greg NO Elvis CD is a waste, why would you say that? This may be harsh but, how do you call yourself an Elvis fan when you completely shoot down a CD that you might not care for? We are true Elvis fans and we take what they give us and make a go of it even if we dont like it. There is nothing wrong with this CD. It has a great selection of songs on one CD so you dont have to go through your other CD's to find the songs you like. In fact I bought it yesterday and I think it is great. You should buy it too.
Greg Nolan wrote on May 10, 2006
"Elvis fan, you seem to miss the point of my post. It's a waste of the Elvis legacy to chop up his album catalog into so-called "new" albums. Yes, I do call myself a true Elvis fan, naturally. Part of the problem with many fans is that they snap up anything that has a new cover on it. RCA/Sony/BMG knows this and we now have the absurdity of yet another "new" gospel-oriented album (on the heels of "Ultimate Gospel") when the three he made in his lifetime are bona-fide classics. You don't see the same thing with other artists of his stature. It *is* a waste - of his legacy. I don't begrudge anyone for buying it by the way, but really have to wonder how many times people will be suckered into buying music they already own. The only merit *might* be the DSD remastering technology, which anyway should be applied to the original catalog of albums.
Gladyslove wrote on May 11, 2006
JerryNodak did you read my my words? These kind of CDs are not interesting for me and for thousand of Elvisfans outthere, that is the truth. They are really crap, just look at the awful covers, lord have mercy ! The worsted cover I´ve ever been seen, there are worse covers from bootlegs which are better. The songlist is o.k. but the rest. BMG you and Ernst can do it better !
JerryNodak wrote on May 11, 2006
Gladyslove: So, what really upsets you about these "new" releases isn't so much that it's old wine in a new bottle, but the "bottle" itself?? I must admit I've never understood the obsession some people have about album covers. I've never given a fook myself. It's the MUSIC that counts. Too be honest I quite like the Inspirational cover. And here's a blast from the past that I like: the original Elvis For Everyone cover. Cool!!
elvis_fan wrote on May 12, 2006
I'm sorry Greg Nolan but what i meant was that I do have all the original Gospel CD's but they are all on two or more disks and I think it is easier to buy this cd that has great songs on it so you can hear them without switching cd's. I see what you mean by saying they are chopping up previous cd's and no I dont agree with it but there are still great cd's coming out that i would love to have like the Cover of Tiger Man that is coming out. I am so excited about that i cant even stand myself because i cant find those songs anywhere else. Anyways, the record companies are just doing their job. But i see where you come from.
Gladyslove wrote on May 12, 2006
JerryNodak. It isn´t the coverphoto only the colour blue that makes me mad. Why can´t they let it like it is ? I am not mad about the song list it is good.
untamedhawk wrote on May 13, 2006
W O W! I can't believe it's finally here, I've waited for years to get this CD, and it's finally arrived !!! The only thing missing is the 1 UNRELEASED we usually get, and It's the cover from one of ELVIS NEWS best download pictures, and the same songs over again that we already have on 50 other CDs. Who else is tired? Hawk
PTCJones wrote on May 13, 2006
I'm sorry to join in the fray elvis_fan, but I am also a huge Elvis nut. That doesn't mean to say I have to take whatever the record company decides to throw at me. The latest releases are pretty uninspired. Take last years mainstream releases. We started off with three re-released albums, Elvis Presley, Elvis and Loving You with the famous DSD to hook us. After that, we saw two full priced mainstream CD's (Love, Elvis and Elvis By The Presleys) released virtually back to back both sharing four tracks. Apart from the twenty minute CD2, everything has been released many times before. Even "For The Good Times" which says that it's an unreleased track, I have already on "Platinum", unless it's a different take 3. The biggest disappointment though was "Hitstory". Repackaged versions of 30#1's and 2nd To None. The really weird part about this was the 3rd CD, living in the US, we are given only 19 tracks instead of 31 everywhere else, go figure! But it's this, "we should just be grateful" mentality which I believe drove Elvis' material downhill in the early 60's. I read that during the making of "Kissin' Cousins", the soundtrack was was recorded on very poor audio tape to save money because they knew we would just pay regardless. Even the hallowed FTD label I think is suffering, with many repetitions. I don't mind if there is a pause in the release of Elvis' material, I just want to see quality, with a little thought in the track listing otherwise we will be seeing more items like "Elvis Sings For Children And Grownups Too!"
Gladyslove wrote on May 13, 2006
PJones, I agree with you that they, BMG, should pause with the releases, for the public and also the FTD label. They ruin the market with these CDs when they release CDs every few months, that´s not good. And I tell you what: I am not gonna buy it, cause of the bad cover and the ugly colour they used. The photo is good but the colour? I called it a crap.
elvis_fan wrote on May 13, 2006
PJones, I know what you mean and I believe you are absolutely right about 'Hitstory' and that it was a remake of the 30 #1 hits and 2nd to none. but i like to buy the new Cd's that come out that have a good song selection so i dont have to go and switch cd's. Yea i do think that we shouldnt buy whatever cd they put out for us but i like cd's with a good song selection even if i already have it, its convienient. I have been told that because I am only 17 that i just dont know enough and that i should stay out of it, but that isnt true,I have been a die hard elvis fan for at least 5 years and i know just as much (kind of) as all the other Elvis nuts like me. I will do anything to defend my love for Elvis and i am sure you all would too.
JerryNodak wrote on May 14, 2006
My opinion about the whole too buy/not to buy /what to buy/should I buy fiasco is: Release the product and let me decide. Nobody is holding a gun to my head. I know how to say no. Product equal choice.
PTCJones wrote on May 16, 2006
Not questioning your right to buy JerryNodak. The problem is that while you are choosing which regurgitated and repackaged greatest hits album to buy next, we are missing an opportunity for some quality releases. For example, If I Can Dream has been released about 5 times since 2nd To None in 2003; and last year alone on three mainstream releases. Maybe you are fine with that, personally I don't want to keep throwing my money away.
JerryNodak wrote on May 16, 2006
PJones: Then don't. Throw your money away. I didn't buy all the releases. Yes, I'm fine if the releases are out there. That gives me, you, everone a choice. I hear this all the time: We need quality releases. Could you be little more specific? And how do you know that your idea of a quality release will be the same as mine or someome else? "Quality" is subjective. Like "taste".
PTCJones wrote on May 19, 2006
Well I am truly humbled JerryNodak. Gee, I never thought my taste would be different to yours! Let me think now, perhaps a Stax recording session disc for example, would be one of my choices. It's not rocket science to arrange a good compilation CD being as some tracks have very rarely been released. Lovin' Arms, Sweet Angeline and It's Only Love for example would be great in my opinion for a love compilation instead of Love Me Tender, Are You Lonesome Tonight? and Can't Help Falling In Love (c'mon, how many times do you have these already?). You say you hear my argument all the time about quality releases - well, I obviously don't move around in your circles, but I don't think it's too much to ask that tracks are not repeated on consecutive CD's. I like Hawaiian Wedding song as much as the next person, don't want to buy it twice in two months though (Elvis By The Presleys and Love, Elvis) because I'm selfish that way. 30#1's was Elvis' biggest selling album, so successful in fact, we have seen the DVD version, the special edition version and the HitStory version since it's release in 2002, I don't think that is choice.
Steve V wrote on May 19, 2006
GregNolan - Right on. Words were never better put. They are chopping up the catalog into countless CD's just to make an extra buck. The original albums were good enough.
elvis_fan wrote on May 20, 2006
PJones i completely agree with you. It is our choice to buy these cd's. All of us Elvis Fans feel different about every cd that is put out. Why should this one be any different? Just because they are putting out more cd's that doesnt mean that they are ruining Elvis' legacy. Alll they are doing is putting great songs on new cd's. Yes i am aware that it seems like another new cd comes out every day, but it is our choice to buy them. I bought this cd because i was happy with the song selection. I dont have "I'll take you home again Kathleen" or "And the grass wont pay no mind" on any other cd's. I'm just saying that we shouldnt be making a big fuss over one cd (or set). Visitors to this website probably wonder why we love Elvis if we are all talking like this. It is our choice.
Steve V wrote on May 21, 2006
Maybe when December rolls around there will be another Christmas compilation CD with a different cover you folks can waste your money on. Time to send BMG a message. Straighten out the damn catalog! They were well on their way to doing this in the 90's with the great boxsets and CD compilations that made sense. Even the 2-fer soundtracks that came out were bang for the buck. What has happened since then? It's like the Colonel is still with us with all the watered down releases. If they want to sucker us in with DSD sound, may as well release all the albums the way they came out during his lifetime. This way we will have the albums with the 'new' technology. Add some outtakes, keep the price sane, and the catalog will make sense. Many artiists did this like the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.
PTCJones wrote on May 21, 2006
Couldn't agree more Steve V.
JerryNodak wrote on May 23, 2006
Steve V: When December rolls around I hope there IS another Christmas cd. A re-release of Elvis' Christmas Album (1970 package) with the original Camden cover. That will mean they've retired It's Christmas Time (at least temporarily) and perhaps the '70s package can acheive diamond status in the next few years. I know that I'll buy it. Again!!
Gladyslove wrote on May 24, 2006
JerryNodak it is, in my way, better to release a Christmas album on the Ftd label, don´t you think ? We didn´t have that much outtakes from Christmas songs, maybe one or two songs ?!? It is better when BMG re- release the two original albums together like they have done in the past that´s enough. Please not a new Christmas album again ! They ruin the market it is really a mess and a shame ! Lord, have mercy !
JerryNodak wrote on May 24, 2006
Gladyslove: Re-read my post. The whole idea is too get Elvis a diamond award for sales of ten million units. This will not be accomplished by releasing a Christmas cd on FTD. But it's all but certain to happen if they re-release Elvis' Christmas Album (1970 package)which currently is certified by RIAA at 9x platinum (at least 9 million units sold). Should be able to sell a million units within a few years.
Gladyslove wrote on May 24, 2006
Jerry Nodak, you are right and I understand what you mean. Elvis should sell one or more millions more of his Christmas album, maybe even more that will be great, indeed. But for the public it is not so good to release a CD like FTD, cause I think it will be bored to hear Elvis in that way cause FTD is only for the die hard fan like me and certainly you and hopefully others.
Steve V wrote on May 25, 2006
Whats more important here? A decent catalog for the CD buying public to choose from or a useless Camden re-release to get Elvis a diamond award?? Lord have mercy.
Gladyslove wrote on May 26, 2006
Steve V, it´s true BMG is far away from a decent Elvis cataloge for the public there is much work to do to organize this mess and I mean it´s a mess. I think it is good that they release the Camden album. If you don´t like them don´t buy them, it´s simple. There will always be CDs someone don´t like. For me the new serie Country, Inspiritual,... are a crap cause of the ugly coloured covers ! The song list is o.k., indeed but I don´t want these albums in my collection.
JerryNodak wrote on May 26, 2006
Steve V: In this instance getting Elvis that diamond award takes top priority.
Steve V wrote on May 26, 2006
Apparently I am in the minority. An award for this Camden release means nothing to Elvis' legacy now. You think Lisa or Priscilla care about this? Only BMG does if it can make a few bucks. Things were getting very rosy in the 90's. We had the great 50s, 60s, & 70s boxsets. We had the ultimate gospel package, the ultimate Christmas package (with a deluxe edition), wonderful compliations like Suspicious Minds with the great memphis 69 sessions, soundtrack 2-fers. The catalog was really making sense and folks had quality choices. No other releases are needed when definitive ones are out there. These watered down releases confuse the record buyng public. I know, I've heard it in stores when folks are looking at the ELvis section. They dont know what to buy. Sorry but I believe the catalog is very important for an artist of Elvis' caliber. Someone else must have taken over the reigns. I dont even see some of the 90's releases anymore in the stores. A shame.
PTCJones wrote on May 27, 2006
Amen Steve V. I had already mentioned this earlier, but was cut down with the same argument about not buying the CD's that offend me and that choice is what it's all about. The debate just seems to be going around in circles. I guess some people prefer whatever is thrown at them. It may be that history is repeating itself.
RonBaker wrote on June 23, 2006
Maybe BMG should just release the albums that were released during Elvis' lifetime and tack on bonus singles. They actually started doing that before "A Little Less Conversation" took them by surprise and they decided to milk compilations for all they were worth. The catalog is a mess now. I work in the music department at Kmart. I can tell you the only Elvis cd we've been able to sell to the public since Christmas has been the "Almost in Love" cd. Why? Well, I'm thinking it's because it has "A Little Less Conversation" AND "Rubberneckin'" on it. It's a great cd, but it really is just a collection of singles. I'm not so sure Elvis had anything to do with the song selection--he probably didn't--but this is one of the best of the 70s releases...in my opinion.
Steve V wrote on June 23, 2006
I agree - the catalog is a total mess now with all these releases. It was on its way to being a good catalog in the late 90's with sensible & essential releases. What happened BMG???