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From Union Avenue To Thomas Street 1954 – 1969

December 04, 2005 | Music
Released in a series of promotional CDs by the EFE fan club is the CD “From Union Avenue To Thomas Street 1954 – 1969”.

Design

A very good looking design with photo’s from one of Elvis’ first, if not the first photo session. These classic images were taken by William Speer and a great choice. Why didn’t BMG use these images a bit more?

Usually there isn’t much information available on releases from this fan club. For a long time only the release of the CD was known, not that it was a fan club release or what it promoted. The last thing became clear upon reading the booklet; this release promotes the single releases of Elvis’ first five SUN singles on single CDs. But still not very information here, all the booklet says is that all singles will contain five tracks and the covers of the singles, a cover per page for the first five singles. But still, this is the best looking package so far from this club.

Content

Looking at the title “From Union Avenue To Thomas Street 1954 – 1969” we expect content from recording sessions from two famous locations; the SUN and American Sound Studio. But we get a lot of SUN and two snippets from the American Sound Studio.

We must compliment the producers on a great selection of tracks. Even alternate takes of the SUN material make a great compilation, unfortunately nothing new here; everything has been released on both official and unofficial releases before. The same goes for the “American Sound Studio” material. The answering machine message is fun, but unfortunately fake (it is manufactured from the outtakes of the 1956 flexi disc given away with a teenmagazine "Elvis answers back" a.k.a. "The truth about me") and a bit too unclear to actually use it.

Conclusion

With all the free material available there probably will be many releases like this in the years to come. We can compliment the club on the design and SUN compilation, but would have loved to hear some more from the American Sound Studio for this CD to actually deserve this title.

We also wonder who will beat SONY / BMG releasing “Heartbreak Hotel” in Europe when it enters public domain.

Track listing

That's All Right (Introduction) / I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine (Take 1) / I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Take 1) / That's All Right (Takes 1, 2 + 3) / I Love You Because (Takes 1 + 2 ) / I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Takes 4 + 5 ) / Tomorrow Night (edited / undubbed) / Blue Moon (Take 1) / I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Take 2) / I' ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin' ) (Alternate Take) / I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Take 3) / Blue Moon Of Kentucky (Alternate Take) / I Love You Because (Take 3) / Harbor Lights (Take 3) / Blue Moon (Take 2) / I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Take 7) / I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine (Takes 2 + 3) / I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone (Take 6) / I Love You Because (Takes 4 + 5 ) / How Do You Think I Feel (instrumental) / Studio excerpts 1969 / Poor Man's Gold (#1) / Poor Man's Gold (#2) / Answering message by Elvis

Bonus:
Radio Interview 1955 (#1) / Radio Commercial 1955 / Radio Interview 1955 (#2)

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Ciscoking wrote on December 25, 2005
In fact there is nothing on this release which could attract the collector. I would skip this one.
Tony D. wrote on December 27, 2005
Can anyone please tell us exactly what the answering machine message track is please?! TONY