In June 2012 and over 3 weeks over 5000 Australian fans logged on and voted for their favourite Elvis Presley songs. The votes have been tallied, the CDs manufactured and fans will be able to pick up their copy of Elvis By Request from Thursday, 16th August.
The confirmed tracklisting of the Top 40 most popular Elvis songs according to his Aussie fans is as follows:
An American Trilogy is the #1 most voted Elvis song by Australian fans. Released in 1972, Elvis performed it regularly in his live concert tours and was included in the 1972 documentary Elvis On Tour and the internationally broadcast concert Elvis : Aloha From Hawaii. Whilst it was never a hit at the time of release it seems clear time has made it a favourite amongst fans. Elvis By Request is released on the 35th anniversary of Elvis' passing and is a fitting tribute by fans to The King of Rock 'N' Roll.
Disc 1
01. An American Trilogy (Mickey Newbury) [1972 single version, recorded February of '72]
02. If I Can Dream (Walter Earl Brown)
03. Suspicious Minds (Mark James)
04. Always On My Mind (Mark James, Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher)
05. In The Ghetto (Mac Davis)
06. The Wonder Of You (Baker Knight)
07. Can't Help Falling In Love (George Weiss Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore)
08. I Miss You (Don H. Sumner)
09. Kentucky Rain (Dick Heard, Eddie Rabbitt)
10. Memories (Mac Davis, Billy Strange)
11. Jailhouse Rock (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller)
12. Love Me Tender (Vera Matson, Elvis Presley)
13. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear (Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann)
14. Wooden Heart (Fred Wise, Kathleen Twomey, Benjamin Weisman, Berthold Kaempfert)
15. Don't Be Cruel (Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell)
16. Edge Of Reality (Bill Giant, Bernie Baum, Florence Kaye)
17. Hawaiian Wedding Song (Al Hoffman, Dick Manning, Charles E. King)
18. Just Pretend (Guy Fletcher, Douglas Flett)
19. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Roy Turk, Lou Handman)
20. Burning Love (Dennis Linde)
Disc 2
21. My Way (Paul Anka, Jacques Reaux, Claude Francois) [From the 1977 CBS TV Special]
22. (You're The) Devil In Disguise (Bernie Baum, Florence Kaye, Bill Giant)
23. A Little Less Conversation (JXL Radio Edit Remix) (Mac Davis, Billy Strange)
24. Amazing Grace (William J. Gaither)
25. Don't Cry Daddy (Scott Davis)
26. You Gave Me A Mountain (Marty Robbins) [February 1972 recording]
27. (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) (Thomas A. Dorsey)
28. How Great Thou Art (Stuart K. Hine)
29. Judy (Teddy Redell)
30. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Paul Simon)
31. Return To Sender (Otis Blackwell, Winfield Scott)
32. A Mess Of Blues (Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman)
33. All Shook Up (Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell)
34. Viva Las Vegas (Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman)
35. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I (Bill Trader)
36. Promised Land (Chuck Berry)
37. Blue Hawaii (Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger)
38. Crying In The Chapel (Artie Glenn)
39. It's Now Or Never (Wally Gold, Aaron Schroeder)
40. Heartbreak Hotel (Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley)
now thats a mixed bag and a far better release than the recent i'm an elvis fan cd. imagine amazing grace right after allc jxl mix!
I like the Australian song list, better, than the American song list. It's a better variety of Elvis' whole career. Unfortunately in America, RCA-Sony, had the fans choose from a short list of songs that were pre-selected. I wish, the record company, would have let, the fans, write in (choose) at random, any 20 songs from Elvis large catalog of music, and not, just a few preselected ones, to choose from ! Why would the Record company let the fans choose the "live version" of "Burning Love" but, not the studio (single) version? But, for some reason, they do let the fans choose a studio and a Live version of "Suspicious Minds"? And then to make things worse, you can't see the fans faces in the mosiac Album cover, so the fans have to buy the larger poster, from a website, to see themselves on the album cover. The Record company should have supplied a "fold out poster" in the CD package, for the fans to enjoy and see themselves. It could have been so much better ! And of note, the song levels, vary on this CD. The levels, should be at the same level, all the way through this CD. But its not ! So the flow of the CD, is ruined ! "American Trilogy" (from "Aloha") for example, is very Low in sound, compared to some of the other tracks, on the CD. Does anyone at RCA-SONY, play the CD, after its remastered, and make sure that, its of best quality? The booklet in the CD, is a highlight, however. I look forward to the next RCA release "Prince from another Planet" but, as with all the releases, there will be a few mistakes too, I'm sure of it !!
I'm fully aware that every fan has his/her own favourite songs. That's one reason Elvis was so great. He had such a vast and diverse catalogue that it's hard to choose just a handful in a list like this. Frankly, I'm surprised with some of the choices above, such as "I Miss You" (No. 8 ??!!), "Teddy Bear" and "Wooden Heart" (too childish imo), "Blue Hawaii" and "Hawaiian Wedding Song" (too syrupy) and "Amazing Grace" (there are much better religious songs). Even "Judy". although it actually is a fave of mine, was a surprise choice. But not having at least one song from the SUN period is nothing short of criminal, for me personally anyway. Having said all that I must admit this is by far better than the US release "I Am An Elvis Fan".
Some of the choices baffle me totally. I guess it will do well in Austrailia since the fans voted for these, but talk about a CD that has no flow, going from ALLC to Amazing Grace and ending with H Hotel? Would people really enjoy this CD? It's a hard listen for me. I'd rather make my own CD as would most other people.
I understand, but if I am reading this right, the songs are in the order they were voted. The ground breaking Heartbreak Hotel last? Judy, I Miss You (#8 !!), Wooden Heart, etc ahead of it? Amazing.
The tv ad is very ordinary... a nice opening line where Elvis says hello to his Australian fans but after that all we get are about 5 still photos and not one after 1956... when 80% of the album is post 1960 and the man can move the way he does why wouldn't you use a video and make it more representative of the content... gee, I'd love to make an Elvis ad!
This is just the good compilation. A great difference between "The Dutch Collection", ann"i am an Elvis fan'. This is the real way. very different then the other two.
WOW!! The diversiy in the Elvis fan world is enormous. Only 4 or 5 of those songs would be CONTENDERS for my top 40, though they are all great songs. I would have had I Just Can't Help Believin, Johnny B Goode, Dirty Dirty Feelin, Pocket full of rainbows, Doncha think its time, I gotta thing about ya baby, Way down, trouble (68 version), Hawaiian wedding song and who knows what else. Perhaps for the 80th birthday they might consider to give fans the option of custom made albums where fans could send in their own personal choice tracklisting, but with a standard artwork and packaging. I bit expensive perhaps.... By the way, does anyone know if the Concert from this years Elvis Week will be released on DVD? The 25th annivesary concert DVD was good, but I thought it was spoiled by the commentary. I would prefer just a straight concert.
Yes, it's a good list. I don't totally agree with all the selections, but in total, good. However, I'm with Steve V ref. Heartbreak Hotel, it was a mega hit ! Even non-Elvis people around the world know this song.
Overall not a bad selection at all. Each of us may have an idea about certain songs, but it represents the whole legacy up to a more than agreeable selection.
