The CD “Ekvis Sings ...” is the debut release of the “Inspiration” label. Should I be happy with this new kid on the import block?
Design
When I first saw the cover I liked it immediately. A picture of our golden boy from the golden era of Rock And Roll is always a good choice in my book. Inside the booklet some nice and original pictures with a few liner notes on the songs.
Content
A great design, but it’s inside that count. The idea behind this compilation is a combination of themes that on their own would not cover enough songs to fill a complete CD. So no “Rock”, Live”, “Love”, “Gospel”, “Country” but “Beethoven”, “Hawaii melodies”, “European melodies”, “Musical tunes” and a series of covers from the Beatles, Little Richard, Bill Monroe and Bob Dylan. Listening to the compilation we really get some great tracks – you can always hear quality -, some mediocre songs – Elvis recorded a lot of them and just because they fit a theme does not make listening to them fun -, and some bloody awful recordings by our man – no comment needed I think ?. Just have a look at the tracklisting to see if your favorites are featured.
The Inspiration label decided to include studio, live, rehearsal and even home recordings. The result is a complete collection but listening to the compilation is not always a pleasure, especially with vague home recordings like “Moonlight Sonata”.
Conclusion
I have mixed feelings about this release. It is a well designed package with some great tracks and unfortunately some bad tracks too. But an addition for your collection … well perhaps for those who collect great covers or want all the “themed” songs nicely put together on two discs and not scattered all through your collection.
Tracklisting Elvis Sings ...
CD 1:
Arthur Crudup songs
[01] That’s All Right
[02] My Baby Left Me
[03] So Glad You’re Mine
Bill Monroe songs
[04] Blue Moon Of Kentucky
[05] Little Cabin On The Hill (Million Dollar Quartet)
[06] Summertime Is Past And Gone (Million Dollar Quartet)
[07] I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling (Million Dollar Quartet)
[08] Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong (Million Dollar Quartet)
Hank Williams songs
[09] Your Cheatin’ Heart
[10] I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (Home recording)
[11] I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (Live)
[12] Men With Broken Hearts (Live)
[13] Jambalaya (Live)
Little Richard songs
[14] Rip It Up
[15] Ready Teddy
[16] Long Tall Sally
[17] Tutti Frutti
Chuck Berry songs
[18] Maybellene (Live)
[19] Brown Eyed Handsome Man (Million Dollar Quartet)
[20] Memphis Tennessee
[21] Too Much Monkey Business
[22] Johnny B. Goode (Live)
[23] Promised Land
[24] School Days (Live)
Ray Charles songs
[25] I Got A Woman
[26] What’d I Say
Bob Dylan songs
[27] Blowing In The Wind (Home recording)
[28] Tomorrow Is A Long Time
[29] Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right
[30] I Shall Be Released
Beatles songs
[31] Something (Live)
[32] Hey Jude
[33] Get Back
[34] Yesterday (Live)
[35] Lady Madonna
Kris Kristofferson songs
[36] Help Me Make It Through The Night
[37] For The Good Times
[38] Why Me Lord (Live)
CD 2:
Beethoven Composition
[01] Moonlight Sonata (For piano, C-sharp-minor, opus 27 no. 2) (Home recording)
Musical songs
[02] If I Loved You (From Carousel) (Home recording)
[03] Make Believe (From Showboat) (Home recording)
[04] You’ll Never Walk Alone (From Carousel)
[05] The Impossible Dream (From The Man Of La Mancha) (Live)
French songs
[06] Almost Always True (Alouette)
[07] Can’t Help Falling In Love (Plaisir d’Amour)
[08] Let It Be Me (Je T’Appartiens) (Live)
[09] My Way (Comme d’ Habitude) (Live)
[10] My Boy (Parce Que Je T’Aime Mon Enfant)
[11] What Now My Love (Et Maintenent) (Live)
Italian songs
[12] Surrender (Torna A Sorrento)
[13] No More (La Poloma)
[14] Ask Me (Io)
[15] Santa Lucia
[16] O Solo Mio (Live)
[17] It’s Now Or Never (O Solo Mio)
Spanish songs
[18] Guadalajara
[19] Alla’ en el Rancho Grande
[20] It’s Impossible (Somos Novios) (Live)
German songs
[21] Wooden Heart (Muss I denn)
[22] Tonight Is So Right For Love (Barcarolle)
[23] Tonight Is All Right For Love (Geschichten Aus den Weinerwald)
[24] Five Sleepy Heads (Wiegendlied)
Hawaiian songs
[25] Aloha Oe
[26] Drums Of The Island (Bula Lai)
[27] Hawaiian Wedding Song (Ke Kali Nei Au)
English songs
[28] Old McDonald
[29] Stay Away (Greensleeves)