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Speedway
By ElvisNews.com/ Lex, Jul 17, 2016
The most recent classic album release by FTD is the immortal soundtrack of Speedway.
Design
The packages is good as always. It is a great reproduction of the original artwork and a good booklet with plenty of fun memorabilia, pictures and facts. A bit cheap is the inclusion of an essay that is available on the internet for a pretty long time. The piece is interesting enough and deserves it, but still it feels cheap.
Content
Okay, the soundtrack has one of the better moviesongs in Let Yourself Go, but if the second best song is a non Elvis song (Your Groovy Self) and with the best effort one can find one more acceptable song in Your Time Hasn't Come Yet, which is a catchy tune for little kids (my granddaughter loves it). Some soundtracks were saved by strong bonus tracks, but that isn't the case with this one either. I know a lot of people do love Suppose, but to me it is an okay ballad at its best.
Conclusion
I know this is a pretty useless review, but I do think it is quite an accomplishment that I managed to play both discs completely within a weekend. I think this one is really for completists only.
Tracklisting
Reactions
The remixed masters have never sounded so good! They sound like they were recorded last week! Seriously.
"There Ain't Nothin' Like A Song" sounds so much better than anytime before. Elvis and Nancy Sinatra's voices sound sharp and crystal clear. Nancy's voice doesn't sound as annoying as it used to and the song rocks! -- I'm ready for Ernst Jorgensen to release the remainder of the "classic" albums (including Elvis In Concert from 1977). Oh, and let's certainly not forget about the fantastic concerts recorded in 1972 for Elvis On Tour.
I've owned this release for quite some time now and I must say that each time I listen to it I enjoy it immensely
It's on my copy. (it would be a strange decision to omit any track as the whole point of the classic albums is to replicate the originals).
Looks as though. . the Nancy Sinatra song has been cut from this FTD release?
Some people really seem to have a hard time being an Elvis fan! I would think most fans already know the history of Elvis' recorded works, for better or worse! Why bother to even comment on something you really don't need to buy or even listen to! I appreciate the work done by Ernst and Roger over the years. I have a good time collecting everything FTD, simply because I love Elvis music. I take the good with the bad and vice versa. I have no problem with Speedway, Your Time Hasn't Come Yet Baby, Who Are You? and Let Yourself Go. I even liked the bonus tracks back in the day, and I have no problem with them appearing again on this double FTD. It's not the end of the world yet, so I look forward to Kissin' Cousins and Roustabout too. Not to offence anybody, but to please myself! So keep'em coming Ernst, I for one is still listening to Elvis!
Yoshi, you've misquoted me. I didn't write that the CDs are at no cost. I wrote - "The mono CDs that came with some of the books were also bonuses... at no EXTRA cost." I could be wrong, but there's a possibility that the FTD books would have been the same price without the bonus CDs. I don't know for sure.
What never ceases to puzzle me about people like the previous poster is just how upset they get about something as unimportant as a record release. If they don't want or can't afford it they attempt to pour scorn on those who do. This "we're all being conned by Ernst" line is pathetic and insulting. Please, give it a rest. I bought my first Elvis record in 1968 by the way and what I do remember is how badly treated the catalogue was pre FTD.
VivaLasDavies: Yes that's how it was in the 80s. You met somebody on a fan convention who lived 250 km away from you and you called to stay in contact and talked about your hobby, new releases etc. Maybe you are to young to understand. And still: Nobody ever talked about a bootleg box with 5 mono CDs back then. But go on saving your hard-earned money for Ernst. Keep buing them records. Ernst is counting on you.
TheMemphisFan: Yes you are right. The book CDs are at no cost. The musicians and Sony renounced their royalties to give the fans the CDs for free. Even the pressing plant worked a free shift one sunday morning to make the Elvisfans happy. This is such a great world. Only friendly people.
All those who smartly announced not to buy the entire catalogue in mono because they are not dumb. . I'm pretty sure that many of these clever fans already plunged down big bucks for the Venus Mono box, the ' o so free' book CDs, the Speedway FTD. And they will pay for the other filler FTDs. But they never would buy the mono-catalogue o no no no never. Uh .. wait .. maybe when it comes in small portions.
just checked out the vinyl and you folks are right, it was ! Ok apologies to Ernst, maybe I should blame the Colonel. It just seemed to make more sense to have the outtakes all on the Stay Away Joe release.
Yes indeed... "Goin' Home" was originally released in 1968 on the "Speedway" LP as a bonus track. (Surely circleG knows that, but perhaps forgot). Several outtakes (#12, #18, #21, #22, #24, #26, #29) are available on the "Stay Away, Joe" FTD, and outtakes #16 and #23 are now available on this new "Speedway" FTD. Ernst wasn't sloppy... this time.
Can somebody point out to our friend Circle that "Going Home" was a bonus track on the original Speedway album. I think that just might be why Ernst made this "head scratching, sloppy" decision.
I have Elvis vinyl in both stereo and mono so the mono cds in the books weren't unwelcomed, as I didn't have them on cd. You can hear the differences in the original vinyl mixes. Saying that, I wouldn't buy the entire catalogue in mono.
The extended 'Lets Be Friends' Cd with Elvis - Change of Habit book was excellent. These are the times when I wish Ernst was around in the 60s! I'm hoping that Cd will be available in the 7" format to round off the late 60s material , plus I just love that cover ( sorry SteveV ;) ) .
When it comes to the movies I can take them or leave them. Recently I watched Double Trouble with some friends who loved it, go figure. I'll buy this release but it shows some head scratching decisions by Ernst again, Goin' Home? On this release? I have a problem with that. Its sloppy.
Yoshi, maybe Ernst could've/should've issued the "Stay Away, Joe" FTD as a 2-cd set, but that really has nothing to do with this new "Speedway" set. Nobody will "have to buy the entire catalogue again .. in mono .. to be complete." Personally, I'll buy the "Speedway" FTD for disc 1 and the booklet, with disc 2 being a bonus... at no extra cost. The mono CDs that came with some of the books were also bonuses... at no extra cost. Am I wrong?
p.s. ~ I, too, have been collecting Elvis for 40+ years (since Christmas of '74) . . .
I won't buy the entire catalog again in mono. But I look forward to listening to the Speedway mono masters. And in all likely hood the Kissin' Cousins and Roustabout mono masters at some future time. Keep that collectable stuff coming, Ernst.
If only we all had friends like Yoshi who regularly ring him to discuss their future purchases. If you do ring however, a word of warning - don't mention the "M" word.
Oh you're right. I'm collecting for 40+ years. During all these years every day all my collector's friends called in and asked me: "When will the mono-version on "Who Are You" be released". After your post it came back to my mind. I just forgot, sorry.
Fact is he butchered the great atmosphere of the "Stay Away Joe" sessions. Fact is nobody called me for "Who Are You" in mono. Not in the 80s, not in the 90s and not in the 2ks. As long as new material came out nobody called. Now they ask for it because they can't live with the fact that the barrel is empty. When Ernst released the first mono CDs with the FTD books everybody was wondering. Most fans said they would not need the CD. Now Ernst made it that the fans think the mono stuff is essential and they have to buy the entire catalogue again .. in mono .. to be complete. Thinks become blurred after a while. Humans are suggestable. As Milton Berle said: Keep buying 'em records.
Yoshi, you can't speak for everyone else. Obviously there are collectors interested in original Mono recordings. The hype was already there... Ernst didn't create the hype.
And Ernst extended this so-called "series" in order to re-issue all of Elvis' RCA Victor albums released during his lifetime. "Speedway" is simply a step closer to accomplishing that goal.
"Roustabout" & "Kissin' Cousins" will probably be done in a similar fashion.
Ernst has nothing from this session that's of interest. But he made a two CD set out of it. Ernst has hours of great sessions from "Stay Away Joe" with great atmosphaere and an Elvis in a great funny mood. But this one he butchered down to one senseless mixed CD. I don't know what he's thinking. Now he creates a new "Mono" hype to have fillers for the other classic albums he don't have the sessions for. Nobody ever needed these mono recordings. Nobody ever asked for them the last 40 years. But now they fill entire CDs. He extends this series in a way it hurts.
I think you miss my point. I'm not claiming this is anything other than a mediocre album. It just gets tedious when people like you keep banging on about how bad they are - it's all been said - many times. Meantime you go and listen to whatever you like.
And surely after 50 years there is little point in STILL buying them. The oldscudder(glad to see him back) is right. The good music Elvis made in 67/68 you mentioned have nothing to do with this album, which to the long time fan was just another, and thankfully last in a long line of disappointing movie albums that had finally run its course. This album wasnt out of touch with the times? Two kids songs, and a track recorded in 1963! You cannot be more out of touch in 1968. That a Nancy Sinatra song led off a side says about all you need to know about this LP. In fact, Lee Hazelwood was a great writer who had a lot of hits in the late 60's Elvis should have connected with him instead of his hack writers. Let Yourself Go is good and Suppose is OK, not great . No need to hear the others. Im sure Elvis was glad this was behind him. I stopped posting here for a while because I just call it as I see it. It usually leads to arguments with members who celebrate everything Elvis did and every release that comes out no matter how redundant. . I cant be that way anymore, and I shall say no more on this. Life is too short. Enjoy your FTD. I'll enjoy some new music.
It's a 60's Elvis soundtrack - not much better or worse than most of the others. Surely after nearly 50 years there's little point in STILL questioning them.
The icon who had so many brilliant rock songs in the 50's. What happened? The entire contents of Speedway is more Tin Pan Alley schlock than rock. Yes 68 was a turning point of sorts for the better. But that was a handful of songs & has nothing to do with this LP. He's Your Uncle makes me cringe. What exactly is this song? Certainly not rock.
By the way, I think you'll find the term "classic album" refers to originally released albums. Clearly it is not meant to imply that every original album was a "classic" in that sense of the word.
Far from being "out of touch", '67/'68 marked a turning point in his recording career, a lot of the songs recorded at this time pointing the way to the Memphis sessions.
Too many lemons on this LP. I hardly played it back in the day so no need to spend big money on it now. . This was 1968 and showed Elvis to be so out of touch at the time. When the second best song from a movie is by someone other than Elvis, it is sad. Bad memories, no thanks. Certainly not a 'classic' album. The path is clear for FTD. Put out every album in the so-called classic album series, because they know the deep fans are still completists and as one member said still addicted. Glad I went to rehab.
I don't think so. Sorry no FTD for this boy aka this album.
I haven't received my copy yet. But when I do I will play it a lot. And unlike Lex it won't take me all weekend to play both CDs. I'll play them back to back. Now I await the FTD versions of "Kissin' Cousins and "Roustabout."
The song "WHO ARE YOU? (Who Am I?)" is mistakenly listed as two different songs on this site. Anyway, my 2 favorite tracks on this album are "Let Yourself Go" & "Speedway". I'll probably buy this FTD because after 41 years of collecting I'm still addicted... but I'm trying to stop!
note ElvisNews: Thanks! Corrected it.
Yes Let Yourself Go and Your time hasn't come yet are indeed the highlights and lemons such as He's your Uncle not your Dad will always drag this soundtrack 'down' but Goin Home outakes in pristine sound quality + entire 79 minute disc 1 in great quality(especially considering the recording conditions!) are GREAT from FTD...although i may never bother playing the 31 minute disc 2 again. not worth it! FTD have produced a nice collectable pack with what was available and i do enjoy disc #1.
No Lex, it's not a very in depth review. I do, however, commend you on playing both CDs. I never bothered playing CD 2 at all but did enjoy CD 1, especially the remixed masters. A good release.
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