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The Elvis Is Back Sessions

By ElvisNews.com/ Lex, February 09, 2020 | Music

Late last year FTD released the 4CD-set The Elvis Is Back Sessions. Due to snail mail the package arrived just recently and I finally got to listen to the silver discs.

Design

A nice firm (unlike the Vegas set on the main label) box holds the fold out CD container and the booklet. The 4 panels have good (not too tight) 'envelopes' for the CDs and is decorated with 4 great publicity shots at the back. Tape covers and notes decorate the CD-side of the panel.

The booklet is, as usual, nicely designed and stuffed with many candids, covers and other memorabilia.

Content

Like Elvis sang 'nothing can be wrong that feels so right'… Well, it isn't completely right, due to a glitch on CD2, but as we know by now that disc will be replaced.

Otherwise I can be very short on this release. It is not really needed, but for completeness sake… AND for the sound. The remastering is superb and these recordings never sounded so good to me. 

There is a reason these sessions are counted among the best Elvis' ever did, besides the hits they brought the overall quality is really great. Of course it wasn't real rock'n'roll anymore, and there is always personal taste – I for one never liked Soldier Boy – but the complete picture of the songs is something not often done. 

The booklet has a good essay by Alan Hanson and almost all necessary information. The only thing I missed are notes which takes were used before (and on which release).

Conclusion

Superb sounding remastering makes this set worthwhile, certainly after CD 2 is replaced.

Tracklisting

DISK 1 
THE ORIGINAL ALBUM 
SIDE 1 
01 Make Me Know It 2:02 
02 Fever 3:35 
03 The Girl Of My Best Friend 2:25 
04 I Will Be Home Again 2:37 
05 Dirty, Dirty Feeling 1:36 
06 Thrill Of Your Love 3:05 
SIDE 2 
07 Soldier Boy 3:07 
08 Such A Night 3:02 
09 It Feels So Right 2:12 
10 Girl Next Door Went A'Walking 2:16 
11 Like A Baby 2:39 
12 Reconsider Baby 3:44 
THE ORIGINAL SINGLES SIDES 
13 Stuck On You 2:22 
14 Fame And Fortune 2:33 
15 It’s Now Or Never 3:18 
16 A Mess Of Blues 2:42 
17 Are You Lonesome Tonight? 3:09 
18 I Gotta Know 2:18 

DISK 2 
THE MARCH SESSIONS 
01 Make Me Know It (take 1) 2:37 
02 Make Me Know It (take 2) 1:59 
03 Make Me Know It (take 3) 2:19 
04 Make Me Know It (takes 4-8) 4:02 
05 Make Me Know It (takes 9-11) 2:55 
06 Make Me Know It (takes 12 & 14) 3:33 
07 Make Me Know It (takes 15-16) 3:01 
08 Make Me Know It (takes 17-18) 2:56 
09 Make Me Know It (take 19/M) 2:10 
10 Soldier Boy (take 1) 3:09 
11 Soldier Boy (takes 2-7) 8:52 
12 Soldier Boy (takes 8-10) 4:15 
13 Soldier Boy (take 11) 3:07 
14 Soldier Boy (takes 12, 14 & 15/M) 4:43 
15 Stuck On You (take 1) 2:35 
16 Stuck On You (take 2) 2:25 
17 Stuck On You (take 3/M) 2:30 
18 Fame And Fortune (take 1) 3:32 
19 Fame And Fortune (take 2) 2:37 
20 Fame And Fortune (takes 3-5) 5:40 
21 Fame And Fortune (takes 6-7) 3:39 
22 Fame And Fortune (take 8) 2:52 

DISK 3 THE MARCH SESSIONS (Continued) 
01 Fame And Fortune (take 9) 2:54 
02 Fame And Fortune (takes 10-11) 4:10 
03 Fame And Fortune (takes 12 & 14) 4:09 
04 Fame And Fortune (take 15) 2:42 
05 Fame And Fortune (splice of takes 15 & 14/M) 2:33 
06 A Mess Of Blues (take 1) 3:05 
07 A Mess Of Blues (takes 2-3) 3:00 
08 A Mess Of Blues (take 4) 2:13 
09 A Mess Of Blues (take 5/M) 2:49 
10 It Feels So Right (take 1) 2:08 
11 It Feels So Right (take 2) 2:10 
12 It Feels So Right (take 3) 3:18 
13 It Feels So Right (takes 4 & 5/M) 3:03 
THE APRIL SESSIONS 
14 Fever (take 1) 3:53 
15 Fever (takes 2-3) 4:08 
16 Fever (take 4/M) 3:56 
17 Like A Baby (takes 1-2) 5:03 
18 Like A Baby (takes 3-4) 3:53 
19 Like A Baby (takes 5 & 6/M) 3:18 
20 It’s Now Or Never (take 1) 3:29 
21 It’s Now Or Never (take 2) 3:24 
22 It’s Now Or Never (takes 3-4) 3:59 

DISC 4 THE APRIL SESSIONS (Continued) 
01 It’s Now Or Never (splice of takes 4 & 2/undubbed master) 3:18 
02 The Girl Of My Best Friend (takes 1-3) 5:10 
03 The Girl Of My Best Friend (takes 4-6) 3:51 
04 The Girl Of My Best Friend (takes 7-9) 4:36 
05 The Girl Of My Best Friend (take 10/M) 2:34 
06 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (take 1) 2:25 
07 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (takes 2-3) 1:42 
08 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (take 4) 1:43 
09 Dirty, Dirty Feeling (splice of take 4 and guitar solo from take 1/M) 1:37 
10 Thrill Of Your Love (take 1) 3:41 
11 Thrill Of Your Love (takes 2 & 3/M) 3:46 
12 I Gotta Know (takes 1 & 2/M) 3:05 
13 Such A Night (take 1) 3:15 
14 Such A Night (takes 2-4) 2:27 
15 Such A Night (take 5/M) 3:13 
16 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (takes 1-2) 3:49 
17 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (takes 3-4) 2:11 
18 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (take 5) 3:12 
19 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (workpart take 1) 0:58 
20 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (workpart take 2) 1:18 
21 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (splice of take 5 & workpart take 2) 3:09 
22 Girl Next Door Went A’ Walking (takes 1-3) 4:06 
23 Girl Next Door Went A’ Walking (take 4/M) 2:24 
24 I Will Be Home Again (take 4/M) 2:47 
25 Reconsider Baby (take 2/M) 3:53

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Gladyslove wrote on February 09, 2020
In my top ten of all ftd releaes, if not the #1. Fantastic !
TheMemphisFan wrote on February 14, 2020
This "sessions" set should've included only 3 discs for a lower price. Disc 1 was totally unnecessary.
Bob Finkel wrote on February 14, 2020
It's nice to have Disc 1 too, it has all the masters from this session and the sound is just incredibly great. I like to listen to Disc 1 very often. A great box. Well done FTD.
TheMemphisFan wrote on February 15, 2020
~ It would've still been a great box without Disc 1, and less expensive to purchase. The exact contents on Disc 1 have already been released on other CDs in the past... in incredibly great sound.
JerryNodak wrote on February 17, 2020
I'm not a need all the outtakes kinda guy, and I already have the contents of Disc 1 in great sound. However, I eagerly await news of the next Complete Sessions release. If It's Blue Hawaii or Pot Luck I'll likely be a buyer.
LarsG wrote on February 17, 2020
A complete Kid Galahad sessions would be nice.
JerryNodak wrote on February 17, 2020
Yes, indeed. That would be fine.
circleG wrote on February 20, 2020
Awesome release. Would like to see the 1970 Nashville sessions tackled next. I'm sure that would be over a few volumes but when you think it produced three albums worth it would be great to have all that work in a vol 1+2 sessions package.
Bob Finkel wrote on February 20, 2020
Great idea circleG. I am with you.
JerryNodak wrote on October 30, 2020
I already own disc 1 from this release as well as the previous FTD 2 CD release. That's all the EIB I need.