FTD has announced 4 releases for December. Two of the releases will be additions to the classic 7” Digipack Series: “Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas” and “Elvis Promised Land.” Each of these includes two CDs.
An addition to the series of Elvis albums on vinyl will be the classic “ELVIS IS BACK.”
Finally, a 192-page book, “A Moment in Time” offers a stunning look at four days of Elvis’ life in 1956.
TRACKLISTS
“PROMISED LAND”
DISC 1
THE ORIGINAL ALBUM
01 Promised Land
02 There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In)
03 Help Me
04 Mr. Songman
05 Love Song Of The Year
06 It’s Midnight
07 Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming
08 If You Talk In Your Sleep
09 Thinking About You
10 You Asked Me To
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS – THE ALTERNATE ALBUM
11 Promised Land – take 4
12 There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – takes 3,2,7
13 Help Me - take 1 (undubbed master)
14 Mr. Songman – take 2
15 Love Song Of The Year – take 1
16 It’s Midnight – take 9
17 Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming - take 10
18 If You Talk In Your Sleep - take 5
19 Thinking About You – take 4
20 You Asked Me To – ?
MORE SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
21 Promised Land – take 5
22 Love Song Of The Year – take 7
23 It’s Midnight – take 11
24 Thinking About You – takes 5,6
25 You Asked Me To – ?
DISC 2
SESSIONS – THE MAKING OF
01 It’s Midnight – takes 1-4, 8,7
02 You Asked Me To – ?
03 Mr. Songman take 1
04 Thinking About You – rehearsal
05 Thinking About You – take 3
06 Promised Land – take 3,2
07 Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – takes 2,3
08 Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – take 4
09 There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – take 1
10 Love Song Of The Year – rehearsal
11 Love Song Of The Year – take 2
12 It’s Midnight – take 10
13 If You Talk In Your Sleep –takes 6,7, 8
14 Mr. Songman – takes 3,6
15 Love Song Of The Year – takes x,y, 8 (undubbed master)
16 You Asked Me To – take 3B (4 ??)
17 There’s A Honky Tonk Angel – takes ?
18 It’s Midnight – takes 15,16
19 Promised Land – take 6 – undubbed master
20 Thinking About You – ?
21 Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – take 8
22 Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming – take 9
“ELVIS SINGS THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CHRISTMAS”
DISC 1
THE ORIGINAL ALBUM
01 O Come, All Ye Faithful 2:48
02 The First Noel 2:09
03 On A Snowy Christmas Night 2:49
04 Winter Wonderland 2:17
05 The Wonderful World Of Christmas 1:57
06 It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without You) 2:41
07 I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day 3:48
08 If I Get Home On Christmas Day 2:51
09 Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees 2:52
10 Merry Christmas Baby 5:44
11 Silver Bells 2:26
BONUS SONG
12) I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day – remake master 3:43
FIRST TAKES
13 It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without You) -takes 1-3 4:36
14 If I Get Home On Christmas Day - take 1 3:37
15 I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day - takes 1-3 7:54
16 Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - takes 1,2 3:13
17 Silver Bells - takes 1,2 4:41
18 I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day – remake takes 1,2 5:48
DISC 2
01 I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day – take 4 4:58
02 If I Get Home On Christmas Day - takes 2,3 3:51
03 Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - take 3 2:27
04 I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day – remake take 3 4:24
05 It Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without You) - takes 4,5 3:03
06 O Come, All Ye Faithful – take 2 4:28
07 If I Get Home On Christmas Day - take 5 3:00
08 The Lord’s Prayer 3:01
(Public Domain)
09 I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day - takes 5,6 4:26
10 Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - takes 4 2:36
11 It’ Won’t Seem Like Christmas (Without you) - take 6 3:14
12 Merry Christmas Baby – take 1 (unedited version) 8:29
13 I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day – remake takes 4-9 7:24
14 If I Get Home On Christmas Day - take 7 2:57
15 Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees - takes 5-8 3:39
16 Winter Wonderland – takes 7,8 3:53
THE “ELVIS IS BACK” SESSIONS
Side 1
1. Such a Night (take 1) 3:14
(Lincoln Chase)
2. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
(takes 1, 2) 3:39
(Roy Turk/Lou Handman)
3. Make Me Know It (take 3) 2:12
(Otis Blackwell)
4. It’s Now Or Never (take 1) 3:28
(Aaron Schroeder/Wally Gold)
5. It Feels So Right (take 1) 2:08
(Fred Wise/Ben Weisman)
6. Thrill Of Your Love (takes 1,2,1-PB) 4:09
(Stanley Kesler)
7. Stuck on You (take 1) 2:19
(Aaron Schroeder/S. Leslie McFarland)
Side 2
1. Reconsider Baby (master) 3.44
(Lowell Fulson)
2. Soldier Boy (take 1) 3:03
(David Jones/Theodore Williams Jr.)
3. A Mess Of Blues (take 1) 2:56
(Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman)
4. The Girl Of My Best Friend
(takes 2, 4, 5, 6) 5:15
(Beverly Ross/Sam Bobrick)
5. Fame And Fortune (take 2) 2:33
(Fred Wise/Ben Weisman)
6. Like A Baby (take 1-FS/BD) 2:13
(Jesse Stone)
7. Like A Baby (take 2) 2:42
(Jesse Stone)
Side 3
1.Dirty, Dirty Feeling
(takes 2, 3-sp last chord from 4/m) 1:44
(Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
2. I Gotta Know (including take 1) 2:57
(Paul Evans/M. Williams)
3. Such A Night (takes 2, 3, 4/5-sp) 3:50
(Lincoln Chase)
4. Fever (take 1) 3:48
(John Davenport/Eddie Cooley)
5. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
(takes 4-FS, 3, wp 1/2-sp) 2:54
(Roy Turk/Lou Handman)
6. Make Me Know It (takes 9, 10, 11) 2:41
(Otis Blackwell)
7. The Girl Next Door (Went A’Walking)
(Takes 1, 2, 3) 3:43
(Bill Rise/Thomas Wayne)
Side 4
1. It’s Now Or Never (take 2) 3:245
(Aaron Shcroeder/Wally Gold)
2. It’s Now or Never (takes 3, 4) 3:56
(Aaron Shcroeder/Wally Gold)
3. It Feels So Right (takes 4, 3) 2:41
(Fred Wise/Ben Weisman)
4. The Girl Of My Best Friend (take 9) 2:26
(Beverly Ross/Sam Bobrick)
5. A Mess Of Blues (takes 2, 3) 2:50
(Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman)
6. Soldier Boy (takes 9, 10) 3:39
(David Jones/Theodore Williams Jr.)
7. Make Me Know It (takes 17, 18) 2:46
(Otis Blackwell)
Finally, Promised Land in the classic series! Hope to get them prior Christmas...
This is good news of course but what happened to the "He Touched Me" and "48 Hours To Memphis" releases which were due in September? Or did I miss something. I do know they were delayed 'till October' but so far they have not been available. Does anyone know?
wow - the ELVIS IS BACK sessions look superb ! Top of my Christmas list !
EJF, we all should know that release dates for FTD has been a hit and miss scenario so really hoping that December's ones will be available in December and not some time in early 2012, as for HTM, 48hrs to Memphis and Guitar Man vinyl arrived on my desk this morning so are out and with your local dealers so expect any time??.
For those who want the track listings for these they have been posted on various www. and am sure Lex may wish to list them if time allows.
Oh, what a cruel joke this will be if it's not true. I never thought I'd live long enough to see "Promised Land" announced in the classic series. lol Seriously, I've heard a single disc "Flaming Star" and "GI Blues Vol. I" were in the works, so this comes as a complete surprise. I'm very pleased with this announcement - actually with both titles. A nice "early" Christmas present.
Well, just great. I received both, "Promised Land" & "The Wonderful World of Christmas", on LP as a Christmas present when I was young (don't ask ...), so the timing fits perfectly to me. Also I hoped after "He Touched Me" (received my copy on Friday, had a perfect weekend) they had gone through the session anyway, consequently the Christmas album is the perfect match. And "Promised Land" is overdue a long time as 3rd Stax album. Can't wait, but will pass time listening to "He Touched Me" until then. I am not so sure about the book. First time no CD is included for a FTD book, quite unusual. I think for us collectors they should add a CD including just this last Hayride show from December 1956 (hey, this would also match time!), of course with corrected speed, so we do not have to buy the Memphis Recording Service release !
I'm so happy! Finally the 1971 studio sessions will be completed and so the Stax 1973 sessions. Great Great news! Elvis Is Back in vinyl is also awsome. What a session, and what a voice Elvis had on this early 60's album. I don't collect vinyl but I'm tempted here because of the greatness of the line up.I love it when FTD dare to improve an original LP with a better shot. Looks wonderful. I was hoping to see a December release on FTD that celebrates the Christmas Holidays. Here it is! Thanks Ernst. It's going to be a very good year finally.
This is excellent news and i'm VERY excited about the Promised land CD's! from my reckoning we get about 9 'new' takes of Its Midnight alone (and i haven't even assessed the other tracks-yet!) so this will please me greatly THANKS Ernst!
Funny how we Elvis fans can disagree. I'd rather take a razor to my ear than listen to 9 takes of It's Midnight. A very depressing song if ever there was one. This song in many ways is worse than the many bad soundtrack Elvis recorded over the years. As badly written as they are at least they are not walling in self pity. Well maybe not a straight razor but more like an electric one.
Just not into outtakes anymore, especially 70's ones. Even great songs like Burning Love & Promised Land, the outtakes are just repititious and boring (to me). There is so much great music out there I cant understand why anyone gets excited about 9 takes of Its Midnight. Check out Chris Isaak's new CD. He pays tribute great Sun artists with an updated sound. Sorry, but its much better than this.
Why bother to make a comment on an FTD album if you don't like outtakes? The original album with only the masters is out there for you. This derogatory comment of yours on It's Midnight makes no difference here. An FTD album is for the serious fan who wants to experience Elvis working on his songs. Nobody is forcing to buy it. I very much appreciate this release, and can only wish Elvis had lived longer to record more songs like the ones of the 70's. His matureness as a singer in this period of his life is outstanding.
Thanks drjohncarpenter0117 for that info regarding my concern over the delayed release of HTM and 48HRS. I ordered my copies ages ago so I'm sitting by my letter-box as we speak :) Looking forward to these new announcements as well.
Surely FTD was set up to give fans a lot more from the sessions that just master takes etc?......so to get a 2 cd set with both master takes and a lot of material from these sessions is just what we expect from a 'Classic Album' release.Maybe fans listen to Elvis in a different way to me but i simply love the session material and we have had some real gems both official and unofficial.
Not sure why people are complaining about heariing take after take of the same track. They moaned about he Touched me and so on, but overall I got both 48 hours and he Touchd Me in the post yesterday, and love the artwork especially in 48 hours.
back on topic, I have preordered Promised Land and the 56 book, but i'm not that much interested in the Christmas FTD, however if it had been on the early sessions like Blue Christmas and so on, then I would be drooling. :D Promised Land is gonna make my Christmas very special this yr, and the book is a must for my list. :P
I am a serious vinyl collector. FTD ruins the vinyl releases by not including the Vic Anesini masters. Standing Room Only and Viva Las Vegas had the masters, why not the other releases? I wish I was running FTD. We would have had a box set on Elvis On Tour with all shows 10 years ago!
If Ernst thought that the order numbers for "Guitar Man" were impressive, I have no doubts that he'll be very pleased with the numbers for "Promised Land." The tracklisting looks to be better than I had even dared to dream. This is such a great album that I hope the mastering issues were resolved and that the sound is equal to or better than the other two Stax sets (RoR & GT). My only comment is take 1 of "promised Land" seems to be omitted - wonder if Ernst found the language too rough for even an FTD release ? Will that bother me ? Are you kidding, I've waited for this one since the classic album series began. As far as the missing take, Venus supplied that one a few months back. I sincerely thank you Ernst for getting this one on the books - I just hope there aren't delays due to the number of orders or something along those lines. I simply cannot wait.
Dear ALL... Is there someone to tell me the difference between the Weltheimer "Elvis at 21" and this new one?
It seems they forgot to include the version of Merry Christmas Baby with strings (from This is Elvis).
I actually did look through what 'takes' have been released officially and un officially and still came to the conclusion that this new FTD promised land CD's will have approx 31 completely unheard takes of songs! Geez thats breath taking by any measure and as someone who loves hearing these i will probably enjoy this FTD as much as i did the fantastic Raised on Rock FTD. Surely this final 1973 studio release will be something to delight and savour for true Elvis fans! I know i will!~
When you think about we are slowly coming to the end of the classic albums series. If you dont include the remaining movie soundtracks there are about six albums left more or less. I hope the two Memphis albums are out next year. Im looking forward to Promised Land. Its Midnight is not a song of self pity but a song of loss. I have the Chris Isaack cd. I listen to alot of music but will always have time for Elvis.
Where the hell is Take 1 from Promised Land ?
Great....cant wait for the 2 classic albums releases :) He touched me was ok but I know PL will be much better :)
Yep, take 1 of PL isn't on it !. Glad I have it on the Venus-label "On A Jet Plane To The Promised Land". Always El.
I'm guessing it was Elvis' 'potty-mouth' that kept take 1 from making the track list. It isn't because it was a FS or wasn't recorded, we know it exists from the Venus release. I can't think of any other reason why it would be left off. Am I going to disappointed it's missing ? No Way !! There's too much to savor on what else is on there.
Great news! Two real classic albums just before christmas- what more could an Elvis fan wish for? As I´m a musician myself, I really love the outtakes, because they show how Elvis and his musicians worked on a song. To hear how a song progresses during a recording session is a very intersting thing to me (´though I know it can be a little bit boring...).
What amuses me: I remember the times when a different take of "Guadalajara" was somethim like a sensation. Now we get an almost complete recording session 34 years after Elvis has died! I´m really happy to be an Elvis fan. (Though I don´t know why a bit of "bad language" kicks PL Take 1 off the record. Ernst, RCA: Ever listen to today´s language? ;-) Hey, it´s the 21st century, by the way!
Great, great news :-) The promised Land - Yes, thank you very much. But the Christmas album, why did they leave out some of the really good takes, perhaps I'm wrong..
Orion, absolutely agreed ! Great release(s). Paisley, my thoughts too (I'm a musician too) Very well said. As for the comment about the language, you're right, this 2011, not 1911. Always El.
Hello, I think the PL set is missing the vocal harmony version of the title track found on the recent Unedited Masters release from the Venus Label. These CD's aren't to my personal taste at all - the familiar LP-length discs are too dull for me to withstand - but I have to acknowledge what a great job FTD continues to do. Thousands of Elvis devotees are desperate to collect Elvis's out-takes, and these releases are exactly what the majority want. A shame for me I'm in the minority but c'est la vie!
Well these cd´s are a kind of work in progress - like a fly on the wall. If one are interessted in Elvis studio work, then this is the right thing. And the design is also top notis :-) Ok not every take is there, but that is not the point with these albums. Well take care, The Master is out for now..
Glad we finally get more FTD offers. Only one question : Why didn't FTD add on the new HeToMe digipack NOT the sosngs that Elvis rehearsed and taped in RCA studios in Nashville : Lord, I need you again today, Room at the cross, Don't knock, You better run, He lifted me, He, Walk that lonesome valley ??? Elvis already had rehearsed at length and had these also taped way back in 1966 during the HGTArt sessions. And as we have seen many times, old songs he liked were taken up and released (or recorded again in a different version perhaps) on later records. All this according to insider-friends in Nashville... Can any of our fan friends shine any more details/news/comments on this mystery ? Great that this nexw FTD album comes out just during these holidays here (remembering our dead on Nov 1 & 2nd--good timing this time around)
what about take 1 of Promised Land? it was out on bootleg just few weeks ago and surely they have it. just because he gives a x rated lyric doenst mean it should be left out. jesus we realize Elvis was human and joked around. i hope they read this and include it.
I personally LOVE outtakes, mostly because they generally sound BETTER without the added echo, compression and/or overdubbs inflicted on the masters. I think the Good Times outtakes (for example) outshine the masters. The Stereo 57 stuff is breathtaking compared to the masters from those session, and so on.
Yes, From Elvis in Memphis and Back in Memphis I look forward to the most, but I am also hoping for King Creole, Kissin Cousins, Roustabout and Speedway. And would like to see the rest of the Golden Records series, the 57 Christmas album and even For LP Fans Only and A Date With Elvis. And a compilation of the later soundtracks like Stay Away Joe, The Trouble With Girls, Charro, A Change of Habit.
kink56, both volumes of 'Stereo 57' are one of the best examples of what outtakes and session work Elvis put into his work even back then and are a pure listening pleasure..........thanks for the reminder.
God forgive me, but I'm not a fan of the 'outtakes' either. No offense to the serious collectors. That being said, The "Elvis Is Back" Sessions looks like it will lead the listener through the progression of each song, and you'll have that in-studio feel you get with The Jungle Room Sessions (just my hunch). Time will tell. I won't be surprised if The "Elvis Is Back" Sessions topples Jungle Room as the best FTD release ever.
hi guys, WOW looking forward to the new F.T.D. albums thats coming up , although i do have both albums on boots but i think its about time F.T.D. realeased promised land. im gonna ask you all for some advice could anyone tell me the best place to buy the F.T.D. albums and elvis import albums ... i think you know what i mean....like the albums that MADISON, GRAVEL ROAD, VENUS ETC. cos i dont have a clue , im from the uk and when some of these albums are on ebay the sellers can sometime want you to buy way too much for an album. so please any information at all i would be very greatful. thank everyone ...PLEASE HELP
Will buy Prom Land FTD but not the Xmas outtakes (only few outt of Winter wonderland and not enough of Silver bells)
Will next FTD be released in Jan/Feb 2012 (From EP Blvd ???). Too bad indeed the x-rated version of PLand is not on
the FTD outtakes. A shame.
Quote from the description on the "Shop Elvis" site: "The highlights of the album are a gritty six minute version of Charles Brown's hit 'Merry Christmas Baby' and the version of 'Blue Christmas' Elvis performed on his comeback television special.
BLUE CHRISTMAS? from the '68 Special? It is not listed in the selections content!
The 1968 version of "Blue Christmas" was tagged rather awkwardly to the end of some earlier releases of "The Wonderful World of Christmas". It was completely out of place and for that reason is not included on the forthcoming FTD edition. I expect the Shop Elvis people just copied a review from an earlier release.
Don't know if I'll keep on buying the new FTD releases...! Yesterday I found the HeTouchedMe FTD in my mailbox and after listening to the outtakes, I was/still am so very...'disappointed'. No outts of 'Lead me Guide me' (my fav) and only one outt of I John....rest...mediocre. I will therefore NOT buy these newly announced digis (as more outtakes are not on Prom
Land nor Christmas album). They'll probably show up one day later as Ernst/Roger Team may want to put them on
future CD releases... Totally disgusted (but I had already blindly ordered the new FTD...which I will no longer do).
"Lead Me Guide Me": The session reel that contained the out-takes is missing, Sony only have the master take which was removed from this tape and added to the session reel. I'm afraid Sony have not yet found a way to release what they don't have.
"I, John": The master take was two and the alternative take on the FTD releases was take one. That is all there was, no more, no less. I cannot see how somebody can be disgusted at how takes were not included when they were either never recorded or do not exist. Having said that, the source of the complaint supposedly only joined this site two days ago, clearly another new user name for an old trouble maker.
Me too, friends. I also miss outtakes of Silver bells and Lead me, Guide me songs on this FTD release. I would have hoped that FTD was going to include in this new release the gospel segment/rehearsal that we saw in the OnTour movie which I would like to have on CD (I John version but also the fabulous Lme, Gme rehearsal scene plus his funny comments about going to have some coffee and get a collection going...) but Ernst or Roger at FTD forgot those, I guess. Several fans write their honest comments and are critisized by others on this forum that they complain. Not true. If they only print out the 'how great, how good, fabulous etc' comments, nobody will believe this forum anymore. Some of those who think they know it all, it seems, don't understand how an unbiased forum works. If it's under what fans expect, it better be known by all of us. Honest, realistic (even negative if substantiated by reason) comments should be allowed & printed OK
The out-takes of "Silver Bells" are on this forthcoming CD release, they are listed above. The reason there are not dozens of them is because the master take was number two. Regarding "Lead Me, Guide Me", I have already answered that question, the session reel containing the out-takes is missing, Sony cannot release what they do not have. The reason that the so-called bonus songs are not on the "He Touched Me" CD is because they do not exist, they are just the figment of someones imagination. The "Elvis On Tour" Gospel songs are also not on this release because they do not date from the "He Touched Me" sessions, quite why anybody would think that they should be included is beyond me.
Glad to see PL coming soon in the next FTD mix. As for WWC I might skip it, the Christmas stuff doesn't do much for me apart from a bit of novelty value. As for PL I'll be getting that mainly for the great sessions they were. Lets face it you can't have "Good Times" and not get PL on FTD. However as far as the original albums go I'd prefer "Good Times", shoot me down but it has much more variety. PL has too many fillers and not enough up-beat material. 'It's Midnight', 'Sleep' and the title track are the only stand-outs.
