Elvis 75:
Good Rockin' Tonight

Elvis Presley

With the innumerable commemorative sets released in the name of Elvis Presley, it’s hard to believe anyone could up the stakes. But Legacy and RCA have done it with Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight, an arching four-CD set of 100 remastered songs comprising the singer’s entire career, making it all the more definitive. Commemorating the King of Rock 'n' Roll’s 75th birthday, this collection is filled with early hits, movie tracks, deep cuts, forgotten nuggets, live performances and a quirky 2002 remix of “A Little Less Conversation” — providing an insightful, well-rounded overview of an unrivaled international phenomenon.

Rockabilly, R&B, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll, country, pop, gospel — these were the musical dimensions Elvis Presley entered and explored over the course of his two-decade career. Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight cuts to the bone, with an emphasis on the magic moments and turning points during Presley’s explosive run. The urgency and power of his voice is apparent on “My Happiness,” the recording he made for his mother in the summer of 1953. From there, it was only a matter of the pieces falling into place to build the legacy. Sam Phillips found the sound when Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black ran through blues guitarist Arthur Crudup's “That's All Right (Mama),” their first single together. The B-side, Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon OF Kentucky,” solidified Presley’s provocative style, and the young prince of what would become known as rock and roll was on his way.

For the next two years, a slew of Sun recordings followed, including “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” “Baby, Let’s Play House, “Mystery Train,” “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” and “I Got A Woman” — all beautifully scrubbed down and gathered together on the first disc. Adding drummer D.J. Fontana and signing with RCA, Elvis expanded his repertoire and his partnerships. With assistance from guitarist Chet Atkins and pianist Floyd Cramer, Presley and his band recorded “Heartbreak Hotel,” their first Number One and the best selling single of 1956. But for every “Blue Suede Show” and “Hound Dog,” there was the jaunty “One-Sided Love Affair” and the boogie woogie of “Lawdy, Miss Gawdy” to keep the King's musical radar bright and shiny. By the end of 1956, with “Love Me Tender,” a ballad, hit single and the name of Presley’s first film, it seemed like there was nothing that could stop the momentum. Then, at the end of 1957, he received his draft notice, and Elvis mania took a turn, for better or worse.

A month before reporting for duty, Presley recorded his sixth album King Creole, which included the singles “Hard Headed Woman” and “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck,” along with “Trouble” and the title track — occupying the first four spots of the second disc. These would help to sustain Presley’s popularity while he was away. Four volumes of Elvis’ Golden Records produced more singles well into the early 60s — the ultra cool “(Now And The There’s) A Fool Such As I,” “Stuck On You,” “It’s Now Or Never,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight?,” “Surrender,” “His Latest Flame” and “Little Sister.”

Tracks from Elvis Is Back (“Thrill Of Your Love,” “Such A Night” and “Reconsider Baby”), the first album after his military service stint, reaffirmed the King’s preeminence. From the mellow, harmonic flow of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” to the spirited yet disillusioning “Return To Sender,” from 1962’s Girls! Girls! Girls! — Presley took on a more sophisticated sound with additional musicians and singers. This was about the time his role as a movie star began to overshadow his musical career.

Before the Beatles stormed the U.S shores and changed the face of pop music for one helluva long time, Presley still ruled the roost. ”Bossa Nova Baby,” “The Devil In Disguise” and “Viva Las Vegas” were all Top 40 singles. At the same time, the all-embracing arrangements behind “It Hurts Me,” “This Is My Heaven” and “Adam And Evil” display a gradual departure from the aggressive, raw approach of the 50s. It would be simple to surmise the gospel spiritual “How Great Thou Art” was the final straw, but then the King got loose and dirty in the late 60s with “Guitar Man,” “Big Boss Man” and Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business.” In 1969, Elvis was on the comeback, having scored high with the stunning Elvis TV special and completing Change Of Habit, his final film with co-star Mary Tyler Moore. He returned to the Top 10 with Mac Davis’ “In The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds.”

The fourth and final disc of Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight is all 70s — the last seven years of Elvis Presley’s life. By this time, the King was performing live on a full-time basis, becoming a LAs Veags staple in the process. “Polk Salad Annie” is, in fact, a live recording from the International Hotel in Vegas, practically a second home for Presley. Scotty Moore, D.J. Fontana and Bill Black were no longer part of a band filled with a congregation of players and singers. Even so, Presley continued to record and chart, hitting Number 2 in 1972 with“Burning Love.” Eventually, the hits dwindled and the edge softened, but Elvis could still sing, to the very end, like no one else. His version of “Always On My Mind” makes Willie Nelson’s pale in comparison. And Presley’s stirring take of “Unchained Melody,” recorded mere months before his death, evokes a level of intensity rarely found in artists in a downward spiral.

The set finishes off with a modern remix of “A Little Less Conversation,” spiffed up in 2002 by Junkie XL for a Nike advertising campaign. It also became the theme for the NBC television show Las Vegas. Most of all, it helped introduce Elvis Presley to a whole new audience. The King’s 75th birthday celebration is an open invitation for even more fans, young and old, to discover the sights and sounds of Elvis Presley. With class in session, it’s only fitting that Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight, which also includes an 80-page booklet of liner notes, rare photos, and recording notes for each track, serve as an introduction. The rest is all gravy.

~ Shawn Perry

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