I was wondering if the Elvis FTD (Follow That Dream) releases are worth collecting, as theyseem well put together collections of his albums and session tracks etc but are quite expensive. I've been starting to collect the normal albums on CDs and have started with the Legacy editions by Sony and also the Gospel albums (have a gospel comp and How Great Thou Art so far). I think I might stay with the normal album releases as there's a massive amount of Elvis compilations/remasters out although the Complete Masters collection looks really cool but is expensive! and I'm assuming it includes all the albums, soundtracks & EP releases etc.

Hey TTF! FTD's are great, but yup expensive. I only have a few and the sound quality is excellent. I own of couple legacy and they are great as well. The soundtracks are good too and the newer updates are good. They can be gotten on amazon.com for cheap. You might want to check out The essential boxsets 50's, 60's and 70's great sets and great sound quality. Buy them used. Any particular ones that you want, but are hesitant in buying?

Be careful with the FTD live releases. My dad had nearly every title. Some of the live shows are audience recordings, and they don't sound too hot to my ears. On the whole though, they seem like an excellent series. Quality on the soundboards are really good, and the sound quality on outtakes and rehearsals are great for the most part. They are nicely packaged together too.

More info can be had here http://www.elvisoncd.com/

FTD also do vinyl and books, both of which seem to be of very high quality, quite a lot of the titlles are now sold out/deleted, but they can still be found if you look hard enough.

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to finish collecting the Legacy series first I think and then consider the FTD releases. The Peace in the Valley boxset looks very good so might get that next as I think Elvis gospel music is great to listen to.

OK will check those out too, thanks. I can get them new for about £15-18 each on Amazon UK which is a good price. I know there's lots of compilations out there, so do these boxed sets include any full albums on them or just the best songs from the albums, soundtracks etc?. Also I have the 'Real Elvis' 3cd set and have heard some of those songs are different takes/sessions, but I would have thought they were the original songs and is there any complete albums included on it?. I was looking for a list to see what songs are from which album but there's no booklet or anything with the set or noted on the case which would be helpful. Putting the songs in chronological order would have been a better idea too!. I think the 'His Hand in Mine' album is on it in full. Also are any of the soundtrack albums worth collecting?.

I have the first re-mastered Elvis album and was wondering if there's anything missing from the 'Real Elvis' set on the Legacy edition of the first and second Elvis albums. Also the 'Elvis is Back!/Something for Everyone' legacy too as I noticed some tracks are on the 'Real Elvis' and don't really want to buy the same songs twice, but I guess they would be in even better quality. Haven't had that good a look at the FTD releases but I like hearing outtakes/session tracks etc. but might try and get the Beach Boys Pet Sounds Sessions first which is quite expensive now as its deleted then look at finding the FTD releases at reasonable prices. Is there also a definitive list of all Elvis official releases as I have some of the budget label ones like 'Lets Be Friends' on LP and not sure if its a proper release or not or just a compilation of songs from other soundtracks/LPs etc.

The Real Elvis doesn't have everything. I think with the 50's, 60's and 70's boxset and Peace in the Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings you'd be set. As far as soundtracks I'd get any from the 50's Loving You, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole. The 60's soundtracks are a mix bag. I have most of them cause I'm a fan. A couple are good Blue Hawaii, GI Blues, That's The Way It Is(1970), etc. Concerts: Elvis: On Stage, Elvis In Person At The International Hotel Las Vegas Nevada, Elvis In Concert, Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis, Elvis Presley Burning In Birmingham(One of his last concerts and might be my fav. In great voice. This is a bootleg. I think youtube has the whole concert) etc. I think my fav. FTD's are THE JUNGLE ROOM SESSIONS(great alternative takes) and TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS. I may be forgetting some, but these are a great start. Hope this answers your question. Feel free to ask anything else.

Alternative takes highly recom. 24 Carat Gold(Bootleg Great Sound Quality) Check Ebay.

American Crown Jewels(Bootleg Great Sound Quality)

Elvis Meets Presley

There is a FTD version(See below), but this was the 1st. release. Very good audience recording. His voice was amazing that night.(Bootleg)

FTD version.

Thanks Joe. So far on CD I have: Elvis 75 / Real Elis / How Great Thou Art / Elvis Presley (first album) / King Creole / On Stage 70 / #1s / 2nd II None/ Just Elvis & Greatest Hits (budhget label compilations on a label called 'The Entertainers')/Gospel Favorites/ Essential Collection & Elvis Christmas (think this has all the Xmas songs he recorded on it). Have ordered the MSG & Elvis in Memphis deluxe editions too.

On LP I have Elvis Country/ Love Letters from Elvis/ This is Elvis / Elvis in Concert/ Elvis at MSG/ Lets Be Friends/ Seperate Ways/Moody Blue/ Elvis 5 lp readers digest set/ Almost in Loe/ Sings Flaming Star/ Kissin Cousins/ Elvis You'll Never Walk Alone/ Elvis Inspirations (gospel comp)/Elvis Sings Hits from the Movies/ Rock & Roll (think this is a re-issue of the 2nd album?)/ Elvis Golden Records Vol 2 & 3, Elvis for Everyone & I Got Lucky.

I was thinking of getting the Elvis @ Stax (will get it when its abit cheaper which I think includes the Promised Land lp and the outtakes too, and for Elvis Country as it includes the Country & Love Letters alum I'm not not sure whether to get that yet along. Will definitely get the Peace in the Valley set soon (although I checked & 'His Hand in Mine' is included on the Real Elvis 3cd set. On the reviews for the Masters boxset the reviews say the CDs are quite tightly packaged in it and the booklets abit difficult to read too. I have seen an alternative boxset which the CDs in jewel cases which would be better but I assume the newer ones are re-mastered etc.

I was going to order the Elvis is Back! legacy but on AmazonUK & Play.com they have two legacy editions listed, so were two released? as one says 'Special Limited edition' so not sure which one to order. I like one of the songs on Clambake called 'The Girl I Never Loved' too and was wondering if its included on any compilation CD or LP, as I'm not sure whether to get the Clambake album just for one song. Thanks

I have this one. The legacy Edition:

This is the FTD version:

There is another one that is SACD. Legacy will be your best bet.

The Girl I Never Loved is one of my favs as well. I think it's only on Clambake only. I think I have the FTD version which has a couple of nice alternative takes. Amazon has the mp3 as well. I would not get that big Elvis Mastered boxset it's expensive. Elvis 75 is suppose to be a great remastering set. I may get that one day if cheaply found. You seem to have a good collection there. Most of my Elvis LP's were ruined in the storm last year, so I'm buying stuff here and there. I pretty much have everything I want though. The Stax set stuff, I may buy it I think it has an alternative takes of one of my faves I Miss You. Elvis Country/Love Letter is a great set. I bought those separately, so I never bought that set. Love Letter is very underrated album. I love Heart Of Rome on there. If you can get Crown Jewels you will love the takes his voice great on that seesion. Have you got the That's The Way It Is Special Edition DVD. I just watch it on Saturday, boy they did a great job on the video and sound If you have a 5.1 setup it's like you're there.

JoeBala said:

I have this one. The legacy Edition:

This is the FTD version:

There is another one that is SACD. Legacy will be your best bet.

The Girl I Never Loved is one of my favs as well. I think it's only on Clambake only. I think I have the FTD version which has a couple of nice alternative takes. Amazon has the mp3 as well. I would not get that big Elvis Mastered boxset it's expensive. Elvis 75 is suppose to be a great remastering set. I may get that one day if cheaply found. You seem to have a good collection there. Most of my Elvis LP's were ruined in the storm last year, so I'm buying stuff here and there. I pretty much have everything I want though. The Stax set stuff, I may buy it I think it has an alternative takes of one of my faves I Miss You. Elvis Country/Love Letter is a great set. I bought those separately, so I never bought that set. Love Letter is very underrated album. I love Heart Of Rome on there. If you can get Crown Jewels you will love the takes his voice great on that seesion. Have you got the That's The Way It Is Special Edition DVD. I just watch it on Saturday, boy they did a great job on the video and sound If you have a 5.1 setup it's like you're there.

OK thanks Joe. I have the 3 cd version of Elvis 75 (theres a 4 cd boxset too with 100 songs on too). I think the Stax set includes the 'Raised on Rock', 'Promised Land' & 'Good Times' albums and once it goes down in price I'll most likely get the Stax legacy set. I'm thinking of getting the Aloha from Hawaii Legacy set next or the 'Elvis is Back!' legacy, these are the two different versions:

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/35341876/Elvis-Is-Back/Product.html?searchstring=elvis+is+back+legacy&searchsource=0&searchtype=allproducts&urlrefer=search

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/18496992/Elvis-Is-Back-/Product.html?searchstring=elvis+is+back+legacy&searchsource=0&searchtype=allproducts&urlrefer=search

Both have the same track listing, although the first one has the same cover photo as the FTD release so not sure which one to get?. I have 'Thats the Way It' is on VHS, the remastered special edition. Will eventually start getting the concert DVDs etc once I have the LPs and CDs I'm looking for. The masters boxset I saw was on Ebay and its the 50's masters in jewel cd cases. The 30+ disc Elvis complete masters would be great but its really expensive but looks like a great collection and theres a book including all of the recording sessions, record sales, LP covers etc. Is there an extended version of 'The Girl I Never Loved'?, as I think it would have been a even better song with a third verse and a stronger ending. Also I think there was CDs individually released from this set:

http://www.elvisoncd.com/frame.htm?http://www.elvisoncd.com/EIGENECD_a-z/collections/epcollection/epcollection.htm

There are 50 discs in total and I was wondering what the soundquality is like on them (they have numbers on each of the CDs from the collection) as I might get some of the soundtracks etc to complete my collection.

[Edited 11/8/13 7:19am]

The Legacy one is cheaper so...Looks like your on your way then. I hope I answered all your questions. Feel free to ask more.

Thanks Joe Is there any major difference between the legacy editions and the normal cd releases? As I've read the Aloha from Hawaii legacy is sourced from the original LP master tape, so I'm assuming if I got the single disc of Aloha it would have the same mix?. Although as I have some of the other Legacy editions I will most likely still get them.

From what I read the guy who remastered Legacy is top notch. There will always be better with every release so...

OK thanks Joe. I was wondering, did Elvis ever do a studio recording of 'Its Impossible'?. I looked on the tracklisting for the FTD release online for the Elvis (1973) album and there's not any outtake listed for the song, so maybe Elvis just sung it live.

Good question. I think there is a take on the 70's essential set I'll check and report back.

I just listened to the live version on the Essential 70's, It's the same as the released version. I'll keep searching...There is no studio version from my search. He does a studio version of My Way on the same set, but the live version is better.

.

Well what do you know check this out! I hope you get it there:

Trivia: Original Spanish version of It's Impossible(the guy who is playing the piano wrote the song originally):

Andrea and Christina's version:

[Edited 11/21/13 15:09pm]

Thanks Joe, I like the cover versions of 'Its Impossible' you've posted too Are there any other songs which Elvis just performed live and didn't record studio versions of?. Another good Elvis song I heard recently is 'A Boy Like Me, A Girl Like You' from the Girls, Girls, Girls soundtrack. Would be good if they made a compilation of all the good soundtrack songs Elvis recorded.

These are live versions that were never recorded, I might have missed a few, some were recorded in rehearsal(some are released and some are on bootleg), so they were close to studio as you can get:

You Gave Me A Mountain, Runaway, Let It Be Me, Yesterday, Proud Mary, You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' , Baby What You Want Me To Do, Something, Steamroller Blues, The Wonder Of You, Never Been To Spain, Polk Salad Annie, Bridge Over Troubled Water, I Just Can't Help Believin', My Babe, Tiger Man, It's Impossible, Softly As I Leave You, You're My Reason For Living, America The Beautiful, Words, etc.

Looks like your dream is coming true an Elvis Movie Soundtrack Boxset coming in Jan 2014 : http://www.elvispresleyfa...oxset.html

Here is a nice collection of alternative movie songs: http://www.amazon.com/Com...oundtracks

These are also not recorded in studio, only live:

• "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"

• "I Can't Stop Loving You"

• "What Now My Love"

• "An American Trilogy"

• Walk A Mile In My Shoes

• Release Me

Thanks Joe. The movie soundtrack boxset looks good too. I think a studio version of 'An American Trilogy' would have been great especially with like a gospel choir etc doing backing vocals. I notice that Elvis & Roy Orbison have both covered "I Can't Stop Loving You" & "What Now My Love", did they ever record a song(s) together or perform together on stage?. I have mostly all of Roy's albums on CD and the 55-65 mp3 boxset and there doesn't seem to be any song(s) with Elvis, so I'm guessing they didn't record together. Although IIRC they were both signed to Sun records at the same time.

thetimefan said:

I notice that Elvis & Roy Orbison have both covered "I Can't Stop Loving You" & "What Now My Love", did they ever record a song(s) together or perform together on stage?.

It's been rumored for years that Elvis made a 1955 appearance on a local television show that Roy had in Texas. Elvis allegedly sang with and without Roy. This appearance is mentioned without performance details in Guralnick's "Last Train to Memphis," the source listed as a Roy Orbison interview. I don't believe any validating evidence has surfaced, however I haven't read the Sun Box ("Boy From Tupelo") book yet. I'm sure if Ernst@Sony found anything solid on the appearance it would be included in the book.

I love some of the gospel alt. takes on the >> FTD "Easter Special"

Some of your questions about live vs. studio songs and where various songs appear can be answered on the >> Elvis Songbase

The only real duets Elvis did were with Kitty White(Crawfish from King Kreole), Ann Margaret(The Lady Loves Me from Viva Las Vegas), Nancy Sinatra(Ain't Nothing Like A Song from Speedway), Ray Walker of The Jordanaires(Who Needs Money from Clambake), etc.

Here is a full list:

http://www.elvisnews.com/...duets/1098