Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters

[Gregory Nolan Jr.]

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:qmf5zffheh2k#musvid


Since From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters gave up the ghost of being a complete overview of Elvis Presley's '60s recordings, the compilers of the companion five-disc box set Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters — the third and final installment in RCA's justifiably acclaimed Elvis box set reissue series — decided to throw even the illusion of comprehensiveness out the window and just serve up five discs and 120 tracks of highlights.

Instead of adhering to a strict chronological sequencing, which the two previous boxes did, this is divided into two discs of singles, two discs of studio highlights, then one disc that attempts to present the ultimate Elvis Presley live show by culling peaks from several gigs throughout of the decade. This is a sharp move, since there is simply too much recorded material from the '70s to be presented either completely or chronologically, and his high points are easier to digest broken down in this fashion.

Truth be told, he didn't have too many outright classics during this time — just "Burning Love," "Always on My Mind," "Raised on Rock," "Promised Land," and "Moody Blue," ( -editor) along with 1971's excellent album Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old) — but it was a far more consistent era than the '60s, and it was more adventurous in terms of material and production, never sounding like pandering, which the early '60s could on occasion.

This is more evident on the studio highlights than on the singles discs, particularly because those two discs delve into records like Elvis Country, but the end result is a set that is far more consistent and entertaining than From Nashville to Memphis, even if it doesn't sustain the delirious heights of his late-'60s comeback.

If the fifth, final live disc is the kind of thing that you listen to only once or twice, it still crackles with energy, and the two studio highlights discs prove that Presley was still a sensitive, inventive interpreter of strong material, and the productions have a rich, robust diversity that keeps this interesting and enjoyable. To say that the '70s recordings are more consistent than the '60s is true, but it does give the impression that Elvis was as consistently brilliant as he was a decade earlier.

That's simply not the case — the best of the '60s recordings overshadows the best cuts here without effort — but this does have a diversity of material and sound (even if it sometimes borders on the splashy excess of Vegas) that not only keeps it interesting, it proves that, when pressed, Elvis was still restless and inventive.

Maybe the music here isn't as outright classic as those on the previous box sets, but it captures its era just as well, and provides the final piece of musical narrative while serving up some terrific music.

And if the final chapter of the most iconic figure in American popular music is not essential to a library, then you don't truly care for American popular music.
- Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
Title
Composer
Time

1 The Wonder of You Knight 2:34
Composed by: Knight
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


2 I've Lost You Blaikley, Howard 3:30
3 The Next Step Is Love Evans, Parnes 3:31
Composed by: Evans, Parnes
Performed by: Presley, Nashville Edition


4 You Don't Have to Say You Love Me Donaggio, Napier-Bell ... 2:30
Composed by: Donaggio, Napier-Bell, Pallavicini, Wickham


5 Patch It Up Bourke, Rabbitt 3:08
6 I Really Don't Want to Know Barnes, Robertson 2:54
Composed by: Barnes, Robertson
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


7 There Goes My Everything Frazier 2:58
Composed by: Frazier
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


8 Rags to Riches Adler, Ross 1:54
9 Where Did They Go, Lord Frazier, Owens 2:27
Composed by: Frazier, Owens
Performed by: Presley, Jordanaires, Imperials Quartet


10 Life Milete 3:10
11 I'm Leavin' Charles, Jarrett 3:51
Composed by: Charles, Jarrett
Performed by: Presley, Imperial Quartet


12 Heart of Rome Blaikley, Howard, Stephens 2:53
13 It's Only Love James, Tyrell 2:41
Composed by: James, Tyrell
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


14 The Sound of Your Cry Baum, Giant, Kaye 3:17
15 I Just Can't Help Believin' Mann, Weil 4:34
Composed by: Mann, Weil
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet, Sweet Inspirations


16 How the Web Was Woven Most, Westlake 3:25
17 Until It's Time for You to Go Sainte-Marie 3:58
Composed by: Sainte-Marie
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


18 We Can Make the Morning Ramsey 3:54
Composed by: Ramsey
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


19 An American Trilogy Newbury 4:30
Composed by: Newbury
Performed by: Presley, Sweet Inspirations


20 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face MacColl 3:42
Composed by: MacColl
Performed by: Presley, Nashville Edition, Imperials Quartet


21 Burning Love Linde 2:50
Composed by: Linde
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


22 It's a Matter of Time Westlake 3:02
Composed by: Westlake
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


23 Separate Ways Mainegra, West 2:36
Composed by: Mainegra, West
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


24 Always on My Mind Christopher, James, Thompson 3:37
Composed by: Christopher, James, Thompson
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


25 Fool Last, Sigman 2:42
Composed by: Last, Sigman
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


26 Steamroller Blues Taylor 3:04
Composed by: Taylor
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


27 Raised on Rock James 2:38
28 For Ol' Times Sake White 3:36
29 I've Got a Thing About You Baby White 2:20
Composed by: White
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


30 Take Good Care of Her Kent, Warren 2:51
Composed by: Kent, Warren
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


31 If You Talk in Your Sleep Christopher, West 2:34
32 Promised Land Berry 2:55
33 It's Midnight Chesnut, Wheeler 3:21
Composed by: Chesnut, Wheeler
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & the Stamps, Voice


34 My Boy Bourtayre, Coulter, Francois ... 3:19
Composed by: Bourtayre, Coulter, Francois, Martin
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & the Stamps, Voice


35 Loving Arms Jans 2:50
Composed by: Jans
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & the Stamps, Voice


36 T-R-O-U-B-L-E Chesnut 3:02
Composed by: Chesnut
Performed by: Presley, Voice


37 Mr. Songman Summer 2:07
Composed by: Summer
Performed by: Presley, Voice


38 Bringing It Back Gordon 3:00
Composed by: Gordon
Performed by: Presley, Holladays, Voice


39 Pieces of My Life Seals 4:03
Composed by: Seals
Performed by: Presley, Voice


40 Green, Green Grass of Home Putman 3:35
Composed by: Putman
Performed by: Presley, Holladays, Voice


41 Thinking About You Batty 3:00
Composed by: Batty
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps, Voice


42 Hurt Crane, Jacobs 2:06
Composed by: Crane, Jacobs
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


43 For the Heart Linde 3:22
Composed by: Linde
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


44 Moody Blue James 2:49
Composed by: James
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


45 She Thinks I Still Care Lipscomb 3:51
Composed by: Lipscomb
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


46 Way Down Martine 2:38
Composed by: Martine
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


47 Pledging My Love Robey, Washington 2:50
Composed by: Robey, Washington
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


48 Twenty Days and Twenty Nights Weisman, Westlake 3:15
49 I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago Presley, Traditional 3:28
50 The Fool Ford 2:24
51 A Hundred Years from Now [#] Flatt, Scruggs 1:40
52 Little Cabin on the Hill Flatt, Monroe 1:47
53 Cindy, Cindy Fuller, Kaye, Weisman 2:31
54 Bridge over Troubled Water Simon 4:29
55 Got My Mojo Working/Keep Your Hands Off of It Foster, Presley 4:34
56 It's Your Baby, You Rock It Fowler, Milete 2:59
57 Stranger in the Crowd Scott 3:47
58 Mary in the Morning Cymbal, Rashkow 4:11
Composed by: Cymbal, Rashkow
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


59 It Ain't No Big Thing (But It's Growing) Hall, Merritt, Merritt 2:46
Composed by: Hall, Merritt, Merritt
Performed by: Presley, Nashville Edition


60 Just Pretend Fletcher, Flett 4:02
61 Faded Love [#] Wills, Wills 4:06
62 Tomorrow Never Comes [#] Bond, Tubb 4:04
Composed by: Bond, Tubb
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


63 Make the World Go Away Cochran 3:35
Composed by: Cochran
Performed by: Presley, Jordanaires, Imperials Quartet


64 Funny How Time Slips Away Nelson 4:19
Composed by: Nelson
Performed by: Presley, Jordanaires, Imperials Quartet


65 I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water [#] Babcock 4:57
66 Snowbird MacLellan 2:04
67 Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On David, Williams 3:02
68 Amazing Grace [#] Newton 3:26
69 (That's What You Get) For Lovin' Me Lightfoot 2:08
Composed by: Lightfoot
Performed by: Presley, Nashville Edition


70 Lady Madonna [#] Lennon, McCartney 1:20
71 Merry Christmas, Baby Baxter, Moore 5:43
72 I Shall Be Released [#] Dylan :48
73 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right [#] Dylan 4:00
74 It's Still Here [version] Hunter 3:29
75 I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen [Original Undubbed Version] Traditional, Westendorf 2:28
76 I Will Be True Hunter 2:34
77 My Way [#] Anka, Francois, Revaux ... 4:32
Composed by: Anka, Francois, Revaux, Thibault
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


78 For the Good Times [#] Kristofferson 3:11
Composed by: Kristofferson
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


79 Just a Little Bit Bass, Brown, Thornton ... 2:31
Composed by: Bass, Brown, Thornton, Washington


80 It's Diff'rent Now [#] Westlake 2:31
Composed by: Westlake
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


81 Are You Sincere Walker 1:59
Composed by: Walker
Performed by: Presley, Voice


82 I Got a Feelin' in My Body Linde 3:33
Composed by: Linde
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps, Voice


83 You Asked Me To Jennings, Shaver 2:52
Composed by: Jennings, Shaver
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps, Voice


84 Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues OKeefe 3:12
Composed by: OKeefe
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps, Voice


85 Talk About the Good Times Reed 2:36
Composed by: Reed
Performed by: Presley, Voice


86 Tiger Man [#] Burns, Lewis, Louis 3:05
87 I Can Help Swan 4:02
Composed by: Swan
Performed by: Presley, Voice


88 Susan When She Tried Reid 2:16
Composed by: Reid
Performed by: Presley, Voice


89 Shake a Hand Morris 3:48
Composed by: Morris
Performed by: Presley, Holladays, Voice


90 She Thinks I Still Care [#] Lipscomb 3:26
Composed by: Lipscomb
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


91 Danny Boy Weatherly 3:56
Composed by: Weatherly
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


92 Love Coming Down Chesnut 3:06
Composed by: Chesnut
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


93 He'll Have to Go Allison, Allison 4:30
Composed by: Allison, Allison
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


94 See See Rider [live] Traditional 2:33
Composed by: Traditional
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


95 Men With Broken Hearts [live/#] Williams :31
96 Walk a Mile in My Shoes [live] South 2:57
Composed by: South
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


97 Polk Salad Annie [live] White 4:46
98 Let It Be Me (Je T'Appartiens) [live] Becaud, Curtis, Delanoe 3:28
Composed by: Becaud, Curtis, Delanoe
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


99 Proud Mary [live] Fogerty 2:30
Composed by: Fogerty
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet


100 Something [live/#] Harrison 3:40
Composed by: Harrison
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet, Sweet Inspirations


101 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' [live] Mann, Spector, Weil 4:23
Composed by: Mann, Spector, Weil
Performed by: Presley, Imperials Quartet, Sweet Inspirations


102 Heartbreak Hotel [live/#] Axton, Durden, Presley 1:41
103 I Was the One [live/#] Blair, Demetrius, Peppers ... 1:19
Composed by: Blair, Demetrius, Peppers, Schroeder


104 One Night [live/#] Bartholomew, King, Steiman 1:47
105 Never Been to Spain [live/#] Axton 3:28
Composed by: Axton
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


106 You Gave Me a Mountain [live/#] Robbins 3:15
Composed by: Robbins
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


107 It's Impossible [live] Manzanero, Wayne 2:52
Composed by: Manzanero, Wayne
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


108 A Big Hunk o' Love [live/#] Schroeder, Wyche 2:02
109 It's Over [live/#] Rodgers 2:20
Composed by: Rodgers
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


110 The Impossible Dream (The Quest) [live] Darion, Leigh 2:29
Composed by: Darion, Leigh
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


111 Reconsider Baby [live] Fulson 2:41
112 I'll Remember You [live] Lee 2:35
Composed by: Lee
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


113 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry [live] Williams 2:15
Composed by: Williams
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


114 Suspicious Minds [live] James 4:29
Composed by: James
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


115 Unchained Melody [live] North, Zaret 2:27
Composed by: North, Zaret
Performed by: Presley, Sumner, J.D. & The Stamps


116 The Twelfth of Never [#] Livingston, Whittaker 2:39
Composed by: Livingston, Whittaker
Performed by: Presley, Voice


117 Softly, As I Leave You [#] Calabrese, DeVita, Shaper 2:14
Composed by: Calabrese, DeVita, Shaper
Performed by: Presley, Sherrill Nielsen


118 (Alla En) El Rancho Grande [#] Del Moral, Ramos, Urange 2:04
119 Froggie Went a Courtin' [#] Creatore, Peretti, Rodgers 2:15
120 Stranger in My Own Home Town [#] Mayfield 4:37

[elvisjnr]

i made a review of the first 2 discs, gotta get around to completing it all actually. when i have time.....

[minkahed]

I played the piss outta this set when it was first released. I jus can't buleeve it's been 10 years

I haven't played much of it in at least 5 years, but still, when I do find the time break it out, it's still a great and kick ass time

[Kristian Hjelmaas]

I played the piss outta this set when it was first released. I jus can't buleeve it's been 10 years

I haven't played much of it in at least 5 years, but still, when I do find the time break it out, it's still a great and kick ass time

Holy smoke! Is it already 10 years since the release of this marvellous box-set!?

Man, I remember it as it was yesterday: I had ordered it through my regular supplier, and I just couldn't wait for it to arrive in my mailbox!

The day it finally showed up, I locked myself in for hours, playing the sensational previously unreleased stuff first, then browsing through the cds, picking my own favorites...

Especially the masters from the brilliant Elvis Country album was a thrill to listen to, since the disturbing I Was Born About 10 000 Years Ago song this time was nowhere to be heard in between the songs!

Memories, memories...

Although it may not be the best Elvis box set ever released, I rate it as my personal favorite.

It could, and perhaps should, have been even better - if BMG had chosed to stick with just the studio songs, and omitted the live cd (they could have released a double cd set with the best live performances instead, a la Essential 60s Masters Vol 2), but hey...

It's a classic - and should be in everyone's collection, not just Elvis fans, but all music lovers' collections - period!

Br
Kristian

[familyjules]

Although it may not be the best Elvis box set ever released, I rate it as my personal favorite.

Same here. Actually, I'm not convinced that it isn't the best Elvis boxed set ever released.

Jules

[JerryNodak]

It's my favorite of the three decade box sets.

[Renan]

I bought in 1997!! 8 years have passed..

Time goes by!!

[Gregory Nolan Jr.]

Here's Rockin' Rebel - on his old site's excellent piece with an
expanded '70s box :

(The link:)
http://www.angelfire.com/music5/rockinrebel/sev.htm


The '70's Supplement

In 1995 RCA/BMG released the box set "Walk A Mile in My Shoes-The Essential '70's Masters". The box was the natural follow up to the respective '50's and '60's collections, but it's compilers felt that in this case a different approach was needed.

Like the 50's and '60's sets the '70's box would be a five disc collection. However, whilst the 50's collection had included the complete masters, and it's'60's counterpart had concentrated on all the secular recordings from that decade, things were a little more complicated with Elvis' 70's recordings.

Firstly, the complete secular '70's studio recordings would not fit onto a 5 disc set, and the producers were not allowed to exceed this. Secondly, a number of essential 1970's Presley recordings including songs such as "I Just Can't Help Believin'", "Walk A Mile In My Shoes", "Proud Mary", "Polk Salad Annie", "You Gave Me A Mountain", and "Never Been To Spain" were only recorded during concert appearances.

To exclude performances of this calibre on the basis that they were not studio masters, would have been detrimental to the overall quality of the set. Elvis' '70's output was often criticized by the serious music press, and it was important that this set showed Elvis in the most positive way, in order to re-address the balance on this period of Elvis' career.

Another point that certainly seems to have been considered when compiling the set is that throughout the '70's Elvis' manager and record company did him no favours with their release policy. In today's music industry it's highly unlikely that an artist of Elvis' standing would release one new album a year, but back in the '70's Elvis' record company was putting out three our four albums a year.

This meant that a productive session like the June 1970 Nashville session, which had already produced two great albums in "Elvis - That's The Way It Is" and "I'm 10,000 years Old - Elvis Country", was also responsible for the much weaker "Love Letters From Elvis", when RCA decided to issue most of the leftovers as a full priced album in 1971. It wasn't that every track on the album was bad. It included a great cover of "Got My Mojo Working/Keep Your Hands Off Off It ", for example, but the songs collectively just weren't up to the standard of the previous two releases.

For these reasons it was decided that the 70's box would be split into three different themes. Two discs would cover the '70's single releases, with all the A & B sides being included except for a couple of gospel performances which would appear on a gospel collection.

Two discs would cover the rest of the studio highlights from 1971 - 1976, with a few previously unissued recordings added to make the set more appealing to the collector, and the final disc would concentrate on the best of the 70's live cuts, and showcase the songs mentioned earlier in this article amongst others.

This made for a very entertaining set which showed that Elvis still made some great music during the last seven years of his life, and most music critics agreed with this assessment in their reviews of the set. For these reasons I think the decision to present the '70's masters in this way was the correct one, but as an Elvis fan I would have liked remastered versions of the complete studio recordings for my own collection.

RCA/BMG now had a problem with regards to how the "missing tracks" were made available. They were not strong enough to release as an album in their own right, and the albums that they were originally included on had been deleted from the catalogue. A series of upgraded versions of some of the more popular '70's albums have been issued since the release of the '70's box, and a number of the "missing tracks" were added to these albums as bonus tracks.

The less popular albums were not given the upgraded treatment though, and a number of songs are now unavailable in the current Presley CD catalogue. All of the '70's albums were issued during the 1990's and many fans have compiled their own collections of missing masters using these releases as the source for most of the tracks. Below is my own three disc "seventies supplement" with cover art added for those of you that would like to make your own versions of these discs. The missing tracks would easily fit on to two discs, but I've added a third disc of "loose ends" for completists.

The Essential 70's Masters Six - The Missing Tracks

I’ll Never Know
This Is Our Dance
When I’m Over You
Love Letters
If I Were You
Only Believe
Sylvia
Early Morning Rain
Miracle Of The Rosary
Padre
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Fools Rush In
Love Me, Love The Life I Lead
Until It’ Time For You To Go (alternate master)
Put Your Hand In The Hand
Where Do I Go From Here
If You Don’t Come Back
Three Corn Patches
Find Out What’s Happening
Girl Of Mine
I Miss You
Sweet Angeline
Love Song Of The Year
Help Me
Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming


The Essential '70's Masters Seven - The Missing Tracks

There’s A Honky Tonk Angel
If That Isn’t Love
Spanish Eyes
She Wears My Ring
Fairytale
And I Love You So
Woman Without Love
Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall
The Last Farewell
Solitaire
I’ll Never Fall In Love Again
Never Again
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
It’s Easy For You
Bonus Tracks:

If You Don’t Come Back (take 5)
Find Out What’s Happening (take 6)
Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming (take 4)
There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (take 1)
Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall (takes 2 – 5)
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (take 2)
It’s Easy For You (take 1)


The Essential Seventies Masters Eight - Loose Ends

Let It Be Me (A Legendary Performer Volume Three)
Don’t Cry Daddy (Greatest Hits Volume One)
Release Me (Welcome To My World – remix)
I’ve Lost You (That’s The Way It Is – live)
Patch It Up (That’s The Way It Is – live)
An American Trilogy (The Essential Collection)
Steamroller Blues (Greatest Hits Volume One - remix)
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (Welcome To My World – remix)
Welcome To My World (Welcome To My World – remix)
Blue Hawaii (Mahalo From Elvis)
KU-U-I-PO (Mahalo From Elvis)
No More (Mahalo From Elvis)
Early Morning Rain (Mahalo From Elvis)
Hawaiian Wedding Song (Mahalo From Elvis)
Softly As I Leave You (undubbed 12/75)
America (undubbed 12/75)
Little Darlin’ (Moody Blue)
If You Love Me, Let Me Know (Moody Blue)
My Way (single edit)
Unchained Melody (undubbed 6/77)
Bonus Tracks:

Merry Christmas Baby (unedited master)
Softly As I Leave You (single mix)
America (single mix)
Unchained Melody (single mix)

I'm not claiming all these tracks are essential, and the last disc in particular is exhaustive really, but it does make a nice companion to the set. I used undubbed versions of "Softly As I Leave You" & "America" from Fort Baxter's "Just Pretend" bootleg as I think the sound is slightly better, and I never understood why RCA added fake applause to these tracks.

Similarly, I used the undubbed version of Elvis' June 1977 version of "Unchained Melody" which first appeared on the "Great Performances" as I wasn't keen on the overdubs used on the single version. The original single masters have been added as bonus tracks.

-Rockin' Rebel

**********************************************

[dl]

Although I would have prefered a complete set with all the master takes, I still think it's a great release in a very good sound quality. I listen to this cds quite a lot. BMG should have done more releases in such a quality.

[Trevell]

This is indeed a great set, but I would have prefered them using the same route as the 60's set; including all the secular studio masters in the order they were recorded. Then they could have issued a seperate 5 CD boxed set of live marterial spanning his entire career.

[familyjules]

This is indeed a great set, but I would have prefered them using the same route as the 60's set; including all the secular studio masters in the order they were recorded. Then they could have issued a seperate 5 CD boxed set of live marterial spanning his entire career.

Yes, in retrospect I would agree with you here.

Jules

[Rob]

Hey Greg!

Here's a review especially for you.

http://www.tcb-world.com/showthread.php?t=645

[Gregory Nolan Jr.]

You think I have that kind of money for one disc I own already?

[rockinrebel]

Thanks for the heads up Greg.

The ‘supplement’ idea was created with fans in mind who have access to all the masters and would like to create a complete set. This I feel would be a much better listening experience if all of the tracks were re-sequenced into chronological order, but as BMG didn’t take this approach, I went with the 3 disc option.

I do agree with the general opinion though, that Ernst was right to pick out the strongest studio and live material and present the very best of Elvis in the ‘70’s, although I can obviously see why fans would want a chronological set.

Maybe in the future when the majority of the alternate takes have been used up, BMG could look at expanding the set for the collectors label, so that we can have consistent mastering on the final chapter of Elvis’ career.

[Trevell]

Here's my idea of how the 70's set should have been handled. 123 tracks total, the complete secular masters in chronological order, just like the 60's set. IMO it makes for a much more interesting listen than the format they chose. Of course part of that is probably because I'm so used to hearing these tracks in the Walk A Mile In My Shoes set order all these years.

Elvis - From Studio B To The Jungle Room: The Essential 70's Masters

Mystery Train/Tiger Man (instrumental)
Twenty Days and Twenty Nights
I've Lost You
I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago
The Sound of Your Cry
The Fool
A Hundred Years From Now
Little Cabin on the Hill
Cindy, Cindy
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Got My Mojo Working/Keep Your Hands off of It
How the Web Was Woven
It's Your Baby, You Rock It
Stranger in the Crowd
I'll Never Know
Mary in the Morning
I Didn't Make It on Playing Guitar
It Ain't No Big Thing (but It's Growing)
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
Just Pretend
This Is Our Dance
Heart of Rome
When I'm Over You
I Really Don't Want to Know

Faded Love
Tomorrow Never Comes
The Next Step Is Love
Make the World Go Away
Funny How Time Slips Away
I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water
Love Letters
There Goes My Everything
If I Were You
Sylvia
Patch It Up
Snowbird
Where Did They Go, Lord
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Rags to Riches
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Early Morning Rain
(That's What You Get) for Lovin' Me
Padre
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Help Me Make It Through the Night
Until It's Time for You to Go
Lady Madonna
Fools Rush In

It's Still Here
I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen
I Will Be True
I'm Leavin'
We Can Make the Morning
I Shall Be Released (two verses only)
It's Only Love
Love Me, Love the Life I Lead
My Way
Separate Ways
For the Good Times
Where Do I Go From Here
Burning Love
Fool
Always on My Mind
It's a Matter of Time
If You Don't Come Back
It's Diff'rent Now
Three Corn Patches
Take Good Care of Her
Find out What's Happening
I've Got a Thing About You Baby
Just a Little Bit
Raised on Rock

For Ol' Times Sake
Girl of Mine
Sweet Angeline
I Miss You
Are You Sincere
It's Midnight
You Asked Me To
If You Talk in Your Sleep
Mr. Songman
Thinking About You
Love Song of the Year
My Boy
Loving Arms
Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues
Talk About the Good Times
Promised Land
Your Love's Been a Long Time Coming
There's a Honky Tonk Angel
Spanish Eyes
She Wears My Ring
Softly as I Leave You
The Twelfth of Never
Fairytale
Green, Green Grass of Home

I Can Help
And I Love You So
Susan When She Tried
T-R-O-U-B-L-E
Tiger Man
Woman Without Love
Shake a Hand
Bringin' It Back
Pieces of My Life
Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall
She Thinks I Still Care
The Last Farewell
Solitaire
Moody Blue
I'll Never Fall in Love Again
For the Heart
Hurt
Danny Boy
Never Again
Love Coming Down
America the Beautiful (ending)
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
It's Easy for You
Way Down
Pledging My Love
Fire Down Below (instrumental)
He'll Have to Go

[jeanno]

Trevell
The good point: it´s a coherent follow up to the Essential 60´s Masters.
The bad thing: it has less good music than the RCA´s edition. 1995 WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES may not be what fans were waiting for but live renditions of POLK SALAD ANNIE, C.C. RIDER, WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES and NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN (instead of, say, PADRE, GIRL OF MINE, WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE and NEVER AGAIN - to name only a few) made the music quality of the whole set higher. However and to my point of view, the essential 70´s masters is still not the definitive introduction to Presley´s final decade.

[Gregory Nolan Jr.]

But it was a damned good stab and truthfully, by that time of the '70s box , it had been many years since I though there was anything "new" by Elvis I hadn't bought...since basically the aftermath of his death, aside from the silver and gold boxes, the superb '87 Sun/ Memphis sets ...

So for this wayward fan, that live disc was a like a jolt of coffee...damn! Elvis is even better than I remember..and maybe I don't have everything..(I didn't...)

So here it is in 2009 and I'm chattering way on an Elvis forum. I thank Ernst et al. for putting out such fine sets - bringing back older (albeit still young - at the time) fans as well as surely turning on a few new fans. After all, these sets are never fully for the hard-core, "I have every release" fan.

And again, one would have to be a real Elvis cheer-leader to not think that some editing of his catalog in the '70s wasn't at least an interesting solution to what was ultimately a lost (and doomed) decade.

Even those who champion the decade and try to redeem things like "Today" or "The Jungle Room Sessions" (on FTD) realize it had some really down times. Acknowledging this, we then know why this set tried to make some hard choices.

[midnightx]

Trevell
The good point: it´s a coherent follow up to the Essential 60´s Masters.
The bad thing: it has less good music than the RCA´s edition. 1995 WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES may not be what fans were waiting for but live renditions of POLK SALAD ANNIE, C.C. RIDER, WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES and NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN (instead of, say, PADRE, GIRL OF MINE, WOMAN WITHOUT LOVE and NEVER AGAIN - to name only a few) made the music quality of the whole set higher. However and to my point of view, the essential 70´s masters is still not the definitive introduction to Presley´s final decade.

It is for the casual music consumer looking for an introductory and overview of Elvis' 70's output. It may not be a complete picture, but it serves the purpose well.

[jeanno]

midnightx
I agree with you about the purpose of the 70s boxset: for casual music consumer essentially.

[Gregory Nolan Jr.]

And I agree, too.

It ruffled feathers here and I was taken aback to find certain songs missing. I had sold off some LPs prior to getting it, having been barely been following the Elvis scene for years in favor of other music.

But the big picture is that it was a strategic triumph that opened many eyes to the overall merits of '70s Elvis.

And yes, the Dylan snippet was quite wise. It hinted at what Elvis might have done with more quality material and made critics sit up and take notice.

Let's face it, folks: '70s Elvis was in fact flawed (much as the '60s were) and needed to be "framed" and edited to distill the best of it. There's no shame in that as arguably he over-recorded in both decades.

"Less is more."

[JerryNodak]

Less is not more when one of the songs dropped was Early Morning Rain.

[jeanno]

Less is not more when one of the songs dropped was Early Morning Rain.

Specially when you know that FOR LOVIN´ ME - from the same session and the same author - was included in the set.

[midnightx]

Less is not more when one of the songs dropped was Early Morning Rain.

It really didn't make or break the box set. Of course a few 70's highlights were absent, but the overall vision of the package was still sound and still worked.

[Inigo Montoya]

Less is not more when one of the songs dropped was Early Morning Rain.

That's probably the one I had the most trouble understanding (despite my long-time weakness for "If You Don't Come Back," also unceremoniously excluded. It's a great song, memorably adapted by Elvis. Part of the Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot element for me was that, somehow, I made it through decades of collecting without ever managing to get hold of Elvis Now and this song was one of or perhaps the only studio track by then, released within Elvis' lifetime, that I did not have on either LP or CD.

I still don't have any iteration of Elvis Now, actually, but a few years back I bought a set on eBay that includes the songs cut from the '70s box set and so I've been feeling a little better lately. This set reveals that most of what's arguably the cream of the '70s was on the box set but there're certainly a number of very good tracks that were cut from the project. At the time of the set's release I was certainly happy with it, and little gems like "Lady Madonna" and "I Shall Be Released" certainly helped (as did the rehearsal material), but I felt the set would have made more sense without the live cuts and with the missing studio tracks, with a live masters box set to follow (and we certainly did get those 1970 and 1972 Vegas cuts recycled a time or two thereafter, didn't we). It made sense to me to have at least the secular studio material available in one place, as with the '60s set, and -- in part because Elvis was such a consummate live performer and concert outings were a huge part of his legend -- group the live stuff together elsewhere in a well thought out package.

Still a great set. And the Las Vegas set that came out years later was a good stab at accomplishing the second part of it.

[ekenee]

Less is not more when one of the songs dropped was Early Morning Rain.

It really didn't make or break the box set. Of course a few 70's highlights were absent, but the overall vision of the package was still sound and still worked.

Actually no. It was not even close.

And furthermore it was not made for the casual music consumer.

No casual music consumer shells out the cash for an elaborate 5 disc set with a booklet.
That is for Elvis fans.

If all you wanted to do was give us the best of the 70's for a casual fan then a one or two disc set would suffice.

If this was for the casual listener, then when do the die-hard fans get their 10 disc box set?