Not surprisingly the next release was yet another trawl
through Elvis’ back catalogue and contained nothing new. “The Rocker”
contained twelve 1950’s rock ‘n’ roll classics, which were all fine
performances, but probably already owned by the average Elvis fan several times
over. The first release of 1985 “A Valentine Gift For You” also contained
nothing but previously issued masters, although a little more thought was put
into the track listing and lesser known great performances such as “Give Me
The Right” and “Tomorrow Is A Long Time” were included. The album also
included the first stereo release of “I Need Somebody To Lean On”.
The next release was “Reconsider Baby”, a twelve
track blues collection that featured the Sun master “Tomorrow Night” without
the overdubbed backing track that was added for it’s first release on the 1965
album “Elvis For Everyone”, an alternate “Ain’t That Loving You Baby”,
and a remix of the 1969 Memphis recording “Stranger In My Own Home Town” by
it’s original producer Chips Moman. As Elvis never recorded a blues album this
was a welcome release, as it showcased Elvis’ feel for and own unique
interpretation of the blues.
The final album release of 1985 was another seventies
collection titled “Always On My Mind”. This album concentrated on ballads,
and featured remixed versions on some of the tracks. Nothing new for the
collector, and an awful sleeve that used the photograph originally seen on the
cover of the 1973 album “Elvis” a.k.a “Fool” with some horrible
posterized effects. It looked like a budget album. A single coupling “Always
On My Mind” and “My Boy” was issued to promote the album.
A follow up to the 1984 album “The Rocker” was
issued in 1986. “The Return Of The Rocker” featured twelve previously
unissued performances, and this time the emphasis was on the ‘60’s. As the
only new album release of the year, 1986 was not a memorable year for Elvis
collectors.
The first release of 1987 was the “Memphis Record”.
This release showcased Elvis’ legendary 1969 Memphis sessions and with the
exception of “Rubberneckin’” all of the tracks were newly re-mixed for
this release. The album also included the first stereo issues of both “Mama
Liked The Roses” and “Don’t Cry Daddy”. RCA has since produced a
definitive CD anthology from these historic sessions that includes the complete
masters, and a number of alternate performances. It was greatest hits time once
again following this release, with RCA in the US issuing compilations of both
“The Number One Hits” and “The Top Ten Hits”, whilst in the UK the album
“Presley – The All Time Greatest Hits” was released, along with a single
coupling of “Love Me Tender” and “If I Can Dream”. As 1987 marked the
tenth anniversary of Elvis’ passing such releases were inevitable.
Another excellent release from 1987 was “The Complete
Sun Sessions”. “The Sun Sessions” and “The Sun Collection” were
released in the UK and the US respectively back in the ’70’s and included
the complete Sun masters that had been issued up until that time. Since these
albums were issued a number of out takes on both the legendary performer series,
and most notably the “Golden Celebration” box set, had been issued and these
albums were now out of date. “The Complete Sun Sessions” compiled everything
that had been issued so far along with a number of additional alternate takes.
In 1988 the popular Essential Elvis series started with “Essential Elvis – The First Movies”. This album featured the masters from “Love Me Tender”, “Loving You”, and “Jailhouse Rock”, along with a number of out takes from the soundtrack sessions. The end title version of “Love Me Tender” was finally released along with the fast tempo version of “Loving You”, and an alternate take of “Jailhouse Rock”. This was the type of material collectors had talked about for years, and it was a most welcome release.
“Essential Elvis” was followed by “The Alternate Aloha”, Elvis January 12, 1973 rehearsal concert for his “Aloha From Hawaii” satellite broadcast. This could and should have been a great release, but due to some atrocious mixing it sounded terrible. Out takes of “Blue Hawaii”, “Hawaiian Wedding Song”, and “KU-U-I-PO recorded after the concert showed a tired Elvis expressing his distaste at having to continue recording into the early hours of the morning.
RCA in the US issued “Elvis In Nashville” a compilation of Nashville recordings from 1956 to 1971 which showcased some good lesser known Presley recordings, and this was followed by the eagerly awaited follow up to “Essential Elvis” – “Essential Elvis Volume Two – Stereo ‘57”. This fantastic release gave collectors an insight into Elvis’ 1957 sessions at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, and featured some excellent alternate performances taken from newly discovered binaural session tapes. Another collector’s treasure, and proof that RCA could get it right of they wanted to.
As the decade ended another gospel compilation “Known Only To Him” was issued in the US. Some fine performances, but nothing new for the collector. “Christmas Classics”, a nine-track CD and cassette release that once again gave collectors the impression that RCA had run out of ideas, followed this. Overall things had improved since the late seventies, but RCA’s releases were still hit and miss, and there was a need for greater consistency. Things did change considerably in the 1990’s but that’s another story.
