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Elvis Presley - Platinum-A Life In Music

BMG 07863 67469 2
Release: 1997

Released on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Presley's death, Platinum: A Life in Music attempts to trace an alternative history of Elvis' career by concentrating on alternate takes and unreleased material. Over the course of four discs, 23 hit singles are interspersed with 77 previously unreleased items. The hits function as touchstones, so the listener has an idea of where Elvis was in his career when he was recording such unreleased gems as a 1966 cover of "Blowin' in the Wind" or the 1959 "Bad Nauheim Medley." Certainly, the sheer amount of unreleased material means that Platinum: A Life in Music is targeted at hardcore collectors, but what is surprising is how listenable the set is, even for casual fans. The homemade recordings and demos are occasionally sonically rough, but the rarity of these items make the sound a moot point. Some of the performances aren't particularly remarkable -- alternates of "Always on My Mind" and "Heartbreak Hotel" simply sound like the released versions, only not as good -- but there's an abundance of gems scattered throughout the set, making it worthwhile for any serious Elvis collector (AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

Tracklist:

1-1  I'll Never Stand In Your Way 2:00
1-2  That's All Right (Alternate Take) 2:03
1-3  Blue Moon (Alternate Take) 3:12
1-4  Good Rockin' Tonight 2:12
1-5  Mystery Train 2:25
1-6  I Got A Woman (Alternate Take) 2:25
1-7  Heartbreak Hotel (Alternate Take 6) 2:15
1-8  I'm Counting On You (Alternate Take 13) 2:29
1-9  Shake, Rattle And Roll / Flip, Flop And Fly 2:09
1-10  Lawdy, Miss Clawdy (Alternate Take 1) 2:21
1-11  I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (Alternate Take 4) 2:47
1-12  Hound Dog 2:35
1-13  Don't Be Cruel 2:02
1-14  Rip It Up (Alternate Take 15) 2:10
1-15  Love Me Tender 3:17
1-16  When The Saints Go Marching In 1:22
1-17  All Shook Up 1:57
1-18  (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) (Alternate Take 3) 3:22
1-19  Blueberry Hill 3:20
1-20  (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear 1:46
1-21  Jailhouse Rock 2:27
1-22  New Orleans 1:59
1-23  I Need Your Love Tonight (Alternate Take 7) 2:01
1-24  A Big Hunk O' Love (Alternate Take 4) 2:12

Bad Nauheim Medley (4:06)
1-25a  I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen 
1-25b  I Will Be True 
1-25c  It's Been So Long Darling 
1-25d  Apron Strings 
1-25e  There's No Tomorrow 

2-1  Stuck On You 2:24
2-2  Fame And Fortune 2:24
2-3  It's Now Or Never 3:13
2-4  It Feels So Right (Alternate Take 3) 2:09
2-5  A Mess Of Blues (Alternate Take 1) 2:44
2-6  Are You Lonesome Tonight? 3:06
2-7  Reconsider Baby 3:39
2-8  Tonight Is So Right For Love (Alternate Take 3) 2:15
2-9  His Hand In Mine (Alternate Take 2) 3:15
2-10  Milky White Way (Alternate Take 3) 2:30
2-11  I'm Comin' Home (Alternate Take 3) 2:24
2-12  I Feel So Bad (Alternate Take 1) 2:56
2-13  Can't Help Falling In Love 2:58
2-14  Something Blue (Alternate Take) 3:04
2-15  Return To Sender 2:05
2-16  Bossa Nova Baby (Alternate Take 2) 2:13
2-17  How Great Thou Art (Alternate Take 4) 2:54
2-18  Guitar Man (Alternate Take 4) 2:25
2-19  You'll Never Walk Alone (Alternate Take 2) 3:40
2-20  Oh How I Love Jesus 1:36
2-21  Tennessee Waltz 1:19
2-22  Blowin' In The Wind 2:04
2-23  I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) 1:52
2-24  I'm Beginning To Forget You 0:53
2-25  After Loving You 2:25

3-1  I Got A Woman 1:40
3-2  Tiger Man 2:45
3-3  When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again 0:35
3-4  Trying To Get To You 2:56
3-5  If I Can Dream (Alternate Take 1) 3:08
3-6  In The Ghetto (Alternate Take 3) 2:39
3-7  Suspicious Minds (Alternate Take 7) 3:17
3-8  Power Of My Love (Alternate Take 3) 3:02
3-9  Baby What You Want Me To Do 2:18
3-10  Words 2:33
3-11  Johnny B. Goode 2:03
3-12  Release Me 1:47
3-13  See See Rider 2:48
3-14  The Wonder Of You 2:36
3-15  The Sound Of Your Cry (Alternate Take 3) 3:30
3-16  You Don't Have To Say You Love Me 2:29
3-17  Funny How Time Slips Away 4:18
3-18  I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water 4:15
3-19  I Was The One 1:02
3-20  Cattle Call 0:25
3-21  Baby, Let's Play House 1:10
3-22  Don't 1:55
3-23  Money Honey 1:24
3-24  What'd I Say 4:46
3-25  Bridge Over Troubled Water 4:12

4-1  Miracle Of The Rosary (Alternate Take 1) 3:51
4-2  He Touched Me (Alternate Take 2) 2:36
4-3  Bossom Of Abraham (Alternate Take 3) 1:37
4-4  I'll Be Home On Christmas Day (Alternate Take 4) 3:48
4-5  For The Good Times (Alternate Take 3) 3:13
4-6  Burning Love (Alternate Take) 3:04
4-7  Seperate Ways (Alternate Take 25) 2:37
4-8  Always On My Mind (Alternate Take 2) 3:32
4-9  An American Trilogy 4:16
4-10  Take Good Care Of Her (Alternate Take 4) 2:53
4-11  I've Got A Thing About You Baby 2:20
4-12  Are You Sincere (Alternate Take 2) 2:01
4-13  It's Midnight (Alternate Take 10) 3:21
4-14  Promised Land (Alternate Take 5) 3:21
4-15  Steamroller Blues 2:50
4-16  And I Love You So (Alternate Take 2) 3:39
4-17  T-R-O-U-B-L-E 3:02
4-18  Danny Boy (Alternate Take 9) 3:53
4-19  Moody Blue 2:49
4-20  Hurt (Alternate Take 2) 2:09
4-21  For The Heart (Alternate Take 1) 3:47
4-22  Pledging My Love (Alternate Take 3) 4:52
4-23  Way Down (Alternate Take 2) 3:04
4-24  My Way 3:49
4-25  (Excerpt From) The Jaycees Speech 0:20

Incl. covers