"Re-Making Elvis' Albums for Fun

[Miclewis]

Just for fun, I have been making my own, personal, definitive versions of some of Elvis' albums.

Don't get me wrong, I love nearly all of Elvis' albums as they were released. But, it is a fun challenge to customize the running order, and add b-sides from the time period, to Elvis' albums.

A good example is a new track listing for Goodbye Cruel World that works pretty well:

The inclusion of Tomorrow's (Just Another Day) and I Hope You're Happy Now (Alternate Version-1984) fits really well. And, I love the pairing of Deportee (solo version) and Withered and died as an album closing.

1. The Only Flame In Town
2. Home Truth
3. Room With No Number (fade out early)
4. Inch By Inch
5. Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)
6. I Hope You're Happy Now (Alternate Version-1984)
7. Worthless Thing
8. Love Field
9. I Wanna Be Loved
10.The Comedians
11.Joe Porterhouse
12.Sour Milk-Cow Blues
13.The Great Unknown
14.Peace In Our Time
15.Baby It's You
16.She Loves The Jerk (Demo)
17.Deportee (solo version)
18.Withered And Died

or Punch the Clock:

I removed Love Went Mad. i think Elvis probably would not be too upset. But, he always insults Party Party. I think it is a fun and enjoyable track. I like how it transitions after Shipbuiding.

1. Let Them All Talk
2. Everyday I Write the Book
3. The Greartest Thing
4. Mouth Almighty
5. The Element within Her
6. Heathen Town
7. Shipbuilding
8. Party Party
9. TKO (Boxing Day)
10.Charm School
11.The Flirting Kind
12.The Invisible Man
13.King of Thieves
14.Pills & Soap
15.The World & His Wife

Please post any of your suggestions.

[bambooneedle]

Making playlists from among stuff that probably won't get listened to often (not just such EC albums) gives you motivation to check it out. I've put together an 'A' mix and a 'B' mix of a few certain artists, then I'll play them side by side in the car. Then months later I'll revisit them again and remember why some made the 'B' list and not the 'A' and vice versa.

[Miclewis]

No one seemed very interested in this post the first time.
But, here are a few more re-worked Elvis albums anyway:

Kojak Variety:

1. Strange
2. Hidden Charms
3. Remove This Doubt
4. I Threw It All Away
5. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
6. Leave My Kitten Alone
7. Everybody's Crying Mercy
8. I've Been Wrong Before
9. Bama Lama Bama Loo
10.Must You Throw Dirt In My Face
11.Pouring Water On A Drowning Man
12.Payday
13.Running Out Of Fools
14.Ship Of Fools
15.The Very Thought Of You
16.Please Stay
17.Days

Get Happy!!:

1. Love For Tender
2. Opportunity
3. Secondary Modern
4. The Imposter
5. King Horse
6. Man Called Uncle
7. New Amsterdam
8. Girls Talk
9. High Fidelity
10.I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
11.Black And White World
12.5ive Gears In Reverse
13.B Movie
14.Motel Matches
15.New Lace Sleeves (Alt Version)
16.Human Touch
17.Beaten To The Punch
18.Getting Mighty Crowded
19.Temptation
20.Posession
21.Riot Act

Trust:

1. Clubland
2. Lovers Walk
3. You'll Never Be A Man
4. Strict Time
5. Big Sister
6. Luxembourg
7. New Lace Sleeves
8. Hoover Factory (Alt Version)
9. Different Finger
10.Watch Your Step
11.From A Whisper To A Scream
12.Slow Down
13.White Knuckles
14.Shot With His Own Gun
15.Fish 'N' Chip Paper
16.Big Sister's Clothes
17.Black Sails In The Sunset
18.Sad About Girls

[cwr]

All This Useless Beauty is, in my opinion, an album that fell short of what it could have been, largely because of two major songs that he left off the record.

Here's my version:

1. The Other End Of The Telescope (with original lyrics)
2. Little Atoms
3. All This Useless Beauty
4. Complicated Shadows
5. Why Can't A Man Stand Alone?
6. Distorted Angel
7. God Give Me Strength (with The Attractions, NOT the Grace Of My Heart version)
8. Almost Ideal Eyes
9. Poor Fractured Atlas (with the more emphatic "Attractions" ending)
It Started To Come To Me
10. You Bowed Down
11. It's Time
12. I Want To Vanish

I left off "Shallow Grave", not because I think it's a terrible song or anything, just because I feel like it makes a much stronger impression as a "b-side" or "bonus track" than it does alongside all those other ATUB songs, which I think are stronger.

I think this version of the album would've been a knockout. GGMS is the centerpiece, and played at the tempo he was using for the 1995 Beacon Theater shows, it had a lot more oomph than the nice but somewhat turgid Bacharach arrangement. And "Almost Ideal Eyes" is really a standout Attractions track, unusual and energetic, and the version he recorded of "Poor Fractured Atlas" with the big "Attractions" ending really made the song feel more significant than the muted piano fade on the official version.

I like ATUB a lot, but I think it could have been a more essential Costello album if it had included these songs the way he played them with the Attractions at those preview shows. It also would've been a better "final" Attractions album this way.

[Miclewis]

I agree about ATUB. It just missed greatness.

I was a little disappointed when ATUB came out, because I loved so many of these songs performed solo/acoustic when Elvis was opening for Bob Dylan that year. Songs like It's Time and Starting to Come seem much better to me performed stripped down like that.

I also wish Elvis and the Attractions had recorded Dirty Rotten Shame and Hidden Shame for the album. Maybe someday, studio/band recordings of these will show up.

[bicyclops]

I named this one disTrust

1. Big Sister
2. Boy With A Problem (EC piano version)
3. Sad About Girls
4. Clubland (alt take)
5. You'll Never Be a Man
6. Pretty Words
7. Strict Time
8. Luxembourg
9. Watch Your Step
10 From a Whisper to a Scream
11. Hoover Factory (alt version)
12. Twenty Five to Twelve
13. New Lace Sleeves
14. Black Sails in the Sunset
15. White Knuckles
16. Shot With His Own Gun
17. Fish 'n' Chip Paper
18. Big Sister's Clothes

[Miclewis]

How about "Brutal Infancy":

1. 20% Amnesia
2. Poisoned Letter
3. Abandoned Words
4. London's Brilliant
5. Earthbound
6. Fill In The Blanks
7. The Nameless One
8. Puppet Girl
9. We Despise You
10.Basement Kiss
11.Do You Know What I'm Saying
12.I Want To Stand Forever
13.Idiophone
14.A Drunken Man's Praise Of Sobriety
15.Pony St (Bonaparte Rooms Version)
16.Just About Glad (Bonaparte Rooms Version)
17.Clown Strike (Bonaparte Rooms Version)
18.Rocking Horse Road (Demo)
19.13 Steps Lead Down (Demo)
20.This Is Hell (Church St)
21.Favourite Hour (Church St)
22.You Tripped At Every Step (Church St)

[SkaDan]

ARMED FORCES:

1.Accidents Will Happen
2.Clean Money
3.Senior Service
4.Oliver's Army
5.Tiny Steps
6.Big Boys
7.Green Shirt
8.Party Girl
9.Goon Squad
10.Busy Bodies
11.My Funny Valentine
12.Sunday's Best
13.Moods for Moderns
14.Chemistry Class
15.Wednesday Week
16.Two Little Hitlers
17.Whats So Funny Bout Peace Love and Understanding

BLOOD & CHOCOLATE:

1. I Hope Your Happy Now
2. Baby's Got a Brand New Hairdo
3. Uncomplicated
4. Blue Chair
5. Seven Day Weekend
6. Home Is Where You Hang Your Head
7. I Want You
8. Battered Old Bird ( Alt. Version)
9. Honey Are You Straight Or Are You Blind
10.Tokyo Storm Warning
11.Tell Me Right Now
12.Crimes Of Paris
13.Poor Napoleon
14.Next Time Round

and speakin of Brutal Youth b-sides. ive been trying to find "We Despise You" but cant find it anywhere. can anyone point me in the right direction?

[bicyclops]

and speakin of Brutal Youth b-sides. ive been trying to find "We Despise You" but cant find it anywhere. can anyone point me in the right direction?

You might try here:

http://www.musicstack.com/album/elvis_c ... _lead_down

Make sure you get the 4 track version.

(not endorsing any particular seller)

[Miclewis]

The River In Reverse

1. On Your Way Down
2. Nearer to You
3. Tears, Tears and More Tears
4. Six-Fingered Man (with fade-in)
5. Where Is the Love
6. Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further
7. The River In Reverse
8. Yes We Can Can (Allen Toussaint on album, "Our New Orleans")
9. Freedom for the Stallion
10.Ascension Day
11.Wonder Woman
12.All These Things
13.The Sharpest Thorn
14.The Greatest Love


The Delivery Man

1. Button My Lip
2. Country Darkness
3. The Name Of This Thing Is Not Love
4. Either Side Of The Same Town
5. Bedlam (Nashville Alternate Version)
6. The Delivery Man (from "The Futurama Sessions")
7. Everybody's Crying Mercy (2003 from "Peace Songs")
8. Monkey To Man
9. Nothing Clings Like Ivy
10.Dark End of the Street (from "The Clarksdale Sessions")
11.Heart Shaped Bruise
12.In Another Room (with an early fade-out) (from "The Clarksdale Sessions")
13.She's Pulling Out The Pin
14.Needle Time
15.The Judgement
16.The Scarlet Tide

[Miclewis]

North

1. You Left Me In The Dark
2. Someone Took The Words Away
3. When Did I Stop Dreaming
4. You Turned To Me
5. Fallen
6. North
7. When It Sings
8. Still
9. You Don't Know What Love Is (with Marian McPartland)
10.They Didn't Believe Me (with Marian McPartland)
11.Let Me Tell You About Her
12.The Very Thought Of You (with Marian McPartland)
13.Smile (Ballad Version)
14.Can You Be True?
15.When Green Eyes Turn Blue
16.I'm In The Mood Again

King of America

1. Brilliant Mistake
2. Lovable
3. Our Little Angel
4. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
5. King Of Confidence (Outtake)
6. Glitter Gulch
7. Indoor Fireworks
8. Little Palaces
9. I'll Wear It Proudly
10.I Hope You're Happy Now (band out-take on Singles Vol.3)
11.American Without Tears
12.Eisenhower Blues
13.Poisoned Rose
14.Shoes Without Heels
15.The Big Light
16.Suit of Lights
17.Jack of All Parades
18.Sleep of the Just

[Miclewis]

First attempt at re-making Momofuku:

1. Turpentine
2. Beautiful
3. Mr. Feathers
4. Don't Throw Your Love Away
5. Flutter And Wow
6. My Three Sons
7. Song With Rose
8. Ring of Fire
9. Pardon Me Madam, My Name Is Eve
10. Stella Hurt
11. American Gangster Time
12. Harry Worth
13. No Hiding Place
14. Go Away

I ended up with a long fade-out on Stella Hurts. It just seemed to work better in the track order.