Elvis' 40 Greatest

Last updated
Elvis' 40 Greatest Hits
Elvis-40-greatest.jpg
Compilation album by
ReleasedOctober 1974 (1974-10) [1]
Recorded1956–1970
Genre Pop, rock
Length1:37:45
Label Arcade

Elvis' 40 Greatest is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley. It was released in 1974 and was the UK's biggest-selling album over the Christmas period of that year, but along with all albums on K-tel, Ronco and Arcade, it was ineligible for the UK Albums Chart until 1975 because it was felt that heavy TV advertising and low pricing distorted the charts. It finally reached number one on the UK Albums Chart in 1977, [2] and became the 10th best-selling album of the 1970s in the UK.[ citation needed ]

Contents

It was originally pressed with a brown cover and doctored image of Elvis, with blue labels, this short lived pressing was replaced by yellow label copies. The 1977 release, which appeared on the new RCA blue "signature" label, credited to "RCA Special Products", was released simultaneously on black vinyl and a more expensive pink vinyl edition. The black vinyl sold a stagger 250'000 copies LESS than the pink vinyl, making it the more collectable item, even though fans are often tricked in to thinking the pink vinyl is "rare". It is in fact one of the most common and best selling Elvis compilation albums of all time.

Track listing

Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."My Baby Left Me"Arthur Crudup, Elvis PresleyJanuary 30, 19562:11
2."Heartbreak Hotel" Mae Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis PresleyJanuary 10, 19562:09
3."Blue Suede Shoes"Carl PerkinsJanuary 30, 19562:00
4."Hound Dog" Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller July 2, 19562:15
5."Love Me Tender" Vera Matson and Elvis PresleyAugust 24, 19562:41
6."Got a Lot of Livin' to Do"Aaron Schroeder and Ben WeismanJanuary 12, 19572:31
7."(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerFebruary 24, 19572:12
8."Party"Jessie Mae RobinsonJanuary 22, 19571:27
9."All Shook Up" Otis Blackwell and Elvis PresleyJanuary 12, 19571:57
10."Old Shep"Red FoleySeptember 2, 19564:10
11."Don't"Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerSeptember 6, 19572:48
12."Hard Headed Woman"Claude DemetriusJanuary 15, 19581:53
13."King Creole"Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerJanuary 23, 19582:16
14."Jailhouse Rock"Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerApril 30, 19572:27
15."A Big Hunk o' Love" Aaron Schroeder, Sid Wyche June 10, 19582:12
16."I Got Stung"Aaron Schroeder, David HillJune 10, 19581:50
17."One Night" Dave Bartholomew, Pearl King, Anita SteimanFebruary 23, 19572:29
18."(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I"Bill TraderJune 10, 19582:36
19."I Need Your Love Tonight"Bix Reichner, Sid Wayne June 10, 19582:04
20."Stuck on You" Aaron Schroeder, Leslie McFarlandMarch 20, 19602:16
Total length:46:24


Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Fever" John Davenport, Eddie Cooley April 3, 19603:31
2."It's Now or Never" Eduardo di Capua, Aaron Schroeder, Wally Gold April 3, 19603:15
3."Are You Lonesome Tonight?" Lou Handman, Roy Turk April 3, 19603:05
4."Wooden Heart" Ben Weisman, Fred Wise, Kathleen Twomey, Bert Kaempfert April 28, 19602:03
5."Surrender" Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman October 30, 19601:52
6."(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame"Doc Pomus, Mort ShumanJune 25, 19612:08
7."Wild in the Country" Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, George David Weiss November 7, 19601:58
8."There's Always Me"Don RobertsonMarch 12, 19612:16
9."Rock-A-Hula Baby"Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Dolores Fuller March 23, 19612:24
10."Can't Help Falling in Love" Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, George Weiss March 23, 19613:01
11."Good Luck Charm" Aaron Schroeder, Wally Gold October 15, 19612:24
12."She's Not You" Doc Pomus, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller March 19, 19622:03
13."Return to Sender" Otis Blackwell, Winfield ScottMarch 27, 19622:05
14."(You're the) Devil in Disguise" Bill Giant, Bernie Baum, Florence Kaye May 26, 19632:01
15."Crying in the Chapel"Artie GlennOctober 30, 19602:23
16."Guitar Man" Jerry Reed September 10, 19672:30
17."In the Ghetto" Mac Davis January 20, 19692:48
18."Suspicious Minds" Mark James January 22, 19694:22
19."There Goes My Everything" Dallas Frazier June 8, 19703:10
20."Don't Cry Daddy" Mac Davis January 15, 19693:09
Total length:51:21

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1975–79)Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC) [3] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1975)Position
UK Albums (OCC) [4] 6
Chart (1977)Position
UK Albums (OCC) [5] 50

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [6] Platinum1,500,000 [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Sun Sessions</i> 1976 compilation album by Elvis Presley

The Sun Sessions is a compilation album by American singer Elvis Presley, issued by RCA Records in 1976. The album contains Presley's earliest commercial recordings, made in Memphis, Tennessee for Sun Records in 1954 and 1955. RCA issued the album in the UK in 1975 under the title The Sun Collection. The album features liner notes by Roy Carr of the New Musical Express. The Sun Sessions features most of the tracks Elvis recorded for Sun Records and produced by Sam Phillips, the head of Sun Studios. The Sun Sessions reached number two on the Billboard Country Albums and number 1 on the Cashbox Country Albums charts.

<i>Moody Blue</i> 1977 studio album by Elvis Presley

Moody Blue is the twenty-fourth and final studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in June 1977 by RCA Records, about two months before his death. The album was a mixture of live and studio work and included the four tracks from Presley's final studio recording sessions in October 1976 and two tracks left over from the previous Graceland session in February 1976. "Moody Blue" was a previously published hit song recorded at the earlier Graceland session and held over for this album. Also recorded at the February session was "She Thinks I Still Care". "Way Down" became a hit after Presley's death less than one month after this album's release. The album was certified Gold and Platinum on September 12, 1977, and 2× Platinum on March 27, 1992, by the RIAA.

<i>Elvis Presley</i> (album) 1956 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is the debut studio album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. It was released by RCA Victor, on March 23, 1956,. The recording sessions took place on January 10 and January 11 at the RCA Victor Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and on January 30 and January 31 at the RCA Victor studios in New York. Additional material originated from sessions at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on July 5, August 19 and September 10, 1954, and on July 11, 1955.

Pickwick Records was an American record label and British record distributor known for its budget album releases of sound-alike recordings, bargain bin reissues and repackagings under the brands Design, Bravo, Hurrah, Grand Prix, and children's records on the Cricket and Happy Time labels.

The Official Albums Chart, previously the UK Albums Chart, is a list of albums ranked by sales and audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on Fridays. It is broadcast on BBC Radio 1 and found on the OCC website as a Top 100 or on UKChartsPlus as a Top 200, with positions continuing until all sales have been tracked in data only available to industry insiders. However, even though number 100 was classed as a hit album in the 1980s until January 1989, since the compilations were removed, this definition was changed to Top 75 with follow-up books such as The Virgin Book of British Hit Albums book only including this data. As of 2021, the OCC still only tracks how many UK Top 75s album hits and how many weeks in Top 75 albums chart each artist has achieved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying in the Chapel</span> 1953 single by Darrell Glenn

"Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by Artie Glenn and recorded by his son Darrell Glenn. The song was released in 1953 and reached number six on the Billboard chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wooden Heart</span> Pop song recorded by Elvis Presley

"Wooden Heart" is a pop song recorded by Elvis Presley. The composition is based on a German folk song "Muss i denn" and it was featured in the 1960 Elvis Presley film G.I. Blues. The song was a hit single for Presley in the UK Singles Chart, reaching No. 1 for six weeks in March and April 1961.

<i>Elvis Christmas Album</i> 1957 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Christmas Album is the third studio album and first Christmas album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley on RCA Victor, LOC -1035, a deluxe limited edition, released October 15, 1957, and recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. It has been reissued in numerous different formats since its first release. It spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, and was the first of two Christmas-themed albums Presley would record, the other being Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, released in 1971. The publication Music Vendor listed Elvis' Christmas Album on their singles charts for two weeks in December 1957 – January 1958, with a peak position of No. 49.

<i>Youll Never Walk Alone</i> (Elvis Presley album) 1971 compilation album by Elvis Presley

You'll Never Walk Alone is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in 1971 by RCA Records on the RCA Camden budget label. The album contains primarily previously released gospel recordings by Presley dating back as far as 1957, plus two unissued tracks. The album reached number 69 on the Billboard 200 chart and number 20 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Separate Ways</i> (Elvis Presley album) 1972 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Separate Ways is a compilation album issued by RCA Records on December 1, 1972 from American singer and musician Elvis Presley. Released on the budget RCA Camden label shortly after another similar compilation, Burning Love and Hits from His Movies, Volume 2, Separate Ways was the second and final attempt by RCA to repackage older Elvis recordings by pairing them with a recent chart hit, in this case "Separate Ways" and its flipside "Always On My Mind".

<i>Elvis the King</i> 2007 box set by Elvis Presley

Elvis the King is a box set comprising 18 singles of the recorded work of American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in 2007 by RCA Records. The box set is available in both CD and 10" vinyl formats.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (ABBA album) 1975 compilation album by ABBA

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was originally released in Scandinavia on 17 November 1975 and in other parts of the world in 1976, notably the UK on 10 April, and on 18 September in the US and Canada. The 1976 version of the album included the band's most recent single "Fernando".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Claus Is Back in Town</span> 1957 song by Elvis Presley

"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" is a Christmas song written in 1957 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and first recorded that year by Elvis Presley as the opening track on Elvis' Christmas Album, the best-selling Christmas/holiday album of all time in the United States. The song has become a rock and roll Christmas standard.

<i>40 Greatest Hits</i> (Perry Como album) 1975 greatest hits album by Perry Como

40 Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by Perry Como. It was released by K-Tel by arrangement with RCA Records in 1975 and peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart. It was the Christmas number two album that year. The album was not issued in the United States & has never had an official CD release in the UK.

<i>40 Golden Greats</i> (Jim Reeves album) 1975 greatest hits album by Jim Reeves

40 Golden Greats is a greatest hits album by Jim Reeves. It was released in 1975 and reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, where it was a posthumous number one. Surprisingly, it does not include "I Love You Because".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elvis Presley albums discography</span>

The albums discography of Elvis Presley began in 1956 with the release of his debut album, Elvis Presley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elvis Presley singles discography</span>

The singles discography of Elvis Presley began in 1954 with the release of his first commercial single, "That's All Right". Following his regional success with Sun Records, Presley was signed to RCA Victor on November 20, 1955. Presley's first single with RCA, "Heartbreak Hotel", was a worldwide hit, reaching the No. 1 position in four countries and the top 10 in many other countries. Other hit singles from the 1950s include "Don't Be Cruel", "Hound Dog", "Love Me Tender", "Too Much", "All Shook Up", "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear", "Jailhouse Rock", "Don't", "Hard Headed Woman" and "A Big Hunk o' Love". On March 24, 1958, Presley entered the United States Army at Memphis, Tennessee, and was stationed in Germany. He left active duty on March 5, 1960.

<i>The Wonder of You</i> (Elvis Presley album) 2016 compilation album by Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

The Wonder of You is a compilation album by American singer Elvis Presley (1935–77). It was released on October 21, 2016 by RCA Records and Legacy Recordings. The album features archival vocal recordings of Elvis accompanied by new orchestral arrangements by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded at the Abbey Road Studios. It also features a duet with German singer Helene Fischer.

<i>The 50 Greatest Love Songs</i> 2001 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

The 50 Greatest Love Songs is a greatest hits collection by American rock and roll singer and musician Elvis Presley released on September 11, 2001.

<i>Christmas with Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra</i> 2017 compilation album by Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Christmas with Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a compilation album by American singer Elvis Presley (1935–77). It was released on October 6, 2017, by RCA Records and Legacy Recordings. It is the third album recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, following If I Can Dream (2015) and The Wonder of You (2016), both of which topped the UK Albums Chart. The album features archival vocal recordings of Elvis from the albums Elvis' Christmas Album (1957) and Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas (1971) accompanied by new orchestral arrangements by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. A deluxe edition of the album, which contains four new tracks, was released on November 24, 2017.

References

  1. "1970s UK discography".
  2. "Elvis Presley - Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. 17 May 1956. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  3. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  4. "Top Selling Albums For 1975" (PDF). Music Week . December 27, 1975. p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 9, 2021 via worldradiohistory.com.
  5. "Top Albums 1977" (PDF). Music Week . December 24, 1977. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021 via worldradiohistory.com.
  6. "British album certifications – Elvis Presley – 40 Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry.
  7. Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 389. ISBN   0668064595. It was a tremendous seller over the Christmas period, and sold over 1,500,000 in Britain