Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2

Last updated
Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2
Elvis Presley original LP cover for "A Legendary Performer Vol. 2".jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedJanuary 8, 1976
RecordedJuly 5, 1954–January 14, 1973
Genre Rock
Length26:38
Label RCA Records
Elvis Presley chronology
Today
(1975)
Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2
(1976)
The Sun Sessions
(1976)

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2 is a compilation album featuring recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley. As with the first volume of the series, issued in 1974, the collection was a mixture of previously released and never-before-released recordings.

Contents

The album was certified Gold on October 25, 1977 and Platinum and 2× Platinum on July 15, 1999 by the RIAA. [1]

Content

In this second volume of the Presley Legendary Performer series, RCA released for the first time "Harbor Lights", a ballad Presley recorded during his first session for Sun Records in July, 1954. This marked the first time since 1965 that RCA had released any unissued recordings from the Sun Records archives. Other previously unreleased material on the album included an alternate take of Presley's 1956 hit "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You", several previously unissued performances from the 1968 NBC TV special, the song "A Cane and a High Starched Collar" (the RCA 8 track tape version had a false start to this song) from the soundtrack of the 1960 film Flaming Star , and Presley's 1960 recording of "Such a Night" (the 8 track tape version had several false starts to this song). A pair of previously unreleased interview recordings were also included on this album.

The Legendary Performer series would continue with Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3 , which was released in 1978.


As with A Legendary Performer, Volume 1, BMG's 1989 cd release cut out some of the tracks from the original LP. Missing from the cd version is "the Interview With Jay Thompson", "Blue Christmas", "A Cane and a High Starched Collar", and "Presentation of Award (1961)."

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link

Track listing

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Harbor Lights" (previously unreleased Sun master) Jimmy Kennedy, Hugh Williams July 5, 19542:35
2."Interview with Elvis: Jay Thompson" April 9, 19563:34
3."I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" (previously unreleased alternate take)Ira Kosloff, George MyselsApril 11, 19562:40
4."Blue Suede Shoes" (previously unreleased live version) Carl Perkins June 27, 19681:37
5."Blue Christmas"Billy Hayes and Jay JohnsonSeptember 5, 19572:30
6."Jailhouse Rock" Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller June 14, 19572:25
7."It's Now or Never" Eduardo di Capua, Wally Gold, Aaron Schroeder April 3, 19603:12
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."A Cane and a High Starched Collar" (previously unreleased) Sid Tepper, Roy C. Bennett August 12, 19602:40
2."Presentation of Awards to Elvis" March 25, 19611:24
3."Blue Hawaii" (previously unreleased live version) Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin January 14, 19732:29
4."Such a Night" Lincoln Chase April 4, 19603:36
5."Baby, What You Want Me to Do" (previously unreleased live version) Jimmy Reed June 27, 19681:44
6."How Great Thou Art"Stuart K. HineMay 25, 19662:58
7."If I Can Dream"Walter Earl BrownJune 30, 19683:14

Related Research Articles

<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.

<i>Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas</i> 1971 studio album by Elvis Presley

Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas is the fifteenth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released in October 1971. It was his first Christmas album with new recordings since Elvis' Christmas Album (1957). The album's single, "Merry Christmas Baby" / "O Come All Ye Faithful", was later released in November 1971. This album was a top seller and topped the Christmas LP's chart; it would have charted high on the Billboard Top LPs chart, but from 1963 to 1973, holiday albums were not allowed to chart. Though lacking the commercial appeal of Elvis' first Christmas album, it gradually become a perennial favorite. The album was certified Gold on November 4, 1977, Platinum on December 1, 1977, 2× Platinum on May 20, 1988, and 3× Platinum on July 15, 1999, by the RIAA.

<i>Elvis Golden Records</i> 1958 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Golden Records is a compilation album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, issued by RCA Victor in March 1958. It compiled his hit singles released in 1956 and 1957, and is widely believed to be the first greatest hits album in rock and roll history. It is the first of five RCA Victor Elvis' Golden/Gold Records compilations, the first four of which were issued during Presley's lifetime. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and was certified 6× platinum on August 17, 1999, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Elvis Golden Records Volume 3</i> 1963 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 is a greatest hits album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor as LPM/LSP-2765 on August 12, 1963. The album was the third volume of an eventual five volume collection, and his eighteenth altogether. It is a compilation of hit singles released in 1960, 1961, and 1962.

<i>Elvis for Everyone!</i> 1965 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Elvis for Everyone! is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, issued by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3450, on August 10, 1965. Recording sessions took place over a ten-year span at Sun Studio in Memphis, RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, and Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. It peaked at number 10 on the Top Pop Albums chart.

<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>As Recorded at Madison Square Garden</i> 1972 live album by Elvis Presley

Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden is a live album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released in late June 1972 by RCA Records. It peaked at No. 11 on the Top 200 US Billboard albums chart on September 9, 1972. Recorded at the Madison Square Garden arena in New York City on Saturday June 10, 1972, the concert, and the subsequent album, were promoted as being Presley's first live concerts in the Big Apple since the 1950s.

<i>Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1</i> 1974 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley issued in 1974 by RCA Records. It features 14 tracks, which includes twelve songs and two interviews with Presley. It was certified Gold on January 8, 1975, Platinum and 2× Platinum on July 15, 1999, and 3× Platinum, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 8, 2018.

<i>Welcome to My World</i> (Elvis Presley album) 1977 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Welcome to My World is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records on March 17, 1977, five months before his death. The album was certified gold on September 30, 1977, and platinum on January 14, 1983, by the RIAA.

<i>Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 4</i> 1983 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 4 is a compilation album featuring recordings by American singer Elvis Presley. It was the last in a series of albums that began with Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 in 1974, and the first since Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3 in 1979. It was also the final album by any artist in the RCA A Legendary Performer series to be issued. This album was made up entirely of heretofore unissued recordings by Presley, with the exception of one track that was previously released in the Elvis Aron Presley boxed set in 1980.

<i>Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3</i> 1978 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3 is a compilation album featuring recordings by American singer Elvis Presley. It was the third in a series of albums that began with Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 in 1974, the first to be released since Presley's death in 1977, and the last edition until Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 4 in 1983. Following the format of the series, the album was a mixture of previously released recordings and tracks that, as of the date of this album's release, had never been issued on an official RCA album release. It was certified Gold in December, 1978 by the RIAA.

<i>Elvis: Greatest Hits Volume 1</i> 1981 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Released in October 1981, Elvis: Greatest Hits Vol. 1 was an attempt by RCA Records at launching a new series of reissues featuring American rock and roll singer, Elvis Presley. Ultimately, however, only this single volume was released in this particular series.

Elvis: A Legendary Performer is the title of a series of four compilation albums featuring recordings by American singer Elvis Presley. Released by RCA Records between 1974 and 1983, the albums contained varying amounts of previously released and previously unreleased recordings from Presley's career. RCA also created Legendary Performer albums for other recording artists, but the Presley series was the longest-running.

  1. Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1 (1974)
  2. Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 2 (1976)
  3. Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 3 (1979)
  4. Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 4 (1983)
<i>G.I. Blues</i> (soundtrack) 1960 soundtrack album by Elvis Presley

G.I. Blues is the third soundtrack album and seventh (overall) album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2256, in October 1960. It is the soundtrack to the 1960 film of the same name in which he starred. Recording sessions took place on April 27 and 28, and May 6, 1960, at RCA Victor Studio C and Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. The album topped the Billboard Top Pop Album chart. It was certified gold on March 13, 1963 and platinum on March 27, 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album remained at the #1 spot for ten weeks.

<i>Mahalo from Elvis</i> 1978 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Mahalo From Elvis is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released posthumously in 1978.

<i>Fun in Acapulco</i> (soundtrack) 1963 soundtrack album by Elvis Presley

Fun in Acapulco is the seventh soundtrack album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2756, in November 1963. It is the soundtrack to the 1963 film of the same name starring Presley. Recording sessions took place at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on January 22 and 23 and February 27, 1963; and at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 26 and 28, 1963. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.

"When It Rains, It Really Pours" is a song originally written and recorded by Billy "The Kid" Emerson. His version, titled "When It Rains It Pours", was released by Sun Records in 1954. The song was later recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957, but not released until 1965 on the album Elvis for Everyone.

<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.

<i>Elvis by Request: Flaming Star and 3 Other Great Songs</i> 1961 EP by Elvis Presley

Elvis by Request: Flaming Star and 3 Other Great Songs is an EP by American singer Elvis Presley, containing two songs from the motion picture Flaming Star and two of his earlier hits on the reverse side.

References

  1. "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved 1 January 2017.