Elvis: Close Up

Disc 1
1	Peace in the Valley Master / Take 3:29
2	I Beg of You Take 11 1:58
3	That's When Your Heartaches Begin Take 2 3:45
4	It's No Secret Master / Take 3:56
5	Blueberry Hill Master / Take 2:41
6	Have I Told You Lately That I Love You Master / Take 2:36
7	Is It So Strange Master / Take 2:34
8	Loving You Fast Version - Take 5 1:38
9	Loving You Fast Version - Take 15 1:36
10	Jailhouse Rock Master 3:21
11	Treat Me Nice First Movie Version / Take 2:12
12	Young and Beautiful Record Master / Take 3:27
13	Young and Beautiful Solo Master / Take 1:32
14	Young and Beautiful Nightclub Master / Take 1:06
15	I Want to Be Free Movie Version / Take 2:15
16	I Want to Be Free Record Master / Take 2:18
17	Treat Me Nice Second Movie Version / Take 2:41
18	Don't Leave Me Now Elvis Piano Version 1:47
19	Don't Leave Me Now Movie Version 2:00
20	(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care Take 1 2:15
Disc 2
1	G.I. Blues Take 6 2:49
2	Doin' the Best I Can Take 10, 11, 12 4:35
3	Wooden Heart Take 1 2:09
4	Pocketful of Rainbows Take 15, 16 3:42
5	Shoppin' Around Take 4, 5 2:48
6	Frankfort Special Take 4, 5 4:29
7	Big Boots Fast Version / Take 1:10
8	Tonight's All Right for Love From Flaming Star / Take 1:54
9	Summer Kisses, Winter Tears Take 2 2:43
10	Flaming Star From Wild in the Country / Take 2:30
11	Lonely Man Solo Version / Take 2:10
12	In My Way Take 2 1:28
13	Forget Me Never Take 1 1:33
14	Wild in the Country Take 1 & 14 2:57
15	Lonely Man Take 1 3:27
16	I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell From Blue Hawaii / Take 2:59
17	Aloha Oe Take 1 1:16
18	Hawaiian Sunset Take 3 3:04
19	Ku-U-I-Po Take 6, 7 2:59
20	No More Take 11 2:25
21	Slicin' Sand Take 6 & 7 3:09
22	Steppin' Out of Line Take 15 1:57
23	Almost Always True Take 3 2:27
24	Moonlight Swim Take 4 / Edit 2:11
25	Can't Help Falling in Love Take 15, 15, 16 3:11
Disc 3
1	Make Me Know It Take 1 2:20
2	Soldier Boy Take 10 3:00
3	It Feels So Right Take 1 2:09
4	The Girl of My Best Friend Take 9 2:28
5	Surrender Take 5 & 6 2:30
6	Working on the Building Take 4 2:00
7	Starting Today Take 1 2:09
8	Kiss Me Quick Take 4 2:59
9	That's Someone You Never Forget Take 7 3:01
10	(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame Take 12 2:21
11	I Met Her Today Take 16 2:46
12	Night Rider Take 1 2:22
13	Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello Take 4 2:05
14	Echoes of Love Take 8 2:38
15	Ask Me Take 7 2:15
16	Stand by Me Take 10 2:40
17	Somebody Bigger Than You and I Take 15 2:45
18	Without Him Take 8 3:07
19	Mine Take 8-9 2:52
20	Singing Tree First Version / Take 2:56
21	U.S. Male Take 10 3:13
Disc 4
1	Also Sprach Zarathustra Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey 1:17
2	See See Rider 2:51
3	Proud Mary 2:36
4	Never Been to Spain 3:30
5	You Gave Me a Mountain 3:11
6	Until It's Time for You to Go 2:29
7	Polk Salad Annie 2:52
8	Love Me 1:51
9	All Shook Up 0:58
10	(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel 1:45
11	Heartbreak Hotel 1:44
12	Hound Dog 1:20
13	How Great Thou Art 2:56
14	I Can't Stop Loving You 2:25
15	Love Me Tender 1:41
16	Suspicious Minds 4:21
17	Introductions 1:16
18	For the Good Times 3:07
19	Burning Love 2:16
20	An American Trilogy 4:43
21	Funny How Time Slips Away 3:07
22	Can't Help Falling in Love 1:46
23	Closing Vamp 1:07

Barnes & Noble

This four-CD Elvis box will lure fans with a previously unreleased concert recording from 1972, which features an incendiary pre-release version of "Burning Love" among its many highlights. The other three discs would seem to be for hard-core Presley devotees only, but listen up. One disc is filled with previously unreleased stereo masters from the '50s, including the movie versions of the theme songs to Lovin' You and Jailhouse Rock, the former especially notable for the swinging, jazzy feel Elvis gave it. Disc 2, titled "Unreleased Movie Gems," culls most of its material from G.I. Blues and Blue Hawaii but also features examples of the King's tender side on some beautiful performances from Flaming Star and Wild in the Country. Disc 3, "The Magic of Nashville," is a collection of outtakes from the '60s sessions at RCA's now-fabled Studio B, another CD chock-a-block with some amazing vocal performances that Elvis deemed unworthy of release. At first glance the casual fan may see little of interest here, but Close Up is a worthwhile addition to the Presley library, if only for the clear path of artistic growth it documents, from those '50s takes to the rousing '72 concert performances. Even in what he considered his lesser moments, Elvis was several cuts above the competition, as is asserted by this trove of fine performances. David McGee

All Music Guide

Elvis: Close Up is part of an ongoing series of Elvis Presley box sets BMG has created to keep collectors supplied with "new" material, in a manner of speaking. All 89 of the recordings are previously unreleased mixes and alternate takes, with each disc focusing on a different period of Elvis' career. The first disc contains stereo mixes of recordings from 1957, including "Jailhouse Rock" and "I Beg of You." These mixes, created from the binaural session tapes, will be worth the price for many stereophiles. The second disc has alternate takes of songs from four of Elvis' early-'60s movie soundtracks, with all of the recordings hailing from 1960 and 1961. Disc three is titled "The Magic of Nashville" and features Nashville recordings mainly from the early '60s, but not Elvis Country fare; with the exception of Jerry Reed's "U.S. Male," the songs are pop, rock and gospel tunes that include alternates of the hits "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" and "Kiss Me Quick." The fourth disc presents a live show from San Antonio, TX, recorded on April 18, 1972, which was the final show of the tour documented in Elvis on Tour. Apart from the stereo mixes, there aren't many revelations, but those who never tire of alternate takes will get exactly what they expect. The import-only Follow That Dream label goes into even greater depth for collectors with an inexhaustible passion for all things Elvis, but Elvis: Close Up has the added advantage of being readily available and often at very reasonable prices. Greg Adams