A Date With Elvis

  
    
 Title:   A Date With Elvis  
 Catalog Number:   18556-1  
  Land:  Germany (German Club Editon) 
  Release Date:  1988 
 Value:   30 Euro  
       
  Track listing: 
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Young And Beautiful
[You're So Square] Baby I Don't Care
Milkcow Blues Boogie
Baby Let's Play House
Good Rockin' Tonight
Is It So Strange
We're Gonna Move
I Want To Be Free
I Forgot To Remember To Forget
 
 
 Liner notes:  In July 1955 "Baby Let's Play House" created a major breakthrough for Elvis in America. Released on the now legendary Sun label, it was the first Elvis record to show in a national country chart. lt also featured well in the airplay chart compiled by disc jockeys. As this record climbed the charts the last single on the Sun label was released: "Mystery Train" combined with "I Forgot To Remember To Forget". The latter song and "Baby Let's Play House" are featured on this album with three other classic Sun recordings: "Good Rockin' Tonight", "Milk Cow Blues Boogie" and "Blue Moon Of Kentucky".
Elvis's performances on stage were packed with power and originallty and it was only a matter of time before this phenomenon was released on the rest of the world. Later that year, RCA paid what was considered an amazing amount of money to Sam Phillips of Sun Records for Elvis' contract: $ 35,000, with an extra $ 5,000 going to Elvis for a transfer fee! Besides obtaining exclusive rights to an artist that would sell millions of records throughout the world, RCA also obtained the rights to all released and unreleased Sun recordings. Elvis's first recordings for RCA in 1956 produced the now legendary "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Don't Be Cruel".
In January 1958, after the success of his records and films "Love Me Tender", "Loving You" and "Jailhouse Rock", Elvis was due to report to the army draft office in Memphis. Elvis was soon to be serving his country in Germany. However, Paramount had already committed $ 350,000 to the production of "King Creole" and Elvis was granted a deferment. He reported to the draft office on March 24th 1958.
While Elvis was away RCA released a regular flow of records including "A Fool Such As l" and "A Big Hunk Of Love".
These, as expected, were million sellers. "King Creole", when released, received the best reviews so far for an Eivis movie and his popularity never waned.
In August 1959 RCA released "A Date With Elvis". This was what every fan wantedl On the back of the original sleeve was a calendar for 1960 with Elvis' release date from the army circled! Besides the Sun recordings the album contained tracks from "Jailhouse Rock" and "Love Me Tender". An unissued ballad: "Is It So Strange" was also included. On March 5th Elvis was a civillan again and continued a staggering career that will probably never be equalled. So here it is, what every real fan wanted: "A Date With Eivis".

Roger Semon