Essential

Rock · 1986 · 26 tracks

Essential

A sprawling journey through Elvis’s 1960s evolution, moving from polished Nashville pop to the gritty, soul-drenched Memphis sessions that redefined his legacy.

1986 · DVC

This collection captures the most fascinating and transformative decade of Elvis Presley's career. Moving away from the frantic rockabilly energy of his youth, these recordings showcase a vocalist of immense technical skill and emotional depth. The sound is defined by the warm, analog glow of the 1960s Nashville and Memphis studios, where the precision of the 'A-Team' session musicians meets Elvis's increasingly soulful delivery. It is an album of textures: the velvet of his baritone, the sharp punch of brass sections, and the ethereal support of gospel-trained backing vocalists.

Tracklist · 26 Tracks

02

Let Me

2:11

03

Poor Boy

2:16

04

We’re Gonna Move

2:31

05

Loving You (unreleased slow version, take 10)

2:14

06

Party (unreleased version)

1:11

07

Hot Dog

1:16

08

Teddy Bear

1:53

09

Loving You (unreleased fast version, takes 20–21)

2:10

10

Mean Woman Blues (alternate film version)

2:35

11

Got o’ Lot of Livin’ to Do (unreleased version)

1:26

12

Loving You (unreleased fast version, take 1)

1:50

13

Party

1:31

14

Lonesome Cowboy

3:09

15

Jailhouse Rock (unreleased with vocal overdub, take 6)

2:37

16

Treat Me Nice (unreleased version, take 10)

2:10

17

Young and Beautiful (unreleased version, take 12)

2:22

18

Don’t Leave Me Now (original version, take 12)

2:12

19

I Want to Be Free (original version, take 11)

2:23

20

Baby I Don’t Care (original version, take 16, vocal overdub, take 6)

1:59

21

Jailhouse Rock (unreleased version, take 5)

1:58

22

Got a Lot o’ Livin’ to Do

2:35

23

Loving You (unreleased slow version, take 1)

1:54

24

Mean Woman Blues

2:16

25

Loving You (unreleased fast version, take 8)

1:29

26

Treat Me Nice

2:14

27

Love Me Tender (unreleased version)

1:13

Moments Worth Listening For

The sudden, spine-tingling transition into the bridge of Suspicious Minds where the horns swell against the driving rhythm

The intimate, almost whispered opening of Are You Lonesome Tonight? before the spoken word section takes over

The raw, bluesy grit in his voice during the 1969 American Sound Studio sessions, particularly on In the Ghetto

The soaring, uninhibited gospel heights reached during the How Great Thou Art sessions included in this era

Where This Album Departs

How does Essential sound next to the rest of Elvis Presley's catalogue?

Late Night+1.9σ

Late Night saturates this record notably more than the artist's norm.

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