Elvis (1956 album)

Lore & Background

Recording sessions took place on September 1, 2, and 3 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, with one track left over from the sessions for Presley's debut album at the RCA Victor recording studios on January 30 in New York. RCA Victor producer Steve Sholes commissioned two new songs for these sessions: "Paralyzed" from Otis Blackwell and "Love Me" from Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, authors of Presley's summer hit "Hound Dog." Presley decided upon three Little Richard covers and selected three new country ballads from writers including Boudleaux Bryant, Chet Atkins, Stan Kesler, Aaron Schroeder, and Ben Weisman. Also included was "Old Shep," a Red Foley song with which Presley won second prize at a fair in Tupelo when he was ten years old.

With all but one track recorded over three days in September, Presley and his touring band—Scotty Moore, Bill Black, D.J. Fontana, and The Jordanaires—recreated the loose feel from Sun Studio days. The sessions were attended by actress Natalie Wood and actor Nick Adams. Elvis himself chose the songs and led the session. The piano player on the album is not registered in the official RCA Victor archives except for the song "So Glad You're Mine." Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires stated in a 1984 interview that he was the piano player on most songs. Some sources argue that Elvis himself played piano on "Love Me," "Old Shep," "How's the World Treating You," and the single "Playing for Keeps." Gordon Stoker played piano on "Rip it Up" and "Anyplace is Paradise."

Reader's Guide

Elvis (1956) is significant as Presley's second album and the first to achieve the milestone of both his debut and sophomore albums reaching number one in the same year. The album inaugurated the practice of crediting Presley only by his first name on album sleeves, though his full name continued on labels. Its recording sessions captured the raw energy of Presley's Sun Studio days, blending rhythm and blues with country and western repertoire. The album was certified Gold in 1960 and Platinum in 2011. It was originally released in the UK in 1957 as Elvis Presley No. 2 with a different front cover. The album has been reissued multiple times, including expanded editions in 1999 and 2005, and a deluxe edition in 2014 on the Follow That Dream label. The 2005 remaster by Kevan Budd received acclaim. The album's legacy lies in its consolidation of Presley's early rock and roll sound and its role in establishing his dominance on the album charts.