I recently purchased "HitStory" by Elvis Presley, mostly to get the rest of his top 20 singles that I didn't have, but also hoping for improved sound over my 1988 "Top 10 Hits" collection on his top 10's. I read some reviews at Amazon.com that said the original version of Elvis #1's had some alternate takes and some songs were remixed. This review also stated that most of these problems were fixed: no remixes, and correct takes except for "The Wonder of You" which he said doesn't feature the overdubs that were added to the live recording.
Also here's a review of the original #1's cd from Elvis.com.au:
‘The Wonder Of You’ – There can be only one original Master version and it’s the one that starts with Elvis edging the band along with “Ooo-Ooo-Ooo-Ooo” before the lyric starts – and this isn’t it! This is the Dinner Show recording from the same night and the very first time Elvis sang it live in concert. The band isn’t quite together, Elvis fluffs the lyric several times and the backing singers are out of tune. (The single was recorded at the Midnight Show the same night and the out of tune backing vocals were removed with an overdub a few weeks later). There is no doubt that this is great vocal by Elvis and there is no annoying audience overdub plus he does a lovely “Whoop” with delight at the end. However it still doesn't have the magnificence of the single Master which makes this a very odd choice.
It is obviously a fabulous version for us collectors to own (along with ‘A Fool Such As I’) so maybe these two were possible tracks for ‘Today, Tomorrow and Forever’ which ended up here instead!
Another slight oddity is James Burton being mixed onto the left channel. Since when did he stand on Elvis’ right?
It won’t be long before this is the version always played by radio stations as his Number One single which will see Elvis' musical legacy incorrectly re-written.
However the version I have on HitSTory has Elvis singing "Ooo-Ooo-Ooo-Ooo". So is this the correct version after all? And whether or not this is correct, is the version on "Top 10 Hits" correct? What exactly was overdubbed in anyway? I listened to the first 30 seconds or so of each version and couldn't hear much difference.
Also here's a review of the original #1's cd from Elvis.com.au:
‘The Wonder Of You’ – There can be only one original Master version and it’s the one that starts with Elvis edging the band along with “Ooo-Ooo-Ooo-Ooo” before the lyric starts – and this isn’t it! This is the Dinner Show recording from the same night and the very first time Elvis sang it live in concert. The band isn’t quite together, Elvis fluffs the lyric several times and the backing singers are out of tune. (The single was recorded at the Midnight Show the same night and the out of tune backing vocals were removed with an overdub a few weeks later). There is no doubt that this is great vocal by Elvis and there is no annoying audience overdub plus he does a lovely “Whoop” with delight at the end. However it still doesn't have the magnificence of the single Master which makes this a very odd choice.
It is obviously a fabulous version for us collectors to own (along with ‘A Fool Such As I’) so maybe these two were possible tracks for ‘Today, Tomorrow and Forever’ which ended up here instead!
Another slight oddity is James Burton being mixed onto the left channel. Since when did he stand on Elvis’ right?
It won’t be long before this is the version always played by radio stations as his Number One single which will see Elvis' musical legacy incorrectly re-written.
However the version I have on HitSTory has Elvis singing "Ooo-Ooo-Ooo-Ooo". So is this the correct version after all? And whether or not this is correct, is the version on "Top 10 Hits" correct? What exactly was overdubbed in anyway? I listened to the first 30 seconds or so of each version and couldn't hear much difference.
