I'll Never Stand in Your Way - Elvis Presley, Heath, Hy
That's All Right [Alternate Take] - Elvis Presley, Crudup, Arthur "Big
Blue Moon [Alternate Take] - Elvis Presley, Hart, Lorenz
Good Rockin' Tonight - Elvis Presley, Brown, Roy [1]
Mystery Train - Elvis Presley, Parker, Junior [1]
I Got a Woman [Alternate Take] - Elvis Presley, Charles, Ray [1]
Heartbreak Hotel [Alternate Take 6] - Elvis Presley, Axton, Mae Boren
I'm Counting on You [Alternate Take 13] - Elvis Presley, Robertson, Don [1]
Shake, Rattle & Roll/Flip Flop & Fly - Elvis Presley, Calhoun, Charles E.
Lawdy Miss Clawdy [Alternate Take 1] - Elvis Presley, Price, Lloyd
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You [Alternate Take 4] - Elvis Presley, Kosloff, Lou
Hound Dog - Elvis Presley, Leiber, Jerry
Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley, Blackwell, Otis
Rip It Up [Alternate Take 15] - Elvis Presley, Blackwell, Robert "
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley, Matson, Vera
When the Saints Go Marching In - Elvis Presley, Traditional
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley, Blackwell, Otis
Peace in the Valley [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Dorsey, Thomas A.
Blueberry Hill - Elvis Presley, Lewis, Al [1]
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley, Lowe, Bernie
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley, Leiber, Jerry
New Orleans - Elvis Presley, Bennett, Roy
I Need Your Love Tonight [Alternate Take][Take] - Elvis Presley, Reichner, Bix
A Big Hunk O' Love [Alternate Take 4] - Elvis Presley, Schroeder, Aaron [1
Bad Nauheim Medley: I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen/I Will Be True/I - Elvis Presley, Cor
Track Listings (25) - Disc #2
Stuck on You - Elvis Presley, McFarland, J. Lesli
Fame and Fortune - Elvis Presley, Weisman, Benjamin
It's Now or Never - Elvis Presley, DiCapua, Eddie
It Feels So Right [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Weisman, Benjamin
A Mess of Blues [Alternate Take 1] - Elvis Presley, Pomus, Doc
Are You Lonesome Tonight? - Elvis Presley, Handman, Lou
Reconsider Baby - Elvis Presley, Fulson, Lowell
Tonight Is So Right for Love [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Lilley, Joseph
His Hand in Mine [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Lister, Mosie
Milky White Way [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Presley, Elvis
I'm Comin' Home [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Rich, Charlie
I Feel So Bad [Alternate Take 1] - Elvis Presley, Willis, Chuck [1]
Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley, Creatore, Luigi
Something Blue [Alternate Take] - Elvis Presley, Byron, Al
Return to Sender - Elvis Presley, Blackwell, Otis
Bossa Nova Baby [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Leiber, Jerry
How Great Thou Art [Alternate Take 4] - Elvis Presley, Hine, Stuart K.
Guitar Man [Alternate Take 4] - Elvis Presley, Reed, Jerry
You'll Never Walk Alone [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Hammerstein, Oscar
Oh, How I Love Jesus - Elvis Presley, Traditional
Tennessee Waltz - Elvis Presley, King, Pee Wee
Blowin' in the Wind - Elvis Presley, Dylan, Bob
I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You) - Elvis Presley, Williams, Hank [1]
I'm Beginning to Forget You - Elvis Presley, Phelps, Willie
After Loving You - Elvis Presley, Lantz, John William
Track Listings (24) - Disc #3
I Got a Woman - Elvis Presley, Charles, Ray [1]
Tiger Man - Elvis Presley, Burns, Lewis
When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again - Elvis Presley, Sullivan, Gene
Trying to Get to You - Elvis Presley, McCoy, Rose Marie
If I Can Dream [Alternate Take 1] - Elvis Presley, Brown, W. Earl
In the Ghetto [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Davis, Mac
Suspicious Minds [Alternate Take][Take] - Elvis Presley, James, Mark [1]
Power of My Love [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Baum, Bernie
Baby, What You Want Me to Do - Elvis Presley, Reed, Jimmy [1]
Words - Elvis Presley, Gibb, Barry
Johnny B. Goode - Elvis Presley, Berry, Chuck
Release Me - Elvis Presley, Miller, Eddie [2]
See See Rider - Elvis Presley, Traditional
The Wonder of You - Elvis Presley, Knight, Baker
The Sound of Your Cry [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Baum, Bernie
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me - Elvis Presley, Donaggio, Pino
Funny How Time Slips Away - Elvis Presley, Nelson, Willie
I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water - Elvis Presley, Babcock, Joe
I Was the One - Elvis Presley, Blair, Hal
Baby Let's Play House - Elvis Presley, Gunter, Arthur
Don't - Elvis Presley, Leiber, Jerry
Money Honey - Elvis Presley, Stone, Jesse
What'd I Say - Elvis Presley, Charles, Ray [1]
Bridge over Troubled Water - Elvis Presley, Simon, Paul
Track Listings (24) - Disc #4
Miracle of the Rosary [Alternate Take 1] - Elvis Presley, Denson, Lee
He Touched Me [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Gaither, Bill [Gosp
Bosom of Abraham [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Brooks, Phillip [1]
I'll Be Home on Christmas Day [Alternate 4] - Elvis Presley, Jarrett, Michael [1
For the Good Times [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Kristofferson, Kris
Burning Love [Alternate Take] - Elvis Presley, Linde, Dennis
Separate Ways [Alternate Take 25] - Elvis Presley, Mainegra, Richard
Always on My Mind [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Christopher, Johnny
An American Trilogy - Elvis Presley, Newbury, Mickey
Take Good Care of Her [Alternate Take 4] - Elvis Presley, Kent, Arthur
I've Got a Thing About You Baby - Elvis Presley, White, Tony Joe
Are You Sincere [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Walker, Wayne
It's Midnight [Alternate Take 10] - Elvis Presley, Chesnut, Jerry
Promised Land [Alternate Take 5] - Elvis Presley, Berry, Chuck
Steamroller Blues - Elvis Presley, Taylor, James [1]
And I Love You So [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, McLean, Don [1]
T-R-O-U-B-L-E - Elvis Presley, Chesnut, Jerry
Danny Boy [Alternate Take 9] - Elvis Presley, Weatherly, Frederic
Moody Blue - Elvis Presley, James, Mark [1]
Hurt [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Crane, Jimmie
For the Heart [Alternate Take 1] - Elvis Presley, Linde, Dennis
Pledging My Love [Alternate Take 3] - Elvis Presley, Robey, Don
Way Down [Alternate Take 2] - Elvis Presley, Martine, Layng Jr.
My Way - Elvis Presley, Anka, Paul
The four-CD box-set Platinum was released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Elvis's death. While much of the material here is made up of familiar hits, there are also 77 unreleased performances spread over the set. Of... more » course, unreleased doesn't necessarily mean better. The original versions of "Heartbreak Hotel," "Rip It Up," and "That's All Right" are so firmly embedded as the foundations of rock & roll that the new versions here add little luster. But what makes Platinum a real treasure-trove is hearing Elvis off mic, whether off-duty or working up songs in the studio prior to recording. Presley had an instinctive grasp of all manner of music; as you can hear on these tracks, he could slip with ease from rock & roll to gospel, ballads, or the blues. Among the most revealing recordings are of Elvis relaxing at home, tackling such diverse material as "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen," "Blowin' in the Wind," and "Blueberry Hill." Platinum may not be ideal as an introduction to the music of Presley, but--filled as it is with rare photos and a sensitively written song-by-song commentary--it provides an illuminating insight into the man whose shadow casts itself long into the 21st century. --Patrick Humphries« less
The four-CD box-set Platinum was released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Elvis's death. While much of the material here is made up of familiar hits, there are also 77 unreleased performances spread over the set. Of course, unreleased doesn't necessarily mean better. The original versions of "Heartbreak Hotel," "Rip It Up," and "That's All Right" are so firmly embedded as the foundations of rock & roll that the new versions here add little luster. But what makes Platinum a real treasure-trove is hearing Elvis off mic, whether off-duty or working up songs in the studio prior to recording. Presley had an instinctive grasp of all manner of music; as you can hear on these tracks, he could slip with ease from rock & roll to gospel, ballads, or the blues. Among the most revealing recordings are of Elvis relaxing at home, tackling such diverse material as "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen," "Blowin' in the Wind," and "Blueberry Hill." Platinum may not be ideal as an introduction to the music of Presley, but--filled as it is with rare photos and a sensitively written song-by-song commentary--it provides an illuminating insight into the man whose shadow casts itself long into the 21st century. --Patrick Humphries
"This was the first of three Elvis box sets to primarily include previously unreleased versions and performances (the others being "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever" and "Close Up"). BMG/RCA must have been unsure of the marketability of a set made up exclusively of unreleased material, so they hedged their bets with this set by including 23 hits along with 77 previously unreleased recordings. This is a very good collection and provides some interesting insight into Elvis' artistic and recording evolution. While most of the alternate versions are close to the final releases, they tend to have a less polished sound which in some cases I actually prefer. Closing the set with an excerpt from Elvis' JayCees speach was a nice touch - very moving.
Out of the three "previously unreleased" box sets, I would rank this one a close second to "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever", primarily because that one contains 100 previously unreleased recordings while this one only has 77. However, both are certainly worthwhile projects for avid Elvis fans - though they are overkill for average fans."
A Remarkable Life in Music
Scott T. Rivers | Los Angeles, CA USA | 07/27/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Platinum" is a terrific 4-CD overview of Elvis Presley's artistry from 1954 to 1977. Along with the essential classics, this set includes a gold mine of previously unreleased material. The 1970 jam sessions on Disc 3 are a revelation - proving that Elvis could out-rock all comers. Presley's hard-edged run-through of "What'd I Say" is a masterpiece. Other gems include alternate takes of "Burning Love," "Promised Land," "Hurt" and "Way Down." In retrospect, "Platinum" is the finest display of Elvis' creative scope - an indispensable chronicle of the man and his music."
Diverse collection
Phil S. | USA | 02/24/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is perhaps the best *balanced* Presley boxed-set yet. Familiar classics mixed with less familiar alternate takes. The casual fan who might be unfamiliar with a later tune like "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" can hear it in its original release version; can also hear "Heartbreak Hotel" in an entertaining variation. For the dedicated student, there's an amazing amount of tracks with a level of creativity not reached in the first issue ("Guitar Man"), others.
Brightest highlight: a looser, more rockin' (if you can believe it) workout on "A Big Hunk O' Love" - I think Little Richard himself would be impressed. The hit single was one of the greatest in R & R history, but this less-polished take is one for the ages. The more serious, "personal", Country ballad, "Always On My Mind" caught me a little off-guard. I must be getting older because it nearly brought me to tears - this man is crying out from the deepest recess of his soul. Willie Nelson's made a terrific record of the tune, but this cut surpasses Nelson's *and* Presley's original. "Bossa Nova, Baby" lacks the punch of the hit 45rpm, but has the same fun atmosphere. A few different lyrics will make the collectors smile. "You'll Never Walk Alone" is another intense statement - and another lost multi-million seller. It took a while for folks to really appreciate his performance - and to learn that was him at the piano! It's still electrifying 37 years later.
There are some problems in sound quality, in A & R, and in historical notation. The "Bad Nauheim Medley" is barely discernable; "Blowin' In The Wind" never should have been included - it works only for the nearly obsessed collector; his accompaniment is apparently a record!. "After Loving You" has little relation to the gem on "From Elvis In Memphis". Also note that two tracks are said to be from '61 when now we read that they were from '59 - actually a big difference in time and in Presley's vocal development. Not a major flaw by any means but to have a progression of dates go '67, '66, then '61 on Disc 2 spoils the overall delivery somewhow.
The written notes of Colin Escott are tremendous; the photographs are too."
Etched in Gold
Peter Letheby | Adelaide, South Australia Australia | 08/23/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The seemingly never ending stocktake of RCA's Presley vaults has uncovered a genuinely outstanding package of performances by the master. Included in this set are tracks which were deemed to be unworthy of release at the time, underlining a musical integrity not apparent in the welter of commercially-driven soundtracks.Choice moments include a brilliant account of "What'd I Say" from rehearsals for "That's The Way It Is", replicating Ray Charles to a tee, while his commanding performance of "You'll Never Walk Alone" is gut wrenching, leaving Elvis, and the listener, drained.A gritty, determinedly "down home" reading of "Blueberry Hill" (transferred from acetate) effortlessly overshadows the officially released version, while a rare live version of "Stuck on You" (from the Sinatra TV special) and the blistering Milton Berle show performance of "Hound Dog" are indispensable additions to any true fans' collection.Also of note is an interesting, "looser" take of "Bossa Nova Baby", with the band blowing up a storm on the instrumental break, and Elvis resorting cheekily to the original lyric ("drink you fink, oh fiddly dink I can dance with a drink in my hand")."
Awesome
Joseph A Jones | Verona, New Jersey United States | 12/08/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Back in '97 when I purchased this, I can remember saving up money that I had gotten for my birthday and 12 days later going to the store and buying it the day it came out. I got home shortly after and listened to it start to finish. I was completely amazed. From disc one 1954 to disc four 1977, this collection spans The King's career wonderfully featuring 77 previously unreleased performances sprinkled in with 23 essential studio and live recordings. There's little to zero fill on here and this collection gives a wonderful insight to what went out between songs in many Presley recording sessions and his live performances also. Too bad the "Today, Tomorrow and Forever" collection didn't follow in Platinum's footsteps."