Elvis Presley - From Elvis In Nashville (2020) {4CD Box Set}

From Elvis In Nashville is a 4CD collection presenting the long-awaited definitive chronicle of Elvis Presley’s mythic 1970 marathon sessions with the “Nashville Cats” including two bonus discs of rare and/or unreleased outtakes from the 1970 sessions. Recorded live in RCA’s Studio B in Nashville over the course of an epic five day/night run in June 1970 (with an additional session on September 22), Elvis’ performances from those sessions formed the core of three of his most successful studio album releases from the 1970s: Elvis: That’s the Way It Is, Elvis Country (I’m 10,000 Years Old) and Love Letters from Elvis. Now, for the first time, the master recordings from the 1970 Studio B sessions may be enjoyed together as a single official Elvis album. On From Elvis In Nashville, Presley’s studio tracks from the 1970 marathon sessions are presented in pristine audio, newly mixed by acclaimed engineer Matt Ross-Spring (John Prine, Jason Isbell) without the added overdubs or orchestration appearing on earlier releases.

Elvis Presley headed to Nashville in June of 1970 for a series of marathon sessions at RCA Studio B, cutting enough material to be spread over three albums – That's The Way It Is, Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old), and Love Letters from Elvis, to be precise. Each of these records had their share of overdubs – Elvis Country was also connected by excerpts of "I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago," an intriguing idea that was maddening in practice – so the idea behind From Elvis in Nashville is inspired: the box presents those session as a whole, without overdubs or any kind of sweetening. Listening to these 74 tracks altogether doesn't quite rewrite Presley's history, as the original albums were quite strong on their own, but it does amount to a quiet revelation as it captures Elvis in the setting that suited him best: relaxed and comfortable, surrounded by ace musicians who can play whatever tune that either came to mind or came his way. A fair chunk of these sessions were devoted to relatively recent material, songs that were designed to bring Elvis a charting hit – Gene MacLellan's "Snowbird," Eddie Rabbitt and Rory Bourke's "Patch it Up," and the AOR-friendly "Mary in the Morning" – but these are punctuated by rampaging readings of "I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water," "Got My Mojo Workin," and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." Presley can be heard joking and swearing with his band and his high spirits are not only evident, they're infectious. The music is so good and so relaxed, it can take a moment to realize that within these four discs, Presley touches upon all of his musical obsessions and does so with the grace and skill of a master, all without losing sight of the song. Hearing these sessions as a unified set underscores that this may be the peak of Elvis as a mature artist, which means it's an essential listen.

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music

Track List CD1:

01. Opening Jam (Mystery Train) (1:53)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
02. Twenty Days and Twenty Nights (3:37)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
03. I've Lost You (4:02)
From the Single (1970)
04. I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago (3:33)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
05. The Sound of Your Cry (4:31)
From the Single (B-side of "It's Only Love") (1971)
06. The Fool (2:32)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
07. A Hundred Years from Now (1:35)
From the album The Essential '70s Masters (1995)
08. Little Cabin On the Hill (1:50)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
09. Cindy, Cindy (3:14)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
10. Bridge Over Troubled Water (4:31)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
11. How the Web Was Woven (3:31)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
12. Got My Mojo Working / Keep Your Hands Off of It (5:29)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
13. It's Your Baby, You Rock It (3:10)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
14. Stranger In the Crowd (4:31)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
15. I'll Never Know (2:25)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
16. Mary In the Morning (4:17)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
17. It Ain't No Big Thing (But It's Growing) (2:52)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
18. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me (2:38)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
19. Just Pretend (4:07)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
20. This Is Our Dance (3:15)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
21. Life (3:13)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
22. Heart of Rome (2:56)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)

Total Time: 01:13:41


Track List CD2:

01. When I'm Over You (3:35)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
02. I Really Don't Want to Know (2:48)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
03. Faded Love (4:09)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
04. Tomorrow Never Comes (3:57)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
05. The Next Step Is Love (3:49)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
06. Make The World Go Away (3:38)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
07. Funny How Time Slips Away (4:22)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
08. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water (5:21)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
09. Love Letters (2:56)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
10. There Goes My Everything (3:03)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
11. If I Were You (3:02)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
12. Only Believe (3:00)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
13. Sylvia (3:19)
From the album Elvis Now (1972)
14. Patch It Up (3:30)
From the Single (B-side of "You Don't Have To Say You Love") (1970)
15. Snowbird (2:06)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
16. Where Did They Go, Lord (2:30)
From the Single (1971)
17. Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On (4:39)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
18. Rags to Riches (1:57)
From the Single (B-side of "Where Did They Go, Lord") (1971)

Total Time: 01:01:44


Track List CD3:

01. Jam 2 (Tiger Man) (2:50)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
02. I've Lost You (Take 1) (5:23)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
03. The Next Step Is Love (Takes 3-6) (5:18)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
04. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me (Rehearsal) (2:26)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
05. Patch It Up (Take 1) (2:44)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
06. Twenty Days and Twenty Nights (Takes 5,6 & 8) (5:54)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
07. How the Web Was Woven (Take 1) (5:22)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
08. Mary In the Morning (Takes 3-4) (6:04)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
09. Just Pretend (Takes 1-2) (4:50)
Take 1: From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
Take 2: From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
10. Stranger In the Crowd (Takes 1-5) (4:52)
From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
11. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Rehearsal, Take 1) (5:37)
Take 1: From album That's The Way It Is (1970)
Take 2: From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
12. Patch It Up (Take 9) (4:39)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
13. The Sound of Your Cry (Take 3) (5:11)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
14. Where Did They Go, Lord (Takes 2-3) (2:55)
Take 2: From The album Elvis Country (1971)
Take 3: From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
15. Rags to Riches (Take 2) (3:17)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)

Total Time: 01:07:20


Track List CD4:

01. Jam 3 (I Didn't Make It On Playing Guitar) (4:13)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
02. Faded Love (Rehearsal, Country Version) (0:43)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
03. The Fool (Take 1) (2:30)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
04. A Hundred Years from Now (Take 1) (2:19)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
05. Little Cabin On the Hill (Take 1) (2:29)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
06. Tomorrow Never Comes (Takes 10-11) (6:32)
Take 10: Previously Unreleased
Take 11: From The album Elvis Country (1971)
07. Snowbird (Take 1) (2:35)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
08. Faded Love (Take 3) (4:22)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
09. It's Your Baby, You Rock It (Take 3) (3:12)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
10. There Goes My Everything (Take 1) (3:03)
From The album Elvis Country (1971)
11. Love Letters (Take 1) (2:11)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
12. If I Were You (Take 5) (2:11)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
13. Heart of Rome (Take 1) (3:23)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
14. Cindy, Cindy (Take 1) (4:09)
From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
15. I'll Never Know (Take 3) (4:07)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
16. Sylvia (Take 9) (3:18)
From album The Nashville Marathon (2002)
17. It Ain't No Big Thing (But It's Growing) (Takes 1-2) (4:33)
Take 1: From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
Take 2: From album Hundred Years From Now - Essential Elvis Vol. 4 (1996)
18. Only Believe (Take 3) (2:45)
From the album Love Letters From Elvis (1971)
19. Life (Take 2) (3:50)
From the 4-CD set Elvis: Today, Tomorrow & Forever (2002)

Total Time: 01:03:47