Thanks to Johnny2523 over at elvis-collectors.com for posting this: As part of its CLASSIC ALBUM series, FTD is pleased to announce the release of the original soundtrack album for “KISSIN’ COUSINS.” It features unreleased outtakes, rarities and an informative illustrated 16-page booklet with rare memorabilia, movie trivia and photos. Due to the small amount of existing outtakes (as Elvis didn’t record with the band) it includes instrumental masters recorded at the RCA Studio in Nashville that show the great musicianship of the players. THE ORIGINAL ALBUM SIDE 1 01 Kissin’ Cousins (Number 2) 02 Smokey Mountain Boy 03 There’s Gold In The Mountains 04 One Boy Two Little Girls 05 Catchin’ On Fast 06 Tender Feeling SIDE 2 07 Anyone (Could Fall in Love with You) 08 Barefoot Ballad 09 Once Is Enough 10 Kissin’ Cousins ALSO 11 Echoes Of Love 12 (It’s a) Long Lonely Highway OUTTAKES, UNEDITED MASTERS, TRACKS & INSTRUMENTALS 13 Kissin’ Cousins (Number 2) (unedited master)* 14 Catchin’ On Fast (unedited master)* 15 Anyone (Could Fall in Love with You) (v.o. take 2/alternate master)* 16 Kissin’ Cousins (hillbilly vocal)* 17 Kissin’ Cousins (regular vocal)* 18 Barefoot Ballad (vocal overdub, take 2 & pickup take 4 - partial)* 19 Barefoot Ballad (instrumental)* 20 There’s Gold In The Mountains (instrumental)* 21 Pappy Won’t You Please Come Home (Dolores Edgin vocal, take 6/M)* 22 There’s Gold In The Mountains (track, takes 1-2)* 23 One Boy Two Little Girls (track, take 2)* 24 Once Is Enough (track, take 1)* 25 Tender Feeling (track, take 1)* 26 Kissin’ Cousins (Number 2) (track, take 1)* 27 Smokey Mountain Boy (track, take 1-intro & take 4/M)* 28 Catchin’ On Fast (track, take 1 & ending take 2)* 29 Barefoot Ballad (track, take 2)* 3:06 30 Anyone (Could Fall in Love with You) (track, take 4)* 31 Kissin’ Cousins (track, take 1)* 1:49 32 Tender Feeling (vocal only, take 1/M)* 2:39 * previously unreleased
And this: FTD is pleased to announce the release of the legendary BICENTENNIAL SHOW. This a 2-CD 5” digipack release. ELVIS – THE BICENTENNIAL SHOW DISC 1: Recorded live at Mabee Center, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma July 4, 1976 at 2:30 PM 01 Also Sprach Zarathustra 02 See See Rider 03 I Got A Woman / Amen 04 Love Me 05 If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 06 You Gave Me A Mountain 07 America 08 All Shook Up 09 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel 10 And I Love You So 11 Jailhouse Rock 12 Fever 13 An American Trilogy 14 Introductions / Early Mornin’ Rain 15 What’d I Say (incomplete) 16 Love Letters 17 School Days 18 Hurt 19 Help Me 20 Hound Dog 21 Funny How Time Slips Away 22 How Great Thou Art 23 Little Darlin’ 24 Can’t Help Falling In Love 25 Closing Vamp Disc 2 Tracks 1-23 Recorded live at Duluth Arena, Duluth, Minnesota October 16, 1976 at 8:30 PM Tracks 24-28 Recorded live at Dane County Coliseum, Madison, Wisconsin October 19, 1976 at 8:30 PM 01 Also Sprach Zarathustra 02 See See Rider 03 I Got A Woman / Amen 04 Love Me 05 If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 06 You Gave Me A Mountain 07 Jailhouse Rock 08 All Shook Up 09 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel 10 And I Love You So 11 Fever 12 Steamroller Blues 13 Introductions /Early Mornin’ Rain 14 What’d I Say / Johnny B. Goode 15 Love Letters 16 School Days (incomplete) 17 Hurt 18 Hound Dog 19 It’s Now Or Never 20 How Great Thou Art 21 Blue Christmas 22 Can’t Help Falling In Love 23 Closing Vamp BONUS SONGS 24 Hawaiian Wedding Song 25 Steamroller Blues 26 America 27 Love Me Tender 28 Blue Suede Shoes
So does Kissin' Cousins finish off the soundtracks, then? The Bicentennial Show seems like a really bizarre pairing to me but I'll get it anyway, I suppose.
Yeah, I believe Kissin' Cousins is the last one. I'm a little surprised by this coming out so soon after The Last Movies. I expected them to space these last few classic albums out a bit more, and drop a few more soundboards before the next one. But glad they're releasing it. I'm also surprised they didn't release The Bicentennial Shows earlier in the year, say over the summer -- or perhaps around the 4th of July?
Thanks. Is the correct unedited Merry Christmas Baby available on any official vinyl or cd? Also how is it different from the Walk a Mile in My Shoes version?
Pretty underwhelming end to the 2017 release schedule, but there are probably a handful of fans looking forward to Kissin' Cousins, and it was inevitable that FTD would release it. It was also inevitable that FTD would release the 7/4/76 concert for obvious, historical reasons, but two more CDs of substandard 1976 soundboard performances is a bit irritating.
I think it is available on the original CD pressing of "Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas." The 70's boxset version is the standard edit. FTD's accidental omission of the unedited version from the FTD release, and its unwillingness to correct the mistake, is very aggravating. They had two chances to release it on "I Sing All Kinds" and the aforementioned FTD reissue of the 1971 Christmas album, and didn't get the job done.
I think more than "a handful". This release is about (nearly) completing a full set of original albums in this much loved (by many) 7" format. Given we're nearing the end, I'm wondering just when you think would have been a good time to release it.
I may get this one, just because it was the Bicentennial. I saw a video on YouTube from this show and the crowd were giving a standing ovation during "America". Pretty cool. The local paper gave the show a good review too. Elvis Presley In Concert
As others have said, the '57 Christmas album is relatively perfunctory. Sadly no Christmas song outtakes/session material. Just the gospel songs... which are nice, but not really Christmasy. But it's such a great album and the mastering is fantastic that it was a welcome addition (and a well-timed FTD for the holidays when it was released, IIRC). Plus, for me, I never had the standalone album believe it or not. I always had a few compilations that included the material. So I never felt the need to get the original album as is, until FTD's version came out. So, in that regard, it was a very welcome release. And its 7-inch glossy red stature looked swank on the mantle whilst sipping egg nog. After rereading the EIN review, I'm reminded that there was a lot of missed opportunities and overlooked details that pushes this into the lesser FTD category. Plus, I'm a huge believer in "just give me two discs of something/anything for my 30 FTD dollars!" kind-of guy. Were there any radio or TV appearance they could have included? A December Hayride show? A Christmas-time soundboard or something? The tie-in doesn't have to be that strong for me. Even a CD full of Blue Christmas concert recordings from the 70s would have been great. Anything, really. The '71 Christmas album, on the other hand, is jam-packed. That aforementioned missing "Merry Christmas Baby" artifact aside, it's a pretty fantastic FTD. With 2 full discs of very uniquely autumnal-sounding Christmas jams, it makes for a wonderful expanded listening experience.
I don't know, "Kissin' Cousins" is near the bottom of the Elvis Presley soundtrack canon -- I find it hard to believe that a large number or a majority of fans have been pushing for this soundtrack to finally receive a reissue (for example, I only recall one person on FECC who has been actively campaigning for its release). That said, I do not have an issue with the timing per se, in fact, I would not have cared if FTD released it at any time during the past decade, I just personally find it to be a substandard soundtrack, and therefore not thrilled with the December releases (Kissin' Cousins and two 1976 soundboards). What I find a bit baffling is that Ernst has to know a growing number of fans are tired of 1976 soundboards, yet he is releasing another 1976 two-fer. In addition to unreleased 1969, 1970, and 1972 multitracked tapes, there are remaining soundboards from 1971, 1972, and 1973 that FTD can release. I could use a break from the 1974-1976 period.
I didn't think any of the RCA/BMG/Sony releases had the full version, at least none without the splice in the middle.
I can understand where you are coming from, because FTD has frequently included two-discs of material for the price of one FTD disc, fans expect the best value for their money. However, in the case of this classic 1950's album, I think it would have been a creative and aesthetic mistake to include non-associated material. I would have found it disturbing to have a December 1975 or December 1976 concert on disc two, both glaringly inferior to the incredible 1957 sessions. The same thing would apply to a full disc of mid-1970's live versions of Blue Christmas (that could also get a bit painful to listen to). The best scenario you mentioned is the inclusion of the 1950's television appearance audio (there is not another December Hayride tape) because it originates from the same era as the album, but I am content without it.
A couple of things I would have added to the FTD '57 Christmas Album are the pre-take banter on 'White Christmas', even it meant repeating the whole track and maybe the count-in to 'Don't' as appeared on the CD version of '... Sings Leiber And Stoller'. Although I always wondered if that was actually from 'Don't' or added from somewhere else to make it more interesting...
The other day, while making room on the shelf for my recent FTD purchases, I was reminded of this fact -- they haven't released an early 70s soundboard in forever! I know they've got less of those lying around, but sheesh... it's been awhile. And again, a July 4th '76 Bicentennial show makes more sense to me to release around the July 4th holiday -- especially since I assume it's the date of the show that's significant. I would have closed the year out with something different. Save the Bicentennial gig for next summer. I'm sure ShopElvis would appreciate that. Market some new Elvis grilling gear and cookbooks. Hound Dog, hot dog plates.
The EIN review also nitpicks the booklet details. Which reminds me... the booklets on some of these FTDs... I don't know. They include a lot of detail, but sometimes leave out obvious stuff. I can't recall off the top of my head an example... but I've always wondered why some are lacking details and liners. Yet others are pretty packed (Love Me Tender is a nice thick one). The photos are usually great.
I agree KC is way down the list in terms of quality. However, the fact that it was beginning to look as though it might never happen made fans want it all the more. As I've said many times, for those of us who COLLECT these it isn't just about musical content - it's the package. To state the obvious, these are made for the people who want them and there are more than enough of us to make them viable.
Call it a guilty pleasure, but I truly enjoy a good deal of the songs. Tender Feelings is one of my favorite Elvis ballads. This isn't in a cute way, this is truly how I see it. Once is Enough has got to be one of his coolest pick-me-ups. This has been a long time coming. 2 discs, is just kick butt! Btw...the Vocal only Tender Feeling cut is going to be interesting for sure.
And EIN had a personal axe to grind with the author of the liner notes. The audio from that FTD is outstanding.
I don’t disagree. And for Kissin’ Cousins enthusiasts, this reissue has it all; instrumentals, backing tracks, isolated vocals, co-star vocals, slightly longer unedited masters, etc.
According to Keith Flynn, it has not been officially released. The version on the original Wonderful World of Christmas CD is the 7:16 edit which also appeared on the Reconsider Baby album. The unedited, undubbed version of "Merry Christmas Baby" is only available on bootleg.
Yep, it was foolish to leave off the banter and finger-snaps at the beginning of "White Christmas." That's the only outtake material we have from those sessions, it should have been included.
