Elvis Presley: ‘A Boy From Tupelo’ Set Collects Every Early Recording
Elvis Presley‘s formative years will be exhaustively documented in A Boy From Tupelo – The Complete 1953-55 Recordings, an upcoming box set that collects every known studio take, live performance and radio appearance the King made in that three-year span.
Due out July 28th, the 3-CD set is packed with previously unreleased recordings, including a newly discovered live performance of “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” from the Louisiana Hayride on October 29th, 1955.
A Boy From Tupelo also boasts, for the first time ever, every known Sun Records master and outtake, plus the Memphis Recording Service Acetates that Presley himself paid to make before signing with Sun in 1954.
The box set – produced, researched and written by Ernst Mikael Jørgensen – also comes with a 120-page book formatted as an illustrated travelogue that documents this chapter in Presley’s career, from the days before his legendary July 5th, 1954 recording sessions at Sun Studio to December 1955, when Presley left Sun to sign with RCA. The book is packed with rare photos, memorabilia, essays and more.
“Through all the years working with the Presley legacy, it has bugged me that so many seem to believe that Elvis was just at the right time and place, and got lucky,” Jørgensen tells Rolling Stone. “The music, the facts and the stories in A Boy From Tupelo aim to be put this right. It’s all about talent, hard work and originality.”
A Boy From Tupelo will also be available as a digital download as well as a single 12-inch vinyl dubbed A Boy From Tupelo: The Sun Masters, which collects the 17 songs Presley recorded at Sun Studio. The box set is available to pre-order now.
A Boy From Tupelo – The Complete 1953-55 Recordings Track List
* Previously unreleased
Disc 1
Memphis Recording Service Acetates
1. “My Happiness” (Recorded July, 1953 at Sun Studio)
2. “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” (Recorded July, 1953 at Sun Studio)
3. “I’ll Never Stand in Your Way” (Recorded January 4, 1954 at Sun Studio)
4. “It Wouldn’t Be the Same (Without You)” (Recorded January 4, 1954 at Sun Studio)
Sun Masters
5. “Harbor Lights 2:38 (Possibly recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
6. “I Love You Because (unprocessed master edit)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
7. “That’s All Right (45 rpm master)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
8. “Blue Moon of Kentucky (45 rpm master)” (Recorded July 7, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
9. “Blue Moon” (Likely recorded between August 15 and 19, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
10. “Tomorrow Night” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
11. “I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
12. “I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
13. “Just Because” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
14. “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
15. “Milkcow Blues Boogie” (Recorded either mid-November or mid-December 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
16. “You’re a Heartbreaker” (Recorded either mid-November or mid-December 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
17. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone (slow version)” (Recorded between mid-November 1954 and mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
18. “Baby Let’s Play House” (Likely recorded between January 30 and February 4, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
19. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” (Likely recorded mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
20. “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” (Recorded mid-July, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
21. “Mystery Train” (Recorded mid-July, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
22. “Tryin’ to Get To You” (Recorded mid-July, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
23. “When It Rains It Pours” (Recorded November 1-4, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
RCA Masters
24. “That’s All Right (RCA single version)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
25. “Blue Moon of Kentucky (RCA single version)” (Recorded July 7, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
26. “I Love You Because (RCA LP version)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
27. “Tomorrow Night (RCA LP version)” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
Disc 2
Sun Studio Sessions
1. “Harbor Lights (takes 1-2, 3/M)” (Possibly recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
2. “Harbor Lights (take 4)” (Possibly recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
3. “Harbor Lights (takes 5-8)” (Possibly recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
4. “I Love You Because (takes 1-2)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
5. “I Love You Because (take 3)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
6. “I Love You Because (takes 4-5)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
7. “That’s All Right (takes 1-3)” (Recorded July 5, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
8. “Blue Moon of Kentucky (slow tempo outtake)” (Recorded July 7, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
9. “Blue Moon (takes 1-4)” (Likely recorded between August 15 and 19, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
10. “Blue Moon (take 5)” (Likely recorded between August 15 and 19, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
11. “Blue Moon (takes 6-8)” (Likely recorded between August 15 and 19, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
12. “Blue Moon (take 9/M)” (Likely recorded between August 15 and 19, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
13. Dialogue (fragment before “Tomorrow Night”) *
14. “I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) (incomplete take)” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
15. “Good Rockin’ Tonight (fragment from vocal slapback tape)” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
16. “I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine (takes 1-3/M)” (Recorded between September 12-16, 1954 at Sun Studio, Memphis.)
17. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone (slow version, take 1)” (Recorded between mid-November 1954 and mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
18. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone (slow version, take 2)” (Recorded between mid-November 1954 and mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
19. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone (slow version, take 3)” (Recorded between mid-November 1954 and mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
20. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone (slow version, take 4-5)” (Recorded between mid-November 1954 and mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
21. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone (slow version, takes 6-7)” (Recorded between mid-November 1954 and mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
22. “How Do You Think I Feel (guitar slapback tape, rehearsals + take 1)” (Recorded between mid-November 1954 and mid-April 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
23. “When It Rains It Pours (vocal slapback tape, take 1)” (Recorded November 1-4, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
24. “When It Rains It Pours (vocal slapback tape, take 2 – rehearsal 1 – takes 3-4)” (Recorded November 1-4, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
25. “When It Rains It Pours (vocal slapback tape, take 5/M)” (Recorded November 1-4, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis)
26. “When It Rains It Pours (vocal slapback tape, take 6-8)” (Recorded November 1-4, 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis) *
Disc 3
Live and Radio Performances
1. “That’s All Right” (Recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, October 16, 1954)
2. “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (Recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, October 16, 1954)
3. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (Recorded at KDAV Radio, Lubbock, Texas, January 6, 1955)
4. “Fool, Fool, Fool” (Recorded at KDAV Radio, Lubbock, Texas, January 6, 1955)
5. “Hearts of Stone” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, January 15, 1955)
6. “That’s All Right” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, January 15, 1955) *
7. “Tweedlee Dee” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, January 15, 1955)
8. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (Recorded at WJOI Radio, Florence, Alabama January 19, 1955) *
9. KSIJ Radio commercial with DJ Tom Perryman (Recorded at KSIJ Radio, Gladewater, Texas, 1955) *
10. “Money Honey” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, January 22, 1955)
11. “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, January 22, 1955) *
12. “I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, January 22, 1955)
13. “That’s All Right” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, January 22, 1955)
14. “Tweedlee Dee” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, March 5, 1955) *
15. “Money Honey” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, March 5, 1955) *
16. “Hearts of Stone” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, March 5, 1955) *
17. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, March 5, 1955) *
18. “Little Mama” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, March 5, 1955) *
19. “You’re a Heartbreaker” (Likely recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, March 5, 1955) *
20. “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (Likely recorded at the Eagles’ Hall, Houston, Texas, March 19, 1955)
21. “Baby Let’s Play House” (Likely recorded at the Eagles’ Hall, Houston, Texas, March 19, 1955) *
22. “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (Likely recorded at the Eagles’ Hall, Houston, Texas, March 19, 1955) *
23. “I Got a Woman” (Likely recorded at the Eagles’ Hall, Houston, Texas, March 19, 1955)
24. “That’s All Right” (Likely recorded at the Eagles’ Hall, Houston, Texas, March 19, 1955) *
25. “Tweedlee Dee” (Recorded at Gladewater High School, Gladewater, Texas, April 30, 1955)
26. “That’s All Right” (Recorded at the Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival, Meridian, Mississippi, May 26, 1955) *
27. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” (Recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, July 2, 1955) *
28. “Baby Let’s Play House” (Recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, August 20, 1955)
29. “Maybellene” (Recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, August 20, 1955)
30. “That’s All Right” (Recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, August 20, 1955)
31. Interview with Bob Neal (Recorded at WMPS Radio, Memphis Tennessee, between August 29-31, 1955)
32. “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” (Recorded at the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, October 29, 1955) *
A Boy From Tupelo: The Sun Masters Track List
1. “That’s All Right”
2. “Blue Moon of Kentucky”
3. “Good Rockin’ Tonight”
4. “I Don’t Care if the Sun Don’t Shine”
5. “Milkcow Blues Boogie”
6. “You’re a Heartbreaker”
7. “Baby Let’s Play House”
8. “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone”
9. “I Forgot to Remember to Forget”
10. “Mystery Train”
11. “I Love You Because (RCA LP version)”
12. “Blue Moon”
13. “I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)”
14. “Just Because”
15. “Tryin’ to Get To You”
16. “Tomorrow Night”
17. “Harbor Lights”