Elvis Presley
Year: 1956
Format: Spotify
Grade: A
The King's self-titled debut was a gamble, hard as that is to imagine now. This was the era of jazz and country, but Elvis Presley was the first rock 'n' roll platter to reach No. 1 on national charts.
It's a dynamic showcase for all of Presley's skills, opening with his legendary cover of Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes."
Presley shows all of the class and swagger that made him an icon, his voice exuding confidence and soul.
His other covers throughout Elvis Presley, which passes in less than a half an hour, are worthy recastings of others material, including Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" and Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti."
Part of "I Got a Woman" shows the changing social mores in the last 60 years. A line such as "she knows a woman's place" coming out of a star of the likes of The King's mouth in this era would set Twitter ablaze.
Presley had a string of successful singles and jumped from Sun Records to RCA Victor to make his debut LP offering.
This is the genesis of rock 'n' roll. Presley rode minor hits such as "That's All Right, Mama" before, but with Elvis Presley and "Heartbreak Hotel," he became a star.
Tomorrow's entry: Parliament, Mothership Connection
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