Today (Legacy Edition) Includes Newly Expanded Version of the King's Last Major Studio Album Featuring Rare Un-dubbed Session Mixes and Bonus Disc of Collectible Concert Performances Recorded in May-June 1975
Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, and RCA Records will commemorate the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley's last major studio sessions with the release of a newly expanded definitive edition of Elvis Presley's Today (Legacy Edition) on Friday, August 7, 2015.
The 40th Anniversary Today (Legacy Edition), the last studio album to be released during the King's lifetime, contains the entire original album (first released on May 7, 1975) while premiering 10 un-dubbed mixes from the sessions, providing a new intimate listening experience. Now, for the first time on an official release, fans can hear Elvis's pure unvarnished performances of these songs (recorded March 10-12, 1975), freed from the controversial "countrypolitan" overdubs on the original 1975 release and compare them to the more polished versions of the finished album. Today (Legacy Edition) is available for pre-order on Amazon.
Today (Legacy Edition) includes a bonus disc of rare and collectible concert performances recorded live during May and June 1975, the period immediately following the original release of the album.
Elvis Presley's Today was recorded in RCA's Studio C in Hollywood in March 10–12, 1975, and, though no one knew it at the time, it would be the last time Elvis would lay down tracks in a major recording studio. Studio C marked the spot where the King had recorded his Gold record smashes, "Burning Love" and "Separate Ways," in 1972 and Elvis had handpicked a remarkable repertoire for this 1975 studio album return. Among the material chosen for the album, Elvis selected Don McLean's "And I Love You So" and the Pointer Sisters' "Fairytale," songs he would perform in concert up until his passing in August 1977.
Today (Legacy Edition) opens with the album's first single and Top 40 hit "T-R-O-U-B-L-E," an unadulterated full-on rocker, penned by Jerry Chesnut (who also wrote the album's "Woman Without Love"), which signaled a return to raucous form for the King.
Rounding out the original Today were "Bringin' It Back," the album's second single, and covers of songs recorded by Perry Como, Billy Swan ("I Can Help"), Faye Adams ("Shake A Hand"), the Statler Brothers, Charlie Rich and Tom Jones ("Green, Green Grass of Home").
The 40th Anniversary Today (Legacy Edition) is the latest in a line of successful Legacy Edition reissues of key Elvis albums from the 1970s, among them On Stage, Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite and Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis—plus the special collections, Prince From Another Planet and Elvis At Stax.
The final mixing and overdubbing of the original Today, recorded with musicians outside of Elvis’ road-tested TCB Band, would become a point of contention between the artist and RCA. These sessions would turn out to be Elvis' last in a traditional recording studio. The smattering of new recordings that would comprise his subsequent output over the following two years would take place either live in concert or in Elvis' home studio at Graceland.
Originally released in 1975, Today was the last studio album from Elvis Presley. Now, in 2015, with the release of the 40th Anniversary Today (Legacy Edition), fans and collectors can experience the alternate "real" mix of the album, unadorned and true to the spirit of the artist.
Elvis Presley
Today (40th Anniversary Legacy Edition)
DISC ONE
THE ORIGINAL ALBUM
01. T-R-O-U-B-L-E
02. And I Love You So
03. Susan When She Tried
04. Woman Without Love
05. Shake A Hand
06. Pieces Of My Life
07. Fairytale
08. I Can Help
09. Bringin’ It Back
10. Green, Green Grass Of Home
ORIGINAL UNDUBBED SESSION MIXES
11. Fairytale
12. Green, Green Grass Of Home
13. I Can Help
14. And I Love You So
15. Susan When She Tried
16. T-R-O-U-B-L-E
17. Woman Without Love
18. Shake A Hand
19. Bringing It Back
20. Pieces Of My Life
DISC TWO
RECORDED LIVE ON TOUR MAY-JUNE 1975
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. Love Me Tender
07. All Shook Up
08. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
09. Hound Dog
10. The Wonder Of You
11. Burning Love
12. Introductions/Johnny B. Goode
13. Introductions/School Days
14. T-R-O-U-B-L-E
15. Why Me Lord
16. How Great Thou Art
17. Let Me Be There
18. An American Trilogy
19. Funny How Time Slips Away
20. Little Darlin’
21. Mystery Train/Tiger Man
22. Can’t Help Falling In Love