What: One of the most iconic and influential records in music history, this is not only Elvis's first album, but one of the first rock studio LPs ever (record labels previously thought that the teenage fans of rock music could only afford singles). All of Elvis's styles are represented on this dynamic and eclectic debut: pop ("Blue Moon"), rockabilly ("Blue Suede Shoes"), r&b ("I Got a Woman"), and country ("I Love You Because").
Where: Memphis, TN.
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| Sun Records in Memphis where Elvis recorded, ca. 1950s. |
When: Learning about the history of rock.
Why: Besides capturing Elvis's charisma and the excitement of early rock, this album's greatest value is that it is an incredible historical document: it is difficult to imagine a single record that better archives the diverse influences of rock music—country, pop, rockabilly, r&b—before they became conglomerated. One can hear the next half-century of popular music of nearly every sort contained on this record in embryonic form.
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| Elvis's first national T.V. appearance, January 1956. |
Microdose: While "Blue Suede Shoes" is legendary and the reverb-drenched "Blue Moon" is a must-listen, this rollicking version of "One-Sided Love Affair" is perhaps the quintessential example of Elvis's swagger.
Additional Dose: "Hound Dog," from Elvis's notorious appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, October 1956.
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