The Essential Elvis Presley is a greatest hits collection by American

People of the United States

The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...

 rock and roll

Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...

 icon Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley

Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

. The album was released as a two-disc set on January 2, 2007 by RCA Records

RCA Records

RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...

 as a part of Sony BMG's The Essential series and was later released by RCA and Legacy Recordings

Legacy Recordings

Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...

 as a Limited Edition 3.0 three-disc set.

In the Netherlands the album was released as The Dutch Collection, which topped the albums chart in that country, while The Essential Elvis Presley topped the albums chart in Sweden. Although not as successful as other releases in The Essential series, the album was certified gold in three countries. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on 8/4/2010 by the R.I.A.A.

Disc 1

1. "That's All Right"
2. "Baby, Let's Play House"
3. "Mystery Train
   Mystery Train
   "Mystery Train" is a song written by Junior Parker and Sam Phillips. It was first recorded in Phillip's Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee in 1953. Raymond Hill plays tenor sax and Matt Murphy plays lead guitar with Bill Johnson on piano, Pat Hare on...
   
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4. "Heartbreak Hotel
   Heartbreak Hotel
   "Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American rock and roll musician Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. His first number-one pop record, "Heartbreak Hotel" topped Billboards Top 100 chart, became his first...
   
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5. "I Was The One"
6. "Blue Suede Shoes
   Blue Suede Shoes
   "Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and is considered one of the first rockabilly records and incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time...
   
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7. "Hound Dog
   Hound Dog (song)
   "Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton in 1952. Other early versions illustrate the differences among blues, country, and rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The 1956 remake by Elvis Presley is the best-known...
   
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8. "Don't Be Cruel
   Don't Be Cruel
   -Legacy:"Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961. It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with "Jailhouse Rock" or "Teddy Bear" during performances from 1969.Many...
   
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9. "Love Me Tender
   Love Me Tender (song)
   "Love Me Tender" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music, adapted from the tune of "Aura Lee" , a sentimental Civil War ballad.- History :...
   
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10. "All Shook Up
    All Shook Up
    "All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music and composed by Otis Blackwell. Elvis Presley's single topped the U.S. Pop chart on April 13, 1957, staying there for eight weeks. It also topped the R&B chart for four weeks, becoming Presley's second single to...
    
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11. "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)
    Peace in the Valley
    "Peace in the Valley" is a 1937 song written by Thomas A. Dorsey, originally for Mahalia Jackson. The song became a hit in 1951 for Red Foley and the Sunshine Boys, reaching No. 7 on the Country & Western Best Seller chart. It was among the first gospel recordings to sell one million copies...
    
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12. "Jailhouse Rock
    Jailhouse Rock (song)
    "Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock...
    
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13. "Trouble"
14. "Fever
    Fever (1956 song)
    "Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport. It was originally recorded by Little Willie John in 1956. It has been covered by numerous artists from various musical genres, notably Peggy Lee in 1958....
    
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15. "It's Now or Never
    It's Now or Never (song)
    "It's Now or Never" is a popular song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company, in 1960. The melody of the song is adapted from the Italian standard, "'O Sole Mio", but the inspiration for it came from the song, "There's No Tomorrow", recorded by...
    
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16. "Reconsider Baby
    Reconsider Baby
    "Reconsider Baby" is a blues song written and recorded by Lowell Fulson in 1954. Performed in the West Coast blues style, it became Fulson's first record chart hit for Checker Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records...
    
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17. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?
    Are You Lonesome Tonight? (song)
    "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is a popular song with music by Lou Handman and lyrics by Roy Turk. It was written in 1926, first published in 1927 and most notably revived by Elvis Presley in 1960 ....
    
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18. "Little Sister
    Little Sister (Pomus/Shuman song)
    "Little Sister" is a rock and roll song written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman. It was originally released as a single in 1961 by American singer Elvis Presley, who turned it into a #5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100...
    
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19. "Follow That Dream"
20. "Can't Help Falling in Love
    Can't Help Falling in Love
    "Can't Help Falling in Love" is a pop song originally recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody was based on "Plaisir d'Amour" but with a different...
    
    "

Disc 2

1. "Return to Sender
   Return to Sender (song)
   "Return to Sender" is a 1962 rock and roll hit single recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music. The song was written by Winfield Scott and Otis Blackwell....
   
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2. "Devil in Disguise
   Devil In Disguise
   Devil In Disguise can refer to:*" Devil in Disguise", a 1963 single by Elvis Presley*"Christine's Tune", a song from the 1969 album The Gilded Palace of Sin by the Flying Burrito Brothers...
   
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3. "Bossa Nova Baby
   Bossa Nova Baby
   "Bossa Nova Baby" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and recorded on May 27, 1963, in RCA Studio B, in Nashville, Tennessee by Elvis Presley as part of the soundtrack of the 1963 motion picture Fun in Acapulco....
   
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4. "Viva Las Vegas
   Viva Las Vegas (song)
   "Viva Las Vegas" is a 1964 song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and recorded by Elvis Presley for his Viva Las Vegas film vehicle of that year...
   
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5. "Big Boss Man"
6. "A Little Less Conversation
   A Little Less Conversation
   "A Little Less Conversation" is a song written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange that was originally performed and written for American rock and roll icon Elvis Presley for the 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little. When the song was released as a single with "Almost in Love" as the b-side, it became...
   
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7. "If I Can Dream
   If I Can Dream
   "If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown and notable for its direct quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was recorded by Presley in June 1968, two months after King's assassination...
   
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8. "Memories"
9. "In the Ghetto
   In the Ghetto
   "In the Ghetto" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1969. It was written by Mac Davis and made famous by Elvis Presley who had a major comeback hit with the song in 1969. It was released in 1969 as a 45 rpm single with "Any Day Now" as the flip side...
   
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10. "Suspicious Minds
    Suspicious Minds
    "Suspicious Minds" is a song written by American songwriter Mark James that, after the failure of his own recording, was handed to Elvis Presley by producer Chips Moman becoming one of his most notable hits and a number one in 1969, "Suspicious Minds" was widely regarded as the single that returned...
    
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11. "Don't Cry Daddy
    Don't Cry Daddy
    "Don't Cry Daddy" was written by Scott Davis and recorded by Elvis Presley on January 15 and 21 1969 and released as a single. The rhythm track was laid down on 15 January and Elvis' vocal overdub on the 21st. Some speculate that it is a consolation song considering that Elvis's father became a...
    
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12. "Kentucky Rain
    Kentucky Rain
    "Kentucky Rain" was a 1970 hit song for Elvis Presley. Featuring then-unknown pianist Ronnie Milsap and written by Eddie Rabbitt and Dick Heard, the single peaked at number 16 on the pop charts....
    
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13. "Polk Salad Annie"
14. "The Wonder of You
    The Wonder of You
    "The Wonder of You" is a song written by Baker Knight. In 1959, Ray Peterson released it as a single. The song became a Top 40 hit for him on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #25. That same year it was recorded by Ronnie Hilton in the United Kingdom, his version reaching #22 on the UK Singles...
    
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15. "I Just Can't Help Believin'"
16. "Burning Love
    Burning Love
    "Burning Love" is a song written by Dennis Linde, first recorded by Arthur Alexander, who included it on his self-titled 1971 album, and made famous by Elvis Presley, who took it to #2 in the United States in 1972...
    
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17. "Always on My Mind
    Always on My Mind
    "Always on My Mind" is an American country music song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson, originally recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972.Allmusic lists over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers...
    
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18. "Steamroller Blues
    Steamroller Blues
    "Steamroller Blues", often labelled just "Steamroller", is a song written by James Taylor, that first appeared on his 1970 breakthrough album Sweet Baby James. The song title comes from the first line: "I'm a steamroller baby, I'm bound to roll all over you..."...
    
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19. "Hurt"
20. "Moody Blue
    Moody Blue (Elvis song)
    "Moody Blue" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley.Written by Mark James , the song became Presley's last No. 1 hit in his lifetime, topping the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in February 1977 . "Moody Blue" also peaked at number thirty-one on the Hot 100...
    
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Limited edition bonus disc (Disc 3)

1. "Good Rockin' Tonight"
2. "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"
3. "King Creole
   King Creole
   King Creole is a 1958 American film directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Hal B. Wallis. The story was adapted from the Harold Robbins novel A Stone for Danny Fisher and featured Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, and Walter Matthau. The film tells the story of a nineteen-year-old who gets mixed...
   
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4. "Such A Night"
5. "I Feel So Bad"
6. "Guitar Man"
7. "Only The Strong Survive"
8. "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"

Charts

Chart (2007)	Peak position
Australian Top 50 Albums	33
Belgium (Flanders) 100 Albums	2
Belgium (Wallonia) 100 Albums	2
Danish Top 40 Albums	40
Finnish Top 50 Albums	11
French Compilations	1
Netherlands Top 100 Albums The Dutch Collection	1
Swedish Top 60 Albums	1
Swiss Top 100 Albums	15
US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...	72

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Norwegian Top 40 Albums	35
Spanish Top 100 Albums	98

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Mexican Top 100 Albums	92

Certifications