List of best available recordings of songs covered by Elvis
From The Elvis Costello Wiki
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This is an attempt to catalog the best available recordings of all songs covered by Elvis (excluding versions that have been officially released), with the intention of organizing a series of lossless covers compilations in FLAC format. This is an ongoing project, and anyone can contribute. Feel free to add to the list at any time. Leave comments and questions on the discussion page.
Multiple nominations for each song are encouraged; eventually the best version will be chosen from those submitted. Links to FLAC files are included where available. For now, these are grouped into eras, with separate sections for songs related to Almost Blue, Kojak Variety, and The River In Reverse.
1977 – 1981
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| Don't Look Back – Smokey Robinson, Ronnie White | 1980-05-14, London | FM | 5 / 5 | 4:17 | w/ Martin Belmont . |
| Help Me – Sonny Boy Williamson, Ralph Bass, Willie Dixon | 1980-05-14, London | FM | 5 / 5 | 2:59 | w/ Martin Belmont . |
| I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself – Burt Bacharach | 1977-09-04, London | AUD | 3 / 5 | First known performance. |
| I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself – | 1979-08-28, Copenhagen | AUD | 3 / 5 |
| I Stand Accused – Tony Colton, Ray Smith | 1980-05-14, London | FM | 5 / 5 | 2:42 | w/ Martin Belmont . |
| Little Sister – Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman | 1980-05-14, London | FM | 5 / 5 | 3:05 | w/ Martin Belmont . |
| Love Comes In Spurts – Richard Hell | 1977-10-22, Leicester, UK | SBD | 5 / 5 | Only known version. . |
| One More Heartache – Smokey Robinson, The Miracles | 1980-05-14, London | FM | 5 / 5 | 2:47 | w/ Martin Belmont . |
| Really Mystified – Tony Crane & Johnny Gustafson | 1977-12-16, Asbury Park, NJ | AUD | 3 / 5 | Only known version. FLAC |
| Roadette Song – Ian Dury | 1977-11-23, New Orleans, LA | FM | 4 / 5 | Good |
| Roadette Song – | 1977-12-06, Utica, NY | FM | 5 / 5 | Excellent |
| Roadette Song – | 1979-04-12, Bethlehem, PA | SBD | 5 / 5 | Excellent, but no buffer after song. |
| Whole Wide World – Wreckless Eric | 1977-10-22, Leicester, UK | SBD | 5 / 5 | 1 of 2 known performances. MP3 sample |
This list is incomplete.
Almost Blue
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| He'll Have To Go – Joe Allison & Audrey Allison | 1979-02-16, North Hollywood, late show | AUD | 3 / 5 | 3:06 | w/ John McFee FLAC |
| He'll Have To Go – | 1979-01-18, Sheffield, UK | AUD | 3 / 5 | 2:56 | FLAC |
| He'll Have To Go – | 1979-04-10, Hempstead, NY | AUD | 3 / 5 | 3:08 | FLAC |
| Psycho – Leon Payne | 1979-02-16, North Hollywood, late show | AUD | 3 / 5 | 3:37 | w/ John McFee FLAC |
| Psycho – | 1981-12-31, New York | AUD | 4 / 5 | 3:41 | w/ John McFee |
| Psycho – | 1982-01-03, Nashville | AUD | 4 / 5 | 3:27 | w/ John McFee |
| Psycho – | 2005-01-24, Utrecht, NL | AUD | 4 / 5 | 4:04 | FLAC |
| Sittin' And Thinkin' – Charlie Rich | 1982-01-03, Nashville | AUD | 4 / 5 | 3:02 | w/ John McFee |
| Success – Johnny Mullins | 1981-12-31, New York | AUD | 4 / 5 | 3:17 | w/ John McFee |
| Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down – Merle Haggard | 1981-12-31, New York | AUD | 4 / 5 | 2:13 | w/ John McFee |
This list is incomplete.
1982 – 1985
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| A Smiling Shore – Andrew Cronshaw | 1984-04-18, Boston | Aud | 3 / 5 | 2:29 | merges into Shipbuilding |
| A Smiling Shore – Andrew Cronshaw | 1984-04-29, San Francisco | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:22 | merges into Shipbuilding |
| Ain't That A Lot Of Love – Homer Banks & Deanie Parker | 1983-10-15, Rockpalast, Germany | FM | 5 / 5 | 0:30 | 30-second snippet within Pump It Up |
| All These Things – Allen Toussaint | 1982-07-14, Santa Cruz, CA | Aud. | 4 / 5 |
| Back Stabbers – Smokey Robinson | 1983-10-06, Glasgow, Scotland | FM | 5 / 5 | 1:15 | no break before King Horse |
| Cruel – Paddy McAloon | 1984-04-18, Boston | Aud | 3 / 5 | 4:25 | 1 of 4 known performances |
| Cruel – Paddy McAloon | 1984-04-29, San Francisco | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 4:22 | 1 of 4 known performances |
| Danger Zone – Percy Mayfield | 1982-10-06, Leeds, UK | Aud. | 3 / 5 | Average sound. FLAC |
| Danger Zone – Percy Mayfield | 1982-09-14, Sheffield, UK | Aud. | 3 / 5 | Average sound. FLAC |
| From Head To Toe – Smokey Robinson | 1983-10-06, Glasgow, Scotland | FM | 5 / 5 | 2:34 |
| Getting Mighty Crowded – Van McCoy | 1984-09-05, Austin, TX | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 3:30 | w/ Gary Barnacle |
| Girl Don't Come – Chris Andrews | 1984-04-29, San Francisco | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 1:40 | 1 of 2 known performances |
| Hopelessly Devoted To You – John Farrar | 1984-05-27 Melbourne | Aud. | 2 / 5 | only known performance |
| I Wanna Be Loved – Farnell Jenkins | 1984-09-05, Austin, TX | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 5:09 | w/ Gary Barnacle |
| I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down – Homer Banks & Alan Jones | 1983-10-15, Rockpalast, Germany | FM | 5 / 5 | 2:22 | no break between adjoining songs |
| Running Out Of Fools – Kay Rogers & Richard Ahlert | 1984-04-29, San Francisco | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 3:12 | 1 of 11 known performances |
| Running Out Of Fools – Kay Rogers & Richard Ahlert | 1984-05-01, Los Angeles | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 3:05 | 1 of 11 known performances |
| Somebody's Back In Town – D. Helms, D. Wilburn, T. Wilburn | 1984-04-29, San Francisco | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 1:52 | 1 of 2 known performances |
| Somebody's Back In Town – D. Helms, D. Wilburn, T. Wilburn | 1984-05-01, Los Angeles | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 1:20 | 1 of 2 known performances |
| Stage Fright – Robbie Robertson | 1984-04-29, San Francisco | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:40 | only known performances |
| Stand Down Margaret – The Beat | 1983-09-07, Austin, TX | FM | 4 / 5 | 1:16 | no break between adjoining songs |
| Stand Down Margaret – The Beat | 1983-10-15, Rockpalast, Germany | FM | 5 / 5 | 1:16 | no break between adjoining songs |
| What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend – Jerry Dammers | 1984-05-01, Los Angeles | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:02 |
| Yes It Is – John Lennon, Paul McCartney | 1984-04-29, San Francisco | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:22 | 1 of 12 known performances |
| Yes It Is – John Lennon, Paul McCartney | 1984-05-01, Los Angeles | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:28 | 1 of 12 known performances |
| Young Boy Blues – Doc Pomus & Phil Spector | 1984-08-21, Worcester, MA | Aud. | 3/5 | 3:35 |
This list is incomplete.
1986 – 1989
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| American Girl – Tom Petty | 1986-12-06, Edinburgh | Aud. | 3 / 5 | 3:43 |
| Ferry 'Cross The Mersey – Gerry Marsden | 1986-11-17, Milan, Italy | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:14 | merges into Tiny Steps |
| Pop Life – Prince | 1986-10-04, Los Angeles | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 3:30 |
| Pop Life – Prince | 1986-11-17, Milan, Italy | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:46 |
| Pretty In Pink – Psychedelic Furs | 1986-11-24, London | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:18 | solo |
| Twist And Shout – Phil Medley and Bert Berns | 1986-11-15, Milan, Italy | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 2:15 |
| Wild Thing – Chip Taylor | 1986-11-17, Milan, Italy | Aud. | 4 / 5 | 3:00 |
This list is incomplete.
Kojak Variety
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| [[]] – |
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This list is incomplete.
1990 – 1993
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| [[]] – |
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This list is incomplete.
1994 – 1996
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| [[]] – |
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This list is incomplete.
1997 – 2000
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| [[]] – |
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This list is incomplete.
2000 – 2005
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet – Marvin Baumgardner | 2005-07-22, Wallingford, CT | AUD | 4/5 | 3:10 | w/ Emmylou Harris |
| When I Paint My Masterpiece – Bob Dylan | 2005-07-22, Wallingford, CT | AUD | 4/5 | 5:22 | w/ Emmylou Harris |
| Wild Horses – Mick Jagger & Keith Richards | 2005-07-22, Wallingford, CT | AUD | 4/5 | 5:30 | w/ Emmylou Harris |
| [[]] – |
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This list is incomplete.
The River In Reverse
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| All These Things – Allen Toussaint |
| Fortune Teller – Allen Toussaint |
| Freedom For The Stallion – Allen Toussaint | 2006-07-05, Hyannis, MA | AUD | 4/5 | 3:07 |
| Nearer To You – Allen Toussaint | 2006-07-05, Hyannis, MA | AUD | 4/5 | 3:55 |
| On Your Way Down – Allen Toussaint | 2006-07-05, Hyannis, MA | AUD | 4/5 | 4:45 |
| Slippin' And Slidin' – Little Richard | 2006-07-05, Hyannis, MA | AUD | 4/5 | 2:40 |
| Tears, Tears And More Tears – Allen Toussaint | 2006-07-05, Hyannis, MA | AUD | 4/5 | 3:39 |
| The Greatest Love – Allen Toussaint | 2006-07-05, Hyannis, MA | AUD | 4/5 | 4:26 |
| Wonder Woman – Allen Toussaint | 2006-07-05, Hyannis, MA | AUD | 4/5 | 3:31 |
| Working In The Coal Mine – Allen Toussaint |
| [[]] – |
This list is incomplete.
2007 – 2009
| Song – Songwriter | Date, location | Source | Sound | Time | Notes link |
| [[]] – |
| [[]] – |
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This list is incomplete.
