| Elvis 56 | |
| Type: | Compilation album |
| Artist: | Elvis Presley |
| Cover: | Elvis 56.jpg |
| Recorded: | January–September 1956 |
| Genre: | Rock and roll |
| Length: | 50:31 |
| Label: | RCA Records |
| Prev Year: | 1995 |
| Next Title: | An Afternoon in the Garden |
| Next Year: | 1997 |
Elvis 56 is a compilation album of studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley made during 1956, released by RCA Records in 1996. The original sessions took place at RCA Studios in Nashville and New York, and at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.
The disc presents five singles with five B-sides, five tracks from his debut album, and six tracks from his second long-player, Elvis. All were both recorded and released in the title year of the disc, 1956, except for "Too Much," released in January 1957. An alternate and earlier take of "Heartbreak Hotel" included is previously unreleased. "Elvis '56" also contains much more reverb and tape echo than the original recordings.
By concentrating on the rhythm numbers rather than the country material and the ballads, this compilation showcases Presley the early icon of rock and roll in the 1950s, also arguing for this particular year as being his most notable in the decade, and perhaps even that of his entire career.
Chart positions for LPs and EPs from Billboard Top Pop Albums chart; positions for singles from Billboard Pop Singles chart.
| Track | Recorded | Original LP Issue | Catalogue | Release Date | Chart Peak | Song Title | Writer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1/10/56 | 47-6357 | 1/27/56 | 1 | Mae Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley | 2:08 | ||
| 2. | 1/30/56 | 47-6540b | 5/4/56 | 31 | 2:11 | |||
| 3. | Elvis Presley | LPM 1254 | 3/23/56 | 1 | 1:58 | |||
| 4. | Elvis | LPM 1382 | 10/19/56 | 1 | Arthur Crudup | 2:20 | ||
| 5. | Elvis Presley | LPM 1254 | 3/23/56 | 1 | 1:58 | |||
| 6. | LPM 1254 | 3/23/56 | 1 | One-Sided Love Affair | Bill Campbell | 2:09 | ||
| 7. | 9/1/56 | Elvis | LPM 1382 | 10/19/56 | 1 | Love Me | 2:43 | |
| 8. | 9/2/56 | LPM 1382 | 10/19/56 | 1 | Joe Thomas | 2:26 | ||
| 9. | LPM 1382 | 10/19/56 | 1 | Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley | 2:23 | |||
| 10. | LPM 1382 | 10/19/56 | 1 | 1:56 | ||||
| 11. | 47-6800 | 1/4/57 | 1 | Lee Rosenberg and Bernard Weinman | 2:31 | |||
| 12. | 7/2/56 | 47-6604b | 7/13/56 | 1 | Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller | 2:16 | ||
| 13. | 47-6643b | 9/28/56 | 20 | 2:13 | ||||
| 14. | 47-6604 | 7/13/56 | 1 | Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley | 2:02 | |||
| 15. | 2/3/56 | 47-6642b | 8/31/56 | 2:08 | ||||
| 16. | 47-6642 | 8/31/56 | 2:37 | |||||
| 17. | 4/11/56 | 47-6540 | 5/4/56 | 1 | Lou Kosloff and George Mysels | 2:40 | ||
| 18. | 9/3/56 | Elvis | LPM 1382 | 10/19/56 | 1 | 1:53 | ||
| 19. | 1/10/56 | previously unreleased | Heartbreak Hotel | Mae Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley | 2:08 | |||
| 20. | Elvis Presley | LPM 1254 | 3/23/56 | 1 | Ray Charles and Renald Richard | 2:23 | ||
| 21. | 47-6357b | 1/27/56 | 19 | Aaron Schroeder, Claude DeMetrius, Hal Blair, Bill Peppers | 2:33 | |||
| 22. | Elvis Presley | LPM 1254 | 3/23/56 | 1 | 2:34 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands Top 100 Albums[1] | 69 | |
| New Zealand Top 40 Albums | 47 |