Barely four weeks after "A Legendary Performer - Volume 2" RCA released another compilation album. "The Sun Sessions" was shipped in March 1976 and listed on Billboard's "Top LPs Chart" on April 17th. The longplayer stayed for 11 weeks and reached number 76. On the same day the album also entered the "Hot Country LPs Chart". Here "The Sun Sessions" was more successful, had a run of 31 weeks and peaked at number 2. In its initial sales period the album sold 200,000 copies. Outside of the US the album had been released the previous year under the name of "The Elvis Presley Sun Collection". In the UK this longplayer had charted at number 16, in Australia it even entered the top 10. In Asia RCA was able to sell more than 250,000 units. The US release was triggered by the fact, that more and more dealers started to import the album. Combined "The Elvis Presley Sun Collection" and "The Sun Sessions" sold more than three million copies, which equals 450 million paid streams of the complete album or 4.5 billion paid streams of individual tracks. Once again the old material sold way better than the king's current recordings. And once again the buyout deal from 1973 made sure, that RCA didn't have to pay any royalties to the artist.

The cover was made up with a nice painting of the early Elvis, albeit the face and the scarf were somewhat reminiscent of his appearance in the tv special "SINGER presents Elvis". The backside of the sleeve featured a photo from 1956 and liner notes.

Because all the tracks are available on other albums, Sony Music Entertainment hasn't released "The Sun Sessions" on the streaming platforms.

As the title suggests, this album compiled material, that Elvis had recorded for SUN Records. As an incentive to buy it also featured an outtake of "I Love You Because". The longplayer really lived up to its name, because it has a generous running time of 39:47 minutes.

The song was written and first recorded in 1946 by Arthur Crudup. Elvis, Scotty and Bill played "That's All Right" faster and did without the blues elements. They focused on the rhythm and the voice of the lead vocalist. The group taped the track on July 5, 1954 at SUN Records in Memphis/Tennessee. Sam Phillips, the owner of the studio, acted as producer and engineer. Elvis and Scotty played guitar, Bill Black was on bass. The first two attempts to record "That's All Right" were canceled, takes number 3 and 4 are complete performances. The 4th take was released. RCA Victor used the track on the album "For LP Fans Only" and the ep "A Touch Of Gold - Volume 2" (both released in 1959). Later the song was also part of the album "A Legendary Performer - Volume 1" (1974). Live renditions can be heared on "Elvis As Recorded At Madison Square Garden" (1972) and "Elvis In Concert" (1977).

On July 7, 1954 the group returned to SUN Records to produce a b-side. They selected "Blue Moon Of Kentucky", a song by Bill Monroe, who recorded it in 1946. In general they used the same procedure. The song was played faster and performed in the newly developed Presley style. RCA Victor released "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" on the album "A Date With Elvis" (1959) as well as on the extended player "A Touch Of Gold - Volume 3" (1960).

The song was written by Mack David for the Disney production "Cinderella", but finally wasn't used. It was first recorded in 1949 by Tony Martin, later "I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine" was covered by Tony's namesake Dean and Patti Page. Because Sam Phillips regarded the song to be too short for a single, his assistant Marion Keisker wrote an additional verse ("It don't matter if it's sleed or snow...."), which Elvis included in his performance. He did so on September 10, 1954 and needed three takes. RCA Victor re-released the track on the ep "Any Way You Want Me" (1956) and the album "For LP Fans Only" (1959).

The singer asks a girl out for dancing, but the subtext clarifies, that dancing isn't the only thing he wants to do with the lady. "Good Rockin' Tonight" was written by Roy Brown, who also recorded it in 1947. Elvis followed him on September 10, 1954 at SUN Records in Memphis/Tennessee. Five years after the release of this single, RCA Victor re-released the track on the extended player "A Touch Of Gold - Volume 1" and the longplayer "A Date With Elvis". For me, this is one of the king's best SUN recordings.

Originally the song was named "Milkcow Blues" and was written and recorded by Kokomo Arnold in 1939. Elvis, Scotty and Bill played the song faster and used the by now established style of the Hillbilly Cat. To make it short: I don't like the tune at all. RCA Victor re-released it on the album "A Date With Elvis" (1959).

Even though the narrator offers a quite negative oppinion of his  ex-girlfriend, the melody is happy. The song by Jack Sallee is a tad on the leightweight side, but the tune stays with you. RCA Victor later included the track on "For LP Fans Only" (1959).

Sam Kesler brought "You're Right, I'm Left, She's Gone" to Sam Phillips, who thought the track might be the perfect vehicle for his new star. Elvis, Scotty and Bill first tried to record the song in 1954, but the result wasn't all that satisfactory. In April 1955 the group made a second attempt, this time accompanied by the drummer Jimmie Lott. They were successful and the 6th take was considered to be worth a release. Unfortunately Sam Phillips messed up the title when he created the labels for the single and turned "You're Right, I'm Left, She's Gone" into "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone". Instead of correcting the name on further releases it was left that way. RCA Victor re-released the track on the extended player "Any Way You Want Me" (1956) and the album "For LP Fans Only" (1959).

The song was written by Arthur Gunther, who released it in 1954. Elvis followed him sometime between January 30, 1955 and February 4, 1955. He recorded two takes of "Baby Let's Play House", the first one was selected as master. In contrast to Gunther the king started his performance with the chorus and changed the line "...you may give religion, baby" to "...you may have a pink Cadillac". He alluded to his choice of transportation, which today is regarded to be an icon of the 1950's. Back then the paraphrase "to play house" meant to play familylife by children. But the teenagers used the phrase to describe a well-defined part of the family life: The production process of children. So it's quite obvious what the singer means, when he invites his lady to "play house". For me, this bold song is nothing but great. It was re-released by RCA Victor on the album "A Date With Elvis" (1959).

"Mystery Train" was first recorded in 1953 by Hank "Little Junior" Parker, who had also written the song together with Sam Phillips. The lyrics are simple, the loved one departs by train and the singer hopes, she will return and stay with him. The fascinating thing is the sound. It's almost unbelievable, that the music was produced just with two guitars and a bass. Elvis' voice also sounds great, including his howling and laughing at the end of the song. RCA Victor re-released the track on the extended player "Any Way You Want Me" (1956) and the album "For LP Fans Only" (1959). Elvis also performed the song in his concerts on a regular basis, mostly as a medley with "Tiger Man". A live recording can be found on the double album "From Memphis To Vegas / From Vegas To Memphis" (1969). The studio recording was made on July 21, 1955 at SUN Records in Memphis/Tennessee.

The song was written by Stan Kesler and Charlie Feathers, who also recorded it for SUN, but the track remained unreleased at the time. "I Forgot To Remember To Forget" was a part of Elvis' stage repertoire and he had sung it several times on the radio show "The Louisiana Hayride". He finally recorded it on July 21, 1955 and added the drummer Johnny Bernero to his group. The tune was much more conventional than "Mystery Train", so the radio stations preferred "I Forgot To Remember To Forget". RCA Victor re-released the recording on the extended player "Heartbreak Hotel" (1956) and the longplayer "A Date With Elvis" (1959).

In 1949 composer and singer Leon Payne scored a top5-hit on the "Country & Western Charts" with his song and Elvis also couldn't resist to record it on July 5, 1954 at SUN Records in Memphis/Tennessee. Because Sam Phillips, producer of the session and owner of the label, preferred up tempo songs the tapes were left in the vaults. Steve Sholes used the 3rd and 5th take to create a master, which was released on the album "Elvis Presley", on an ep of the same name and on a single with "Trying To Get To You" (all 1956). Later RCA also presented an outtake on "A Legendary Performer" (1974). Even though Elvis doesnt sing technically as perfect as in later years, he still delivers an emotional performance.

"Trying To Get To You" was written by Rose Marie McCoy and Charles Singleton and released in 1954 by The Eagles. In January or February 1955 Elvis tryed to record his own version at SUN Records, but Sam Phillips wasn't convinced by the results. On July 21st the Hillbilly Cat tried again and the master was selected for the a-side of a single. When RCA Victor bought the contract the plan was burried. Elvis himself must have liked this song very much, because live versions can be found on "A Legendary Performer" (1974), "Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis" (1974) and "Elvis In Concert" (1977). Even though I like the studio recording very much, my favorite is the one released on "A Legendary Performer", which was recorded in 1968 for the tv special "SINGER presents Elvis".

In 1933 Richard Rogers and Lorenz Heart wrote a song called "Prayer (Oh Lord, Make Me A Moviestar)" for a movie named "Hollywood Party". When it was decided not to use it, the duo turned it into "It's Just That Kind Of Play" and tried to get it into the film "Manhattan Melodrama". It was rejected, but another re-write (this time named "The Bad In Every Man") finally made it into the movie. Now it was released, but unfortunately not successful by any means. And so Lorenz Heart wrote a fourth version by the name of "Blue Moon". It was recorded by Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra and later covered by many other artists. One of them was Elvis Presley, who taped his version on August 15 and 19, 1954 at SUN Records. Take 9 was selected as the master. In general I'm not a fan of the king's early ballads, because he lacked the voice, the depth and the technique to perform them in a believable way. However, "Blue Moon" is one of the big exceptions, because he manages to convince me of his sadness and loneliness and the sparse arrangement is nothing but great. RCA Victor released the song on the album and the ep "Elvis Presley" and on a single with "Just Because" (all 1956).

The album closes with the previously unreleased take 2 of "I Love You Because".