On October 30, 2015 RCA (under the roof of Sony Music) released "If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra". On the Billboard Charts the album peaked at number 21 (Hot 200), number 9 (Album Sales Chart) and number 1 (Classic Album Chart). In Australia and Great Britain the longplayer became a number 1 hit and was certified with Platinum (Australia) and Tripple-Platinum (UK). Worldwide "If I Can Dream" sold two million units, which eaquals 300 million paid streams of the complete album or 3 billion paid streams of individual tracks. On Spotify "If I Can Dream" clocks in at 200 million streams.

In 2015 "If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra" was released on compact disc, vinyl and in digital form. Today the album is available in Hi-Res on the various streaming platforms.

The cover looks stylish and shows photos, that were taken on June 23, 1968 at Western Recorders in Burbank/California. The booklet of ten pages includes introductions by Priscilla Presley, Nick Patrick and Don Reedman as well as information regarding the songs and additional photos from 1968/69.

The new music tracks were recorded under the supervision of Pete Schwier and Simon Hanhart at RAK Studios and The Bunker Studio. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra recorded their parts on December 10, 2013 and April 9 and 10, 2014 at Abby Road Studios in London. Duane Eddy taped his guitar pieces at Sound Emporium Studio in Nashville, Michael Bubble' added his voice to "Fever" at Wire Studios in Austin/Texas under the guidiance of Joey Benjamin. The final recordings were mixed by Pete Schwier at Shine Studios, the mastering was done by Vic Anesini at Battery Studios in New York. Priscilla Presley, Nick Patrick and Don Reedman acted as producers, the cover was desigend by Roger Semon and Priscilla Presley.

Elvis had recorded "Burning Love" on March 28, 1972 in Hollywood/California. On December 10, 2013 drums, percussions, guitars, harmony vocals and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra were recorded at Abby Road Studios in London. The result sounds fine and is a great opener.

This track was re-worked on April 9 and 10, 2014 with the recording of drums, percussions, bass, guitars, harmony vocals as well as a mandoline and an ukulele and of course the orchestra. Elvis had taped his version on April 3, 1960. Compared to the original this new version sounds more romantic, but also a tad shallow.

To me "Love Me Tender" was, is and will be forever a boring affair. At least in the version, Elvis recorded on August 24, 1956.  The remake features an intro by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which also can be heared throughout the song. Otherwise there is just a guitar and some background vocals. These new tracks were recorded on December 10, 2013. Due to the improved recording technologies the new version sounds more modern and due to the improved arrangement less boring. I dare to say, that this new interpretation is much better than what Elvis delivered half a century before.

Unfortunately I cannot say anything similar about this one. The orchestra, percussions, piano, trumpets, trombones and the saxophone (recorded on April 9 and 10, 2014 at Abbey Road Studios in London) are lightyears away from the cool, simple sexyness of the original arrangement from April 3, 1960. Besides that, I don't like Bubble's duet vocals at all. What he added at the Wire Studios in Austin/Texas sounds shallow and boring. To make it short: This track doesn't work at all.

After Elvis had recorded "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on June 5, 1970 in Nashville/Tennessee, the track was enhanced with an orchestra and harmony vocals. So not all that much changed, after drums, bass, piano, guitar, percussion, keyboard, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and additional harmony singers had been taped on December 10, 2013 at Abbey Road Studios. Everything sounds a tad different, the improved recording technologies also make it sound a bit better in the technical sense.

Due to the comparatively sparse arrangement of Presley's interpretation (recorded on February 17, 1969 at the American Sound Studio in Memphis/Tennessee), this new version sounds vastly different. On April 9 and 10, 2014 drums, bass, piano, guitar, keyboard, the orchestra as well as harmony vocals were recorded at Abbey Road Studios. The finale was newly arranged and fits the remake well. For me "And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind" is a real highlight.

While the album "That's The Way It Is" features a live recording from the midnight show on August 12, 1970, the producers of this remake used the version from the dinner show of the previous day. During this concert Elvis made a mistake and sang the wrong lyrics when he began the second verse. Besides that, he jokingly added "...if the suit wasn't too tight" after he had sung the line "Baby, baby, I'd get down on my knees for you". Of course all these things have been edited out. Unfortunately the same happened to the interaction between Elvis and his musicians. The newly recorded music and vocal tracks sound mighty fine (albeit not much different), but the lead vocalist seems to be separated from what's going on around him. So the performance really lost its lovin' feeling. By the way: The new tracks feature drums, bass, piano, keyboard, harmony voices and of course the orchestra.

Elvis recorded the ballad on March 12, 1961. On April 9 and 10, 2014 drums, piano, guitar, keyboard, harmony vocals and the orchestra were captured for the remake. The result sounds more voluminous and more modern.

The recording of "Can't Help Falling In Love" was reworked on the same day. This time drums, bass, piano, celesta. steel guitar, ukulele, percussion, keyboard, harmony vocals and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra were used to create something new. Compared to Elvis' version (taped on March 21, 1961) the new incarnation sounds less simple and less romantic. It's not bad by any means, but I prefer the original.

The same can be said about this one. One might say, this edition of "In The Ghetto" is very good, while the original is great. It's simpler and therefore more haunting and intimate. Elvis taped the song on January 20, 1969 at the American Sound Studio in Memphis/Tennessee. The new tracks were recorded at Abbey Road Studios on April 9 and 10, 2014. They include drums, bass, piano, guitar, percussion, keyboard, harmony vocals as well as the orchestra.

Because this one is a traditional, Robin Smith, Don Reedman and Nick Patrick claimed the copyright for their remake of "How Great Thou Art". It's an old trick, which also earned Elvis several millions during his lifetime. Drums, guitars, percussion, keyboard, harmony vocals and the orchestra were recorded on April 9 and 10, 2014. The king himself had taped the song on May 25, 1966 in Nashville/Tennessee. Compared to the original release Elvis' voice is lower in the mix, which melts his vocals with the other voices. In total the new version of the hymn is something to enjoy, but I still prefer the original.

For the remake the producers used the version from January 12, 1973. It was recorded during the dress rehearsal for the king's "Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite" television special. On April 9 and 10, 2014 drums, bass, harmony vocals, a brass section and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra were recorded. The result sounds a tad more modern, but it's neither an improvement, nor a worsening.

Even though the medley was created and copyrighted by Mickey Newbury, the three songs themselves are traditionals. And so Smith, Reedman and Patrick used the opportunity to claim the copyright for this very edition of "An American Trilogy". On April 9 and 10, 2014 drums, bass, piano, guitar, percussion, keyboard, harmony voices and the orchestra were recorded. Elvis' vocals were taken from live recordings made on February 15, 1972 in Las Vegas and on January 14, 1973 in Honolulu. The audience reactions were completely edited out, so the result sounds like a studio recording. Due to the technical improvements between the early 1970s and 2014 the newly recorded instruments and voices sound better, the same applies to the mix. I wouldn't say this version of "An American Trilogy" beats the original live recordings from 1972 and 1973, but it's a mighty fine alternative, which sounds nothing but impressive.

The album finshes with its title song, recorded by the king on June 23, 1968 for his television special "SINGER presents Elvis". The new tracks feature drums, bass, piano, guitar, brass, harmony vocals and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. They were recorded on April 9 and 10, 2014 at Abbey Road Studios in London. The result can be described as a subtle update. It's close to the original, but a bit more modern.