

It was 1959, Elvis was in the Army, and RCA had to do something quick. So they put together this album, drawn mainly from the Sun singles that his younger fans hadn’t heard yet, plus some newer RCA sides in the same primal R&B/rockabilly vein. Nobody should be without “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” which has two of Scotty Moore’s most blazing guitar solos. The spooky majesty of "Mystery Train" is unrivaled, while "I Was the One" is one of The King's most affecting ballads.