Elvis Presley: The Searcher 2018 “Elvis Presley The Searcher” now available to watch on SBS on Demand. If Elvis fans going into The Searcher expecting some new surprises or unearthed revelations, all will be disappointed. However, you will get is a more balanced look at Elvis Presley’s career that explores his music and his impact as an entertainer… The Searcher covers well-known highlights of Presley’s life and career, it takes a more measured and thoughtful approach in its treatment of Elvis, the artist.
The Searcher offers behind-the-scenes stories of his meteoric rise, and many setbacks and comebacks; it also provides musical, historical and social context for the times that shaped Presley, touching on his religious upbringing, the cultural influence of Memphis during his youth, and issues of race and sex in the late Fifties amid his electrifying and controversial TV appearances.
The off-camera interviews from former wife Priscilla Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris, Robbie Robertson and the late Tom Petty – along with commentary by writers, scholars, and Presley’s friends (Red West) and colleagues (Sam Phillips) – allows the viewer to concentrate solely on Presley’s story through music, footage and images. The soundtrack to the two-part documentary will be released on April 6. My only criticism of ElvisPresley: The Seacher would be… Why have Tom Petty talk about Elvis the singer why not Tom Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis and/or Paul McCartney who knew and loved Elvis and his music?
Elvis Presley: The Searcher was directed by Thom Zimny, who previously worked on a variety of Springsteen documentaries, including 2015’s The Ties That Bind. The single-CD and vinyl versions of The Searcher‘s soundtrack feature 18 Presley tracks, including hits, rehearsal performances, rare alternate takes and more. The box set takes a deeper look at Presley’s music, with a total of 45 Elvis recordings, as well as a bonus disc featuring songs by various blues, folk and country artists who influenced the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer. The 3rd CD in the collection includes a recording of Elvis’ mom Gladys Presley singing “Home Sweet Home.”
The box set comes packaged with a 40-page hardcover book featuring rare photos, liner notes by author and musician Warren Zanes, and a note penned by Zimny. Track list of the deluxe box set: Disc 1 “Trouble/Guitar Man” “My Baby Left Me” “Baby, What You Want Me to Do” “Old Shep” “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” “That’s All Right” “Blue Moon of Kentucky” “Fool, Fool, Fool” “Tweedlee Dee” “Baby Let’s Play House” “Good Rockin’ Tonight” “Trying to Get to You” “Blue Moon” “When It Rains It Pours” “Blue Christmas” “Heartbreak Hotel” “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy” “Money Honey” “Hound Dog” “(There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley (for Me)” “Crawfish” “Trouble” “Farther Along” “Mona Lisa” “Hide Thou Me” “Loving You” (end title take 16) “Lonely Man” (solo version) “Power of My Love’
Disc 3 “Dissolution 2″” — Mike McCready “Satisfied” — The Blackwood Brothers “That’s All Right” — Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup “She May Be Yours but She Comes to See Me Sometimes” — Joe Hill Louis “Mystery Train” — Little Junior’s Blue Flames “Smokestack Lightning” — Howlin’ Wolf “Rock-a-My Soul” — The Blackwood Brothers “Just Walkin’ in the Rain” — The Prisonaires “Rocket 88” — Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats “Write Me a Letter” — The Ravens “Blue Moon of Kentucky” — Bill Monroe “Ain’t That Right” — Eddie Snow “Just Walkin’ in the Rain” — Johnnie Ray “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” — Lloyd Price “Home Sweet Home” — Gladys Presley “Blowin’ in the Wind” — Odetta “Tomorrow Is a Long Time” — Odetta “The Weight” — The Staple Singers “Heartbreak Hotel” — The Orlons “Wooden Heart” — Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers “Rebound” — Mike McCready