EPA-747 Elvis Presley 

Modified: December 6, 2022

Artist: Elvis Presley
Release: RCA Victor EPA-747 Elvis Presley (EP)
Release Date: 3/23/1956

Side 1: Blue Suede Shoes / Tutti Frutti
Side 2: I Got a Woman / Just Because

epa747-cover-side1-tempepa-747-cover-side1-temp-fullepa-747-cover-side2-temp-full

Cover: Temporary paper envelope / sleeve. Larger than a standard 45 RPM sleeve, reminiscent of a mailer envelope. Coated paper stock. The back contains a glue strip on top. The paper fold is glued over the bottom and there is a seam along the middle of the back. Also came with an insert explaining the use of temporary sleeves.

747-epa-cover-side-1-temporary747-epa-cover-side-2-temporary-no

Cover: Temporary paper envelope / sleeve. This is a standard size 45 RPM sleeve printed on un-coated paper. The back does not contain a glue strip on top. The paper folds are glued on the two sides.1

A clean copy of this temporary sleeve with the record with P.D. credits sold on eBay for $1,075.00 plus shipping on March 30, 2014)2

epa-747-cover-side1-blacktopepa-747-cover-side2-likeepa830

Cover Front: Titles at top in white print on black back. Catalog number upper right corner.
Cover Back: Similar to EPA-830 back, black and white picture of Elvis with same wording. Catalog EPA-747

epa-747-cover-side1-white-notext-mockupepa-747-cover-side1-whiteepa-747-cover-side1-white-var-mockup

Cover Front: No text on top on white back3. Titles at top in black print on white back. Elvis Presley may be in rich dark pink and dark green or pale pink and pale green4 .

epa-747-cover-side2-heartheseepa-747-cover-side2-colabepa-747-cover-side2-sweetepa-747-cover-side2-ilovuepa-747-cover-side2-nopic

Cover Back: Ad back. Hear these other best sellers!, in the yellow area above the bottom three albums. Counter-clockwise Music for Relaxation Fox Trots, Mambo, Gone with the Wind, and Beautiful Garden of Prayer.567 Catalog EPA-747-A.
Cover Back: Ad back. Here’s JAZZ for every taste!, in the yellow area above the bottom three albums. Counter-clockwise Collaboration, Inside Sauter-Finegan, East Coast — West Coast Scene, JAZZ for People Who Hate JAZZ, Louis Armstrong Sings the Blues. Catalog EPA-747-A.
Cover Back: Ad back. Like Mood Music? Hear these!, in the yellow area above the bottom three albums. Counter-clockwise Soft and Sweet, Sax in Silk, Music for Two People Alone, Passion in Pink, Music By Starlight. Catalog EPA-747-A.
Cover Back: Ad back. Listen! Today’s top vocalists sing for you!, in the yellow area above the bottom three albums. Counter-clockwise I Love You (Eddie Fisher), Como’s Golden Records, Dinah Shore Sings the Blues, Mark Twain, That Bad Eartha. Catalog EPA-747-A.
Cover Back: Ad back. No ads. Catalog EPA-747-A.

epa-747-side1-3song-mockupepa-747-side2-3song-mockupepa-747-side1-3songs

Disc: (3/1956) Black label, dog on top. This label lists three songs rather than two. Side 1: Blue Suede Shoes / Tutti Frutti / I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry. and Side 2: I Got a Woman / Blue Moon / Just Because8
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-5?S ?? / G2WH-1855-?S ?? (Indianapolis pressing)

The images for Side 1 surfaced in the late 1990s early 2000s on the Internet. The six song titles match those found on an early record store giveaway found here Record Store Giveaways. As I have not seen Side 2 with three song titles on the label; the only evidence of the removal of the third song from the label can be seen from the images provided below. It shouldn’t be assumed that a copy with this label exists. Both images are mockups sourced from existing images. Until such time a label of Side 2 with three song titles should come to light, this is a fantasy label.

epa-747-side1-3songepa-747-side2-3song

Disc: (3/1956) Black label, dog on top. Side 1: Blue Suede Shoes / Tutti Frutti / I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry. and Side 2: I Got a Woman / Blue Moon / Just Because)9
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-5S / G2WH-1855-5S (machine stamped) (Indianapolis pressing))10

Although the side 2 label list three songs, the EP plays only two songs. This label has been considered to exist for a few years, and in 2022 one finally comes to light.

epa-747-side1-transepa-747-side2-trans

Disc: (3/1956) Black label, dog on top. This label lists two songs rather than three, however spaced as if there were three songs. Side 1: Blue Suede Shoes / Tutti Frutti and Side 2: I Got a Woman / Blue Moon / Just Because1112
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-5S ?? / G2WH-1855-?S ?? (machine stamped) (Indianapolis pressing)

epa-747-side1-transepa-747-side2-i

Disc: (3/1956) Black label, dog on top. On Side 1, the label lists two songs rather than three, however spaced as if there were three songs. Side 2, is spaced as if there were only two songs. Side 1: Blue Suede Shoes / Tutti Frutti/ and Side 2: I Got a Woman / / Just Because12
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-5S / G2WH-1855-5S A (machine stamped) (Indianapolis pressing)

epa-747-side1epa-747-side2

Disc: (3/1956)14 Black label, dog on top. Without horizontal line. Side 2 Track 2 Just Because is credited as P.D. for Public Domain
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-5S B1 / G2WH-1855-5S A1 (Indianapolis pressing)
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-5S B1 / G2WH-1855-5S B3 (Indianapolis pressing)
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-6S A1 / G2WH-1855-5S B4 (Indianapolis pressing)

epa-747-side1-v2epa-747-side2-v2

Disc: (3/1956) Black label, dog on top. Without horizontal line. Side 2 Track 2 Just Because is credited with Shelton, Shelton, and Robin.
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-6S A3 / G2WH-1855-7S C2 (machine stamped) (Indianapolis pressing)15
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-7S A2 / G2WH-1855-7S B1 (machine stamped) (Indianapolis pressing)16
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-7S A5 / G2WH-1855-7S B1 (Indianapolis pressing)

epa-747-1956-side1-pd-one-carleepa-747-1956-side2-pd-two

Disc: (3/1956) Black label, dog on top with horizontal line. On Side 1, track 1, BLUE SUEDE SHOES, Carl Perkins is misspelled as Carle Perkins. Sides spelled out as Side One and Side Two. On Side 2, track 2, P.D. is credited for JUST BECAUSE.
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-8S / G2WH-1855-8S (Rockaway pressing)

epa-747-side1-hepa-747-side2-h

Disc: Black label, dog on top without horizontal line.
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-9S A1 / G2WH-1855-9S A1 (machine stamped) (Hollywood pressing)

epa-747-1956-side1-w-lineepa-747-1956-side2-w-line

Disc: (3/1956) Black label, dog on top with horizontal line. On Side 1, track 1, BLUE SUEDE SHOES, Carl Perkins is misspelled as Carle Perkins.
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-10S RCA1 / G2WH-1855-10S RCA E (unknown pressing)

epa-747-side1-w-line-no-dogepa-747-side2-w-line-no-dog

Disc: (3/1956) Black label. No dog on top with horizontal line On Side 1, track 1, BLUE SUEDE SHOES, Carl Perkins is misspelled as Carle Perkins.17

epa-747-cover-side1-usmilepa-747-cover-side2-usmilepa-747-1956-side2-germanyepa-747-1956-side1-germany

Cover: Pictures Elvis with no song titles on top. EPA-747 under RCA VICTOR in green box. An all text back. Printed in U.S.A. lower right corner.
Disc: Black label, dog on top. All print on label in silver. Pre 1959 (Camden N.J. on label).
Matrix numbers: 45-9/-G2-WH-1854-X B (machine stamped) / 45-9/-G2-WH-1855-X (machine stamped) – Manufactured in Germany (machine stamped in trail off wax on both sides)

This combination of record and cover were reportedly distributed to the U.S. military bases in Germany. They are part of this discography as the cover is Printed in U.S.A. and so is the label.

epa-747-1965-side1epa-747-1965-side2

Disc: (1965) Black label, dog on side.
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-7S E2 / G2WH-1855-7S (Indianapolis pressing)

epa-992-cover-side1-1968-varepa-747-1968-cover-side2

Cover: Pictures Elvis with no song titles on top.18 The back without any advertisements and with copyright © 1956, RCA, New York, N.Y.19

epa-747-1968-side1epa-747-1968-side2

Disc: (1968) Orange label.
Matrix numbers: G2WH-1854-7S E2 / G2WH-1855-7S (machine stamped) (Indianapolis pressing)

epa-747-cover-2011-side1epa-747-cover-2011-side2

Cover Front: (2011) Titles at top in black print on white back. Elvis Presley may be in rich dark pink and dark green.
Cover Back: (2011) Ad back. Like Mood Music? Hear these!, in the yellow area above the bottom three albums. Counter-clockwise Soft and Sweet, Sax in Silk, Music for Two People Alone, Passion in Pink, Music By Starlight. Catalog EPA-747-A.

  1. Observations and pictures from the collection of anon. ↩
  2. eBay reference 321358483838 (March 30, 2014) ↩
  3. Mock-up of eBay reference 200865006518 (May 29, 2012) ↩
  4. Mock-up of eBay reference 250886645732 (September 8, 2011) ↩
  5. Mockup of eBay reference 170989813022 (June 4, 2013) ↩
  6. Mockup of eBay reference 350806322684 (June 4, 2013) ↩
  7. Identified by G. Neumann (June 4, 2013) ↩
  8. Images 1 and 2 are mockups from existing sources. ↩
  9. From the collection of JP’s Platters ↩
  10. Matrix numbers from the collection of JP’s Platters ↩
  11. eBay reference 372530016858 (March 22, 2019) ↩
  12. eBay reference 223392092861 (March 22, 2019) ↩
  13. eBay reference 223392092861 (March 22, 2019) ↩
  14. Date from “Elvis Presley: Discography | The Official Elvis Presley Site.” Elvis The Music. Sony Music Entertainment. December 6, 2010. ↩
  15. Matrix numbers from the collection of Urs Mosimann (from Switzerland) ↩
  16. Matrix numbers from the collection of PIOTRULA (of Poland) ↩
  17. Observations from of Robert Lee. ↩
  18. Image of side1 from the collection of Christian (of France). ↩
  19. eBay reference 160907607536 (November 1, 2012) ↩