You're not alone! I've yet to find anyone who doesn't find that passage very hammy. But the gangbusters ending redeems the performance: "A-me-Ri-CAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!" I bet a bald eagle flew out of Elvis's mouth when he sang that.
Please lets not bring unnecessary controversies into this thread ... Surely we have covered all we need to about these matters. Cheers Mark Elvis Presley - The Posthumous Years 1978-1998
I'll need to pull out my set, but I'm pretty sure the version on Elvis Aron Presley is the single master, so no spoken intro.
For me, Elvis' recorded legacy basically sums up everything that I love about music. Some of it is meaningful. Some of it is fun, disposable fluff. Some of it is life-affirming. Some of it is simply thrilling. Some of it makes me happy when I listen to it. Some of it makes me less unhappy when I listen to it. Some of it makes me sit up and think about what I'm hearing, and how it might relate to (or reflect upon) my life. Some of it is simply pleasurable to listen to. There's not a single phase of Elvis' career that I would want to be without. Some are more consistently brilliant than others, but every era contains performances that resonate with me in one way or another, performances that I want to listen to over and over again. I doubt I'll ever find another artist that I love as much as Elvis, but that's fine with me: the recordings that he left behind are enough to last me a lifetime.
Well done Shane and thanks for explaining the whole drug issues surrounding Elvis's voice in the last part of the 70's about as well as anybody ever has on this forum. Both you and @Revelator show that there are still examples when Elvis shows great power and range with his voice and right up to those last shows for Elvis In Concert. Elvis author Robert Matthew-Walker has also said that Elvis never really lost any of his great vocal range, right up to those last performances. Yes, his vocal ability could fluctuate dramatically and even day to day. Just listen to some of the range Elvis shows on Merry Christmas Baby in 1971 and compare it a another song from the same session on a slightly different day and you can hear a difference. No, Elvis's voice was not shot in 1977, and in many ways his actual vocal range and power were amazing for a 42 year old male singer, but clearly their were days when his pharmaceutical abuse affected his breathing as well as his overall vocal control dramatically. One needs to be able to notice the difference between those fluctuations in his vocal prowess to make an astute review of a particular song performance by Elvis.
Once again, Dirk is able to say something so eloquently and beautiful that I will just highlight it, so other form members will be sure to take notice of it in the future. His statement simply and succinctly captures everything I feel about my love for the music Elvis made. I listen to new music almost every day in the great hope that I will one day find a voice or some music that touches me the same way Elvis's voice and music did so many year ago.
Perfectly stated DirkM! Whether someone is touched deeply by Elvis' music or they think he's overrated, no one can credibly deny the influence he brought upon popular music. To this day, his influence is felt throughout popular music. Elvis paved a road into uncharted musical wilderness that is a beacon and a warning. The beacon of his style and talent has inspired so many great and not so great musicians to make music. The way that he was ensnared and consumed by the fame and fortune is a cautionary tale to any entertainer that may find great success. Elvis has permanently left his mark on music and entertainment!
Reading these comments, this is the first time I really have ever even thought about why she left. I never construed it as anything sinister. But what if it was a misunderstanding, and he felt he needed to convey significant information to her that she truly didn't know?
This sums up my feelings as well. Brilliantly stated Dirk, one of the best posts (out of many, many contenders) in this series of threads.
I remember this commercial, even down to the obviously redubbed "$7.98" price. I think it went up in price once Elvis died.
Oddly, I remember another commercial where the album shown was "Welcome To My World," but that was NOT the album they were selling in the ad. Does that ring any bells?
The Fifties Easy Reference guide Elvis Presley the Albums and Singles Thread * 1959 - Feb 10 1964 - Reference guide - Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties April 1964 - Sept 1967 Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties October 1967 - December 1969 Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt2 The Sixties January 1970 - March 1974 Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies
Reference Guide May 2 1974 If You Talk In Your Sleep/ Help Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies July 1974 Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 1 See See Rider Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 2 I Got A Woman/ Amen Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 3 Love Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 4 Tryin' To Get To You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 5 Medley Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 6 Why Me Lord Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 7 How Great Thou Art Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 8 Blueberry Hill/ I Can't Stop Loving You Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 9 Help Me Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 10 An American Trilogy Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 11 Let Me Be There Elvis Presley - The Albums and Singles Thread pt3 The Seventies track 12 My Baby Left Me track 13 Lawdy Miss Clawdy track 14 Can't Help Falling In Love Oct 1 1974 Promised Land/It's Midnight Oct 1974 Having Fun With Elvis On Stage Jan 8 1975 Promised Land 1 Promised Land 2 There's A Honky Tonk Angel 3 Help Me 4 Mr Songman 5 Love Song Of The Year 6 It's Midnight 7 Your Love's Been A Long Time Comin' 8 If You Talk In Your Sleep 9 Thinking About You 10 You Asked Me To Jan 1975 My Boy/Thinking About You Mar 1975 Pure Gold Apr 22 1975 T-R-O-U-B-L-E/Mr Songman May 7 1975 Elvis Today 1 Trouble 2 And I Love You So 3 Susan When She Tried 4 Woman Without Love 5 Shake A Hand 6 Pieces Of My Life 7 Fairytale 8 I Can Help 9 Bringin' It Back 10 Green Green Grass Of Home Sep 24 1975 Pieces Of My Life/Bringin' It Back Home Dec 1975 Double Dynamite Jan 1976 Legendary Performer vol 2 Harbor Lights Interview - Jay Thompson I Want you I Need You I Love You take 15 Cane and a High Starched Collar Award Presentation thanks @ClausH Such A Night Mar 21 1976 The Sun Sessions 1976 From Elvis Presley Blvd 1 Hurt 2 Never Again 3 Blue Eyes Cryin In The Rain 4 Danny Boy 5 The Last Farewell 6 For The Heart 7 Bitter They Are Harder They Fall 8 Solitaire 9 Love Coming Down 10 I'll Never Fall In Love Again Nov 1976 Frankie and Johnny (Pickwick) Nov 29 1976 Moody Blue/ She Thinks I Still Care Mar 1977 Welcome To My World June 6 1977 Way Down/Pledging My Love July 18 1977 Moody Blue 1 Unchained Melody 2 If You Love Me 3 Little Darlin' 4 He'll Have To Go 5 Let Me Be There 6 Way Down 7 Pledging My Love 8 Moody Blue 9 She Thinks I Still Care 10 It's Easy For You The King Is Dead Oct 3 1977 Elvis In Concert Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Oct 28 1977 My Way/ America The Beautiful
Exactly, they are all (also the Close Up, Live In Las Vegas and Today Tomorrow And Forever box sets) around only 10-15€ for a boxset in the reissued format. An unbeatable price. That's why I bought the 50s/60s/70s sets in spite of having all the official albums before.
Ahem . . . that routine which contained a cover of "Way Down" was originally aired in the UK on April 16, 1980.
@Spencer R refers to in his great post above. I agree with every single one of your fine points here as well. Elvis made it hip to do some cover songs in his live shows, and it is great to see so many pop and country artists doing the same thing now so many years later.[/QUOTE] Already before Elvis artists covered songs live all the time. Little Richard performing Jerry Lee Lewis live. Jerry Lee Lewis covering Hank Williams live. Fats Domino covering Fats Waller live. The Beatles covering the Shirelles, Isley Brothers etc. live. Ella Fitzgerald covering Billie Holiday live, Mariah Carey covering Harry Nilsson and so on, whatever. They did this all the time- hip or not hip is a question of the audience, the listeners, the artists, the critic and so on.
I clearly remember where I was in 1977. I heard and saw it on Benny Hill. I was off to boarding school in 1978 through 1982 and TV was not allowed. So with due respect, I beg to differ. Also, it could have been another routine. Background music, BTW.
The way Hill's shows were sliced and diced around the world, one can, I suppose, be forgiven for not knowing where certain sketches originally came from. Me, I have the DVD's of all his complete shows for Thames except the one he did in Australia . . .
Connie often recorded versions with double tracks and single tracks, and I always liked the singlr track versions better, with a few exceptions. She used it sparingly on My Happiness and Second Hand Love on different versions from the hit version.
No, definitely not. It is apparently frowned upon by many on the forum, but apparently I love bombastic stuff quite a lot, schmaltz in regulated doses and sappy sentimentalism is a lifestyle requirement.