Fantastic post and thank you for chiming in with your favorite eras. I think that how your favorite era's list changed over time not only shows your growth and maturity as a person, but it explains Elvis's changing tastes in his music choices as well. As Elvis aged, he was just not going to have the same enthusiasm for most of the early rock 'n' roll stuff that he had as a young man. He was also going to be drawn more heavily to the storylines and sophisticated productions of adult contemporary and county-pop music. Some of his dedicated rock fans would find his changing tastes perplexing as well as disappointing, but it was simply a reflection of age and Elvis's very eclectic taste in music. It drives some fans nuts, and for other fans like me, his broad taste in so many genres of music is what turns us on so much about Elvis's large catalogue.
I'm enjoying this more than I expected, and adding the 5 after-show songs to the end on the Complete Albums makes it a better listen. It's also great that the set list is quite different to the recently released MSG album. The back cover says that the concert includes '8 songs never before recorded by Elvis', but which ones are they? Welcome to My World, possibly My Way and I'll Remember You, but what else?
Something You Gave Me a Mountain Steamroller Blues My Way It’s Over I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry What Now My Love Welcome to My World
The claim "never before recorded by Elvis" is not entirely true. RCA had earlier live recordings of Something (August 1970), You Gave Me A Mountain (February and April 1972) and It's Over (February and April 1972) in the can. They had not been released, though.
I'd forgotten that the 1970 Something (which is better to my ears) hadn't been released at that point. Thanks for the info.
afraid not ! i wish it was 'only in my mind' ! its there in gorious technicolour, if you want to play the denial game and pretend hes still at his best and " still got his voice " then knock yourself out ! i wont be a part of that ! im as big a fan as ANYONE, i love on tour, i love MSG, im even very fond of 'aloha' - he NEVER did a better version of "A/trilogy" but i have no need or desire for E.i.C - its NOT commendable he carried on Touring in that condition - the only place he should have been after the summer of 1975 was locked away in a rehab centre , the last place he needed to be was on a stage
My thoughts on EIC, for what they're worth (not much!). As an audio experience it's actually pretty good and not much different to Aloha or Memphis. I think I actually prefer it to MSG. The fan talking bits are of course awful and I look forward to making a version without them and an improved running order. As for the song selection, I'm glad there was no Love Me Tender, and it was great to see some different songs in the second half/LP 2, and I was a bit amazed to find four 60s songs in the second half. I was also surprised to not find Suspicious Minds - had he dropped it from the set by that point? This is all obviously coming from someone that does not know all of the live FTD material!
"Suspicious Minds" was no longer a concert regular after mid-'74. He did it as a request in Vegas in August '75, but that was it
Elvis' commitment to the song wavered after 1970, the arrangement lost all of its soul, and the song should have been retired from the set-list. The 1972 live renditions were simply a perfunctory commitment (like his 50's gold), with an embarrassingly bad performance whipped out during Aloha in early 1973.
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
I never even knew that Willie Nelson covered Always On My Mind- could it be that this is mainly a "USA phenomenom"? Here in Germany the Pet Shop Boys' version was a huge and lasting hit and it is still played regulary on the radio (I think I never heard Elvis' version on the radio- but also I never heard Willie's version). In a similiar way it puzzles me that singers like Garth Brooks or The Judds, Carrie Underwood are massive stars in THE U.S. and nearly unknown over here (like vice versa Cliff Richard or Robbie Williams in the USA).
It's worth remembering that Always on my Mind was voted the "Nation's favourite Elvis song" in the UK for a major TV show not all that long ago.