It's impossible

Steve_M · #180404

Mike DK wrote:As mentioned earlier, soundboards often sounds flat and boring. Which is why I prefer listening to a good stereo audience recording instead

Yeah, those dull flat soundboards - give me a 16 track audience recording anyday

#180406

You guys are missing the point.

Multi-track recordings by RCA's finest engineers wouldn't have improved Elvis' performances in 1975.

He just didn't make the effort.

Steve_M · #180407

But it might have improved the sound of those performances even if they didn't improve what Elvis put into them.

#180416

"The 2001 opening [which sounds like an amateur band practicing] leads to the opening words of See See Rider [which he can hardly get out] culminating in perhaps one of the worst renditions of Trilogy on record, the entire concert is a mess.

Typical of 1975, unfortunately.
_________________
Colin B"

You should blame the guy at the mixing console istead of Elvis in this case...

Regards Björn

#180421

1975 was not bad at all in my point of view. Great concerts has already been released. July 1975 also has lots of good concerts. Some of them in 1975 wasn´t like 1969-70-71 but I still think they are great....

#180484

Yeah, really. Colin, I fear to ask what you think of '76 and '77...!

#180494

I've always thought the arrangement was overblown on the intro, kind of like the theme to the Million Dollar Movie. However, I have always felt that Elvis' vocal on the song is absolutely gorgeous kind of like an early '60s sound with his deep '70s voice. You can really hear his genius for intrepretation on this song. Like the near falsetto he uses on the word "soul" or the strong emphasis he places on the word "had" in the phrase "if I had you" underlines the ultimate desperation of the lyric. It's what Gordon Stoker was talking about when he said he never saw a singer get so much from a single word as Elvis.

You can really see numerous examples of this type of singing especially in the '70s. His vocals, when he was interested, could really be incisive. This is what Dave Marsh was talking about when he said Elvis performed with more craft in the 1970s.

About the show in 1975, he did do some nice shows in the summer of 1975. I have an audience recording in dreadful sound quality from Nassau New York but it's a fine show. I think it's disingenous though to pass shows off from these seasons as comparable to 1970 or 1972. These were entertaining shows but Elvis was often knocking people back on their heels from 1969 to 1972.

#180504

Greg -

You wrote:

Yeah, really. Colin, I fear to ask what you think of '76 and '77...!

Well, in some ways they show an improvement.

At least he was trying harder then.

In '75 he was just lazy and sloppy.

#180519

I think March of 1976 the songs are OK...far better than August

Steve_M · #180532

July '75 in Uniondale and August 6th 1976.

Lets not even go there in 1976 on that day.

#180967

Gregory Nolan Jr. wrote:Now I feel bad that I unloaded my PURE GOLD LP a few years ago..!

I kept the key LPs and got all the CD boxsets, but occasionally pruned the collection too much!

I had to go out and rebuy that "Greatest Hits Vol. 1" LP, for instance. My pre-FECC self didn't know some songs were rare on it, never mind the nostalgia too.

Likewise, my "Pickwick" (Camden) 2-LP set of "Double-Dynamite." Mike McCoy (whatever happened to him? ) once shared my nostalgia for that set.

Rule #1: Don't trade or sell that which you may miss someday!

Pure Gold was the third Elvis album I ever had. My folks had it on 8-track and I used to listen to it all the time when we drive in my dad's blue Cadillac Deville (a whale of a car). Funny thing about its was that It's Impossible was split between the 1st and 2nd tracks - it was fade out and then come back. My folks still have the 8-track tape.

#180987

Keep in mind that the size of the orchestra varied by venue.

When Elvis played Vegas, Joe Guercio led a very large group. In contrast, the road show orchestra often consisted of a ten piece horn section.

The presence of the horns, strings and reeds account for the "big band" opening on It's Impossible.

#181031

elvisjock wrote:

Keep in mind that the size of the orchestra varied by venue.

When Elvis played Vegas, Joe Guercio led a very large group. In contrast, the road show orchestra often consisted of a ten piece horn section.

The presence of the horns, strings and reeds account for the "big band" opening on It's Impossible.

That is a good point,and one I have raised before....with little response

I have also often wondered whether even in Vegas the strings etc were dropped after 73 (as would appear to be the case on the road, with the exception of Jan. 1973). It would not suprise me, as having such a large orchestra (nearly THIRTY members as at Aug. 1970) would have added a considerable premium to the cost of putting on the show.
It is a pity, as in my opinion, the 'road shows' loose alot from having just a brass section.

#181097

likethebike" wrote:
"I've always thought the arrangement was overblown on the intro, kind of like the theme to the Million Dollar Movie. However, I have always felt that Elvis' vocal on the song is absolutely gorgeous kind of like an early '60s sound with his deep '70s voice. ..."

Good point. (And I mourn the days when cities like New York's WOR Channel 9 actually ran such classics: thank goodness for TCM today).

And as a kid I remember hearing things like "Jailhouse Rock" on "Pure Gold" alongside "It's Impossible," and I remember thinking: is that the same guy? I guess so!

Mike C: we had the 8-track as well as the Lp of "Pure Gold." I remember the "split-version" too.

#181099

The UK version was called The Sound Of Your Cry, with the same fantastic cover, but some extra songs not found on the Greatest Hits Vol 1 Album.

I had them both, and sold them when I was hard up a few years ago.

#181109

DarrylMac wrote:The UK version was called The Sound Of Your Cry, with the same fantastic cover, but some extra songs not found on the Greatest Hits Vol 1 Album.

Did the "The Sound Of Your Cry" album ever get a CD release, does anyone know?

On the subject of It's Impossible, for years I never cared for it, mainly because of that overblown intro you've all been discussing, but lately when I heard Elvis sing the main part of the song I had my ears opened as to what a great job he does. It'll never be one of my faves, but I like it more than I used to now.

Jules