Confusion on August 72 Rehearsal

[elVis112]

I have always been confused on a certain rehearsal. I am talking about the one Elvis did right before his summer 72 gigs in vegas.

Several years ago some snippets of this rehearsal were released on different LPs (the one I can remember is Unreleased Tracks) and recently on some import CDs.

Songs Elvis performed that day were The first Time ever I saw your Face, My Way, Fever, Portrait of my Love and (as I understand it) I'm leaving it up to you.

Recently I stumbled over a listing that mentioned two more songs to be recorded during these rehearsals: True Love travels on a gravel Road and Any Day now.

These were on the Unreleased Tracks LP back then, too. Were the two songs really recorded at the same occasion??? I always thought Elvis did rehearse them for August 69 or even more likely Vegas season 2 (he did even perform TTOAGR then).

And further more: were Portrait of my Love and Leaving it up to you recorded during that rehearsal or rather at another occasion?

Anybody any clues on this one?

[VOC]

And further more: were Portrait of my Love and Leaving it up to you recorded during that rehearsal or rather at another occasion?

These were most likely recorded in Jan '72. I'm not familiar with any rehearsals before summer engagement, but obviously if there are such tapes "My Way" and "Fever" would probably be there.

i'm sure there are better experts here than me, though.

[Prince Dragna]

Recently I got to hear the rehearsal version of "Any Day Now" for the first time. I think Elvis´s voice sounds more ´72 than ´69-´70... so I don´t know... I remember reading somewhere that Elvis rehearsed "Any Day Now" for his Madison Square Garden concerts (but unfortunately never performed it in concert) - so I guess August ´72 could be a possibility.

[drjohncarpenter]

Regarding the August 1972 rehearsal:

Dates
-----
Aug 2 '72
Any Day Now

Aug 3 '72
True Love Travels On A Gravel Road
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face [ incomplete ]
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me [ ending only ]
My Way [ several takes ]
Don't [ one liner ]
Fever
"I've Got To Go" blues vamp
Portrait Of My Love

Jan' 25 '73
I'm Leavin' It All Up To You


[Edited with corrected dates]

[elVis112]

Thanks for your thoughts on that one, Doc...

Your idea on True Love travels and Any Day now matches with what I thought and seems to make sense.

I was just wondering: how do you come up with August 73 for Portrait?

BTW: Prince_Dragna, are there really rumours on Elvis rehearsing Any day now for MSG? Never heard about that one, though...
Just image: Elvis singing this cool song instead of I'll remember you or Reconsider Baby or Impossible Dream (or at least I think he would have performed it at that part of the show)...

Nice could be

[drjohncarpenter]

I was just wondering: how do you come up with August 73 for Portrait?(

1) His voice matches the period

2) Ernst confirms "Portrait Of My Love" was definitely rehearsed in Aug'73

[Prince Dragna]

BTW: Prince_Dragna, are there really rumours on Elvis rehearsing Any day now for MSG? Never heard about that one, though...
Just image: Elvis singing this cool song instead of I'll remember you or Reconsider Baby or Impossible Dream (or at least I think he would have performed it at that part of the show)...

Nice could be

Actually, I read about the New York rehearsals in Jorgensen´s "A Life In Music":

"And as always Elvis reconsidered some of his older material, from "Fever" to "I´ll Remember You" and "Any Day Now" as well as country material like "I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water", "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Faded Love" and "I Really Don´t Want To Know". Only when they got closer to showtime did his ambitions fade in the glare of the spotlight, leaving only a fraction of the new material remaining on the set list".

What a shame! And yes I agree that 1970 is the most probable date for "True Love..." and "Any Day Now" - I just don´t think it sounds like his "1970 voice" on the latter. Oh well... like DJC says, without the original sources...

[elvis-fan]

With regard to "Any Day Now", a Ronnie Milsap hit,
didn't Ronnie actually play piano on Elvis' recording of this number?

[drjohncarpenter]

With regard to "Any Day Now", a Ronnie Milsap hit, didn't Ronnie actually play piano on Elvis' recording of this number?

Ronnie Milsap?

The song Elvis cut in 1969 is based on the wonderful Chuck Jackson single on Wand from 1962. Yes, Ronnie made the top twenty in 1982 with the song, but Jackson's was the start.

Milsap played piano on "Gentle On My Mind" from Elvis' January 1969 session, and possibly overdubbed a backing vocal on "Kentucky Rain" the following month.

[Ciscoking]

To Dr.John Carpenter.

Hi, Doc.

i got a question to these rehearsals on the No fooling Around CD.
It obvious that these are much more complete than on the former
releases (Unreleased Tracks and so on). My Way lasts about 8 minutes
in total and is about twice as long as on the old boot vinyls. Fever is also
longer and contains more dialogue. Did they find a new tape or was this
rehearsal simply edited on the original issues ? Can you help me ?

regards
Ciscoking

[drjohncarpenter]

All I can tell you is that No Fooling Around is an excellent CD.

[elVis112]

Some of this material is really great - even these early versions of My Way are quite promising and it's still fascinating to hear Elvis really working hard to develop these songs we by now know so well...

Hopefully, one day we will get to hear those rehearsals in full length...and maybe even BMG will release some of that stuff in some way through FTD.

Speaking of rehearsals to be released officially: does anybody know of more tracks besides C.C.Rider, Release me and The Wonder of you recorded at the rehearsal between the two shows on February 18, 1970, or is this all there is?

Or is there any chance that maybe songs like Any Day now or True Love travels on a gravel Road were also recorded professionally during this or another rehearsal at that time?

Isn't it great to dream?