Southern nights opinion

Rob · #234704

I have the footage as well. We still have to count it though. The song was playing and he had his guitar.

You're right. The footage is "pretty cool."

#234758

I received my copy of this cd a few days ago, and I still can't stop playing it!

A very nice cd imo, with some outstanding tracks.

The version of Thats Alright is a killer, even though it's an impromtu version, plus another short but live version of Trouble.

This cd proves that Elvis still had it in 1975, regardless of some of the trash articles about him during this period.

#234937

I like that CD very much.

great concept, Ernst. Exactly what I was asking for all the time! If there is a good show, bring it on - but if there is so much left spread over the soundboards, don't giove me 20 shows to collect 20 highlights.

So: great job!

And yes, the sound of the most recordings is far better than on the released bootlegs.
Especially FAIRYTALE from the Memphis Show. I hate that artificial echo on the DAE release!

Have you ever realized on the DAE-boot how many audience is audible? Me not. On the "SOUTHERN NIGHTS" you can here the audience very clear. It's just like the "GOODBYE MEMPHIS"-Boot from Baxter! Thjat's how a soundboard should sound!

#235004

etp wrote:I like that CD very much.

great concept, Ernst. Exactly what I was asking for all the time! If there is a good show, bring it on - but if there is so much left spread over the soundboards, don't giove me 20 shows to collect 20 highlights.

Ditto. Especially from those tours of which we have about 10 different versions of mostly the same songs.
It's great to have a collection of some of the rarities. Thanks EJ.

#235178

etp wrote:

great concept, Ernst. Exactly what I was asking for all the time! If there is a good show, bring it on - but if there is so much left spread over the soundboards, don't giove me 20 shows to collect 20 highlights.

Could this be a trend? I think this may be the way to go. As "completist" as I am, this is probably a move to be applauded.

Juan Luis · #235241

The liner notes said " so-called "soundboard" recordings".... I wonder why they said that? Thats what everyone calls them even from different groups, artists.

I compared Fairytale with the version (same) on LET ME TAKE YOU HOME and it is a toss up in sound quality. The added echo from the latter makes it a little easier to listen. Imo.

#235253

There's this guy over at the E1 site that is from Huntsville and told his story about his dad meeting Vernon and Elvis and at Graceland. He also was given tickets by Elvis to those same Huntsville shows on Southern Nights.

But he said the sound on the soundboards don't compare with the audience recordings he owns of these shows. He said the drums were extremely loud in person. He said something about these shows were some of the best concerts Elvis ever gave. I have seen pics of Elvis lately in Huntsville and he did look good and healthy. Although he was addin a few pounds in the waist area but still looked good for a 40 year old man.

I wanna hear this cd now! I might just have to get it.

#235362

Elvis did not use or hold a guitar for his performance of THAT'S ALL RIGHT (MAMA) in Huntsville, Friday, May 30, 1975. Unfortunately, this show was not recorded -- except by me, and perhaps a small number in the audience.

I finally received SOUTHERN NIGHTS, and must say how pleased I am. I was lucky to have witnessed more than one-half of the songs on this disc in person. I was SO happy to have heard TROUBLE, though he only does one verse. This is a great, fun version, but of course the soundboard does not capture the sound I heard that Saturday afternoon -- and unfortunately, it would be the only time I heard it in person.

The other highlight that afternoon was FOR THE GOOD TIMES. This is an excellent, soulful, one-off version and it is terrific. I love hearing Elvis' voice, and you can hear him (and I saw him) really enjoying this. The only time I saw him perform this in person.

Probably one of my all-time highlights of in concert songs was I'M LEAVIN'. What a magnificent performance. I still find it hard to believe how the single failed so miserably. I still remember how excited and happy I was to be hearing this in person -- and how I hoped he would perform it again during this tour, but I was never lucky to see him perform it again.

I also remember the false starts to BURNING LOVE, and how great it was to see and hear him perform POLK SALAD ANNIE. Elvis was really into this song. Of course, the soundboard is really distorted (mix wise), and this song is really not representative of what I heard and saw Sunday night. Always intense watching Elvis encourage the group to go, go, go.

I could go on and on, and how happy I am to hear more of Elvis' great voice on this disc put together by Ernst ... but I'll only make two more comments.

We'll all have to thank J. Rock Caille for TRYIN' TO GET TO YOU. Rock was sitting near me when he shouted out for Elvis to sing this song. Elvis heard him, but went into the song he was just beginning to sing. However, when finished, he remarked (as you can hear on the disc) that he had heard the request -- and he performed a top notch version of this song. Wonderful! (Rock, if you're out there, could I get back my tour book I wrote during this tour??)

Lastly, my friend Claude Laliberte told me he had met with Jerry Scheff during the tour, and had asked him to ask Elvis to perform HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT. A day or two later, we have the results of that request on this disc. It's not really inspired, but certainly nice to hear -- and again, the only time I heard it.

I'm putting this disc back into my machine, and may wear it out without having my wife comment about hearing SEE SEE RIDER for the millionth time.

#235373

For similar reasons (for the sanity of myself and family), I make use of the programming button more than I used to when listening to concerts, either imports or FTD's, especially with rare songs. Discs like this one get around that problem and I really look forward to it.

JLGB, so there are liner notes? That term "so-called" is a bit abused. They are indeed called soundboards. It's a legitimate term.

From Huntville, May 30th:

From May 31st:

*************************************************
See related "Southern Nights" thread in "Review" section

http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20382&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

#236776

Jeez Ken Jenson on the Elvis in Norway site REALLY slams this release!!!!

Rob · #236778

There's always going to be someone who doesn't like it. I'm sure there is someone who will gladly buy his copy if he doesn't want it.

Thankfully, most of the reviews here have been positive. Keep the negativity elsewhere.

#236823

I love this release, but Ken Jensen is right about a few things: the sound is uneven, which I guess is natural 'cause it's a compilation from different sources. And I can't really see why Ernst included the frankly embarrassing "Burning Love" false start, with one of the Sweets shouting the lyrics to Elvis, who still doesn´t get it. And this was a song he performed at almost every show on the tour! We should have got a complete "Burning Love".

I say bring on more releases like this one; Spring Tours 77 and Southern Nights are both highly enjoyable albums.

#236999

Great that so many of you like this CD.

As Elvis himself shouted to Scotty Moore during one of the sitdown shows in '68: "You had it", well that's exactly what comes to mind when listening to this mistake of a compilation release. Even the mix is a total loss now.
How many more CD's will you approve of (and pay for) by saying that Elvis was in a good mood during this or that concert? The only positive thing of this CD is that it allows a silly game of 'on which record has he done that song better'?

#237002

Marc Haegeman wrote:Great that so many of you like this CD. As Elvis himself shouted to Scotty Moore during one of the sitdown shows in '68: "You had it", well that's exactly what comes to mind when listening to this mistake of a compilation release. Even the mix is a total loss now.
How many more CD's will you approve of (and pay for) by saying that Elvis was in a good mood during this or that concert? The only positive thing of this CD is that it allows a silly game of 'on which record has he done that song better'?

Maybe you can return Southern Nights to youre dealer and ask youre money back. And for the next time when FTD announce to release a ''mistake compilation'',..........................DONT BUY.

#237004

Thanks for the advice 3577... You've been a great help!

Yep, the man sure was in a great mood!

#237037

But seriously: we ought to listen to such releases knowing that Elvis fanatics need only reply.

If some of you are satiated or want to dwell what "could have been," then fine.

But I think it's rather pointless to dwell on what Elvis should have been like in '75.

It's done, it's history. And any effort to package the hightlights in new and creative ways is welcome to this increasingly-cash poor collector

. (And I hope to get it in 2006!)

By the way, I enjoy "Elvis In Norway" as one of the best and most enjoyable sites going (even the bad reviews are entertaining even when I disagree).

Here is the review on Southern Nights by Jensen:
http://home.online.no/~ov-egela/southernnights.html#review2

"Ken Jensen" has also penned some of the intentionally cruel (?) reviews. I prefer to think he's being tongue in cheek and it often appears he's trying to crack himself up.

Whether we can take such reviews seriously is another matter.

Rob · #237136

If there is anyone who does not have a copy of the Southern Nights FTD, Marc will sell you his copy very cheap. Send him a PM.

#237363

Only at top price, Rob. Even you should know that Elvis diehards will buy anything at any price, and won't go for any less, as soon the news is out our man is in a good mood

#237845

I think when Ken says:- "Then comes the most dull 'Steamroller Blues' I've heard to date. There is no punch in it. Crister Berge, a fellow reviewer, thinks Elvis sounds drugged. I couldn't agree more" ... i REALLY get offended..like Steamroller mainly lacks because of a very poor mix, NOT that Elvis is stoned during that show at all! of cource their isn't the punch to it , if the mix is poor-certainly iv'e heard worse versions of steamroller with the 18.3.74 version being a balanced mix fav!

But Ken who pissed you off so much to write this way-apart from this quote a lot of what else you say makes sense!

#237890

It seems to be a trademark of Elvis in Norway's Ken Jensen to assume the worst when a song doesn't pass muster with their ears. We all know the tracks where he clearly was medicated or "off" but dwelling on it sometimes seems to be a cheap shot. Besides, it's not always clear when and when it is not the case.

I'd have to hear it to really comment, but it's way too similiar to non-fan commentators who cannot discuss Elvis Presley without mentioning his "weight problem, drugs, and 'sad demise' as if that's all he was about.

#237998

Ok, Gregory where are you getting all these rare album covers you are using on your avatars?! Very interesting

JEFF d
Elvis fan

#238012

Jeff, try here http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~normal/

see-see-rider · #245328

elvisalex wrote:I don’t like the sound on this CD Some of the Songs is in stereo

Having listened to the CD I think I know what the user noticed when he spoke of some of the songs being stereo. To me the sound is pretty okay when it comes to tonality. Listening to it I felt that something else is wrong, though. Somehow it felt uncomfortable, the music seemed blurred.

To make a long story short: None of the tracks here is in mono but some kind of fake stereo effect was used during mastering. It gets obvious when from about Trouble onwards (but also before, listen to the start of It's Midnight) what' supposed to be the phantom source starts to move to the right. Because this made me curious I started to examine some other files. On all tracks I checked the signals of the two channels (left/right) differ.

From all I know all the songs were recorded in mono, so what's this supposed to mean?

#245851

I love this cd great songs, great vocals.. I like how its not in a routine like concert the songs are all scattered around sounds cool, one of my favorite FTD Releases

#1776110

For Elvis CD Collectors

Southern nights opinion

That's All Right (Mama) - no guitar, and comments on S.N.

Re: Southern nights opinion