"Such A Night" (Live '76) video

It's poor because it was unrehearsed and therefore has fluffed lyrics etc. But, you can hear there was potential for this to be a good performance if properly rehearsed. He seems quite into it and the voice is strong.

Along a similiar note, "Big Red," and following up on the quote cited by Cryo and also JLGB's comment, it's a pity all too often Elvis "phoned it in" as they say, to the point where the band (new or old members) were not inspired to know the past work of the artist.

As someone who has dabbled in music over the years with friends and in on-stage local jam sessions, I know that at the drop of a hat, certain songs can (and should) be able to be played on memory alone, perhaps with a quick key agreement. This is not unusual in the music world. Your classic "saloon piano player" did just as much.

And I've read numerous accounts of latter day musicians eventually getting to play with legendary rock or blues acts and litterally rehearsing and knowing and loving all the records that act ever did, to the point that the original band can be rivaled. In almost all cases, the singer or singer-guitarist is both flattered and also inspired to play at his best, evaporating all the years gone by in a moment's notice.

Unfortunately, Elvis' set list was so static (it seems safe to say) that this sort of spontaneity was not encouraged and certainly not expected. For all we know, guys like Tony Brown or James Burton were just not inspired anymore by the work of Elvis Presley (did they see too much of the train wreck that was his life?) or just listened to very different music on their own time.

I'm glad some others here enjoyed "Such A Night, '76" though. I still contend that if you listen closely, it's actually a pretty good run-through.

I've got the video from this show and the quality is not too bad.

Is it any better, film quality-wise? I wonder if the master film has better resolution? His face is all but impossible to make out here from the glare, unless it's just a multiple-generation copy that caused this.

Last edited by Gregory Nolan Jr. on Mon Apr 02, 2007 7:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

Is it any better, film quality-wise? I wonder if the master film has better resolution? His face is all but impossible to make out here from the glare, unless it's just a multiple-generation copy that caused this.

His face is hard to make out during the entire video. There are times, however, when the spotlight is dimmed and the picture is much better. You can see him very clearly.

The song in this video is not that bad for a song that was just a last minute throw-in. We are just so used to that great '60's version that it is unfair to compare the two. He did You Can Have Her in Los Angeles two years earlier and many people think that one is just great. However, had he recorded a good studio version of the song, many would call the live performance pathetic, sad, etc.

He was merely trying to entertain the Atlanta crowd...which he did.

To me it apears to be more exciting because it's a rarity, And for a song that was sung so long ago,I think he does a good job...but if he took the time to really rehears this song , he could have done a hell of a job!
Also the TTWII rehearsel version is a nice example ...

To me it apears to be more exciting because it's a rarity, And for a song that was sung so long ago,I think he does a good job...but if he took the time to really rehears this song , he could have done a hell of a job!
Also the TTWII rehearsel version is a nice example ...

I agree 100% with this.The quality on my video seems a little clearer than the clip were discussing.The quality will vary accoriding to who you ask because its vhs and it depends on what generations copy you have.Mine came from someone years ago who is on the inside track and has the best available.
Jak

Such a night was a showhighlight.
We often complain he should have changed his setlist.
In atlanta he did a decent, unrehearsed version of this great song and people over here are still moaning.

This show was one of the very best '76 shows..

Cheers, RJ

What more could anyone reasonably expect for goodness sake??

Erm... a good performance?

I think you are out numbered on this one Cryo. It is obviously a request and I don't think it would be reasonable to expect Elvis to remember the lyrics to a song he recorded 20+ (nearer 30) years earlier.....and had not rehearsed.

The version of Such A Night from Vegas earlier in December is rough and not very good. This version is 10 times better, short yes, but a good version of a rarely performed song.

And a song that, much to the chagrin of the rock 'n roll aficionados on here, that he probably didn't really care for.

I think you are out numbered on this one Cryo.

I am certainly out-numbered, but that doesn't diminish my opinion.

It is obviously a request and I don't think it would be reasonable to expect Elvis to remember the lyrics to a song he recorded 20+ (nearer 30) years earlier.....and had not rehearsed.

Then maybe Elvis shouldn't have tried it? He ignored requests all the time. Just watch the Comeback Special. Someone calls out "It's Now Or Never", which he states in the 1972 MSG press conference is one of his favourites! The fact that he was willing to try "Such A Night" is indicative of a positive mood, but the performance itself is terrible. Elvis may not have been able to recall all the words, but it's not a complex song, and after he sings, "What a kiss/What a night," he should have realised he'd gotten it wrong and straightened up for the next chorus, but instead, he inexplicably sings, "What a kiss/Such a night," completely garbling the simple symmetry of the song. He didn't forget those lyrics, he simply botched them, and the song with it.

And a song that, much to the chagrin of the rock 'n roll aficionados on here, that he probably didn't really care for.

"Such A Night" is not a rock 'n roll song. It is obvious that Elvis didn't care for most of his back catalogue in the 70's; many songs were either conspicuous by their absence or included but done poorly (e.g. "Hound Dog," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Jailhouse Rock"). This particular performance is curious only for Elvis attempting one of his classics, with the emphasis very much on "attempting". Even as an "off the cuff" number, it's very weak, and rather embarrassing to watch.

Thats your opinion Cryo (and whilst I disagree), you are entitled to it.

I think you are out numbered on this one Cryo. It is obviously a request and I don't think it would be reasonable to expect Elvis to remember the lyrics to a song he recorded 20+ (nearer 30) years earlier.....and had not rehearsed.

Well, more like 16 years earlier, actually! Or are you saying he recorded a version of "Such A Night" in 1946?

I think you are out numbered on this one Cryo. It is obviously a request and I don't think it would be reasonable to expect Elvis to remember the lyrics to a song he recorded 20+ (nearer 30) years earlier.....and had not rehearsed.

Well, more like 16 years earlier, actually! Or are you saying he recorded a version of "Such A Night" in 1946?

Guilty your honour......thanks for the correction.

Thats your opinion Cryo (and whilst I disagree), you are entitled to it.

Thank you, Larry. I extend the same to you.

Maybe I'm forgiving, but I thought it was a pretty decent version. A bit of spontaneity and following the original record to some degree Certainly better than another version listless of Love Me, Hound Dog, etc.

Just a note about the video image on some of the 1970's concerts.

These were taken with a super 8 camera and usually from pretty far away.

A lot of them have that washed out look to them.

The cause: Over compensation for light by the person having a false read on his light meter. If you are say, 30 rows away from Elvis, you have to know that you are sitting in the dark and Elvis is well light with very bright stage lighting. Sitting in the dark tells your camera light meter you need to let in more light and open the aparture up a bit. But this actually lets in too much light because the camera reads it as the same light in the whole room. Since the lights are so bright on stage, you get that horrible "too much light" look on Elvis. The closer you are to the stage and the lights, the more acurate your light meter will read. But without practice, you are just playing guesswork with the light.

So in closing I doubt even a first generation copy is that good.

The whole December 76 tour is memorable for being one of his best latter day tours. He was slimmer, not trim, but slimmer. In very good spirits and was having fun rather than seemingly going through the motions. This impromtu performance is pulled off as a bit of fun, Elvis is cleary happy. So he fluffs the lines up, so what, it wasn't in the set list and it wasn't rehearsed. He is in good voice and is entertaining the crowd.

The TCB band knew a LOT of Elvis' catalogue, but this guy recorded what, 600+ songs? No way could they know all of those and hadn't Elvis stopped rehearsing tours and engagements by this point?

As to Tony Brown not knowing Blueberry Hill...well, can't defend that one! It is a simple rock 'n' roll number so its surprising he couldn't intro it and run with it.

I also saw this on youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=deW1q3i_VmA

I've seen the CBS special and stuff but was pretty shocked on seeing this. E looks way overweight -certainly the biggest I've seen him on film.

I also saw this on youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=deW1q3i_VmA

I've seen the CBS special and stuff but was pretty shocked on seeing this. E looks way overweight -certainly the biggest I've seen him on film.

Yeah, he surely looked horrible in those summer '76 tours...

As to Tony Brown not knowing Blueberry Hill...well, can't defend that one! It is a simple rock 'n' roll number so its surprising he couldn't intro it and run with it.

He did "intro" it, but Elvis instantly corrected him. Elvis allowed himself to be terribly sloppy, yet harshly rebuked other people for making the slightest mistake. You can see similar behave in the unedited tapes for "Elvis In Concert". In Rapid City, during "C.C. Rider", he stops the song midway through, acting as if Ronnie hit a dud beat, then resumes. And this was the opening song -- not the greatest start to give your audience. He also shoots Ronnie a *very* angry look when *he* messes up his own vocal during "Jailhouse Rock". Elvis embarrassed himself and everyone around him when he behaved like that.

He actually had far more of a reason to go mad during the stand-up sessions for the Comeback Special. That orchestra was awful! Yet he kept his cool from beginning to end. The fact that he could go mad over tiny errors years later, errors brought on by his own laziness and unwillingness to rehearse, shows how far he'd fallen by 1976/1977.

I'm prety sure Elvis says `I missed a note' when he strangely stops CC Rider in Rapid City.
I love that Such a Night. I think the version is decent and quite lively, especially considering its rarity.
He even manages some shaking towards the end.
These sort of impromptu performances were highlights of an elvis concert, even if not perfectly performed.
Love it, and thanks for the link
rick

Hi,
I guess it's all comparitive...would we be as willing to accept these "off the cuff" performances if his overall show had been tighter during this period?
Mike

It was brutal... but not bad for someone as heavily medicated as he was...

Didn't he also forget the lyrics in Hawaii '61?