I don't recall that, but he apparently had a lot of health troubles during the Las Vegas booking earlier in the month, resulting in some very poor performances, and at one point he even said to the audience "I hate Las Vegas." It might have been the 12-10-1976 MS.MRM on Tue May 08, 2018 1:48 pm wrote:He's also quite lucid for a 1976 show, which is why I can listen to the December 1976 live recordings more than any others from that year. I thought I read, here or elsewhere, that Dr. Nick has weaned him off his usual meds without his knowing for most of the month?
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
MRM on Tue May 08, 2018 9:48 pm wrote:The last known live performance by Elvis is remarkable for being off-the-cuff, and totally sincere.
"Everybody lay out here except David Briggs."
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Elvis Presley "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (Birmingham, AL - Wednesday, December 29, 1976)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0EM8YdFDYo&t=34m09s
... here, the unique Presley magic weaves a spell over the listener, making it seem incandescent by comparison. And this song is the key to the entire concert, for it is here that one realizes that the entire show must've been inspired by his affection for new girlfriend Ginger Alden! He begins "First Time" by saying "we'll do this for you, sweetheart" and during certain parts of the song he says "listen". That wasn't for the 18,000 paying customers. For the final "ever I lay with you" verse (which he never recorded in a studio) he orders an on-the-spot arrangement of voice and electric piano ("Everybody lay out here except David Briggs") which results in a spine-tingling moment that is the essence of Elvis Presley, vocalist supreme and great American artist.
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/birmingham.html
My goodness me......how nice is this ...having Elvis sing such sweet words to you .....lucky Ginger
Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
I'll see if I can find a source for my recollection.drjohncarpenter on Tue May 08, 2018 5:28 pm wrote:I don't recall that, but he apparently had a lot of health troubles during the Las Vegas booking earlier in the month, resulting in some very poor performances, and at one point he even said to the audience "I hate Las Vegas." It might have been the 12-10-1976 MS.MRM on Tue May 08, 2018 1:48 pm wrote:He's also quite lucid for a 1976 show, which is why I can listen to the December 1976 live recordings more than any others from that year. I thought I read, here or elsewhere, that Dr. Nick has weaned him off his usual meds without his knowing for most of the month?
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
From the same post on page 1 you can hear Presley sing the same sweet words on stage in 1971, to another lucky girlfriend.poppii on Tue May 08, 2018 2:38 pm wrote:My goodness me......how nice is this ...having Elvis sing such sweet words to you .....lucky Ginger
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Seems the sound on my laptop isn't good enough as I don't hear any difference between these two (besides that the second one runs a tad faster).drjohncarpenter on Tue May 08, 2018 9:06 pm wrote:This appears to be the same audio as the one I posted on page one, taken from the 1995 '70s box. The title of your video does include the words "NEW EDIT" ...Fabbe on Tue May 08, 2018 12:21 am wrote:Is this the version that was released as single?
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This might be the 1972 single version, RCA 74-0672 :
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Last edited by henryneill on Wed May 09, 2018 2:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
here is another version:
Elvis signs with the choirs and there's different overdub
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just for reference here below is the one posted above (where Elvis sings "alone"):
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They are quite different.
So I was not sure what was the version released as single.
Based on feedback received on this board seems the one with no choir was released as single.
Elvis signs with the choirs and there's different overdub
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just for reference here below is the one posted above (where Elvis sings "alone"):
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They are quite different.
So I was not sure what was the version released as single.
Based on feedback received on this board seems the one with no choir was released as single.
Last edited by Fabbe on Wed May 09, 2018 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"An artist like Elvis is actually pretending, when he’s home, to be normal. And when he goes out on stage at night is who he actually is." — Bruce Springsteen
Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
I thought the single version was on silver box EAP. And that has plenty of voices.
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
you mean that this one below was the single:Juan Luis on Wed May 09, 2018 1:11 pm wrote:I thought the single version was on silver box EAP. And that has plenty of voices.
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and that this other one below -with no choirs and electric piano - first appeared on the 70s box set? (never released while Elvis was alive)
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"An artist like Elvis is actually pretending, when he’s home, to be normal. And when he goes out on stage at night is who he actually is." — Bruce Springsteen
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Yes, now I can hear the difference. And yes, that's how I remember it. So I was wrong before.Fabbe on Wed May 09, 2018 2:04 pm wrote:you mean that this one below was the single:Juan Luis on Wed May 09, 2018 1:11 pm wrote:I thought the single version was on silver box EAP. And that has plenty of voices.
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and that this other one below -with no choirs and electric piano - first appeared on the 70s box set? (never released while Elvis was alive)
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Last edited by henryneill on Wed May 09, 2018 10:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
So, after the attempts to sing in harmony/duet with a female voice, he decided to sing it in harmony with the choir.Juan Luis on Wed May 09, 2018 7:00 pm wrote:The 70's Boxset version was remixed specifically for that set.
He never intended this song to be sang by him alone -- like the remixed version on the 70's box set.
"An artist like Elvis is actually pretending, when he’s home, to be normal. And when he goes out on stage at night is who he actually is." — Bruce Springsteen
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
To be perfectly frank...this song sums up Elvis for me. His face and music from 19 to 42.
Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Yes. But it is my favorite version cause I like him alone on this one.Fabbe on Thu May 10, 2018 4:23 am wrote:So, after the attempts to sing in harmony/duet with a female voice, he decided to sing it in harmony with the choir.Juan Luis on Wed May 09, 2018 7:00 pm wrote:The 70's Boxset version was remixed specifically for that set.
He never intended this song to be sang by him alone -- like the remixed version on the 70's box set.
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
MaryAnn on Mon May 07, 2018 3:37 am wrote: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” is a perfect example of a song that spoke to Elvis. He could hear himself singing it. I’m not sure why Elvis envisioned it as a duet. The title and subject matter suggest a solo singer as it is written in the 1st person — (I saw your face)
Maybe Elvis watched this version on tv in 1970?
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Mike
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take it easy
And try a smile...
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take it easy
And try a smile...
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Lovely version.MikeFromHolland on Thu May 10, 2018 3:37 pm wrote:MaryAnn on Mon May 07, 2018 3:37 am wrote: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” is a perfect example of a song that spoke to Elvis. He could hear himself singing it. I’m not sure why Elvis envisioned it as a duet. The title and subject matter suggest a solo singer as it is written in the 1st person — (I saw your face)
Maybe Elvis watched this version on tv in 1970?
..
.
"An artist like Elvis is actually pretending, when he’s home, to be normal. And when he goes out on stage at night is who he actually is." — Bruce Springsteen
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
That is my go-to version too - simpler and it feels more intimate (to me, at least).Juan Luis on Thu May 10, 2018 1:30 pm wrote:Yes. But it is my favorite version cause I like him alone on this one.Fabbe on Thu May 10, 2018 4:23 am wrote:So, after the attempts to sing in harmony/duet with a female voice, he decided to sing it in harmony with the choir.Juan Luis on Wed May 09, 2018 7:00 pm wrote:The 70's Boxset version was remixed specifically for that set.
He never intended this song to be sang by him alone -- like the remixed version on the 70's box set.
I think the harmony set-up works better when the tempo is slower (like the live versions from dec '76) - it gives the sound more space to breathe.
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
After watching these other versions, it appears Elvis was the only artist that thought this song should be kind of fast paced with lots of drums, horns, and dramatic high note dramatics. IMO, he did something nice with it, for awhile, in that December 1976 version before going to his standard end on it. I've stated numerous times that, IMO, this 1976 version is one of the most mesmerizing concert moments he produced during ALL the concert years. And the soundboard release did not change that opinion.
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
I am wondering why on many live versions Elvis has so many pitch challenges
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
MikeFromHolland on Thu May 10, 2018 6:37 am wrote:MaryAnn on Mon May 07, 2018 3:37 am wrote:“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” is a perfect example of a song that spoke to Elvis. He could hear himself singing it. I’m not sure why Elvis envisioned it as a duet. The title and subject matter suggest a solo singer as it is written in the 1st person — (I saw your face)
Maybe Elvis watched this version on tv in 1970?
..
That's a beautiful rendition. At the time Harry was 43, Lena 52. The show aired on 3-22-1970 (Sun), so Elvis could have easily watched.
HARRY Belafonte and Lena Home are the entire show -- for 60 minutes -- on ABC's special Sunday at 6 p.m. on Channel 4.
NO CHORUS LINES
Belafonte Joins Lena For 'Straight' Hour
By CAROLE A. POTTER
NEW YORK -- The song, "'Love Story," was being redone for the third time. Should it be spoken or sung, should it be camp or straight? Neither Lena Home nor Harry Belafonte were certain. They wanted to try it different ways to see which worked better for them.
They were rehearsing for their television special ABC, Sunday at 6 p.m. on Channel 4.
A program with a strongly personal quality about it, a feeling you get from this one song - "Love Story." Just these two outstanding performers on stage singing about themselves, telling the viewers how they feel about things, and what it's like for them through the years.
It's a very "special" special.
NO CHORUS LINE
They have no chorus line, no elaborate sets. It's just "Harry and Lena," as the title says.
"Neither of them needs a lot of production numbers," says producer Chris Schultz. "They're great without any of the trappings. They stand on their own talent."
Last August, Lena and Harry joined, for the first time, in a night club act at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
"One day, Harry called Lena and asked her if she was interested in doing an act with him," Ralph Harris, Lena's personal manager and long-time friend said.
(We were sitting in the back of the rehearsal studio as Harris related how the act came about, and how it evolved into this television "first.")
"Well, we thought it was a fine idea . . . but Lena has been under contract to the Sands Hotel in Vegas since 1952, and she still is."
GOOD IDEA
"Harry said they would take care of it and, sure enough, they did. That's all there was to it."
In front of the hall, Harry and Lena had started the song over again . . . this time they were speaking the words, toying with them.
That's the beauty of watching them work together . . . each reacting to what the other is saying.
They listen to each other. . . each cares what the other is saying The music cut off, and Harry started to pace. "It just doesn't feel right inside," he told director Kirk Browning.
LOOKED ELEGANT
Lena, looking as elegant in rehearsal pants and a bandanna as she would in an evening gown, took off her reading glasses and looked back toward Ralph --he shrugged in a friendly, reassuring way.
Alfred Brown, the musical director of the program, came from the sidelines and quietly suggested that they sing this song straight, without the camping and without the cute sidelines they'd been adding.
"They're hung-up on the way they heard it on the recording by Randy Newman."
That's the trouble, they have to sing this straight.
"They'll come around, and it will be one of the best numbers in the show," said Brown, who has worked with Lena for several years on both recordings and appearances.
"Putting together a program like this is deceptive. On the surface, because there are no trappings to worry about, it all seems simple," Brown said.
LEAVE SONG IN
"When you're working around a theme and you construct the program that way, you pull one song out and the whole shape is lost ... it's like pulling a brick out of a wall."
The theme for the program is vaguely autobiographical. Harry will sing about "My Old Man" and "Down on the Corner," and a song about "If You've Ever Lived in a Ghetto."
They weren't written for him, nor do they specifically follow his life . . . only approximately.
Belafonte was born in New York City, then lived in Jamaica for five years. He returned to New York while still a boy.
His introduction to the theater was two free tickets to an American Negro Theater production.
Some time after joining the group, Harry began singing at the Royal Roost night club. It was the beginning of his career as a popular singer.
POP SINGER
As a pop singer, Harry did reasonably well, but he didn't feel comfortable in it, and quit.
He and his friends opened a restaurant in Greenwich Village and soon a group were singing folk songs into the late hours.
It was this kind of music that brought Harry back into showbiz.
Belafonte's popularity in the 1950s and '60s was phenomenal.
He made films, did Broadway shows, sold millions of recordings and broke records at night clubs and concert halls all over the world. Recently, Harry has been involved with his own production company, Belafonte Enterprises.
And this week his newest film, "The Angel Levine," which co-stars Harry with Zero Mostel, opened.
Belafonte is on the board of directors of the Southern Leadership Conference, and is considered a leading architect of the nonviolence civil rights movement.
CIVIL RIGHTS FIGHTER
He was a close friend of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, and is deeply committed to carrying out King's unfinished work.
Lena Home's professional life has been one of "firsts."
Her first job back in the '30s in Harlem's Cotton Club was that of a teen-age chorus dancer and singer. She then toured the country with a succession of top-name bands.
Ogden Standard-Examiner - Saturday, March 21, 1970
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/29868669/
Not only that, but they released an LP of the songs done on the show, and more than a few of the tracks had an Elvis connection!
Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne, Harry & Lena (RCA PRS 295, March 1970)
Full title: For the Love of Life Fabergé Presents Music from the TV Special "Harry & Lena"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_&_Lena
Here's another from their ABC-TV special, it might sound a bit familiar to fans of Elvis in 1970.
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Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" (ABC-TV's "Harry & Lena" - Sunday, March 22, 1970)
Cool connection!
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Last edited by drjohncarpenter on Fri May 11, 2018 12:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Awful performance ?poormadpeter2 on Sun May 06, 2018 4:51 pm wrote:It's a pretty awful performance of the song, with Elvis seemingly misjudging how to approach it. He did the same thing at the same sessions with Until It's Time For You To Go and Help Me Make It Through the Night, apparently missing the subtleties of both, but First Time is the worst of the bunch. He clearly liked the song and went back to it a number of times in concerts, but he never seemed to get to grips with it or to put his mark on it.
Man, you must take the corn cob out of your ears, that is, of course, if you prefer "Padre" !!! LOL

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Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
There are too many versions... I'm confused. It's not my favorite track but I guess if I had to pick one it would be the one with Elvis singing alone... but apparently there's more than one version of him singing without any backup??? 

Re: First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Just the one from the 70s box that I know of.elvis-fan on Thu May 10, 2018 5:30 pm wrote:There are too many versions... I'm confused. It's not my favorite track but I guess if I had to pick one it would be the one with Elvis singing alone... but apparently there's more than one version of him singing without any backup???