An American Trilogy

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Fabbe
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An American Trilogy

Post by Fabbe »

One of his most demanding songs vocally - wonderfully executed by the band and Elvis.

Gentle, strong, emotional and dramatic - Elvis’ singing delivers a tapestry of vocal nuances in just one songs.

Maybe the highlight of the Aloha show.

Yes I know it has been covered before - but I just couldn't help sharing.

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jurasic1968
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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by jurasic1968 »

Yes, the highlight of the show. Too many songs, unfortunately, were sang in autopilot that night.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Rob »

I loved Aloha as is and am proud to call myself an Elvis fan each time I see it. I have always loved the performance shown above.

Not so much a couple of years later


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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by jeanno »

For me, the highlights were:
- Steamroller Blues
- An American Trilogy
- Fever

Too bad, the oldies were not performed properly.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Fabbe »

jeanno on Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:10 pm wrote:For me, the highlights were:
- Steamroller Blues
- An American Trilogy
- Fever

Too bad, the oldies were not performed properly.
If I were Elvis:
- I would have added a solo do Blue suede shoes and hound dog
- I'd push stronger at start of Long Tall Sally
- And I would have performed Suspicious Minds as it was the first time. It could have been an highlight of the show ... a nice lights design was created for that song.

But - considering everything, the show works well. Entertaining, with different moods, a musical journey with various song styles. I also think Elvis needed songs to rest the vocal chords: no room for taking chances with other vocal demanding numbers.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by LSP-4445 »

Over the years I have started to dislike the Aloha shows more and more :(
Some songs are so poor that it makes me cringle when hearing them....SM beeing one of the worst versions ever,I cant stand it.
Something about Elvis` voice and the sound mix I simply dont like regarding the 2 shows.
As for "An American Trilogy" I really like the mix that we got on Platinum box set in 97


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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Fabbe »

jeanno on Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:10 pm wrote:For me, the highlights were:
- Steamroller Blues
- An American Trilogy
- Fever

Too bad, the oldies were not performed properly.
Good! I agree and on top of that I would add:

- CC rider
- Burning love
- Mountain
- Johnny be goode
- I'm so lonesome I could cry
- I'll remember you
- Welcome to my world
- What now my love
- A big hunk of love
- Trilogy
- It's over
- I can't stop loving you
- My way

Aloha is provably the record I play more often.
Last edited by Fabbe on Thu Dec 14, 2017 5:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by jurasic1968 »

Johhny B. Goode was not a good version. Burning Love also. Mountain was a lot better in EOT movie. CC Rider? A lot better in EOT. Trilogy and Big Hunk also. Welcome to My World-a country song sang by Elvis as a filler. Fever-better sang the night before. No passion in it. The others: Something (bad version) Love Me, Hound Dog (one of the worst versions ever), Blue Suede Shoes, Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Can't help Falling in Love - average versions. The beautiful I'll Remember You song was the second highlight of the show, in my opinion.




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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by r&b »

jurasic1968 on Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:00 am wrote:Johhny B. Goode was not a good version. Burning Love also. Mountain was a lot better in EOT movie. CC Rider? A lot better in EOT. Trilogy and Big Hunk also. Welcome to My World-a country song sang by Elvis as a filler. Fever-better sang the night before. No passion in it. The others: Something (bad version) Love Me, Hound Dog (one of the worst versions ever), Blue Suede Shoes, Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Can't help Falling in Love - average versions. The beautiful I'll Remember You song was the second highlight of the show, in my opinion.
Its a nice version, but when the 2 best songs from a show are a simple plain ballad, and an over the top Civil War ballad, both of which are not originals of his tremendous back catalog, you know we are a long way from 1969 . Boring show all around. Havent played or watched it in years.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Fabbe »

Rob on Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:08 pm wrote:I loved Aloha as is and am proud to call myself an Elvis fan each time I see it. I have always loved the performance shown above.

Not so much a couple of years later
Love the show myself. I am glad parts of this magnificent performance have been used in the screen-concert recently.

..



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Rob »

I couldn't care less about that RPO rubbish, but I am due to put on my king's crown and and my lei and set down and enjoy me some Aloha sometime soon. It's been a couple of years since I've seen it.


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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Fabbe »

Rob on Thu Dec 14, 2017 3:01 pm wrote:I couldn't care less about that RPO rubbish, but I am due to put on my king's crown and and my lei and set down and enjoy me some Aloha sometime soon. It's been a couple of years since I've seen it.
Good plan! When I watch Aloha I have a problem: in recent sound remixes of the video choirs and orchestra are way too low altering too much the original harmonies and balances .. so I end up going back to an old Laser disk I have - but it looks bad. I would use the new video with the sound of the 1998 CD reissue. A final remix is still to come...




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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by stevelecher »

I will never understand how, from this platform, Elvis did not up his game on songs like Suspicious Minds or Blue Suede Shoes, etc. I would have wanted to knock it out of the park with every performance. I would have wanted a performance for the ages. I would have wanted to rock it like 1969. Oh well.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by DarrylMac »

stevelecher on Thu Dec 14, 2017 4:03 pm wrote:I will never understand how, from this platform, Elvis did not up his game on songs like Suspicious Minds or Blue Suede Shoes, etc. I would have wanted to knock it out of the park with every performance. I would have wanted a performance for the ages. I would have wanted to rock it like 1969. Oh well.
Had he rocked like he did in 1969, then 2 things would have happened. Firstly, there'd have been at least 10 mins of dead air. Secondly, there wouldn't have been 10 minutes for a monolgue. Thirdly, he'd never have got away with a manic What D'I Say etc.

Elvis delivered some absolutely wonderful perdormances in Aloha. It was a strict 60 minute show - that's how long they had the satellite for. If he made a mistake, he couldn't start over. If anything went wrong, they had to carry on regardless. What some see as him being subdued, I see as concentration. he couldn't improvise, banter too much etc - everything had to be on schedule! He essentially delivered a number of almost "masters" consecutively. I agree that Something didn't work as well as it had in 1970, and I'd rather he'd done to Hound Dog what he did at MSG - made it fun, but generally speaking, Aloha was a job very, very well done.

As for a performance by the ages, here we are 44 years later discussing it - that's no so bad!



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by jurasic1968 »

Maybe he didn't care anymore, unfortunately.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Rob »

DarrylMac on Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:10 am wrote:As for a performance by the ages, here we are 44 years later discussing it - that's no so bad!
Agreed. It's a shame nobody watched and the album was a failure.

The entire event could have been so successful.


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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Fabbe »

DarrylMac on Thu Dec 14, 2017 5:10 pm wrote:
stevelecher on Thu Dec 14, 2017 4:03 pm wrote:I will never understand how, from this platform, Elvis did not up his game on songs like Suspicious Minds or Blue Suede Shoes, etc. I would have wanted to knock it out of the park with every performance. I would have wanted a performance for the ages. I would have wanted to rock it like 1969. Oh well.
Had he rocked like he did in 1969, then 2 things would have happened. Firstly, there'd have been at least 10 mins of dead air. Secondly, there wouldn't have been 10 minutes for a monolgue. Thirdly, he'd never have got away with a manic What D'I Say etc.

Elvis delivered some absolutely wonderful perdormances in Aloha. It was a strict 60 minute show - that's how long they had the satellite for. If he made a mistake, he couldn't start over. If anything went wrong, they had to carry on regardless. What some see as him being subdued, I see as concentration. he couldn't improvise, banter too much etc - everything had to be on schedule! He essentially delivered a number of almost "masters" consecutively. I agree that Something didn't work as well as it had in 1970, and I'd rather he'd done to Hound Dog what he did at MSG - made it fun, but generally speaking, Aloha was a job very, very well done.

As for a performance by the ages, here we are 44 years later discussing it - that's no so bad!
Well said!




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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by stevelecher »

Elvis was "concentrating" when he walked through Suspicious Minds, Burning Love, Something, eh? Yes, the project was successful but it should have been stronger. When I say rock it like 1969, I'm simply saying he should have sung with the authority he showed in 1969 on the rockers and not nasally walk through them. I wasn't saying he should deliver the monologue :facep:

It was successful but it is quite flawed. When I watch it today, I skip at least half of it. If some of you enjoy Whole Lotta Shakin Going On as delivered here, and don't think it should have been delivered as well as Trilogy, well good for you. I think side 4 of the original 2LP set is the only side where he really seems into it.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by drjohncarpenter »

Fabbe on Thu Dec 14, 2017 3:56 am wrote:One of his most demanding songs vocally - wonderfully executed by the band and Elvis.

Gentle, strong, emotional and dramatic - Elvis’ singing delivers a tapestry of vocal nuances in just one songs.

Maybe the highlight of the Aloha show.

Yes I know it has been covered before - but I just couldn't help sharing.

..
He should have covered more Mickey Newbury songs.


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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Pete Dube »

stevelecher on Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:03 am wrote:I will never understand how, from this platform, Elvis did not up his game on songs like Suspicious Minds or Blue Suede Shoes, etc. I would have wanted to knock it out of the park with every performance. I would have wanted a performance for the ages. I would have wanted to rock it like 1969. Oh well.
Here's the thing about Elvis not rocking it at Aloha: He simply didn't want to. With every subsequent year after 1970 he sang rock & roll numbers with less and less gusto and vigor because, for whatever reason, Elvis just wasn't interested in doing rock & roll. There are of course exceptions: Promised Land and T*R*O*U*B*L*E are committed performances that he sings with conviction; and on the studio version of Burning Love he conjures up a vibrant, youthful-sounding exuberance in his voice and sounds 10 years younger. But all of these would've been vocally superior had he cut them in '69 or '70 when he still had the fire in the belly for his comeback.




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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by brian »

You know I don't think Elvis ever regretted his Aloha performance. If it were me I would've wanted to perform more of my own songs and I would have performed those songs better. Elvis gave his usual at the time 1972 and 1973 set list and performance. He didn't do anything out of the ordinary for this concert. Which in a way I understand but it was somewhat disappointing and surprising. American Trilogy was one of his better performances that night. The show overall I thought was okay but it could've been epic and one for the ages if Elvis had put in more work and thought into his show.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by Rob »

brian on Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:21 pm wrote:He didn't do anything out of the ordinary for this concert.
Not quite true. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and "Welcome To My World" came out of nowhere.

I'm glad they did.


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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by brian »

drjohncarpenter on Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:28 am wrote:He should have covered more Mickey Newbury songs.
I always wanted to hear Elvis sing San Francisco Mabel Joy.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by midnightx »

brian on Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:25 am wrote:
drjohncarpenter on Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:28 am wrote:He should have covered more Mickey Newbury songs.
I always wanted to hear Elvis sing San Francisco Mabel Joy.
Something from the Olivia Newton-John songbook could have elevated Aloha to greater heights.



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Re: An American Trilogy

Post by drjohncarpenter »

midnightx on Thu Dec 14, 2017 12:39 pm wrote:
brian on Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:25 am wrote:
drjohncarpenter on Thu Dec 14, 2017 11:28 am wrote:He should have covered more Mickey Newbury songs.
I always wanted to hear Elvis sing San Francisco Mabel Joy.
Something from the Olivia Newton-John songbook could have elevated Aloha to greater heights.
Maybe even two Olivia Newton-John songs in the set list?


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