Best track on "Elvis in concert" LP 1977

Post by **dreambear** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 5:11 pm

A long journey is finally over. We have reached "Elvis in concert"! I first heard this album in the late 70´s as a child and it was a strange feeling that this was the same guy who sang on "For LP fans only", "Pot luck", "NBC TV-special" or even "Moody blue". Despite this, there was still something in that voice that caught my attention. Now, many years later I will take a bit more critical look at this album. As usual we have the 10 track limit and in my opinion it will leave all the Omaha tracks out except "How great thou art". It´s a big, bold performance (not perfect in the middle section) that I know many here on the board loves, so of course, that one will be included. I know that some here likes the performances of "Fairytale" and "And I love you so", but both lacks in quality compared to the studio version and the latter one is a bit out of tune in e few places.

The throwaway short rockers aren´t worth mentioning, but the falsetto ending on "Jailhouse rock" is not bad at all. "It´s now or never" is totally ruined by the Nielsen-intro of "Oh Sole mio". Horrible! "Are you lonesome tonight" is ok done, but the middle section puts it outside the poll

Now the positive things: "See see rider" (I know it´s spliced) is ok and he didn´t attack the song more in the Aloha special. "You gave me a mountain" doesn´t come close the Hampton roads version from 1972, but I prefer it over the Aloha version. Solid. "I really don´t want to know" is beautiful, but where is the middle section???

Lots of people thinks that "Hurt" is too fast here and that´s true, but the ending notes are more than impressing.

Another song that is sunged with care is "Hawaiian wedding song" and if you have seen the video, you´ve probably seen a few seconds of "the real Elvis" having some fun with Kathy Westmoreland. Love that moment.

Elvis never got tired of "Trying to get to you" and this performance is powerful (but somewhat less smooth than the Memphis version from 1974). Nice one!

But the outstanding track must be "My way". Feels like our hero´s last goodbye to world. Nothing less than a splendid performance and the best version Elvis ever did.

Two tracks left: Will it be "If you love me", That´s all right" or "I got a woman"? The latter track is sung in a quite relaxed way but is way too long. "That´s all right is a bit oversunged but ok. "If you love me" isn´t a masterpiece but a fine vocal delivery. This will exclude "I got a woman" from the poll.

Now, have a good time and vote. Pehaps I will do some polls with the left over tracks from some albums.

Oh I forgot! My favourite? It must be "My way".

Kind regards

Björn

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 6:22 pm

Excellent version of "Hurt," good versions of "Trying To Get To You" and How Great Thou Art," and in my opinion, the best ever "My Way." But I went with "I Really Don't Want To Know."

"Early Morning Rain" deserves an honorable mention.

Post by **keninlincs** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:35 pm

I really dont want to know is my favorite on that album

Post by **dreambear** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:36 pm

Rob wrote:Excellent version of "Hurt," good versions of "Trying To Get To You" and How Great Thou Art," and in my opinion, the best ever "My Way." But I went with "I Really Don't Want To Know."

"Early Morning Rain" deserves an honorable mention.

I can agree with EMR, but here I must mention the version recorded after the aloha show. Almost better than the studio master.

//Björn

Post by **midnightx** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:27 am

My Way without question. A disastrous event with one truly redeeming performance. You take My Way out of EIC, and the special offers practically nothing.

Post by **drjohncarpenter** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:11 am

midnightx wrote:My Way without question. A disastrous event with one truly redeeming performance. You take My Way out of EIC, and the special offers practically nothing.

"My Way" would have to be the top selection, for what that's worth.

"I Really Don't Want To Know," despite not even a sliver of an attempt at the bridge, is terrific, too.

The poll seems a bit biased, in that you only list 10 of the 1977 double LP's 24 tracks:

Side 1
Elvis Fans' Comments/Opening Riff
Also Sprach Zarathustra
See See Rider
That's All Right
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel
Elvis Fans' Comments
You Gave Me A Mountain
Jailhouse Rock

Side 2
Elvis Fans' Comments
How Great Thou Art
Elvis Fans' Comments
I Really Don't Want To Know
Elvis Introduces His Father
Hurt
Hound Dog
My Way
Can't Help Falling In Love
Closing Riff
Special Message From Elvis' Father

Side 3
I Got A Woman / Amen
Elvis Talks
Love Me
If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
O Sole Mio / It's Now Or Never
Tryin' To Get To You

Side 4
Hawaiian Wedding Song
Fairytale
Little Sister
Early Morning Rain
What'd I Say
Johnny B. Goode
And I Love You So

Post by **midnightx** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:20 am

drjohncarpenter wrote:
midnightx wrote:My Way without question. A disastrous event with one truly redeeming performance. You take My Way out of EIC, and the special offers practically nothing.
"My Way" would have to be the top selection, for what that's worth.

"I Really Don't Want To Know," despite not even a sliver of an attempt at the bridge, is terrific, too.

The poll seems a bit biased, in that you only list 10 of the 1977 double LP's 24 tracks:

Side 1
Elvis Fans' Comments/Opening Riff
Also Sprach Zarathustra
See See Rider
That's All Right
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel
Elvis Fans' Comments
You Gave Me A Mountain
Jailhouse Rock

Side 2
Elvis Fans' Comments
How Great Thou Art
Elvis Fans' Comments
I Really Don't Want To Know
Elvis Introduces His Father
Hurt
Hound Dog
My Way
Can't Help Falling In Love
Closing Riff
Special Message From Elvis' Father

Side 3
I Got A Woman / Amen
Elvis Talks
Love Me
If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
O Sole Mio / It's Now Or Never
Tryin' To Get To You

Side 4
Hawaiian Wedding Song
Fairytale
Little Sister
Early Morning Rain
What'd I Say
Johnny B. Goode
And I Love You So

You nailed it. Clearly the "Closing Riff" was over-looked.

Post by **Mike Eder** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 4:15 pm

I would take out If You Love Me and add Fairytale but those are all otherwise good choices. That's All Right is the one I like best. He's just playing the guitar having fun. He really seems to get into the spirit of the song. He gives it a nice fresh approach.

Post by **RonBaker2003** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:12 pm

"That's All Right" is my favorite. Elvis playing guitar and having fun one last time on stage.

Post by **Lennart** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:31 pm

Trying to get to you gets my vote!
That´s all right mama is really good and so is It´s now or never (excluding Sherill Nielsen).

My way isn´t that great, Elvis is "late" hitting that final note which he wasn´t on the Aloha show and that
is to my ears pretty annoying.

Early morning rain is OK and so is I really don´t want to know but neither is great.

How great thou art is very good and it´s surpringsly strong considering how weak the Omaha show was, where did he find the strenght to sing so powerful?

I remember buying this album back in october 1977 and I really enjoyed it, things have changed since then, I know rarely listen to it.

Lennart

Post by **Lennart** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 12:54 am

Lonely Summer wrote:"My Way" and "How Great Thou Art" are probably the best performances here, but my vote goes to my personal favorite, "Trying to Get to You" - one of the few 50's songs Elvis still poured his heart into. The spoken intro always gives me a chuckle, too. "Early Morning Rain", "I Really Don't Want to Know" and "Hawaiian Wedding Song" are also fine performances. In fact, this is my favorite EMR - and oddly, Elvis and his band always did this in the key of C before, but here it's in D - anyone know when they changed it? It was rare for Elvis to change keys or arrangement of any of his traditional stage songs.

My guess is that his voice changed so he wanted a higher key, D instead of C.
His voice got higher the last year(s), that´s my opnion anyway.

Lennart

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:03 am

Lonely Summer wrote:this is my favorite EMR - and oddly, Elvis and his band always did this in the key of C before, but here it's in D - anyone know when they changed it?

Elvis had raised the key on stage in Chicago on October 14, 1976. John Wilkinson started playing the song and shortly after Elvis had started singing, he stopped the song and told John to play in a higher key because "he wasn't J.D. Sumner." John replied that it's the key they always play the song in, but Elvis came back with, "I just woke up, John, have mercy."

John continued to play in the higher key from then on.

Post by **dreambear** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:26 pm

drjohncarpenter wrote:
midnightx wrote:My Way without question. A disastrous event with one truly redeeming performance. You take My Way out of EIC, and the special offers practically nothing.
"My Way" would have to be the top selection, for what that's worth.

"I Really Don't Want To Know," despite not even a sliver of an attempt at the bridge, is terrific, too.

The poll seems a bit biased, in that you only list 10 of the 1977 double LP's 24 tracks:

Side 1
Elvis Fans' Comments/Opening Riff
Also Sprach Zarathustra
See See Rider
That's All Right
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel
Elvis Fans' Comments
You Gave Me A Mountain
Jailhouse Rock

Side 2
Elvis Fans' Comments
How Great Thou Art
Elvis Fans' Comments
I Really Don't Want To Know
Elvis Introduces His Father
Hurt
Hound Dog
My Way
Can't Help Falling In Love
Closing Riff
Special Message From Elvis' Father

Side 3
I Got A Woman / Amen
Elvis Talks
Love Me
If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
O Sole Mio / It's Now Or Never
Tryin' To Get To You

Side 4
Hawaiian Wedding Song
Fairytale
Little Sister
Early Morning Rain
What'd I Say
Johnny B. Goode
And I Love You So

There have always been a ten track technical limit on those polls for some reason. Perhaps it has changed.

//Björn

Post by **midnightx** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:21 pm

Lennart wrote: I remember buying this album back in october 1977 and I really enjoyed it, things have changed since then, I know rarely listen to it.

I remember getting this album as a young kid, unaware of what the content signified, and being baffled at the weak performance quality. The track-listing looked appealing, but man, I was shocked when I started spinning the vinyl. There is a reason photos from the actual TV Special were not used on the front or back covers....

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:57 pm

midnightx wrote:There is a reason photos from the actual TV Special were not used on the front or back covers.

I can't imagine for the life of me what the reason would be. Plenty were taken on the two nights. Maybe the lighting wasn't just right.

I saw the special before hearing the LP's, so I half way knew what to expect.

Post by **midnightx** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:23 am

Lonely Summer wrote:
midnightx wrote:
Lennart wrote: I remember buying this album back in october 1977 and I really enjoyed it, things have changed since then, I know rarely listen to it.
I remember getting this album as a young kid, unaware of what the content signified, and being baffled at the weak performance quality. The track-listing looked appealing, but man, I was shocked when I started spinning the vinyl. There is a reason photos from the actual TV Special were not used on the front or back covers....
What reason was that? The negatives were stolen?
Maybe they could've gone one step further and not include any actual performances from the special!

Now, there is a thought!

Post by **drjohncarpenter** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:27 am

There was money to be made, and both album and program were big hits.

Think the Colonel lost any sleep over "Elvis In Concert" visual or audio drawbacks?

Post by **dreambear** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:46 pm

Hey! We need more votes! We can´t have 4 different songs sharing the lead!

Kind regards!

Björn

Post by **dreambear** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 9:34 pm

Not surprisingly, My way got away with the first position, BUT 4 other tracks has three votes each, so it was an exciting end to those polls.

Kind regards and thanks for voting!

//Björn

Post by **drjohncarpenter** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 9:50 pm

I wanted to vote for "Elvis Talks."

Post by **midnightx** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:46 am

drjohncarpenter wrote:I wanted to vote for "Elvis Talks."

It definitely was a highlight.

Post by **drjohncarpenter** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:51 am

Elvis: "They couldn't put diapers on me ... my mother said BOOM! Be still."

Charlie: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Forever burned in my brain.

Post by **midnightx** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 2:03 am

drjohncarpenter wrote:Elvis: "They couldn't put diapers on me ... my mother said BOOM! Be still."

Charlie: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Forever burned in my brain.

He should have won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word album.

JerryNodak · Post by **JerryNodak** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 3:44 pm

"My Way."

For Elvis CD Collectors