1970

After EPiC: The Conclusion

/ TY / 4 Comments

If you walked out of Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert wanting to hear more Elvis, The Mystery Train has been providing next steps for you through a series of album-length playlists.

Today’s final playlist covers 1969, a pivotal year for Elvis. He began by recording in a Memphis studio for the first time in well over a decade, continued by making his last movie as an actor, and finished by, as the EPiC teaser put it, returning “to the stage to begin a legendary residency in Las Vegas.” In EPiC, you actually saw his third engagement at the International Hotel, August 1970. In this playlist, you hear highlights from the first engagement, August 1969, which was not filmed.

The playlist is embedded here. You can also find it directly on Spotify. Below the playlist, I have a few other suggestions.

Side A

01. Suspicious Minds
02. Power Of My Love
03. Any Day Now
04. Don’t Cry Daddy
05. Kentucky Rain
06. In The Ghetto
07. Rubberneckin’
08. Change Of Habit

Side B: Live-Las Vegas

09. Blue Suede Shoes
10. Johnny B. Goode
11. My Babe
12. Mystery Train/Tiger Man
13. Are You Laughing Tonight
14. Suspicious Minds
15. Can’t Help Falling In Love

Also available: The complete After EPiC playlist on Spotify, combining all four segments.

Spotify plays additional music without warning after a playlist ends. Anything that follows “Can’t Help Falling In Love” is Spotify guessing what you might want to hear next.

Other Suggestions

While you wait for EPiC to be released on home media, my main viewing suggestion for you is Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Special Edition. It covers rehearsals and Las Vegas shows in 1970. Outtakes from the original version of this documentary were featured prominently in EPiC. While it lacks Luhrmann’s signature style and Jonathan Redmond’s brilliant editing, the movie includes the same Elvis talent and charisma you experienced in EPiC.

If you want to read more about Elvis, I recommend Elvis Presley: A Life In Music – The Complete Recording Sessions by Ernst Jorgensen (1998), Last Train To Memphis: The Rise Of Elvis Presley, covering 1935-1958, by Peter Guralnick (1994), and Careless Love: The Unmaking Of Elvis Presley, covering 1958-1977, by Guralnick (1999). While not without their flaws, they remain the best Elvis books to date.

Finally, if you want to dive even deeper into playlists beyond After EPiC, check out The Mystery Train’s Elvis Odyssey series. While After EPiC concludes in 1969, The Elvis Odyssey begins there.

If you have any questions, please comment below or contact me. Thank you for reading and listening.

So, You Liked EPiC. Now What?

/ TY / 2 Comments

If you walked into Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert curious and came away wanting to hear more Elvis, this post is for you.

Deciding what to try next in Elvis’ vast catalog can be confusing. Single disc releases tend to focus on well-worn greatest hits, while deeper exploration often requires navigating massive box sets.

As a next step, may I instead recommend this simple playlist of select studio outtakes, rehearsals, and live performances from 1970?

Featured in EPiC, 1970 was a remarkable year for Elvis both in the studio and on stage. This playlist is designed as one album’s worth of listening, enough to enjoy an evening with Elvis. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing a few more album-length playlists exploring other eras of Elvis’s career.

The playlist is embedded below. You can also find it directly on Spotify.

After EPiC: Elvis in 1970

Side A
01. Patch It Up (Take 1)
02. I’ve Lost You (Take 1)
03. How The Web Was Woven (Take 1)
04. Little Sister/Get Back (Rehearsal)
05. Baby, Let’s Play House (Rehearsal)
06. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water (Rehearsal)

Side B
07. Polk Salad Annie (Rehearsal)
08. I Just Can’t Help Believin’ (Live)
09. Mystery Train/Tiger Man (Live)
10. One Night (Live)
11. Suspicious Minds (Live)
12. Just Pretend (Live)

Keep in mind that one of the quirks of Spotify is that it will begin playing additional music without warning after a playlist ends. So, anything after “Just Pretend” is Spotify guessing what you might want to hear next.

You might also enjoy After EPiC: Elvis in 1972.

Elvis Live at His Las Vegas Peak

/ TY / Leave a comment

This is Part 8 of an occasional series reviewing Elvis: The Complete Masters Collection.

Well, as I was saying, volume 10 of Elvis: The Complete Masters Collection is called Live In Las Vegas and compiles Elvis In Person and On Stage, two of Elvis Presley’s best albums.

When Elvis made his debut at the International Hotel in Las Vegas on July 31, 1969, it had been 3,050 days since his last public concert. With that in mind, the 1,935 days that have elapsed since my last entry in this review of Elvis: The Complete Masters Collection don’t sound so bad, do they?

ELVIS: THE COMPLETE MASTERS COLLECTION – VOLUME 10 CD front sleeve - 2009, from TY's collection

ELVIS: THE COMPLETE MASTERS COLLECTION – VOLUME 10 CD front sleeve (2009, from TY’s collection)

CD Vol. 10: Live In Las Vegas

As I’ll talk about later, the compilers had an opportunity to do something really creative with the sequencing of this CD, but they took the easy route instead.

The first 12 tracks are the 1970 album Elvis In Person At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, which was actually first released as record 1 of From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis in 1969. Do you think the RCA folks got paid by the character for their album titles back then?

The final 10 tracks are the album On Stage – February, 1970. One of my favorite little tidbits about that album, besides the unnecessary comma in the title, is that Elvis’ name does not appear anywhere on the front or back cover.

Elvis In Person pulls together recordings from Elvis’ August 1969 engagement at the International, whereas On Stage primarily assembles songs from his February 1970 return engagement but tosses in a couple more highlights from August 1969.

01. Blue Suede Shoes (August 25, 1969 Midnight Show [MS]): Trumpets blare, the rhythm group springs into action, and then Elvis takes the stage as Elvis In Person begins with a rocking rendition of Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes.”

02. Johnny B. Goode (August 24, 1969 MS): From one rock ‘n’ roll anthem to the next, Elvis rips into Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode,” with his strongest version of the song from a vocals perspective released to date. James Burton on lead electric guitar is killing it in the right channel. The Sweet Inspirations sound great, too!

03. All Shook Up (August 25, 1969 MS): Elvis next launches into “All Shook Up,” certainly one of his finest performances of the 1957 classic. Ronnie Tutt on drums really drives this one. After the song, Elvis mentions that this is his first live appearance in nine years.

04. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (August 24, 1969 MS): Elvis sings a compelling version of his 1960 hit “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” with Sweet Inspiration Cissy Houston’s vocals soaring throughout. At the end of the track, in an excerpt from the August 24, 1969 Dinner Show (DS), Elvis introduces his “message song” for the night, which turns out to be . . .

05. Hound Dog (August 25, 1969 MS): Elvis attacks the opening of this song so forcefully that I’m just now getting up from the floor to try to type my thoughts as Burton completes his mid-song guitar solo. Best version from the 1968-1977 era.

06. I Can’t Stop Loving You (August 25, 1969 MS): This is a pretty enough version of Don Gibson’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” but Elvis would do it better from August 1970 through 1972 when he put a little more oomph into it. Bizarrely dubbed-in from another moment, an audience member screaming incoherently near the end doesn’t help this version, either. Elvis’ voice is gorgeous here, though, don’t get me wrong.

Listening closely to Elvis In Person as an album for the first time in awhile, it also becomes apparent that this is really a showcase for the incredible Sweet Inspirations as well.

If I play this performance of “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” I grab the one from disc 9 of 2019’s ELVIS LIVE 1969: International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada. Note that the tradition has carried on and that the Sony folks must get paid by the character for their titles, too. Anyway, the August 25, 1969 MS is one of Elvis’ greatest recorded concerts and the one that provided most of the masters for Elvis In Person.

07. My Babe (August 25, 1969 MS): Elvis rocks “My Babe,” his best version of Willie Dixon’s blues number. I love the extra guitar flourish by Burton at the end, too.

08. Mystery Train/Tiger Man (August 25, 1969 MS): The problem with a review of a fantastic album like Elvis In Person is that you run out of superlatives. Here is a no-holds-barred take on the “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” medley – possibly the best version of this combination ever recorded.

Elvis’ 1955 Sun master of “Mystery Train” is surely among his top five recordings ever. No live version has a chance of beating it, but the song still works perfectly here in tandem with “Tiger Man.” As always, this medley also spotlights Burton and Tutt. The best track on this CD.

09. Words (August 25, 1969 MS): Now, Elvis slows things way down with “Words,” a 1968 Bee Gees song. This is a great version, though I do prefer Elvis’ August 1970 take on the song.

This CD sounds fantastic, by the way. If I close my eyes I can pretend, just for a moment, that I’m in the showroom. At the end of the track, in a moment from the August 26, 1969 DS, Elvis introduces the next number as, “A record that just did very well for me recently, ladies and gentlemen.”

10. In The Ghetto (August 26, 1969 DS): That record, of course, is “In The Ghetto,” which made it to number 3 on the charts. This is a solid live version that remains true to the studio version, outside of being a tad faster. This, of course, was the true message song for the night.

11. Suspicious Minds (August 26, 1969 DS): It’s not that this is a bad version of “Suspicious Minds,” but there are a few others from the August 1969 engagement that I would have chosen ahead of this iteration. Really, any Midnight Show version probably would have been better than this Dinner Show version.

When Elvis’ producer Felton Jarvis witnessed the live version of “Suspicious Minds” earlier in this engagement, he went back and added similar horns and a fading down/up/down effect to the January 1969 studio master to attempt to replicate the feel. Backed with “You’ll Think Of Me” from the same sessions, the “Suspicious Minds” studio single hit the streets on August 26, literally the day of this Elvis In Person live recording, and made its way to number one.

12. Can’t Help Falling In Love (August 26, 1969 DS): After the two versions recorded in front of the small studio audiences of the 1968 ELVIS special, this is the next greatest live version of “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” Similar to “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” Houston’s vocals are near-operatic. This would be a fantastic end to a CD, except our CD doesn’t end here.

ELVIS: THE COMPLETE MASTERS COLLECTION – VOLUME 10 CD (2009, from TY’s collection)

13. See See Rider (February 18, 1970 MS): On Stage kicks off with “See See Rider,” which Elvis actually wouldn’t begin using as an opening song in his concerts for another couple of years. Did he get the idea from the sequencing of this album? This is one of my favorite Burton guitar solos. It is also Elvis’ best version of “See See Rider,” though the one on 2002’s Today, Tomorrow & Forever from this same engagement comes pretty close.

14. Release Me (February 18, 1970 MS): Elvis sings a committed version of “Release Me” and everyone does a great job backing him up. Despite all of that, this well-worn classic is just not a song I often enjoy very much.

15. Sweet Caroline (February 16, 1970 DS): Up next, Elvis takes on Neil Diamond’s 1969 hit “Sweet Caroline.” I actually like Elvis’ version of “Sweet Caroline” better than Diamond’s, and it’s pretty cool to watch him sing it in Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, too. Elvis sounds like he’s having fun, so that makes it enjoyable as well. This is Elvis’ best version of “Sweet Caroline.”

16. Runaway (August 25, 1969 DS): Elvis has a solid take on Del Shannon’s 1961 classic.

17. The Wonder Of You (February 18, 1970 MS): I love Elvis’ version of “The Wonder Of You,” a song first released by Ray Peterson in 1959. This live version was released as a single by Elvis and peaked at number nine. I love Elvis’ vocal interplay with Burton’s guitar solo on this.

18. Polk Salad Annie (February 18, 1970 MS): The only real competition for best track on this CD versus “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” is right here – “Polk Salad Annie.” Elvis begins the song with his “little story” that explains the lyrics. Tony Joe White’s 1969 classic is a perfect choice for Elvis’ live show. Jerry Scheff owns this song on electric bass. A similar rendition filmed a few months later for Elvis: That’s The Way It Is should not be missed, though this February version is superior.

19. Yesterday (August 25, 1969 DS): And now, Elvis sings The Beatles with a solid version of their 1965 hit “Yesterday.” This live version is actually one half of a medley that concluded with “Hey Jude,” but the original compiler of On Stage wisely left it off. Elvis’ “Yesterday” is stronger without it.

20. Proud Mary (February 16, 1970 DS): Next, Elvis sings Creedence Clearwater Revival by taking on their 1969 hit “Proud Mary.” While I prefer Elvis’ 1972 versions of “Proud Mary,” this is certainly a spirited and worthy take.

21. Walk A Mile In My Shoes (February 19, 1970 MS): Joe South first released the incredible “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” on his 1969 album Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home? and the single came out just a few weeks before Elvis’ live version was captured.

When Elvis sang “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” in this engagement, it was the first half of a medley with “In The Ghetto,” which was an inspired combination. For On Stage, the original compiler unfortunately excised the “In The Ghetto” portion. Nevertheless, “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” is another of my favorite songs on this CD.

Elvis notes at the end of this track that the next song had been released by a few different people.

22. Let It Be Me (February 17, 1970 MS): Elvis does a phenomenal job on this song, but so do the Sweet Inspirations – who were actually one of the groups that had released “Let It Be Me” prior to Elvis taking a turn at the song. Their 1967 version, which can be heard on their self-titled album, is not to be missed.

In terms of song selection and sequencing, this Franklin Mint set of Elvis’ complete masters does not strictly adhere to a session or album chronology. Those two approaches were later covered by re-releases of this material by Sony/RCA.

With that in mind, I think it would have been a much more interesting listening experience to put the first side of Elvis In Person, tracks 1-7, at the beginning, then both sides of On Stage, tracks 13-22, followed by the second side of Elvis In Person, tracks 8-12. This essentially would give you the feel of one incredible concert covering both seasons rather than two separate albums thrown together.

No matter how you sequence it, though, if you want to hear the Elvis Presley Show at its peak in Las Vegas, this CD just about covers it. The August 1970 engagement would begin at this same level, broadening the setlist to include new material from his June 1970 sessions.

I’ve been listening to the live recordings from this disc for 15 years now, and Vic Anesini’s mastering work continues to hold up as a stellar representation of the original releases of Elvis In Person and On Stage.

I hope to see you in 1,935 days or less for our next installment.

ELVIS: THE COMPLETE MASTERS COLLECTION – VOLUME 10 CD back sleeve (2009, from TY’s collection)

“We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
Proverb 16:9 NLT

Keeping the Footage. Losing the Baggage.

/ TY / 3 Comments

Elvis Presley in 1970, from the EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert trailer - 2026, NEON

Elvis Presley in 1970, from the EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert trailer (2026, NEON)

When I watched the full trailer that NEON dropped back on January 13 for Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, I realized a couple of things.

One is that I’ve been writing about this darned lost footage for 35 years. This brief newsletter article about Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour outtakes was actually one of the first things I ever wrote about Elvis.

You see, I had read about the possibility of such footage existing in one of my brother’s old Elvis magazines from 1987. Naturally, I wrote to Graceland about it. Because that’s what you do.

And Graceland was nice enough in 1991 to provide the few available details, which I incorporated into my article the following year.

The second realization is that I’ve been carrying around almost as many years’ worth of baggage over this lost footage.

Oh, the mismanagement! Oh, the falsehoods! Oh, the missed opportunities!

As I watched the brilliant preview trailer for EPiC, I finally accepted that it’s time to let all of that go. I don’t want to weigh EPiC down with my lost footage baggage.

Writing is a catharsis for me, so I’m going to air out this baggage one last time, and then it’s gone forever. And if you see me mention it again, friends, I want you to call me out on it.

THAT'S THE WAY IT IS home video cover (1988)

ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS home video cover (1988)

1992

Event: Elvis: The Lost Performances arrives on VHS and Laserdisc. This compilation of outtakes from Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour was just about perfect for its time. It primarily focused on the songs that mattered to Elvis, not necessarily his biggest hits. Songs were presented in full. With no narration in between, the music was allowed to speak for itself.

THE LOST PERFORMANCES home video cover (1992)

ELVIS: THE LOST PERFORMANCES home video cover (1992)

Associated Baggage: The release of Turner Home Entertainment’s Elvis: The Lost Performances was initially delayed by a year or more due to the 1990 home media release of Buena Vista’s Elvis: The Great Performances. Though they played nice in terms of release dates, I guess no one noticed that a mere four letters distinguish one title from the other. Among casual fans and, most assuredly, the general public, this was potential confusion. The Lost Performances cover art also used a reverse image of the same underlying Elvis: That’s The Way It Is pose as the 1988 VHS release of that film. More potential confusion. To top it off, one month before Elvis: The Lost Performances hits shelves, CBS airs, get this, a television version of Elvis: The Great Performances. I guess that whole playing nice in the marketplace thing didn’t work both ways.

1997

Event: Among other Elvis titles, Turner/MGM re-releases Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, Elvis On Tour, and Elvis: The Lost Performances on home video.

Associated Baggage: All of the “new” VHS videos are in pan & scan to fit square televisions of the day, though many consumers, including this particular Elvis fan, were educated enough by this time to know that widescreen/letterboxed was a superior format for such movies in order not to lose large portions of the image. While Elvis: That’s The Way It Is earns a DVD release at this time as well that contains a widescreen option in this new format, there are inexplicably no DVDs for Elvis On Tour or Elvis: The Lost Performances.

2001

Event: And here’s the big one. If you follow this kind of stuff, you knew it was coming. Warner Brothers releases Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Special Edition on home video. The 2000 film uses some of the once-lost footage from Elvis: The Lost Performances, other lost footage, and some of the original footage as part of an entirely new cut of the classic documentary.

2001 VHS and DVD editions of THAT'S THE WAY IT IS: SPECIAL EDITION

2001 VHS and DVD editions of ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS – SPECIAL EDITION

Associated Baggage
Where to start? First, the name. The fact that this is almost an entirely new movie is not at all obvious by adding “Special Edition” to the title of the original documentary that many Elvis fans already owned by this point.

Next, the day before the VHS version goes on sale, Turner Classic Movies airs Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Special Edition on cable television. As long as you had the channel, you could record it with your VCR for free. You even get a few bonus songs after the movie not included on the retail VHS.

Ah, but the DVD! It will have all of those bonus songs and even more as special features, right? Well, it was supposed to, but someone apparently didn’t obtain all of the proper clearances. So there was a delay as the DVDs were re-made to exclude all of the bonus songs. Oh, and then just as they are about to hit store shelves (and possibly a few do), someone realizes that the DVD case still has references to those bonus songs that aren’t actually on the DVD. So, another delay while the cases are re-made. Finally, months after the VHS, the DVD comes out. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Oh, and Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Special Edition uses that same underlying Elvis image as the 1997 & 1992 releases of Elvis: The Lost Performances and the 1988 release of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is.

Apparently, Warner is disappointed by the sales of the Special Edition (gee, I wonder why sales would suffer), so it cancels a similar project around Elvis On Tour.

But wait, there’s even more baggage here. The release of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Special Edition and its use of some of the same songs seems to have buried Elvis: The Lost Performances, which Warner never releases again.

2007

Event: A 2-DVD re-release of That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition that includes the original film and some of the excised bonus features from 2001 on the second disc.

Associated Baggage: The long-awaited bonus features were in embarrassing video quality for a mainstream release, as apparently a backup videotape copy was used when the master tapes from 2001 could not be found. While definitely watchable, the 1970 theatrical cut was also in lesser condition relative to the 2001 edit. And I’m not even going to mention what underlying cover image they decided to go with. Because even if you don’t know, you already know.

2010

Event: Elvis On Tour finally gets a DVD release! And. . . can this be. . . a Blu-ray release! It almost sounds too good to be true.

Associated Baggage: Well, it turns out that it almost is. At the last moment, Warner reveals that the opening song that plays over the credits, a rehearsal of “Johnny B. Goode,” ran into issues with obtaining clearance. From most accounts, it seemed out of their hands this time. Fair enough. What do they do? They replace it with a lacklustre live version of “Don’t Be Cruel.” Oh. . . and just to really give me nightmares, they also edit in a poor loop of the song since it wasn’t long enough to cover the opening credits sequences. So you get to hear Elvis’ “Please let’s forget the past, before I kick your–” joke not once, but twice, ladies and gentlemen. And, more relevant to this post, no bonus features. Nothing.

2014

Event: Elvis: That’s The Way It Is gets a Blu-ray release! 2001 bonus songs master tapes located and to be included!

Associated Baggage: Well, here’s what actually happened back in 2014 if you bought the Elvis: That’s The Way It Is Blu-ray. You did indeed get a Blu-ray of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Special Edition. The promised improved quality bonus songs? I wish I could say otherwise, but not so much. I really don’t know what they were thinking. As for the original Elvis: That’s The Way It Is movie? It is included as a second DVD, using the same master as way back in 1997. But hey, at least the art department was on top of things. When they envisioned what the cover art for this first-ever That’s The Way It Is Blu-ray should be, a certain underlying image immediately came to mind. . . .

2014 Blu-ray edition of THAT'S THE WAY IT IS: SPECIAL EDITION

2014 Blu-ray edition of ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS – SPECIAL EDITION

2026: Letting it go

We could all probably think of more blunders around the handling of the lost and not-so-lost footage originally captured for Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour, but it is indeed time to let it all go.

So, here’s what I propose. That abandoned salt mine in Kansas that people keep finding this lost footage in? Let’s lock our baggage in there. Gone. Forever.

Did I mention the full EPiC trailer is brilliant? Surely, you have watched by now? If not, you better check it out over on YouTube.

Wow.

Just wow. That’s all I’ve got.

Around the same time as the trailer, NEON also released a new poster. I mean, even if EPiC somehow turns out to be a dud, that is one awesome Elvis poster that I had to have!

Being the understanding woman that she is, my bride ordered one for me. When the package ran into shipping issues due to the recent weather events, I heard her laughing as she looked at the tracking image.

Wondering what gave her that reaction, I took a look. The tracking uses a close-up of the poster, so it looks like Elvis’ face on the map.

Sure, that’s mildly humorous, but I didn’t see why she thought it was so funny.

Then I looked again at the map.

That’s right, Elvis is stuck in Memphis!

EPiC hits IMAX theaters worldwide on February 20, with early access showings beginning on February 18, and then expands to wide release on February 27 globally.

The Look

/ TY / 7 Comments

Last month, NEON released the official teaser trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s latest project, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. Check it out over on YouTube.

As Elvis Presley fans we could say a lot of things about that trailer, couldn’t we? We could quibble over dates, for instance, or debate the definition of “lost.”

None of that matters.

There’s a blink-and-you-miss-it moment in the trailer that clinches EPiC for me. Watching Elvis over the years, you become familiar with a certain look in his eyes. It’s a quick glance. Sometimes directly to fans. Sometimes to cameras. He seems to say, “You’re in on this with me, aren’t you?”

In the EPiC teaser, it occurs at 0:58. Here it is:

Elvis Presley in 1970, from the EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert teaser, 2025, NEON

Elvis Presley in 1970, from the EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert teaser (2025, NEON)

The film hits IMAX theaters worldwide on February 20, with early access showings beginning on February 18, and then expands to wide release on February 27 globally.

While there have been limited-run screenings over the years, EPiC represents the first wide release of an Elvis documentary in cinemas since 1981’s This Is Elvis.

We’ve lost many first generation Elvis fans since that time. For many second (and beyond) generation fans, like myself, events like EPiC are the closest we’ll ever come to experiencing Elvis in person.

EPiC allows Elvis to tell his own story, using audio from multiple sources. It also features fully restored video of previously released and unreleased content. Most of the footage used was originally filmed for the documentaries Elvis: That’s The Way It Is (1970) and Elvis On Tour (1972).

The film left stellar reviews in its wake after the world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September last year, the European premiere at the Zurich Film Festival in September and October, and the United States premiere in Memphis at the TCB Showroom on January 8, the 91st anniversary of Elvis’ birth.

Footage from other eras is also featured to help round out the narrative. Most notably, color footage of Elvis performing in Hawaii in 1957 is included–30 seconds of which was first released by Graceland with little fanfare on the Aloha From Hawaii: 40th Anniversary Edition DVD (2013).

Sony on January 8 announced plans for the EPiC soundtrack, which will be available February 20 on digital and CD and April 24 on vinyl.

You can preview one of the songs on YouTube here: “Wearin’ That Night Life Look.”

This mashup combines elements from “Wearin’ That Loved-On Look,” “Night Life,” “Let Yourself Go,” and “I, John.” On paper it sounds like a mess, but it manages to work. I love it. As Elvis says, “Just play the hell out of it!”

Luhrmann produced and directed EPiC. He also co-produced, co-wrote, and directed ELVIS (2022), a fictionalized account of the singer’s life that starred Austin Butler (Elvis Presley), Tom Hanks (“Colonel” Tom Parker), and Olivia DeJonge (Priscilla Presley). That film earned nearly $300 million worldwide in its box office run. Butler won a Golden Globe for his portrayal and the movie earned eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Butler).

That the editor of the teaser trailer included “the look” gives me confidence that EPiC will do Elvis justice. We need to experience and support this one at our local theaters. Don’t make the mistake of waiting to watch it at home. Find it at a theater near you.

And, yes, we’re still in on it with you, Elvis.

Lost and Found and Lost and Found and Lost and Found

/ TY / 2 Comments

Presented without comment.

From Elvis: The Lost Performances (1992, MGM/UA Home Video, Turner Entertainment Co.):

“The performances you are about to see were rescued from discarded outtakes MGM had stored in an underground salt mine in Kansas.

“They were taken from two of Elvis’ live concert movies, ‘Elvis—That’s The Way It Is,’ and ‘Elvis On Tour,’ produced in 1970 and 1972, respectively.

“Also included in this program is a rehearsal that Elvis did on the MGM lot in 1970.

“None of these performances have ever been seen by the public except, of course, by those who were present when they happened.”

From Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – Special Edition (2001, Warner Home Video, Turner Entertainment Co.):

“In November 1970 MGM released the documentary film ‘Elvis: That’s The Way It Is,’ directed by Denis Sanders. It chronicled Elvis Presley as he returned to the live performances he had abandoned while making movies in Hollywood during the sixties.

“Most of the footage shot was unused in the final film and remained lost in studio vaults.

“Until Now.”

From EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert Official Teaser (2025, NEON, Universal):

“In 1969, Elvis returned to the stage to begin a legendary residency in Las Vegas.

“For 40 years there have been rumors of lost footage.

“During the production of Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS, it was found.

“This is more than a documentary.

“This is more than a concert film.

“This is Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert.”

VHS covers for ELVIS: THE LOST PERFORMANCES (1992) and ELVIS: THAT'S THE WAY IT IS - SPECIAL EDITION (2001); teaser poster for EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT (2025)

VHS covers for ELVIS: THE LOST PERFORMANCES (1992) and ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS – SPECIAL EDITION (2001); teaser poster for EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT (2025)

A New Summit

/ TY / 5 Comments

You’re traveling through an amazing land of imagination . . . the edge of reality.

Five Cents, One Play — Artwork created for The Mystery Train with assistance from ChatGPT

“Five Cents, One Play” (Artwork created for The Mystery Train with assistance from ChatGPT)

As the train rumbles along, you make your way into the dining car and enter a new world. Your breath catches. You are in a 1950s restaurant that is much larger than any train car could ever be. Before you can ponder this further, a hostess seats you at a booth that says “Reserved – Conductor & Guests.”

Soft music begins to play from a large and colorful jukebox that helps illuminate a dance floor. You can’t quite figure out the tune, perhaps something from Star Wars? But who would play Star Wars music in a 1950s diner?

At that moment, I slide into the seat in front of you. “I’m TY, your conductor. Welcome to the Mystery Train Diner. I hope you’re hungry.” I produce a menu from nowhere and hand it to you.

You glance down the food list, which features cheeseburgers, old-fashioned milkshakes, crinkle fries, pizza, and even lasagna. Today’s special is somehow your all-time favorite food.

“Have whatever you want. It’s on me. But you’re not really here for the food, are you?”

You shake your head no. You entered the dining car because you thought you heard a song coming from here. A song from your childhood. Something by Elvis.

“It always comes back to Elvis, doesn’t it?” I ask. I point towards the jukebox. The incidental music stops and you hear a familiar voice.

Elvis: “I’d like to talk to you . . . about how I got in this business and when–a lot of things that happened from my side of the story. There’s a lot’s come out about what happened but never from my side.”A

As you listen to his words, you look around the restaurant. You don’t even feel the motions of the train anymore. You realize this isn’t really a 1950s diner, as you see decorations representing multiple decades. Above the conductor’s table is a large portrait of Elvis backstage in 1970, decked out in blue and wearing his aviator-style sunglasses.

“I filled that jukebox with a lot of my favorite music, including 200 Elvis songs,” I explain. “When I sequenced the Elvis songs, I realized they did a wonderful job of telling the story of his career. I call it, The Elvis Odyssey.”

Though you never ordered, your food arrives. Exactly what you want.

“So, enjoy yourself here at the Conductor’s table,” I tell you. “Or if you prefer the ice-cream counter, there’s still an open stool over there. Make yourself comfortable as I punch up the songs.”

You tell me to turn the jukebox way up high.

I nod and crank the sound as I say, “As all the best stories do, we’ll join the legend of Elvis Presley already in progress.”1

The Elvis Odyssey

Part I: A New Summit


Rejuvenated by his recent television special, Elvis Presley returns home to Memphis to record there for the first time in over a decade. Though he never truly left, the city has changed, and so has he. . . .

Listen along on Spotify.2

#1 Stranger In My Own Home Town3 (1969)
From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis (Back In Memphis)
Memphis, TN

#2 Power Of My Love (1969)
From Elvis In Memphis
Memphis, TN

#3 Only The Strong Survive (1969)
From Elvis In Memphis
Memphis, TN

#4 Any Day Now (1969)
In The Ghetto (Single)
Memphis, TN

#5 Suspicious Minds (1969)
Suspicious Minds (Single)
Memphis, TN

“Suspicious Minds” is a song Elvis believes in enough to fight for. His instinct is right. It becomes his first number one hit since 1962 and his eighteenth chart topper overall.

#6 Long Black Limousine (1969)
From Elvis In Memphis
Memphis, TN

#7 Wearin’ That Loved-On Look (1969)
From Elvis In Memphis
Memphis, TN

#8 After Loving You (1969)
From Elvis In Memphis
Memphis, TN

#9 Rubberneckin’ (1969)
Don’t Cry Daddy (Single)
Memphis, TN

Elvis ends up using “Rubberneckin'” in his movie Change of Habit, his final film as an actor.

It’s fun watching him jam to the song, and it’s a great little film as Elvis movies go.

#10 Don’t Cry Daddy (1969)
Don’t Cry Daddy (Single)
Memphis, TN

#11 In The Ghetto (1969)
In The Ghetto (Single)
Memphis, TN

The first single released from these sessions is “In The Ghetto,” which makes it to number three–scoring Elvis his first top ten hit since 1965. Songwriter Mac Davis also penned “Don’t Cry Daddy,” which made it to number six after the overwhelming success of “Suspicious Minds.”

Elvis: “‘Ghetto’ was such a great song. I just couldn’t pass it up after I heard it.”B

#12 Kentucky Rain (1969)
Kentucky Rain (Single)
Memphis, TN

#13 Do You Know Who I Am (1969)
From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis (Back In Memphis)
Memphis, TN

This quiet song wraps up the Memphis sessions perfectly for me.

From “Do You Know Who I Am”: “Do you know who I am, have you any idea who I am?”

If you don’t know, these sessions are the answer.

#14 Clean Up Your Own Backyard4 (Alternate-1968)
Double Features: Live A Little, Love A Little/Charro/The Trouble With Girls/Change Of Habit
Hollywood, CA [undubbed master]

#15 Change Of Habit (1969)
Let’s Be Friends
Hollywood, CA

I love the bass line on “Change Of Habit.” Though recorded after the Memphis sessions, it fits in quite well with “Rubberneckin'”. “Change Of Habit” does not have as much depth as “If I Can Dream” or “In The Ghetto” when it comes to social awareness, but it at least tries to say something.

#16 Let Us Pray (Alternate-1969)
Today, Tomorrow & Forever
Hollywood, CA Vocal Overdub Take 8 [rejected master]

Also from Change Of Habit, I love “Let Us Pray,” especially this alternate version that features Elvis singing the opening lick before the song begins and letting out a whew after the song ends.

His last movie in the can if not yet on screens, Elvis moves on to Las Vegas for his first public concerts since 1961. He performs 57 shows at the newly opened International Hotel from July 31 to August 28. RCA arrives during the last week and records 11 of the shows.

Elvis: “I missed the closeness of an audience, of a live audience, so just as soon as I got out of the movie contracts, I started to do live performances again.”C

#17 Mystery Train5/Tiger Man (Live-1969)
ELVIS LIVE 1969: International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
August 25 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [master, alternate mix]

#18 My Babe (Live-1969)
Hot August Night: The Complete Midnight Show, August 25, 1969
August 25 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [master, alternate mix]

Elvis: “It’s really great to be back working again.”D

The summer 1969 stint is so successful that the International invites Elvis back for a multi-year deal, and he returns for a winter 1970 engagement. Vegas is usually empty during January and February, but not when Elvis comes to town. RCA arrives mid-engagement to record another live album.

#19 Polk Salad Annie (Live-1970)
On Stage: February 1970
February 18 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV

#20 See See Rider (Live-1970)
Today, Tomorrow & Forever
February 19 Dinner Show, Las Vegas, NV

#21 Runaway (Live-1969)
ELVIS LIVE 1969: International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
August 23 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

#22 Are You Lonesome Tonight (Live-1969)
ELVIS LIVE 1969: International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
August 24 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [master, alternate mix]

#23 Suspicious Minds (Live-1969)
ELVIS LIVE 1969: International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
August 25 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

The hit single of “Suspicious Minds” is a fine record, but the live version takes it to another level. This particular performance is probably my favorite due to an apparently flubbed opening that results in a longer than usual guitar intro by James Burton which only makes the song better.

#24 The Wonder Of You (Live-1970)
The Wonder Of You (Single)
February 18 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV

RCA releases this version of “The Wonder Of You” as a single, and Elvis scores another top ten hit. At the same concert, Elvis introduces one of his musical influences.

Elvis: “A guy that was a kind of an inspiration to me when I started out in the business, and he’s got, I don’t know how many gold records he’s got, man, 19 or 20 at least. I’d like you to say hello to Fats Domino.”E

Elvis has proven himself in Memphis. He has proven himself in Las Vegas. Now, he returns to Nashville for what turns out to be a marathon recording session that will produce two of his best albums.

#25 Stranger In The Crowd (Alternate-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2008 FTD Edition)
Nashville, TN Take 9 [unedited master, rough mix]

I still can’t figure out why “Stranger In The Crowd” wasn’t a single. Instead, it’s one of a number of hidden gems on the That’s The Way It Is album.

Elvis’ next single after The Wonder Of You/Mama Liked The Roses is I’ve Lost You/The Next Step Is Love.

As much as I love “I’ve Lost You,” perhaps it should have been a B-side to “Stranger In The Crowd.” Instead, the chart momentum, if not the creative momentum, begins to slow here.

#26 The Next Step Is Love (Alternate-1970)
From Elvis In Nashville
Nashville, TN Take 11 [undubbed master]

#27 How The Web Was Woven (1970)
That’s The Way It Is
Nashville, TN

#28 I Just Can’t Help Believin’ (Live-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2014 Deluxe Edition)
August 12 Dinner Show, Las Vegas, NV

#29 Bridge Over Troubled Water (Alternate-1970)
Heart & Soul
Nashville, TN Take 8 Master [alternate mix]

#30 Patch It Up (1970)
You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me (Single)
Nashville, TN

#31 Twenty Days And Twenty Nights (1970)
That’s The Way It Is
Nashville, TN

#32 Just Pretend (1970)
That’s The Way It Is
Nashville, TN

Elvis’ next single is You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me/Patch It Up.

“Just Pretend,” another incredible song left only as an album track, would have been a far better pairing with “Patch It Up” as a single.

#33 I’ve Lost You (Alternate-1970)
Heart & Soul
Nashville, TN Take 7 [unedited master, alternate mix]

#34 You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me (Alternate-1970)
From Elvis In Nashville
Nashville, TN Take 3 [undubbed master]

#35 You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Live-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2014 Deluxe Edition)
August 12 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [unedited master; alternate mix]

Elvis’ powerhouse version of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” runs over six minutes here due to a two-minute reprise that is left off of the original That’s The Way It Is album. While that is the right decision for 1970, it sure is a fun listen now.

During that Nashville session, in the middle of recording contemporary songs, Elvis begins playing around with some country songs, with the end result being an entire album dedicated to his interpretation of that genre.

#36 I Really Don’t Want To Know (Alternate-1970)
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Nashville, TN [master, alternate mix]

#37 I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago (Alternate-1970)
From Elvis In Nashville
Nashville, TN Take 1 [undubbed/unedited master]

#38 Make The World Go Away (Alternate-1970)
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Nashville, TN [master, alternate mix]

#39 Tomorrow Never Comes (Alternate-1970)
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Nashville, TN [master, alternate mix]

“Tomorrow Never Comes” is one of the best Elvis songs that no one has ever heard of.

#40 Funny How Time Slips Away (Alternate-1970)
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Nashville, TN [master, alternate mix]

In July, MGM camera crews filming a documentary begin following Elvis as he prepares for his third concert series at the International Hotel.

#41 Little Sister/Get Back (Rehearsal-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2020 Collector’s Edition)
July 29 Hollywood, CA [alternate mix]

In August, RCA is releasing the first Elvis LP boxed set, Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits: Vol. 1. During rehearsals captured for the documentary movie, which will eventually be titled Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, Elvis is looking at what is most likely a listing of the 50 songs included on this set–resulting in a number of off-the-cuff performances of his classic hits.

A tune that Elvis and the band puts a little more effort into is “Little Sister” in a version that manages somehow to transcend even the original.

#42 I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water (Rehearsal-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2020 Collector’s Edition)
July 29 Hollywood, CA [alternate mix]

#43 Oh Happy Day (Rehearsal-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2020 Collector’s Edition)
August 7 Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

#44 Men With Broken Hearts6/Walk A Mile In My Shoes7 (Live-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2014 Deluxe Edition)
August 11 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

Elvis: “There was a guy who said one time, he said, ‘You never stood in that man’s shoes or saw things through his eyes. Or stood and watched with helpless hands while the heart inside you dies. So, help your brother along the way, no matter where he starts. For the same God that made you, made him, too–these men with broken hearts.’ I’d like to sing a song along the same line: ‘Walk A Mile.'”F

In conjunction with the MGM documentary, RCA records the first six shows of the summer engagement. A few of the songs will wind up on the That’s The Way It Is album, while the rest are left in the vaults.

#45 Words (Live-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2014 Deluxe Edition)
August 10 Opening Show, Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

#46 Don’t Be Cruel (Live-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2014 Deluxe Edition)
August 11 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

#47 I Was The One (Live-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2014 Deluxe Edition)
August 12 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

During the August 12 Midnight Show, with the documentary cameras still rolling, Elvis takes a seat and plugs in his electric guitar. After fiddling with the controls, he begins to run through a few of his classics.

He starts with the “Little Sister/Get Back” medley, excluded here only to make room for the longer rehearsal version that we played earlier, and then moves into “I Was The One.”

Elvis doesn’t know all of the lyrics to “I Was The One,” but it doesn’t matter. He’s having fun and so are we.

#48 Love Me (Live-1970)
That’s The Way It Is (2014 Deluxe Edition)
August 12 Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV [alternate mix]

Still on the electric guitar, Elvis quickly moves into a bluesy rendition of “Love Me.” He ends this section of the show with “Are You Lonesome Tonight” before putting away his guitar for the grand finale: “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” closing what may well have been the greatest concert of his career.

Elvis: “I just do whatever I feel on stage. I always did that.”G

Elvis Presley will return in The Elvis Odyssey Part II: Endless Twilight.

Assorted Rambles

1Credit to the great George Lucas for giving me this idea. He literally started the Star Wars saga in the middle of the story, finished it, then went back and told the beginning.↩︎

Since childhood, one of my many dreams has been to own a restaurant. Don’t get me wrong, I’m neither a chef nor someone who knows how to run a business. And I’m not likely to become either anytime soon.

Though it’s not a dream I’d actually pursue, I have fun thinking about the kind of place some alternate-universe version of me might open. At the center of this idea, probably the entire impetus behind it, really, is a jukebox. See? That proves I’m not a chef. I think about the music first, not the food.

When I started thinking about what Elvis songs I’d make available on this jukebox, I realized that, in reality, most jukeboxes focused on singles, but I didn’t want to limit myself to those.

Instead, I selected 200 Elvis songs from across his career that would be available for patrons to play. I’d probably include about 200 songs from other artists as well, but as this is primarily an Elvis site, we’ll focus on the Elvis selections.↩︎

2The playlist I created on Spotify is not an exact duplicate of the intended playlist due to multiple compromises around track availability, splitting of tracks, extraneous content (Elvis introducing the next song at the tail end of a live track rather than at the start of the track it actually belongs, a pet peeve of mine; exacerbated in this playlist due to the next song being something different).↩︎

3Long-time fans will no doubt recognize that the sequencing of the opening twelve tracks is adapted from The Memphis Record (1987), the best compiled and sequenced release of the American Sound material ever and possibly the best sequenced Elvis release period. Credit to Gregg Geller and his team for an album that was formulative in my young fanhood.↩︎

4While actually recorded after the ELVIS special and before the Memphis sessions, I think “Clean Up Your Own Backyard,” from The Trouble With Girls, fits well here with the Change Of Habit songs. I know some fans want everything chronological, but I want to tell the story in the most effective way possible. Unfortunately, Spotify did not have the undubbed version of this song.↩︎

5I named this site The Mystery Train because Elvis delivered stellar versions of “Mystery Train” in all three decades of his career: 1955, 1969, and 1970.↩︎

6In 1992, I was a 17-year-old kid who had loved Elvis all his life. On June 24 of that year, there were two momentous Elvis releases–an expensive 5-CD set containing all of his 1950s recordings and a VHS tape containing an hour of outtakes from Elvis: That’s The Way It Is (1970) and Elvis On Tour (1972). The CD set was financially out of the question for me at that time, but I was able to rent the VHS tape from Blockbuster Video on the day of release. Elvis: The Lost Performances began with this moment, which features Elvis quoting from what was later discovered to be an obscure Hank Williams, Sr., song that the country legend recorded under the name of “Luke the Drifter.” I acknowledge that two of my last three infrequent posts to this site have included some form of this quote. It actually wasn’t intentional, but the sentiment means a lot to me. So, now, it is three of the last four posts.
↩︎

7I’m aware that this is not Elvis’ best version of “Walk A Mile In My Shoes,” but it’s the one that Elvis sang after that perfect intro, so it stays.↩︎

Sources for Elvis Quotes

AAugust 24, 1969, Dinner Show, Las Vegas, NV↩︎

BJuly 31, 1969, Press Conference, Las Vegas, NV↩︎

CJune 9, 1972, Press Conference, New York, NY↩︎

DAugust 24, 1969, Dinner Show, Las Vegas, NV↩︎

EFebruary 18, 1970, Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV↩︎

FAugust 11, 1970, Midnight Show, Las Vegas, NV↩︎

GFebruary 27, 1970, Press Conference, Houston, TX↩︎

“I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath!”
Psalm 104:33