1970

REVIEW: Elvis Now CD Set (2010 FTD Edition)

/ TY

Elvis Now CD set (Follow That Dream Records, 2010)

Elvis Now: What’s in a name?

Apparently, we Elvis fans are not supposed to like Elvis Now. Even the new liner notes provided by Follow That Dream Records in this Classic Albums version of the release seem on the verge of being apologetic.

“With three older recordings, and precious few songs in the folk genre, neither the title of the album nor the original intent is of any importance anymore it seems,” the notes state in an entry about the album’s release in February 1972.

I think some people, including the unnamed author of FTD’s liner notes, get too hung up on the title. Three of the four Elvis releases in the seven months leading up to Elvis Now contained much older recordings, some dating all the way back to the 1950s.

Due to similar cover art featuring Elvis in concert in the early 1970s, the “Now” in Elvis Now simply distinguishes the album from the likes of C’Mon Everybody and I Got Lucky as containing current, post-Comeback Special material.

Additionally, “Elvis Now” was one of the marketing slogans used during his Vegas engagements. To complain about one song out of ten being three years old, and two others being nearly two years old, is to miss the point.

Compared to some of his other efforts at the time, Elvis Now is certainly a mellow album. The closest thing to a rocker is probably the gospel-infused “Put Your Hand In The Hand,” and that is a stretch.

In 1970, Elvis pointed out that he hated to be labeled a “strictly country” singer. The corollary to this is that he also should not be labeled as “strictly rock ‘n’ roll,” “strictly gospel,” or “strictly rhythm & blues.”

Elvis resisted such labels right from the start. “I don’t sound like nobody,” a much younger Elvis told Marion Keisker at the Memphis Recording Service in 1953.

You see, that is the real secret to the appeal of Elvis’ body of work as an artist. Those who judge his career based solely on various rock ‘n’ roll milestones do Elvis a disservice by overlooking his multi-faceted approach to music.

While rock ‘n’ roll mostly takes a back seat in Elvis Now, the album offers slices of some of the other kinds of music that he enjoyed creating. If you are willing to listen in new ways, the album can even be interpreted to include an emotional and thematic journey.

“I don’t want to be alone”

In “Sylvia,” love has been lost – although the hero-singer is in denial. (Side note: Elvis sings, “…here I am on the phone, wondering when she will call.” Uh, Elvis, maybe Sylvia was trying to call you all along but could not get through because you were on the phone!)

Bruce Springsteen once said that Elvis took away people’s loneliness, yet ended up so alone. You can feel this loneliness in the compelling “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” where the hero-singer begs to a lost love – maybe Sylvia, maybe someone before her – to remain by his side just one more night.

With apologies to Kris Kristofferson, had Elvis been a writer, “Help Me Make It Through The Night” sure sounds like a song he might have written to fight some of his own demons.

Though not as strong of a composition, “Until It’s Time For You To Go” shows the hero-singer later that night still wanting to hold on to this doomed romance for as long as possible. “I’m not a king, I’m just a man,” he intones, pleading for understanding.

In “We Can Make The Morning,” the hero-singer continues to fight the darkness, singing, “It’s a long, long lonely night, we can make the morning if we try.” This stunning performance is an often-overlooked gem.

When the couple finally makes it to a new day, “Early Morning Rain,” the album’s best song, reveals that it is not as bright as the hero-singer expected. It is the same as the day before, and he is still down. “I’m stuck here on the ground,” he sings, for as it always does, night will come again – and with it the loneliness.

“Take a sad song and make it better”

Finding no consolation with his lost love, the hero-singer now seeks another cure to his loneliness in “Put Your Hand In The Hand” and “Miracle Of The Rosary.” He places faith in God, seeking the same comfort in music as he sought in life.

Faith leads to hope in “Hey Jude” and the tides begin to change. Much underrated, Elvis recorded this entertaining jam only months after the original release of the Beatles classic. Yes, Elvis mixes up some of the lyrics, but that is all part of the fun. This is another highlight of the album.

The hero-singer realizes his hope by falling in love yet again in “Fools Rush In,” the weakest song here. The mood is vibrant yet cautionary: “When we met, I felt my life begin, so open up your heart and let this fool rush in.”

He has fallen for someone new, but we are left to wonder if she returns this love. Otherwise, this new interest may go the way of Sylvia and lead to yet another long, lonely night.

Were it not for the strength of the other songs on Elvis Country, “I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago” could very well have ruined that album due to the senseless decision to edit it in between each tune. On Elvis Now, the complete song works much better – tying everything up.

“I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago” is a song about mankind and the human experience. In the end, the human experience is what Elvis Now is about, too: loneliness, despair, faith, hope, and love. An exciting album? No. A worthwhile album? Very much so.

Outtakes

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of revelations this time around with the outtakes. The best of the outtakes are takes 7 and 15 of “Help Me Make It Through The Night” (tracks 9 and 17, respectively, on disc 2). Outtakes of “Fools Rush In” prove as mundane as the master version. The outtakes of “Early Morning Rain” are disappointing in their mediocrity – considering the brilliance of the master take.

Bonus Songs

While it’s always great to hear the top-notch songs “I’m Leavin’,” “It’s Only Love,” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” the real stand-out among the bonus songs is the unedited master of the “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” jam, clocking in at over nine minutes.

You are there as Elvis and the band take this Bob Dylan song through its paces. Like “Hey Jude,” he does not know all of the words – and, again, that is not the point here. This is Elvis making music with a joy that is noticeably absent from many of the other tracks on this release.

Though the same words are repeated over and over, the nine minutes goes by before you know it. I love this kind of thing, so I must have listened to it four or five times in a row. The edited version of this song (shortened to under three minutes) first appeared on 1973’s Elvis (“Fool”) album, so my hope is that the full-length version is presented on Elvis Now because the FTD upgrade of the Elvis album will have too many other outtakes to accommodate it.

Also of note are impromptu versions of the Beatles’ “Lady Madonna” and Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” both of which were first released on Walk A Mile In My Shoes. “Lady Madonna” is slightly longer here.

Final verdict

Perhaps the best part of FTD’s Elvis Now is that every song sounds better than it ever has before. If you love Elvis in the 1969 – 1971 era represented by this album and care about audio quality, you will be thrilled with these sound upgrades – particularly on the master takes. Kudos to FTD for much improvement in this area over the years.

Elvis Now is a different kind of listening experience than that of From Elvis In Memphis or That’s The Way It Is. While those two albums are monumental, their greatness should not take away from the understated achievement that Elvis Now represents.

Blu Dreams: How Michael Jackson’s This Is It could help Elvis fans [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

Many fellow Elvis fans seem to have tired of all of the recent comparisons with Michael Jackson. However, they should take notice of one Michael Jackson project. Filmed just days before Jackson’s death in June, This Is It opens in theaters and IMAX later this month.

Assembled from over a hundred hours of footage, the documentary captures rehearsals and other behind-the-scenes moments for Jackson’s concert engagement that ultimately was not to be. If This Is It turns out to be a big success, Jackson’s fans can expect to see even more of that footage in sequels or at least in an expanded version on Blu-ray with lots of bonus material.

Why should we Elvis fans care about this? Success for This Is It may well lead someone at Warner Home Video to finally wake up and remember that they are sitting on dozens of hours of valuable behind-the-scenes, rehearsal, and concert footage of another singer known as “The King.”

In 1970, MGM’s cameras filmed several rehearsals and concerts for his Elvis Summer Festival engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Released in November of that year, the resulting Elvis: That’s The Way It Is documentary was grand and captured Elvis in his prime–but left dozens of hours on the cutting room floor.

In 1972, MGM’s cameras rolled again, this time for Elvis On Tour, capturing rehearsals, behind-the-scenes, and concerts in March and April. The film went on to win a Golden Globe, the only Elvis movie so honored. Again, dozens of hours of footage were filmed but not used.

Since that time, we have seen a bit of these outtakes. In 1992, Warner released Elvis: The Lost Performances, an incredible one-hour VHS video that included outtakes from both films. In 2001, Warner released a new edit of That’s The Way It Is, containing so many outtakes and changes as to actually be a different film than the original. Though both were compelling, these projects were just the tip of the Elvis documentary iceberg.

Though both versions of That’s The Way It Is are available, Elvis On Tour and The Lost Performances never received DVD releases. Maybe we are unable to go back in time just yet, but Elvis fans should at least be able to experience these historic films and outtakes.

First off, the original versions of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour should be fully restored in high definition and digital sound and released on Blu-ray (as well as DVD for those fans who have not yet upgraded), with top-notch bonus features.

Why stop there? Next, Warner should choose whichever That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour concerts are most complete (not all were filmed in their entirety) and release them as separate, all-new concert experiences. Do not tag them as Elvis On Tour or That’s The Way It Is re-edits, just make completely new projects and leave the original documentaries to stand alone as accounts from the time. Most important, do not over-edit these concerts. Use Elvis’ original setlist and flow as much as possible.

Imagine if a That’s The Way It Is concert was given a full-fledged theatrical release, with an Elvis marketing blitz unheard of since his death. Just think about watching one of the That’s The Way It Is concerts on an IMAX screen.

Sure, theatrical and IMAX releases are long-stretches, but I think at least Blu-ray releases for Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour are real possibilities if Michael Jackson’s This Is It takes off.

A fan can dream, can’t he?

I forgot all the words

/ TY

I wrote this guest post in 2009 for Elvis Today.

First up, I want to thank Thomas for offering me this guest blog spot on Elvis Today. I’m a frequent visitor, but it’ll certainly be strange to see my thoughts above the comments line this time.

When I was trying to think of ideas for my post here, I ran across a rather critical review of the 1970 concert recently released as The Wonder Of You by FTD.

Referring to the song “Stranger In The Crowd,” the reviewer writes:

“The rest of the lyrics are a jumble of right and wrong renditions. A lazy performer who again could not be bothered to learn the words to his own songs?”

So, I started wondering, does Elvis forgetting the words to a song in concert ruin the performance? The odds are you’ve heard more than a couple of Elvis concerts, so you already know that he forgot the words to songs all the time. I don’t think it was due to a lack of caring on his part, though.

In Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, we see him stressing about forgetting the words to “I Just Can’t Help Believing.” He rehearses it over and over, yet continues to worry about it so much that literally seconds before hitting the stage for the opening night show, he asks that the lyric sheet be placed on a nearby stool. The performance of the song shown in the movie is actually from the next day, but he’s still reading the words.

The documentary, of course, also captures other rehearsals and “Stranger In The Crowd” in The Wonder Of You is from that same engagement. Did the presence of the camera crew distract Elvis too much during the rehearsals? It’s possible, for he hams it up quite a bit. He does get down to business at times, too, though.

Perhaps the real issue is that Elvis never took himself as seriously as a lot of fans seem to today.

I find a fun show like The Wonder Of You, messed up lyrics and all, to be much better than, say, Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite, where he is serious most of the time and sings most of the lyrics correctly. He had some help during the technically flawless Aloha, though. Watch carefully during “Burning Love” and you’ll see someone holding up cue cards with the words to the song printed out for Elvis to read.

During the rehearsal show a couple days before, as heard on The Alternate Aloha, Elvis flubbed the words to “Burning Love,” among others. He covered it well, though, as I suspect most of those present had no idea until he shyly admitted, “I forgot all the words,” after the song.

Supposedly, Elvis had to be pressured into recording “Burning Love” the previous year, so could that be why he didn’t learn the words? Perhaps, but Elvis was also known to forget the words to songs he liked.

During the second sit-down show for the ’68 Comeback Special, released on Tiger Man, Elvis introduces “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” as his favorite Christmas song of those he had recorded (not “Blue Christmas” as an edit back in 1968 on the original album made everyone believe for years).

He then proceeds to mess up most of the words to his favorite Christmas tune. His bluesy rendition, wrong words and all, was one of the best songs of that show.

Indeed, Elvis’ performance transcended the lyrics. The words no longer mattered. No one else could have pulled that off.

If you insist on perfect songs, then stick to the studio versions. Otherwise, just relax and have fun.

That’s what being an Elvis fan is all about.

By the way, this post was originally going to be a lot better than this. Unfortunately, I forgot all the words that I planned to write. I hope you liked it anyway.

/TY, The Film Frontier

REVIEW: The Wonder of You CD (FTD)

/ TY

The Wonder of You CD (Follow That Dream Records, 2009)

Strangers No More

When MGM filmed the first few days of Elvis’ August 1970 engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, his third such series of appearances in a year, RCA tagged along and recorded six of the same concerts. RCA released just a few songs from these shows during Elvis’ lifetime, as part of the That’s The Way It Is album. In fact, it wasn’t until 2000’s That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD set that a nearly complete show became available.

The Wonder of You marks the fourth almost complete concert officially released from the August 1970 engagement. It contains several songs not featured in the other That’s The Way It Is concerts. Sit back and enjoy Elvis’ August 13 Dinner Show, the sixth and final show that RCA recorded for That’s The Way It Is.

Overview

This is a terrific concert, probably the second best of the That’s The Way It Is shows, behind only the August 12 Midnight Show. Highlights include “Don’t Cry Daddy”/”In the Ghetto,” “The Wonder of You,” “Stranger in the Crowd,” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The sound is about as pristine as can be for a nearly forty-year-old recording.

About half of these performances have been previously released on other official albums. I’ll mention which mixes I think are better in my song-by-song analysis below. I have fun doing these kinds of comparisons, but I would like to point out that, when taken as a whole, this concert sounds great! Don’t read too much into my nitpicks. I’m also aware of the recent bootleg releases of this show, but I’m not going to get into comparing professionally-mixed, official releases to bootlegs.

* * *

“That’s All Right” (previously unreleased)

  • You can feel the excitement build as things kick off with a jungle-like rhythm. Soon, Elvis takes the stage and delivers a solid version of his first record, “That’s All Right.” The horns are mixed a little loud in the left channel at times, but not enough to detract from this classic. “That’s All Right” was the best opening song for Elvis. It worked much better than “Blue Suede Shoes,” “All Shook Up,” “See See Rider,” or various others.

“I Got A Woman” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis quickly slides into Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman.” Elvis’ 1969 and 1970 versions of this song are usually fantastic, and this one is no exception. I prefer the mix on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition, however, where the horns are less pronounced and are in both channels, rather than overpowering the left channel as they continue to do here.

“Hound Dog” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis references the red snakeskin highlights of his jumpsuit prior to this song, leading to a brief ad-lib in a typical for this season break-neck-pace version of “Hound Dog.” After the song, Elvis goes into his Gatorade routine, and then jokes that he owns part of that company. A star these days would probably work some kind of endorsement deal to mention a product as much as Elvis did Gatorade.

“Love Me Tender” (previously unreleased)

  • Have you ever wondered how Elvis usually got away with kissing so many women in the audience without angering their husbands and boyfriends? “Only if the guy smiles, man, do I kiss her,” explains Elvis as he takes time out from kissing to occasionally sing “Love Me Tender.” The band sounds great and carries along quite well during the kissing interludes. Finally having this concert in a relatively complete form means that we can place his “That’s the most fun part of the whole show” line in context. First heard on the live compilation disc of That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition after “Make The World Go Away,” the comment actually follows the “Love Me Tender” kissing session here.

“Don’t Cry Daddy”/”In the Ghetto” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • I remember this medley blowing me away on the Elvis: The Lost Performances video back in 1992. To see Elvis singing two of my favorite songs for the first time, and together no less. For whatever reason, this CD splits the medley into two tracks, but it is actually a continuous performance. Mac Davis wrote both songs, and Elvis recorded them in his legendary 1969 American Sound Studio sessions in Memphis. Incidentally, these are complete versions, with only minimal fooling around by Elvis. This new mix is better than the previously released version. You can even hear Elvis yell, “Sing it, Charlie!” to Charlie Hodge early on in “Don’t Cry Daddy.”

“I Just Can’t Help Believing” (previously released on Writing For The King)

  • I have to be in the right mood to enjoy this sleepy song, but this is a fine performance. Elvis misses a word or two about halfway through and starts laughing a bit. I love that kind of stuff. If you are one of those people who insist on hearing the correct lyrics to every single song when listening to a live concert, then this isn’t the disc for you. Actually, I would say Elvis isn’t the artist for you, either. He played with or forgot lyrics all the time. Yet, somehow still made the songs sound so good. He really knew how to sell a performance. This mix feels very thin compared to the superior one on Writing For The King. I was hoping this whole disc would sound like this song did on Writing For The King.

“Stranger in the Crowd” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis jokes that this song, which he had recorded just two months earlier, wouldn’t be released until 1982. Every time I hear that line, it makes me a little sad, though, since Elvis would be gone five years by then. This is a great live rendition of “Stranger in the Crowd,” powered by Ronnie Tutt on drums. The studio version was one of the best numbers on the original That’s The Way It Is album, and it most certainly should have been a single. With a little more work on the arrangement (starting with getting rid of the Imperials’ “la la la la la la la” background vocals near the end), this live version also would have made a nice mainstay to his concert repertoire. Too bad it seems to have been abandoned after this. The mix of this same live version on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition has a fuller sound, packing more punch than the one here.

“Make The World Go Away” (previously released on That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition CD)

  • Elvis jokes that this song was “written before Roy Acuff was born, which is about 1800.” Just for fun, I decided to fact-check Elvis. Country music legend Acuff was born in 1903. Hank Cochran wrote “Make The World Go Away” in 1963, just seven years before this live recording. Sorry, E. This is a beautiful live rendition that I prefer to the studio cut recorded that June for Elvis Country. This also made its debut on the Elvis: The Lost Performances video, leading me back then to truly appreciate this song for the first time. If for nothing else than the toning down of a buzzing sound present through much of the song, the audio and mix quality here beats the previously released one.

“Sweet Caroline” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis cuts this Neil Diamond tune off nearly thirty seconds in when he forgets the words. He starts the song over and gets it right this time in a lively version. Every time I hear this song, I have to fight the urge to throw my arm back and forth like Elvis does when the horns go “dah-dah-daah.” I don’t always win that fight. Come on, you know you do it, too.

“You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis sounds distracted in this disappointing version of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” His extended performance of this same song from the night before (captured on Disc 2 of That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition) is the best rendition ever (yes, even topping the Righteous Brothers).

“Polk Salad Annie” (previously released on Elvis Aron Presley)

  • Elvis delivers a great version of Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie.” Who else but Elvis could pull off going from country to pop to soul to swamp rock in a matter of minutes? This performance was first released on the 1980 boxed set Elvis Aron Presley, the first release of any song from this show. Who would have thought it would take another 29 years before we were treated to the entire concert? Audio quality and mixing on this new release is much improved over the 1980 version.

Introductions (previously unreleased)

  • In a fun moment, Elvis first introduces guitarist James Burton as “Chuck Berry.” After introducing (most of) the rest of his crew, Elvis introduces television legend and audience member Art Carney (best known as Ed Norton on Jackie Gleason’s The Honeymooners). Carney gets a huge hand, probably the biggest reaction to a celebrity introduction I’ve ever heard at an Elvis show. Elvis goes on to talk briefly about his own appearances on Jackie Gleason’s Stage Show, and mentions his later appearances on the Milton Berle Show and the Ed Sullivan Show. Someone then reminds Elvis that he forgot to introduce background vocalist Millie Kirkham, and he apologetically does so.

“The Wonder of You” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • One of the many highlights of the Elvis: The Lost Performances video was this performance of “The Wonder of You.” This version is almost as good as the single version recorded earlier the same year. The mix on this new FTD release of the song is an improvement over the previous release. I had to play them both a few times to come to that conclusion, though. While somewhat softer, the sound has better separation here, so it is easier to pick out distinctive instruments.

“Heartbreak Hotel” (previously unreleased)

  • After the big ending on the previous song, Elvis starts this one off sounding a little weak. This is a typical 1970 version of “Heartbreak Hotel.”

“Blue Suede Shoes” (previously unreleased)

  • A quick version, likely only done to please the crowd, lacking the power of his 1969 versions.

“One Night” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • Elvis still sounds weak, or is it the mix playing tricks on us? Play the same song on The Way It Was and it sounds much better.

“All Shook Up” (previously released on The Way It Was)

  • “All Shook Up” had not yet become a complete throwaway in 1970, and this is a decent version. Which mix is better this time? Too close to call. This isn’t one I can play a dozen times in a row to figure out.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” (previously unreleased)

  • A beautiful performance, possibly his best live version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though due more to the orchestra this time around than Elvis. Considering that they blow it on some other songs during the That’s The Way It Is concerts, I have to give the horns some credit on this performance. They really carry this one and help to make it so powerful. This track was a nice surprise.

“Suspicious Minds” (previously unreleased)

  • I always look forward to hearing new live versions of “Suspicious Minds.” This is a decent version, but not particularly memorable. As with the other That’s The Way It Is concert versions of this song, the trumpets sound awful at times, blowing out on many of the high notes. After hearing their superb work on “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” though, I guess I can forgive them. Tutt gives the drums a real workout at the end.

“Can’t Help Falling In Love” (previously unreleased)

  • Elvis sounds tired again after “Suspicious Minds,” but puts some effort into his “Can’t Help Falling In Love” closer. A fantastic show comes to an end.

* * *

I’m not going to say much about the cover and other album artwork, except to point out that cover art has never been FTD’s selling point. They can get away with it because the Elvis content within their releases pretty much sells itself. I’m also not going to bother complaining about the lack of a booklet or liner notes. I’m just glad to finally have this concert.

The Final Verdict

I was only two when Elvis passed away, so I never had the chance to see him live in concert. Experiencing relatively complete shows like this one, when Elvis was in top form, means a lot to me. This is FTD’s best concert release to date, and I’ll be enjoying this show for years to come.

Songs: 10 (out of 10)

Audio & Mix Quality: 9

Liner Notes: N/A

Cover Art: 5

Packaging: 5

Overall Experience: 10

Lookin’ For “Trouble” In Vegas

/ TY

Though I grew up listening to him all my life, it wasn’t until I was about 12-years-old that I became a “serious” Elvis fan. By that, I mean that was the first year I actually started my own collection of his records rather than listening to tapes of my brother’s records. It was my brother who gave me my third and fourth Elvis LP albums for Christmas 1987, Elvis’ Golden Records and On Stage—February, 1970. I played both of those records until they were nearly worn out.

I can’t remember how many times I listened to On Stage before I noticed something unusual between two of the songs. The first time I caught it, I lifted the needle up and playing the segment again to make sure I wasn’t crazy. “You’re just really knocking yourself out to make everybody happy!” a woman in the audience says, between “Polk Salad Annie” and “Yesterday.” How had I missed hearing that all the previous times I played the record? For whatever reason, hearing stray comments of audience members during live concerts took on a fascination for me after this. Perhaps it was because it made the concerts seem that much more real.

Fast-forward 13 years. In 2000, BMG released the 3-disc That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition. Featuring Elvis’ August 12, 1970, Midnight Show in Las Vegas, the highlight of this set was Disc Two: The Concert. This was the first release of a complete concert recorded for That’s The Way It Is.

The liner notes state that this show was “probably the best concert ever recorded by Elvis Presley.” I’m unable to buy every single FTD release, but I’ve heard at least parts of more than 75 Elvis concerts. I wasn’t old enough to see Elvis Presley perform before he passed away, but if someone ever invents a time machine, I would have a tough time choosing between buying a ticket back in time to see this concert versus Elvis’ 6 PM, June 27, 1968, Sit Down show in Burbank, recorded for the ELVIS special.

While the raw power of that 1968 show, featuring definitive live versions of many of his classic hits, certainly has a huge appeal, in my heart of hearts, I must admit I would probably choose to see this 1970 concert instead. A relaxed but energetic Elvis performs a wide variety of musical styles, proving that he is not only a consummate showman, but the greatest entertainer of all time.

The sound mix on this CD is terrific. So much so, in fact, that you can clearly hear comments from several different audience members throughout the show. It’s a fascinating listening experience, so if you haven’t played this one in awhile, I suggest you take it out, crank it up, and try to picture yourself there.

It’s not really my purpose today to review an eight-year-old boxed set, though. Instead, I want to focus on some of those audience comments, including one participant who becomes more and more demanding until Elvis finally has enough.

The fun comments begin after “Polk Salad Annie.” As an aside, I want to point out that the opening seconds of this song have been replaced with the opening seconds of its counterpart from Elvis’ August 10, 1970, Opening Show (which FTD later released in full on One Night In Vegas). Presumably, there were audio issues at the beginning of the August 12 recording, though it certainly sounds acceptable in both the 1970 and 2000 versions of the That’s The Way It Is film.

Soon after the song ends, a man in the audience growls “Blue Suede Shoes!” as a request. “One Night!” yells a woman.

“Hang loose, man, I’ll get it for you,” says Elvis, apparently to the Growling Man. He is obviously in a great mood, because he does not always field song requests. Just a few months earlier, during his February 1970 engagement, as captured on the 1999 version of On Stage, Elvis responded to a man who yelled out “Jailhouse!” by saying, “I can’t do that. We don’t have it on the program, man, I’m sorry. I don’t have ‘Jailhouse Rock’ or all that jazz on the program tonight. I’ve recorded something like four hundred and eighty-something songs, and I can only do sixteen of them, so I’m sorry, I can’t. If I don’t do the songs you want to hear, I’m sorry.”

At the August 12 show, Elvis lets the requests keep coming, though. “Let’s do a little ‘Treat Me Nice!'” shouts another man. “‘Wonder of You’!” shouts a woman, and a couple of other audience members agree with her.

Her request gets Elvis’ attention as well. “Have we got ‘The Wonder of You’ on the charts over there?” he asks one of his band members. While Elvis waits for an answer, the Growling Man shouts “Blue Suede Shoes!” a couple more times.

“All right, we’ll get it,” Elvis says, though it is not clear whether he is referring to “The Wonder of You” or to “Blue Suede Shoes” again. For what it’s worth, he never sings “The Wonder of You” in this show, though. At this point, the concert is edited again. Portions of what was taken out can be seen in the 1970 version of the That’s The Way It Is movie. Elvis continues interacting with the audience, relaxed enough to sit on the edge of the stage and even take sips of a mixed drink from one of them. He instructs the band to play some music, and when they start out tentatively, he tells them not to be afraid to just “play the hell out of it!”

Shortly after that, Elvis jumps down into the audience, causing pandemonium. He slowly makes his way through a swarm of fans from one side of the showroom to the other. Elvis also pulled this extremely rare stunt at the August 11, 1970, Dinner Show, during “Love Me Tender.”

The CD picks the show back up with Elvis already back on stage, launching into “Heartbreak Hotel.” The film reveals that Elvis is now disheveled and part of his costume is torn, but he looks so alive, like he’s having the best time ever and wants to make sure everyone there feels the same way.

Elvis then knocks out a couple of those requests. He performs a great version of “One Night” and quickly follows that with a fast-paced “Blue Suede Shoes.” Though Elvis had performed “Blue Suede Shoes” as requested, Growling Man is apparently not satisfied and wants to start controlling each song of the show. No sooner does “Blue Suede Shoes” end that he begins shouting his next request, “‘Trouble’!” A woman, probably one of Growling Man’s sisters sitting at the same table, also shouts “‘Trouble’!”

Elvis is in a groove now, though, and moves right into “All Shook Up.” After that, Elvis calls for his stool and grabs his electric guitar. Harkening back to his August 1969 Vegas engagement, Elvis is about to treat this audience to another extremely rare moment, perhaps never again to be repeated. Before Elvis can get going, though, Growing Man pipes up again with “‘Trouble’!”

“Do what?” asks Elvis.

“‘Trouble’!” demands Growling Man. In unison, two women then shout “‘Trouble’!” as well. After no response from Elvis, Growling Man tries yet again, “‘Trouble’!”

Suddenly, another man, sounding older, throws out his own request: “Anything!” which gets a laugh from the audience and a reaction from Elvis.

“Anything. . .” Elvis sings, apparently ad-libbing, “. . . you’re feeling lonely. . .”

“You’re So Square!” shouts another man.

Elvis hears this, too, wrapping up his little song with a spoken bit: “. . . baby, I don’t care.”

“‘Suspicious Minds’!” shouts someone else. (Hey, I wonder if anyone ever yelled out “Can’t Help Falling In Love!” as a request at an Elvis concert? All of the other fans would have probably hurt them.)

A woman throws out a different sort of request, “Hey, Elvis, come up here on the balcony!”

“Honey, I wouldn’t come out there again for love nor money, I tell you,” he replies good-naturedly.

Disturbed by the lack of attention, Growling Man yells “‘Trouble’!” again. Meanwhile, Elvis gets “strapped in” to his guitar and announces that he’s going to sing “Little Sister.” Though it’s not “Trouble,” Growling Man apparently approves of this song choice, for he shouts, “Get it on, baby!” though he might have been talking to one of his sisters.

A few songs later, Elvis wraps up his impromptu jam with a short version of “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” even throwing in the “Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you had hair?” line that had helped send him into a fit of laughter just a year before when performing the same song.

“‘Trouble’!” yells Growling Man.

Elvis ignores him, taking off his guitar. “Well, we got that out of the way and now we can go on with the show,” he says.

“Do ‘Don’t Be Cruel,'” yells someone else.

“What? Oh yeah, yeah. There’s about 26 others I forgot, you see,” says Elvis.

“Remember them!” demands another audience member.

“Do ‘Trouble,'” growls the Growling Man.

“Punt! We’ll punt is what we’ll do,” Elvis tells the Growling Man, seemingly tired of being told what to do. In American football, a team that is unable to advance far enough down the field will punt (kick) the ball to the other team in hopes of obtaining better field position later. Elvis has essentially given up on pleasing the Growling Man and is ready to move on to something else. He wraps up the show with fantastic renditions of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” Growling Man is never audible again. Maybe he and his sisters left.

I wish I could’ve been there, August 12, 1970—one of the best shows ever, unless you were looking for “Trouble.”

REVIEW: Elvis: That’s The Way It Is CD Set (2008 FTD Edition) [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

Elvis: That’s The Way It Is CD set (Follow That Dream Records, 2008 edition)

Welcome, Elvis fans! You are probably wondering why a science fiction site is reviewing an Elvis CD. In fact, the Star Trek, Star Wars, and Superman fans who visit here may be wondering the exact same thing. The answer is, The Film Frontier is much more than just a science fiction site these days. I’ve slowly started branching it out to cover anything in pop culture that interests me. And one of my biggest interests is Elvis Presley, who was kind enough to provide the soundtrack for my life.

Background: Every dream comes true a hundred times
For Elvis fans, choosing a favorite Elvis era is almost like being asked to choose a favorite child. However, I have put a lot of thought into this very question over the years. While I also love his many achievements before and after, my favorite time period in Elvis’ career has to be June 17, 1968, through January 16, 1971.

Why those specific dates at each end of the range? June 17, 1968, was the first day Elvis reported to work for his 1968 television special, ELVIS (now known as Elvis: ’68 Comeback Special). January 16, 1971, was the day Elvis accepted what most say he considered the highest honor of his life, the National Jaycees Award for being one of 1970’s Ten Outstanding Young Men of America. Despite the fact that Elvis rarely accepted awards in person and was not used to giving speeches, he delivered an incredible acceptance speech. To this day, I find his words inspiring:

“Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to thank the Jaycees for electing me as one of the Outstanding Young Men.

When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books, and I was the hero of the comic book. I saw movies, and I was the hero in the movie. So every dream that I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times.

These gentlemen over here, it is these type people who care, who are dedicated. You realize that it is possible that they might be building the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s not too far-fetched from reality.

I’d like to say that I learned very early in life that:

‘Without a song, the day would never end,
Without a song, a man ain’t got a friend,
Without a song, the road would never bend,
Without a song.’

So I keep singing a song. Goodbye. Thank you.”

I see this moment as the perfect finale to the best part of Elvis’ career that began with the ’68 special. He had literally re-conquered the music world, when most had counted him out. He had never been quite this incredible before, and would never be again. Among Elvis’ work during this 31-month period are:

• ELVIS (TV special and album)
• Final three movies as an actor: Charro!, The Trouble With Girls, and Change of Habit, all of which are notable for breaking from the typical Elvis movie formula in some way
• American Studios sessions in Memphis (including #1 hit single “Suspicious Minds” and From Elvis In Memphis album)
• Return to live performances: 1969 and 1970 Las Vegas concert engagements
• RCA Studio B sessions in Nashville (including Elvis: That’s The Way It Is and Elvis Country albums)
• First documentary movie, Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, which captures rehearsals and performances from his third Vegas engagement, Summer 1970
• First concert tour since 1957

My favorite album released during Elvis’ lifetime is Elvis: That’s The Way It Is – which featured adult contemporary material from his June 1970 Nashville recordings, as well as four live cuts from his August 1970 Vegas engagement. It served as a soundtrack of sorts for the excellent documentary of the same name.

The original 1970 album
Though That’s The Way It Is eventually became my favorite album, it had to grow on me over the years. Though often overlooked, That’s The Way It Is contains some of the best songs and performances of his entire career. Though it’s my favorite, it’s not perfect.

Some criticize this album for not living up to one of its more rock-driven predecessors, From Elvis In Memphis. Unfortunately, rock ‘n’ roll fans sometimes dismiss That’s The Way It Is as an easy-listening bore. One of the causes of that issue, I believe, is the sequencing of songs on the album, meaning many of the songs should have been presented in a different order. That’s The Way It Is unfortunately starts with a live cover of the sleepy B.J. Thomas hit “I Just Can’t Help Believin’,” which immediately allows listeners to brand the album as easy-listening.

Proper sequencing of songs is very important (though perhaps less so these days in the more random iPod Age), and I believe it’s one of the areas where RCA/BMG often fails in their Elvis albums, going all the way back to the beginning.

Adding to the trouble, a couple of the live performances included on the album, “Patch It Up” and “I’ve Lost You,” are not as powerful as their studio counterparts, which should have been used instead. The studio versions had been released as singles prior to the album, so the live versions were likely considered as “bonus” items for fans that already bought the singles. The artistry of the album itself should have taken priority, though.

Apparently to complete the “feel” of a live recording, RCA overdubbed applause on the end of the studio version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” which closed out the album. Elvis’ vocals on the first verse of the song are also hard to hear, either on purpose or due to a technical glitch. You can better hear Elvis’ beautiful performance of this song, with his voice louder on the first verse and without the annoying applause overdubs, on Heart & Soul and the Elvis: Walk A Mile In My Shoes-The Essential 70s Masters boxed set.

The original That’s The Way It Is would have been greatly improved, and certainly better received by critics and fans, if a couple of different song versions had been used and the album had been sequenced as below. Call it “Elvis: That’s The Way It Should Have Been” – my “fantasy version” of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is.

Side 1
• “Stranger In The Crowd” (studio, as on original)
• “I’ve Lost You” (use studio version instead)
• “How The Web Was Woven” (studio, as on original)
• “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” (studio, as on original)
• “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (use studio version without applause overdub instead)
• “I Just Can’t Help Believin'” (live, as on original)

Side 2
• “Patch It Up” (use studio version instead)
• “Twenty Days And Twenty Nights” (studio, as on original)
• “Just Pretend” (studio, as on original)
• “The Next Step Is Love” (studio, as on original)
• “Mary In The Morning” (studio, as on original)
• “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” (live, as on original)

No matter the order you listen, though, the That’s The Way It Is material represents a true Elvis masterpiece.

FTD’s 2008 edition
Follow That Dream (FTD) Records is RCA/BMG’s Elvis Presley collectors label, aimed mostly at fanatics like me. FTD releases are kind of like “official” versions of bootlegs. The Elvis bootleg industry is huge, but FTD provides a legal alternative with releases focusing on alternate takes and live performances. While the mainstream is listening to yet another greatest hits compilation, the hardcore fans are listening to FTD releases. When I heard FTD was re-releasing Elvis: That’s The Way It Is on 2 CDs as part of its “Classic Album Series,” I at first wasn’t too excited, believe it or not.

Why? Well, I bought the original That’s The Way It Is on CD back in 1993 and was thrilled with it. In 1995, I bought the 5-CD set Walk A Mile In My Shoes, which included all of the songs from That’s The Way It Is (except the live versions of “Patch It Up” and “I’ve Lost You,” for which the studio versions were included).

In 1996, I bought A Hundred Years From Now: Essential Elvis, Volume 4, which included outtakes from the June 1970 sessions that produced That’s The Way It Is.

In 2000, I bought That’s The Way It Is again when RCA/BMG released a 3-disc “Special Edition” version to stores to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the album and documentary.

In 2002, I bought even more outtakes from the June 1970 sessions, on FTD’s excellent The Nashville Marathon CD. Plus, I have bought three or four other That’s The Way It Is related CDs, with rehearsals and live performances.

When it comes to That’s The Way It Is, you could say I’m pretty well covered. Did I mention it’s my favorite album? Much like Agent K in Men In Black (“This is gonna replace CDs soon; guess I’ll have to buy the White Album again”), I have learned to accept my fate. I will be buying Elvis: That’s The Way It Is at least once a decade for the rest of my life. Hey, that’s not such a bad deal!

Anyway, I wasn’t too interested in this FTD release, which compiles the original album with the relevant alternate takes from A Hundred Years From Now and The Nashville Marathon, as well as few other alternates and tracks. However, fan reviews by people I respect over at ElvisNews.com and Elvis Today changed my mind. The new version of That’s The Way It Is started shipping to US addresses on Friday. On Monday, it arrived here, and I was up until after midnight playing the two discs. Was it worth it?

The review
It’s been a long time since I reviewed an Elvis CD. Before I created The Film Frontier, I used to write and edit a small-time Elvis fan newsletter back in the 1990s. This was a real newsletter on actual paper. Remember those? None of this online stuff. On a good year, I had fifty concurrent subscribers – which was about the most I could support with no budget anyway.

The funny thing is, despite the newsletter’s miniscule circulation and the fact that it was never published online, an Elvis bootlegger actually somehow obtained and then plagiarized one of my articles and used part of it in an online “press release” promoting a new bootleg DVD several years ago. Imagine my surprise when I came across my own words when browsing through a random Elvis site! I wasn’t sure if I should be angry or flattered. It still turns up every now and then on different Elvis sites, whenever the bootleg DVD gets a new release or is mentioned. I can’t help but laugh when I see it.

I suppose if a bootlegger is going to rip off a company like RCA/BMG, ripping off a forgotten article from a defunct Elvis newsletter is no big deal. It certainly made me look at the bootleg industry in a whole new light, though. Anyway, it’s probably been over ten years since I wrote a review of an Elvis CD. These days, I have this small-time pop culture website, so it’s nice to get the chance to do it again.

So, I already have the 3-disc That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition from 2000, what do I need with this new 2-disc version? Though it included the original album, the focus of the 2000 version was really on the rehearsals and live performances as captured for the film. The focus of this new 2-disc version is on the June 1970 studio work for the album and its singles, so the releases are actually quite different. However, there is a lot of overlap with A Hundred Years From Now and The Nashville Marathon.

For the real verdict, let’s go through it song-by-song.

“I Just Can’t Help Believin'”
• Disc 1, Track 01, Live Master–8/11/1970 Dinner Show (DS) [4:40]: This original album version sounds good. As I noted above, the song does not serve well as an album opener. No other versions are included on this release. Elvis never formally recorded this song in the studio, but there are rehearsals and other live versions available. FTD was wise to focus on the Nashville session work here rather than taking up space with additional versions of “I Just Can’t Help Believin’.” The performance on the 8/11/1970 Midnight Show (MS), on RCA/BMG’s Live In Las Vegas boxed set, is the best live version of this song released so far–much less sleepy than this album track.

“Twenty Days And Twenty Nights”
• Disc 1, Track 02, Master–Take 9 [3:18]: This is the original album version, one of my favorites. For me, this song represents the adult Elvis, the recording artist Elvis that the mainstream so often overlooks in favor of songs like “Hound Dog” or, even worse, lousy imitators with fake sideburns, bad jumpsuits, and horrid voices.

• Disc 1, Track 15, Take 8 [3:17]: This complete take is a previously unreleased track. While nice to add to the collection, it is mostly unremarkable. It is interesting to note, though, that Elvis nailed the master version on the very next take after this one.

• Disc 2, Track 02, Rehearsal, Takes 1-3 [4:33]: Blink and you’ll miss the unreleased rehearsal (Elvis sings off-microphone) and instrumental takes 1 & 2, which take about a minute total. Take 3, the bulk of this track, was previously released on The Nashville Marathon.

• Disc 2, Track 16, Take 5, Take 6 [2:18]: Elvis sings a brief snippet of one of his 50s classics before “Take 5” here – a nice surprise. These performances are left out of the “In And Outtakes” list in the liner notes. Both of these are blown, incomplete takes and are previously unreleased.

• Disc 2, Track 17, Master–Take 9–Rough Mix [3:35]: This previously unreleased “rough mix” is notable mostly for being about 20 seconds longer than the released version. Some of the mixing is slightly different as well, though the released mix is better.

“How The Web Was Woven”
• Disc 1, Track 03, Master–Take 3 [3:26]: Another tough choice, but this is probably my favorite song of the original album. This is a great love song, which I rank right up there in the same league as the more well-known “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”

• Disc 2, Track 07, Rehearsal, Take 1 [4:55]: This rehearsal and take were previously released on The Nashville Marathon. The rehearsal is about a minute longer here, though, which is quite welcome. Take 1 is as good as, possibly even better than, the master. I wonder what happened to Take 2? I’d like to hear it, assuming it wasn’t just a blown opening or something else extremely short.

“Patch It Up”
• Disc 1, Track 04, Live Master–8/12/1970 DS [4:02]: Compared to the excellent studio version, this live version from the original album just feels like a throwaway (though you won’t think that if watching Elvis perform it in the film).

• Disc 1, Track 13, Studio Master–Take 8 [3:24]: This is a great performance and the sound quality here is significantly better than on Walk A Mile In My Shoes. The mix is slightly different as well (I don’t have the 1970 45 RPM of this song, unfortunately, so no way for me to determine which, if either, mix is “correct”). The song also goes about 15 seconds longer than the 1995 release before fading. Crank this one up!

• Disc 1, Track 19, Take 1 [2:43]: This is a previously unreleased take. The “Patch It Up” song itself is actually rather insignificant, yet you hear through this and subsequent takes that Elvis could take a mediocre song like this one and turn it into something special.

• Disc 1, Track 20, Takes 2-7 [5:17]: More previously unreleased takes, all of which are blown or cut short. This is that “fly-on-the-wall” aspect that makes this kind of release so appealing. You can hear Elvis putting this song together, improving it little-by-little until he gets an acceptable master take. Elvis literally curses out the song on the seventh take. The very next take would be the master.

• Disc 1, Track 21, Take 9 [3:16]: This is one take after the master, previously released on A Hundred Years From Now. Not a bad performance, but the master was appropriately chosen.

“Mary In The Morning”
• Disc 1, Track 05, Master–Take 5 [4:11]: This is a pretty, if forgettable, love song from the original album.

• Disc 2, Track 10, Takes 1-4 [7:45]: Two previously unreleased blown takes, followed by takes 3 and 4, which were first released on The Nashville Marathon. Like “Patch It Up,” the appeal is the illusion of being in the studio while Elvis and gang work through the song. “Mary In The Morning” is harder to listen to repeatedly, though. It just keeps going and going. Ty in the morning would fall back asleep if he had to listen to this song.

“You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”
• Disc 1, Track 06, Master–Take 3 [2:32]

• Disc 2, Track 05, Rehearsal Composite [2:44]: This previously unreleased track is presumably edited together from a number of rehearsals. The editing here is nearly seamless, a fine job. Great to hear Elvis’ producer Felton Jarvis say enthusiastically at the end, “Bravo! That’s a gas, man!”

• Disc 2, Track 11, Take 1, Take 2 [3:12]: Take 1 is a short, previously unreleased flub. Take 2 first appeared on A Hundred Years From Now.

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'”
• Disc 1, Track 07, Live Master–8/12/1970 MS [4:25]: This live performance from the original version of the album is the definitive version of this song, by Elvis or anyone else. This is Elvis at his best, on stage doing what he loved the most. Incidentally, as released on the 2000 CD set as a separate track was an even longer version of the same performance of this song. Elvis does a fantastic reprise and the track time runs about two minutes longer. The 8/12/1970 MS is one of the best Elvis concerts I’ve ever heard, and it alone is worth picking up the 2000 edition (it comprises disc 2).

“I’ve Lost You”
• Disc 1, Track 08, Live Master–8/11/1970 DS [3:42]: While I love this live version of “I’ve Lost You,” one of the original album tracks and certainly a highlight, I prefer the studio version because the lyrics and the arrangement are more complicated. That being said, this is still a great version. I used to play the heck out of it for years until I first heard the studio version on Heart & Soul.

• Disc 1, Track 14, Studio Master–Take 7 [3:31]: This is another absolute favorite for me. Sure, this wasn’t on the original album, but this single did serve to promote that album. An extraordinary performance. Just close your eyes and listen. This is Elvis.

• Disc 2, Track 03, Rehearsal, Take 1 [5:25]: During the previously unreleased rehearsal, Elvis complains about the number of words in the song. This is likely why it was simplified for the live version. Take 1 originally appeared on The Nashville Marathon. It’s a quiet take, with more deliberate phrasing – probably because he’s reading the lyric sheet.

• Disc 2, Track 14, Takes 4-6 [5:22]: The previously unreleased takes 4 and 5 are cancelled before Elvis even sings a note. Take 6, which is an improvement over Take 1 but not as good as the master on Take 7, was previously released on A Hundred Years From Now.

“Just Pretend”
• Disc 1, Track 09, Master–Take 3 [4:04]: How much Elvis greatness can one man take? This is another favorite, an impressive performance from the original album that only Elvis could deliver.

• Disc 2, Track 12, Take 1, Take 2 [4:46]: Take 1 is previously unreleased. You guessed it, though, it’s just a false start. It barely starts at all, actually. Take 2 was previously released on A Hundred Years From Now.

“Stranger In The Crowd”
• Disc 1, Track 10, Master–Take 9 [3:48]: This is yet another great song, one of the best on the original album. Now do you see why I love this album so much?

• Disc 2, Track 08, Rehearsal, Take 1, Takes 3-5 [4:52]: Finally, some outtakes of this song! All of these are previously unreleased. Take 5 is nearly complete, but Elvis blows it near the end. “I’m sorry about that, man,” he says.

• Disc 2, Track 09, Master–Take 9–Rough Mix [4:33]: This previously unreleased rough mix runs about 45 seconds longer than the final version. This has a slightly different mix, with horns a bit lower. Nice to have as an alternate listening experience.

“The Next Step Is Love”
• Disc 1, Track 11, Master–Take 11 [3:33]: Here’s one studio song, from the original album, where I actually prefer the live version. The song is a little hokey either way, but the studio arrangement, complete with xylophone(?), doesn’t help matters.

• Disc 2, Track 06, Rehearsal, Take 2, Take 3, Take 6 [5:11]: The interesting thing about this previously unreleased rehearsal is that you can hear the song’s demo record playing in the background. The previously unreleased Take 2 and Take 3 are quick flubs. Take 6 was previously released on the Elvis: Today, Tomorrow & Forever boxed set.

• Disc 2, Track 13, Takes 7-10 [6:06]: Well, you know the pattern by now. Three previously unreleased blown takes, followed by one previously released, complete take. The Nashville Marathon included Take 10. This is actually a nice take of the song. No xylophone!

“Bridge Over Trouble Water”
• Disc 1, Track 12, Master–Studio Take 8 (with overdubbed applause) [4:38]: Unfortunately, the Heart & Soul version of this track, with Elvis’ vocal raised in the first verse and without the overdubbed applause, was not included on this release. I would have given up “Tiger Man” or one of the other unrelated songs to have this. As for this original version from the album, it’s really not one I ever listen to, once the studio version proper was released. It doesn’t do justice to his performance. The Heart & Soul version, though, I would contend as the best version of this song by anyone.

• Disc 1, Track 16, Live–8/11/1970 DS [4:14]: As noted by Thomas in his review at Elvis Today, if RCA wanted to close out That’s The Way It Is with a live version of this song, why not use an actual live version? The 8/12/1970 MS performance, for instance, is nearly as good as the studio version. This track from the 8/11/1970 DS was originally released on the Platinum boxed set. My question is, why didn’t FTD place an unreleased live version here instead? They could have used a performance from the 8/12/1970 DS or the 8/13/1970 DS.

• Disc 2, Track 04, Take 1 [5:01]: Just when I thought I was tired of hearing this song, this take came on. Beautiful. This was also on The Nashville Marathon.

• Disc 2, Track 15, Rehearsal, Take 2, Take 5 [5:40]: The previously unreleased rehearsal is interesting, for it features a much faster take on the song. “I don’t know, we’d better not,” Elvis says with a laugh. Too bad they apparently didn’t try a whole take like this! Take 2 is previously unreleased and really stops before it even starts. Take 5 was previously released on A Hundred Years From Now.

Other Songs (not on original album)
• Disc 1, Track 17, “Little Sister/Get Back” (Live–8/12/1970 MS) [3:10]: This great live track first appeared on the Elvis Aron Presley boxed set and was also on the That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition (2000) set. This features Elvis on electric guitar, not to be missed.

• Disc 1, Track 18, “Something” (Live Master–8/11/1970 MS) [3:37]: Another great live track. This one first surfaced on Walk A Mile In My Shoes. It appeared again on Live In Las Vegas, this time without the censoring of a mild curse by Elvis. Strangely, this FTD track is the censored version. In any event, this is Elvis’ best version of this Beatles classic released thus far.

• Disc 2, Track 01, “Tiger Man” (Studio Jam–6/4/1970) [2:49]: This instrumental jam first appeared on The Nashville Marathon, though, curiously, that CD labels the track as “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” while this release of the same track only acknowledges “Tiger Man.” Elvis can be heard off-microphone singing “Tiger Man” but not “Mystery Train,” as far as I can tell, so perhaps that’s the reason. However, the guitar opening of the jam itself sounds suspiciously like “Mystery Train.” In concert, Elvis normally performed these two songs together, as a medley. His 1969 and 1970 live versions of this coupling are fantastic.

Like other releases in FTD’s “Classic Albums” series, That’s The Way It Is comes in an oversized CD case, the size of a 45 RPM sleeve. All of the FTD releases are packaged on cardstock rather than within an actual jewel case, so I guess I’ve grown used to that over the years. I would prefer a more standard plastic jewel case presentation.

Anyway, the FTD cover replicates the cover from the original 1970 album. The oversized aspect does at least offer the advantage of allowing the art to look that much closer to the original record album – something hard to accomplish on a standard-sized jewel case. Inside, the CD labels are meant to resemble the Side 1 and Side 2 labels from the original LP. This is a nice touch, but just remember not to use the song list on them, as they are representative of the 1970 release and not this 2008 edition.

Unfortunately, on my copy, the CD holders are incorrectly glued off center for both discs. This means that they do not fully cover the artwork underneath them (which appear to be photos of the real labels from the 1970 album). A little more quality control was needed here. This is made up for by a great picture of Elvis playing the acoustic guitar from one of his July 1970 rehearsals for the Vegas show, just a month after the studio session in Nashville that produced most of this release.

The enclosed 20-page booklet starts off with another spectacular picture of Elvis from Summer 1970, wearing a black leather jacket and his trademark aviator glasses. The booklet contains over 30 other photos, most of which are well chosen and really add to the release.

Though a bit scattered (you will find yourself thumbing back and forth a lot), the booklet contains a ton of information – something that standard FTD releases, outside of the Classic Album Series, sorely lack. There is a complete track-listing with songwriter and musician credits. There is a useful listing of “In And Outtakes” which gives more information about each performance on the release, including its previously released status and previous album (if applicable).

“Masters” gives the master take number for each song in the June 1970 Nashville session. Don’t look for all of these tracks on this album, though, as the session also produced the Elvis Country and Love Letters From Elvis albums. A nice “Behind The Scenes” timeline follows the progress of both the original album and the documentary movie, from April 1970 when the movie deal is signed, until November 1970 when both the album and movie are released. On top of all of that, there are vintage newspaper clippings, memos, and other items of interest to round out the booklet.

The 2008 album producers (Ernst Jorgensen and Roger Semon) dedicate the release to Todd Morgan, a longtime Elvis Presley Enterprises staffer who passed away suddenly in March. “(He) worked tirelessly to maintain the legacy of Elvis Presley through his great work (and) will be sadly missed by all who knew him,” the tribute reads in part. For me, Morgan’s greatest contribution to Elvis’ legacy was his spearheading of 2004’s Elvis: ’68 Comeback Special-Deluxe Edition 3-DVD set and Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii-Deluxe Edition 2-DVD set, which released all of the available footage from these television specials.

There is over 40 minutes of new material on this 2008 version of That’s The Way It Is. Most of the performances not previously released on earlier editions of That’s The Way It Is, A Hundred Years From Now, and The Nashville Marathon are incomplete rehearsals and blown takes, though. However, there are some real gems on this release, including the multiple “Patch It Up” takes.

Plus, this edition pulls everything together in one nice package. Despite the potential strikes against it, this 2008 re-issue turns out to be a must-have for serious fans of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is. This is the definitive look at the outtakes of the That’s The Way It Is portions of the June 1970 Nashville sessions.

If wishes where horses. . . .
I am an Elvis fan, though, which means that I always want more. My thirst for That’s The Way It Is material is not yet satisfied. Here’s my FTD wish-list for future That’s The Way It Is-themed releases:

• Complete 8/12/1970 DS concert
• Complete 8/13/1970 DS concert
• Complete 8/11/1970 DS concert
• Remaining rehearsals from Summer 1970 (California & Nevada)

As long as I’m making wishes, from Warner Home Video/Turner Entertainment Company, which owns the rights to the documentary film, I wish for a definitive multi-disc DVD set containing as many That’s The Way It Is outtakes as commercially possible. (And while you’re looking at documentaries, Warner Brothers, hurry up already with that Elvis On Tour DVD release. The format’s going to be dead before you get around to releasing this Golden Globe winning movie.)

Songs: 10 (out of 10)
Liner Notes: 9
Cover Art: 8
Packaging: 7
Overall Experience: 10

Elvis releases show no signs of slowing [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this article back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

This year, which marks the 20th anniversary of Elvis’ death, may prove to be one of RCA’s busiest yet, with several new Elvis releases and re-issues planned.

Scheduled for release in June is the new 4-CD boxed set Platinum: A Life In Music, which will include over 70 previously unreleased tracks. Elvis recorded six of the new tracks on a home tape recorder in the 1960s at Graceland. Also included will be some rehearsals for his 1968 television special ELVIS and for his August 1970 Las Vegas shows, captured for the Elvis: That’s The Way It Is documentary. Newly released alternate takes and live performances will also be featured.

A new live concert album from 1972, An Afternoon In The Garden, was released on CD in March and is reviewed on page 3.

In April, the movie soundtracks not covered in the Elvis Double Features series were issued on CD, along with bonus tracks. These albums are:

  • Loving You
  • Jailhouse Rock/Love Me Tender
  • King Creole
  • GI Blues
  • Blue Hawaii

The five-volume Elvis’ Golden Records series will be re-issued on CD in July.

Currently expected for re-release by the end of 1997 are CD re-issues of the boxed sets Elvis Aron Presley (1981) and A Golden Celebration (1985). However, sources indicate they may be delayed until 1998.