Las Vegas

Fred Wolfe wins bragging rights for Elvis Trivialities #2

/ TY / 1 Comment

Fred Wolfe was the first person to correctly answer Elvis Trivialities #2. Answering only eighteen minutes after I posed the question, Fred becomes the inaugural member of The Mystery Train’s Night Riders – a priceless honor that earns him a set of bragging rights. And the answer is…

Elvis was referring to Jackie Wilson when he said the following:

I heard this guy in Las Vegas [with] Billy Ward and His Dominoes. There’s a guy out there who was doing a take-off on me, ‘Don’t Be Cruel,’ and he tried so hard, until he got much better, boy, much better than that record of mine.”

Source: The Million Dollar Quartet, Elvis Presley, Colin Escott (liner notes), BMG Music, New York, 1990.

By 1957, Jackie Wilson had left Billy Ward’s Dominoes to pursue a solo career. He earned much success, with hits that included “Lonely Teardrops” (1958) and “Higher and Higher” (1967).

As Thomas commented yesterday, Elvis impersonating Jackie impersonating Elvis is one of the highlights of the December 4, 1956, “Million Dollar Quartet” jam session.

Elvis went on to repeat part of that impersonation when performing for the third and final time on the Ed Sullivan Show a month later. His January 6, 1957, appearance is also notable as the one where TV cameras shot him only from the waist up, a move that just increased his legend.

Thanks for playing, everyone. Congratulations to Fred.

Elvis Trivialities #2

/ TY / 3 Comments

Back because you asked for it, here’s the next installment of Elvis Trivialities. Your question is:

Who was Elvis referring to when he said the following?

I heard this guy in Las Vegas [with] Billy Ward and His Dominoes. There’s a guy out there who was doing a take-off on me, ‘Don’t Be Cruel,’ and he tried so hard, until he got much better, boy, much better than that record of mine.”

This is such an easy question. See if you can be the first to post the correct answer in the comments below.

That’s The Way It Is: Rehearsals – The Official Audio Releases

/ TY

My favorite Elvis event is 1970’s That’s The Way It Is, with 1968’s ELVIS (comeback special) a close second. That’s why I’m looking forward to the new Stage Rehearsal CD, coming later this month from Follow That Dream Records.

The core of Stage Rehearsal will be songs recorded during Elvis’ August 10, 1970, final rehearsal before the opening show later that night (the concert captured on FTD’s One Night In Vegas). MGM did not film this particular rehearsal for the movie, but I still consider it part of That’s The Way It Is.

To this point, official releases of That’s The Way It Is rehearsals have been scattered on various titles. Below is a listing of what we have so far.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the audio recordings made for That’s The Way It Is rehearsals. I hope Sony and FTD release the remaining That’s The Way It Is material over the next several years as we approach the film’s 50th anniversary in 2020.

Elvis Aron Presley (1980)
(August 10)
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
Sweet Caroline

Walk A Mile In My Shoes (1995)
Alla En El Rancho Grande (July 15)
Froggy Went A-Courtin’ (July 29)
Stranger In My Own Home Town (July 24)

A Life In Music (1997)
(July 29)
I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water
I Was The One
The Cattle Call
Baby, Let’s Play House
Don’t
Money Honey
What’d I Say

That’s The Way It Is: Special Edition (2000)
Peter Gunn Theme (July 15)
That’s All Right (July 15)
Cottonfields (July 15)
Yesterday (July 15)
I Can’t Stop Loving You (July 15)
Such A Night (July 29)
It’s Now Or Never (July 29)
A Fool Such As I (July 29)
Little Sister/Get Back (July 29)
I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water (July 24)
Johnny B. Goode (July 24)
Mary In The Morning (July 24)
The Wonder Of You (July 24)
Santa Claus Is Back In Town (August 4)
Farther Along (August 4)
Oh Happy Day (August 7)

One Night In Vegas (2000)
(August 4)
Words
The Cattle Call/A Yodel
Twenty Days And Twenty Nights
You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
Bridge Over Troubled Water

The Way It Was (2001)
Words (July 14)
The Next Step Is Love (July 14)
Ghost Riders In The Sky (July 15)
Love Me (July 15)
That’s All Right (July 24)
I Got A Woman (July 24)
I’ve Lost You (July 24)
I Can’t Stop Loving You (July 24)
Just Pretend (July 24)
Words (July 29)
I Just Can’t Help Believin’ (July 29)
Something (August 4)
Polk Salad Annie (August 7)
Mary In The Morning (August 7)

One thing I didn’t realize until compiling this list is that it’s been a decade since Sony or FTD have released any new That’s The Way It Is rehearsal material. Time sure does fly.

* * *

Below is the track listing for Stage Rehearsal, which will add to the That’s The Way It Is legacy.

August 10, 1970
01 You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
02 I Just Can’t Help Believin’
03 Something
04 Sweet Caroline
05 Polk Salad Annie
06 You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
07 I’ve Lost You
08 Bridge Over Troubled Water
09 Patch It Up
10 Can’t Help Falling In Love
11 You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
12 You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
Bonus Tracks
13 Any Day Now (August 2, 1972)
14 True Love Travels On A Gravel Road (August 3, 1972)
15 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (August 3, 1972)
16 Fever (August 3, 1972)
17 Portrait Of My Love (August 3, 1972)
18 I’m Leavin’ It All Up To You (January 25, 1973)

* * *

Primary Research Sources

Sony releasing 5-CD boxed set celebrating 1956 – includes December 15 Louisiana Hayride concert

/ TY / 6 Comments

Today’s post was originally scheduled to be the conclusion of my coverage of Elvis Sings Guitar Man. Sony made a huge Elvis announcement today, though, so I’m shelving that piece for now.

Arriving on September 27 from Sony’s RCA/Legacy label, Young Man With The Big Beat features a plethora of 1956 material. For die-hard fans, the crown jewel of the 5-CD boxed set is the first-ever release of Elvis’ December 15, 1956, concert that marked the singer’s final appearance on the Louisiana Hayride radio program.

Only a portion of one song, “Hound Dog,” has been released from this show in the past. Based on that one song alone, I can tell you that we’re all in for one exciting ride.

The set can be pre-ordered at http://www.elvis.com/1956. From the press release, here is some additional information on a pre-order bonus:

Pre-order customers will also receive an exclusive replica vinyl 7” of Elvis’ first 45rpm EP for RCA Records. Sharing the same striking cover art as Elvis’ debut album, the EP features “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Tutti Frutti,” “I Got A Woman” and “Just Because.” This vinyl single is only available through this special website offer, and it will ship upon payment for the box set.”

Released the same day will be the Sony Legacy edition of Elvis Presley, which will be paired with Elvis.

Below is a full break-down of the Young Man With The Big Beat set, adapted from the press release and marketing material.

Disc 1: Studio Recordings

17 tracks recorded in New York, Nashville, and Hollywood, starting with the 12 songs on the debut LP, Elvis Presley (‘1254’), followed by non-LP single A-sides and B-sides, and EP tracks.

  1. Blue Suede Shoes
  2. I’m Counting On You
  3. I Got A Woman
  4. One-Sided Love Affair
  5. I Love You Because
  6. Just Because
  7. Tutti Frutti
  8. Trying To Get To You
  9. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)
  10. I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)
  11. Blue Moon
  12. Money Honey
  13. Heartbreak Hotel
  14. I Was The One
  15. My Baby Left Me
  16. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
  17. Shake, Rattle And Roll

Disc 2: Studio Recordings

22 tracks recorded in New York, Nashville, and Memphis, starting with the 12 songs on the second LP, Elvis (‘1382’), followed by non-LP single A-sides and B-sides, and EP tracks.

  1. Rip It Up
  2. Love Me
  3. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
  4. Long Tall Sally
  5. First In Line
  6. Paralyzed
  7. So Glad You’re Mine
  8. Old Shep
  9. Ready Teddy
  10. Anyplace Is Paradise
  11. How’s The World Treating You
  12. How Do You Think I Feel
  13. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
  14. Hound Dog
  15. Don’t Be Cruel
  16. Any Way You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be)
  17. Too Much
  18. Playing For Keeps
  19. Love Me Tender
  20. Let Me
  21. Poor Boy
  22. We’re Gonna Move

Disc 3: Live Recordings

Rare remasters of shows at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas (four songs); Little Rock, Arkansas (seven songs); and a recently discovered, previously unreleased concert in Shreveport, Louisiana, in December (ten songs).

Recorded Live At The Venus Room, Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas, May 6

 1.  Heartbreak Hotel
 2.  Long Tall Sally
 3.  Blue Suede Shoes
 4.  Money Honey

Recorded Live At The Robinson Memorial Auditorium, Little Rock, Arkansas, May 16

 5.  Heartbreak Hotel
 6.  Long Tall Sally
 7.  I Was The One
 8.  Money Honey
 9.  I Got A Woman
10. Blue Suede Shoes
11. Hound Dog

Recorded Live At The Hirsch Youth Center, Louisiana Fairgrounds, Shreveport, Louisiana, December 15

12. Heartbreak Hotel
13. Long Tall Sally
14. I Was The One
15. Love Me Tender
16. Don’t Be Cruel
17. Love Me
18. I Got A Woman
19. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
20. Paralyzed
21. Hound Dog

Disc 4: Outtakes

Four outtakes from the first historic RCA session in January (“I Got A Woman,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “I’m Counting On You,” “I Was The One”), segueing into the complete session of February 3rd (11 takes of “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy” and 12 takes of “Shake, Rattle And Roll”); plus the first of the interviews – the complete Warwick Hotel (NYC) interview by Robert Brown in March.

  1. I Got A Woman – take unknown
  2. Heartbreak Hotel – take 06
  3. I’m Counting On You – take 13
  4. I Was The One – take 02
  5. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 01
  6. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 03
  7. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 04
  8. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 05
  9. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 06
  10. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – takes 07, 08, 09
  11. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – take 10 (master)
  12. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy – takes 11, 12
  13. Shake, Rattle And Roll – takes 01, 02
  14. Shake, Rattle And Roll – takes 03, 05, 06, 07
  15. Shake, Rattle And Roll – take 08
  16. Shake, Rattle And Roll – takes 09, 10, 11, 12, 12 (undubbed master)
  17. The Complete Warwick Hotel Interview

Disc 5: Interviews

The Paul Wilder interview, plus his interviews with Colonel Parker and Oscar Davis; plus two segments of Elvis’ rarely heard candid monologue, “The Truth About Me,” and two advertisements for RCA Victrolas.

  1. The Complete TV Guide Presents Elvis interview
  2. Colonel Parker Interview
  3. The Truth About Me
  4. The Truth About Me Interview
  5. Victrola Radio ad 1
  6. Victrola Radio ad 2

Book

The focal point of the book, spread across its 80 pages, will be a unique, meticulously-researched, day-by-day chronology of Elvis’ iconic year, including every concert, every recording date, every television appearance, personal events in Elvis’ life, and much more. A dazzling photo array of memorabilia will illustrate each day and entry. Concert ticket stubs, RCA memoranda, letters from fans, postcards from Elvis to his family, tour itineraries, magazine covers and articles, trade charts, fan club relics, RCA publicity photos, concert photos, candid photos, and more will be a feast for the eyes and the imagination as 1956 unfolds.

Other Items

Will also include five rare 8×10 photographs, five original-size poster replicas, and a replica concert ticket stub.

* * *

I’ve lamented the seemingly constant focus on 1956 in the past. However, Elvis’ achievements in that year certainly cannot be overstated. This looks like a spectacular release, and the best part is that it’s on the mainstream label. This will certainly capture the attention of music critics and fans alike.

It wouldn’t be an Elvis boxed set without the inclusion of those four songs recorded live in Las Vegas on May 6, 1956, now would it? Those same performances, tracks 1-4 on Disc 3, have appeared on the following Elvis boxed sets:

  • Elvis Aron Presley
  • ELVIS: The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50s Masters
  • Live In Las Vegas
The early to mid 1990s focused on decade boxed sets, while the late 1990s to early 2000s focused on outtake boxed sets. Will the 2010s become the decade of year boxed sets? Will success for this set mean that we’ll get a box for another year in the future? Who knows, but I can tell you one thing: Since 1977, there has never been a better time to be an Elvis Presley fan.

REVIEW – Live In Vegas: August 26, 1969 Dinner Show CD (FTD)

/ TY

Live In Vegas: August 26, 1969 Dinner Show CD (Follow That Dream Records, 2011)

If you believe some fans, surely we’ve already heard enough 1969 Las Vegas concerts. Now that Live In Vegas: August 26, 1969 Dinner Show is available from FTD, let’s take a closer look at their claims.

Claim: If you’ve heard one 1969 show, you’ve heard them all.
Verdict: FALSE

For those who believe there are no more revelations to discover in these shows, I can easily pull one example of many from this release alone. For over 40 years now, Elvis fans have listened to the 1969 compilation Elvis In Person. How many ever realized that Elvis dedicated the specific performance of “Suspicious Minds” contained on that album to Barbara McNair, one of his Change Of Habit co-stars?

Elvis evidently thought a lot of McNair, who played Sister Irene, for he plugged her upcoming TV series, The Barbara McNair Show, when presenting her to the audience. As mentioned, Elvis’ introduction of the familiar version of “Suspicious Minds” is now slightly different: “A new record that just came out, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you like it, I’d like to do this especially for Barbie, it’s called ‘Suspicious Minds.'”

Though it is the sixth full-length show released from this engagement, Live In Vegas actually marks the first release of a concert that contributed songs to the Elvis In Person compilation (“Suspicious Minds” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love”). One of the joys of being able to hear complete 1969 shows like this one is re-discovering a song within its original context.

Claim: Every 1969 show had the same set list.
Verdict: FALSE

Live In Vegas is actually the first full show released thus far to include “My Babe” (previously compiled on Elvis Aron Presley) or “Inherit The Wind” (previously compiled on Collectors Gold). This is also the first full show so far where Elvis omits “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and only the second where he omits “What’d I Say.”

Incidentally, the inane argument that the set lists were always the same wasn’t even true of the first five shows released. Don’t get me wrong – of course, the core set lists are similar. These shows were all recorded within less than a week’s time, after all. The amusing part is that some fans apparently expect that Elvis should have completely revamped his show night after night. The 1969 concerts were about as perfect as any Elvis did in his career, but that’s not good enough for some.

Claim: If you’ve already heard the Midnight Show from this same date on All Shook Up, Live In Vegas will just be more of the same.
Verdict: FALSE

Though indeed recorded just a few hours apart from one another, the shows captured on All Shook Up and Live In Vegas are quite different from one another and do not play like repeats of the same show. The biggest difference is tone. While Elvis seems unable to control his infectious laughter through much of All Shook Up – including the fantastic “Are You Laughing Tonight” – he is much more focused on Live In Vegas. In fact, other than a few snickers here and there, there is little foreshadowing in the Dinner Show as to what will occur in the Midnight Show.

As far as the songs performed for these specific shows, the Dinner Show (Live In Vegas) features “Memories,” “My Babe,” and “Inherit The Wind,” which are not present on the later show. The Midnight Show (All Shook Up), on the other hand, features “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” “Rubberneckin’” and “This Is The Story,” which are not present on the earlier show.

I find being able to listen to two shows from the same day during this incredible time of Elvis’ career to be one of the most positive aspects of this release, certainly not a drawback. It is fascinating to imagine being there for that single day, somehow fortunate enough to have tickets to both shows.

Show & Sound Quality

I’m just glad Ernst Jorgensen and the rest of Sony’s Follow That Dream team do not subscribe to the sort of claims refuted above. If they did, we might have missed out on Live In Vegas.

With that out of the way, we can now move on to more important things, like show and sound quality. The first few times I played this disc, my opinion was that no 1969 show had ever sounded this vibrant.

I have played all six full shows this week and part of me believes that Live In Vegas is the best of the complete 1969 shows released so far, in terms of Elvis’ performance. I am not quite ready to say that yet, though. I want to give more time for the newness to wear off and allow myself to compare the various shows more objectively. Like all of the other 1969 shows thus far released, though, this is without a doubt one of Elvis’ greatest concerts.

Elvis treats his classics with more respect in 1969 than he would in later years. “Blue Suede Shoes,” “All Shook Up,” “Love Me Tender,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Don’t Be Cruel” are all contenders as his best 1969 versions.

“You see, they fixed these lights up for Nancy Sinatra. They wouldn’t do it for me. That shows where the pull is. . . . I’ll show ’em, I won’t come back,” Elvis states shortly after welcoming the audience early on. Nancy’s engagement on the same stage would begin on August 29, just a day after Elvis’ would end. Elvis stuck around and caught her show and, despite his joke, returned to the International for another engagement just six months after this first one.

“Hound Dog” is also great, once you get past his cringe-inducing introduction of the song that also plagues every other version released so far from this engagement.

There are two tracks I always pay close attention to on the 1969 shows. One is “Suspicious Minds” – already a known factor on this album – and the other is the “Mystery Train/Tiger Man” medley. Elvis does a kickin’ rendition of this medley on Live In Vegas.

While Ronnie Tutt’s jungle drums are the focus in the first bits of “Tiger Man” before the second guitar break, the mix turns over to James Burton’s rockin’ guitar riffs for the other half of the song. It makes for a great compromise and one of the best versions of the song yet released.

I have yet to hear a bad version of “Runaway” from these shows, and this one is no exception. What a terrific performance from Elvis, driven again by James Burton. Too bad it was dropped from the show after 1969.

“Yesterday” is the typical “I’m not half the stud…” version and, as usual, the tacked on “Hey Jude” ending is no help.

After introducing the band, Elvis has Barbara McNair stand and introduces her as “a young lady that I just got through making a picture with called Change Of Habit, and I found her to be one of the nicest, warmest, lovingest people I’ve ever met.” When audience members complain they could not see her, he has the lights turned back on so she can stand up again.

It’s really cool hearing Elvis promote one of his movies on stage. Since he took a break from concerts through most of the 1960s, when he made the bulk of his movies, this was not an opportunity he had very often.

“In The Ghetto” is beautiful, similar to the Elvis In Person version.

On both of his August 26 shows, Elvis omits his breakneck speed version of “What’d I Say” and, in my opinion, the shows are all the better for it. “Suspicious Minds” is the ideal penultimate song, segueing perfectly into “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”

Speaking of “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” the Elvis In Person version has always been my favorite from 1969, and it sounds even better here.

* * *

Live In Vegas showcases Elvis Presley at his best on stage in a sound presentation that is richly mastered and crystal clear.

Sony reportedly has another six full shows from this engagement in its vault, including three more that contributed songs to the Elvis In Person album: the August 25 Dinner Show and the August 24 & 25 Midnight Shows.

There will always be complainers–even when Elvis was alive, he couldn’t please everyone, not even in 1969–but here’s hoping the rest of those 1969 shows, particularly the Elvis In Person ones, are eventually released. I’m looking forward to hearing each and every one of them.

And all four speakers were blaring Elvis

/ TY / 2 Comments

The latest FTD release, Live In Vegas: August 26, 1969 Dinner Show, arrived at my house yesterday. I resisted the urge to give it a quick listen last night so that I can give it proper attention this weekend. I’ll be reviewing this one soon, and I can’t wait to hear it. I wonder if my neighbors would mind if I blared an Elvis concert at 6:30 in the morning? Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time.

* * *

Came across a nice little Elvis mention courtesy of Google News while web surfing last night. I started to post a link here, but was too sleepy to type coherently. I’m definitely a morning person, you see. Anyway, over on JSOnline, the web site of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, someone wrote the following comment and question to “Mr. Music:”

I know the peak time for quadraphonic albums is around 1975. But the first quad LP I bought was ‘Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite,’ the soundtrack of Elvis Presley’s 1973 Honolulu concert. Since this came out before quad’s heyday, is it the first quad album? I’ll bet it is the top-selling quad release. Also, did anyone ever make quad singles?”- Jeremy Norbert, Milwaukee

Quadraphonic sound was an early consumer version of what we now call surround sound. In stereo sound, the audio is separated into two distinct channels. In quadraphonic sound, the audio was separated into four distinct channels – meaning you would listen with four speakers. Though it was indeed used for Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite, the format did not catch on.

I didn’t even notice this last night, but another perusal of the article just now reveals that “Mr. Music” is none other than renowned record collecting and Elvis expert/author Jerry Osborne. No wonder I was so impressed with his response. I was surprised last night that a “mainstream media” member could give such a knowledgable reply without tossing in snide comments or jokes about Elvis in the 70s. Now it all makes sense.

Check out Osborne’s reply: “Elvis in Hawaii helped take sound to a new level” — JSOnline. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Osborne’s Mr. Music column in the future.

An updated version of Osborne’s Elvis: Like Any Other Soldier book is available now. You can find out more information about his publications over at Jerry Osborne’s site.

By Any Other Name

/ TY

A couple of weeks ago, I told you about the forthcoming Follow That Dream Records release White Knight In Vegas. FTD, which is Sony’s collectors label for Elvis fans, announced yesterday that the CD has been retitled to Live In Vegas: August 26, 1969 Dinner Show. Content is the same as previously reported. The February 15 release date is apparently unaffected, though I would not be surprised if there turns out to be a slight delay.

One of the best music blogs around is The Second Disc, which I visit daily. It focuses on catalog releases across a full spectrum of genres. Though I am not likely to create a blog devoted to anyone else, my music tastes go far beyond Elvis, and I always find something of interest there.

The Second Disc also does a good job of covering Elvis’ Sony releases. I was glad to see earlier this week that FTD is now on their radar as well, with a story about the then-titled White Knight In Vegas release.

It’s always good to see Elvis releases covered on sites that are not specifically about him. For other artists, I find out about and purchase many releases I would not otherwise know about due to The Second Disc, and the same may hold true for more casual Elvis listeners who visit that site.

Does every FTD release warrant such exposure? No, but Live In Vegas certainly does, as well as titles in the FTD Classic Album series, which features reissues of original albums with tons of outtakes.

Last month, FTD completed its Classic Album coverage of the November 1957 Jailhouse Rock Extended Play album with the two-disc Jailhouse Rock, Volume 2. Between the two volumes, this means that FTD devoted four CDs to what was originally a five-song EP. Now, that’s what I call a collectors label!

FTD’s next Classic Album entry has not yet been announced, but I’m hoping for coverage of the January 1975 LP album Promised Land (recorded in 1973).

The FTD label began in 1999 and has released nearly 100 titles so far, more albums in eleven years than Elvis released during his entire twenty-three year career. FTD releases are available from ShopElvis.com and other online Elvis retailers. Since they originate in Denmark and then ship to retailers, there is usually a two or three week delay after the “release date” before the CDs arrive for those of us in the United States – though that delay seems to be less lately. FTD releases are usually worth the wait.