Way Down in concert?

[dennyelvis]

I know in the UK that Way Down was already in our music charts before Elvis left us ... and im sure he had been playing around with this song for a while and that it is featured on the Moody Blue album . So i was wondering if he'd ever had chance to perform this song in concert or any other venue ? :hmm: anyone know ?

[mike butcher]

I am 99.9% sure Elvis never sang in on stage. It's a real shame too because it would have been a great song for him to have performed live. Take Care

[steveen]

HI I think this is great question, but unfortunately the reply is no.
I'm no a great expert about the last period but I think that all the tracklisting of the 1977 concert are well known....
Maybe in Elvis' mind...
have you a great time
Steve

(y) :clap:

[kennyelvis]

Mike is right, that song was never sung live, and that is a shame :( cose its a great song.
Elvis did not record many songes between 1973 - 1976, and only a few of the songs he recorded in that time period ended up in his concert list "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" "Promised Land" "It`s midnight" are thouse who come to my mind right now, they where only used a few times on different tours, and mostly if not (only in 1975)
I think Elvis just coulnt change "i know what some will say now" remember the opening night 0n august 1974, many new songs.... but the audience did not like them, so the next day it was back to the same "standar" songs, he even rehears thouse new songs for the august 74 season in vegas, but ended up using them only one night.
And how many rehearsals was it after that one in 74? not many i bet, so you see.... Elvis could not change.
It could still be a few "Rare" songs out there that he sang on stage, but i think thouse songs are not any he have recorded the last 4 years of his life.

[paulsweeney]

He never did Way Down, unfortunately...

[yiddle yisa]

...and I think that could possibly be my favorite rock song that he did! Man, that would have been amazing if it was in one of his movies :supriced: :!:

- Lisa :wiggle:

[thijs077]

Are you guys sure about a not live version of the song. He did moody blue live once. Maybe the same for way down.

[NightRider]

I would have to agree with the rest of the guys......Elvis never did Way Down Live :'( :'( :'(

[kennyelvis]

Are you guys sure about a not live version of the song. He did moody blue live once. Maybe the same for way down.

No one is 100% sure, but a few of us, that are really into this, are 99% sure.
Most of the shows between 69-77 are recorded on sounboard or audience recordings, but we dont have it all, so that leave us with that last 1% :D

[dennyelvis]

Great replys guys :clap: i was pretty sure he didnt do it but i knew that someone on here would know for sure .... i too think it could have been one of his best live songs ever (y) but i ask you another ? ... like Kenny says he couldnt change much .... but do you all think he would have done it on THE TOUR THAT NEVER WAS ? :hmm: because it was having chart success !

[Sonny]

It did well in the charts, but wasn't that after Elvis had passed away?

Anyway, it's possible that in time he would have sang it in the so-called "tour that never was".

Just like he would have probably sung a beautiful song like: Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain during that next tour.

Sonny

[howardrobardhughes]

11-17-2004, 11:22 AM #1
howardrobardhughes
I've always wondered why...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've always wondered why Elvis didnt perform more songs from the up
coming Moody Blue release during the CBS shoot. His albums werent
selling well, so this would have been a great time to showcase tracks
from his new album.
You think the col, or the powers that be would have told Elvis what
songs were going to be on his next release ( since he seemed to always
have been in the dark about what songs would be included on new
releases).
It would have been a great platform to show off new songs like 'moody
blue', 'way down', 'pledging my love'..
TCB
Wade


I think this was covered in a similar thread..
TCB
Wade

[buttonhead]

Elvis never sing this song in concert...:(:(:(


I like the part when JD Sumner going so ...down...low at the end .....

[Albert]

JD Sumner & The Stamps did this song live during a tribute concert in '77 and it was fantastic! Listening to that (already great) version, you can't help but wondering what a smashing addition to the setlist this song could have been for the Elvis show in '77.

Here's that live version:

[kennyelvis]

YEEEEEEEEEE :clap: :clap: :clap:
That song kick a** :clap: :clap:
That would have been fantastic to hear our man rock with this song (if he could keep up with the tempo in it) :'(
Thanks for sharing this Albert.
I know what song my girl will wake up to tomorrow morning, this is also one on her favorit songs, but i have not played it for a long time now.

[richardo316]

unfortunately elvis never proformed way down live.would be interesting to know if he would have included it on his upcoming tour. would have been even better live then in the studeo.

[buttonhead]

JD Sumner & The Stamps did this song live during a tribute concert in '77 and it was fantastic! Listening to that (already great) version, you can't help but wondering what a smashing addition to the setlist this song could have been for the Elvis show in '77.

Here's that live version:


Awesome....!!! :worthy:

thank you for sharing , Albert (y)

[curtis simpkins]

I dont think that Elvis ever did way down live.
but i think he would have done way down live with his up coming concert tours.

it would be nice if he did, or at lease tryed it.

[kennyelvis]

but do you all think he would have done it on THE TOUR THAT NEVER WAS ? :hmm: because it was having chart success !

I dont think so,
No rehearsals was done for the new tour, it could be a tryout like Mody Blue, but i have my douths about it, since it`s been so long time since they played the song together :'(

[curtis simpkins]

Thanks albert for that song,
i love it, is cd still around.

[rick]

Sadly no it wasn't performed, although there was a set list, supposedly in Elvis' writing, for the June 26, 1977 concert sold on e-bay a while back where Way Down was listed but crossed out after the introductions.
Whether this was legitimate is another matter but he sure should have sung it for EIC
rick

[Jungleroom76]

I've also seen photos of the "supposed" set list from Indianapolis that Rick mentioned....and as Rick said, it is questionable whether the list is in fact genuine. That would have been VERY cool if he had performed it though!! It would be VERY interesting to see how well it would have sounded live, although I am sure it would have been AWESOME!!! (y)

There are reports from various sources (including Charlie Hodge, if you can believe what he has to say) that Elvis was considering performing WAY DOWN on the tour that was supposed to start in Portland, ME. on 8/16. As I said, whether we can believe Charlie or not is yet another question, as he has a tendency to embellish things, shall we say! :blink:

TCB!
Mike

[Stefan Kock]

The only possible dates for Elvis to sing Way Down live in '77 would be on:

March 24th
June 17th
June 22nd

These are the only concerts in '77 where no recording and/or set-list whatsoever has surfaced yet.

Given Elvis physical condition, especially during the later part of '77, it seems very unlikely he ever did the song on stage. I agree on the fact that it is a great song and it would have been great would he had performed the song right after the introductions as he did with T.R.O.U.B.L.E during '75.

[EagleUSA]

Thank you, Albert. I haven't heard this version of "Way Down" in over twenty years!!!!!!!!!!

I had that tribute album when I was a kid...came out in the fall of '78 if I remember. I also recall J.D. giving a speech about "may God strike me dead if I lie to you; I have no reason to. But, Elvis Presley did not do drugs. He didn't need to."

Don't tell me why I remember that line so well. I also never could figure out why they changed the lyrics of the song so drastically during the performance. Were the sexual references too much for a gospel group???

[Lonniebealestreet]

Great to see you here, Eagle. Welcome. (h)

[EagleUSA]

Thank you, Bobby! Good to be here. This is one heck of a site. Can't believe I haven't frequented it before now.

[paulsweeney]

Thanks for the Stamps version of Way Down (y)

[Lonniebealestreet]

Just played that myself. Pretty cool!

You're welcome, Eagle. Glad you like what you see. (y)

[rockinrebel]

I think one of the reasons the “Way Down” live rumour circulated was due to fan reviews that were written from memory before the tapes were in circulation.

The old “Elvis Monthly” often contained reviews of this kind, and whilst they where obviously written with good intentions, and not intended to mislead people, it is understandable that anyone that is caught up in the excitement of an Elvis concert, and doesn’t have an audio source to look back on when writing the review could make mistakes somewhere along the line.