TRACK LISTING FOR NEWLY RE-EDITED VERSION OF "ELVIS IN CONCERT"

There has been great discussion in Bobby's (Lonniebealestreet) thread regarding the OMAHA AND RAPID CITY performances from 1977 which comprised the original 1977 CBS Special ELVIS IN CONCERT.

Many fans feel that a newly re-edited version of the special should be considered by EPE! (and although I believe that the original 1977 version should also be released for history's sake, I do believe that many fans who have never seen this footage before (or have only seen the original CBS special from '77) would greatly benefit from seeing a newly re-edited version of the special)

SO MY QUESTION HERE IS....IF YOU WERE IN THE EDITING ROOM AND IN CHARGE OF ASSEMBLING A NEWLY RE-EDITED VERSION OF "ELVIS IN CONCERT" TO BE RELEASED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND YOU HAD ALL OF THE FOOTAGE FROM OMAHA AND RAPID CITY AVAILABLE TO YOU, WHICH PERFORMANCES WOULD YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR RE-EDITED VERSION?

I am very interested to see what everyone comes up with!! (h)

TCB!
Mike

Great question Mike (y)

Would be a cool idea...even though, like yourself, i want to see the whole thing released.

You will have to give me a while to think about this though :hmm:

NO PROBLEM NIGHT RIDER!!! ;)

That's precisely why I didn't post my track listing yet either....had to really take some time to pick the best performances, maybe even take some time to sit and watch each show again to better decide my list!

I do know that 2 of my favorite performances from Omaha -- FAIRYTALE and AND I LOVE YOU SO -- will be included in my personal track listing! These are 2 performances that I feel should be included...I just thought that he did an outstanding job on AND I LOVE YOU SO....very powerful performance! FAIRYTALE is also very well done, and deserves to be showcased in my opinion!!!

I will anxiously wait to see your list Night Rider....I'm sure it will be FANTASTIC!!

TCB!
Mike

P.S. I LOVE your new avatar!! And, congratulations on your 2,000th post!!! :worthy:

that would be a tough choice...Mike.. i wish i could hear all tracks from each concerts ...as i am / we are elvis fans... give me some time to think about it .
and same wise..chris congratulation on your 2.000 posts ..:)

I agree buttonhead!!! :hmm:

It is a tough choice, which I am sure will lead to many varied answers from everyone on the board!! (Which will be VERY cool to read!!) (h)

Take your time!! Can't wait to see what you come up with!

TCB!
Mike

I agree with Nightrider, I like to see everything released.
Make it a DVD box, with both complete shows PLUS the tv special.
Let's say a box like Aloha.

Nice question.... but the problem with re-editing it, we need to know which angles are available. Because on one angle he may look extremely fat, while on another quite good. In order to make a DVD release a winner, it should please the fans and do as less damage to Elvis' image when it's watched by non-fans (and journalist).

The main theme of this DVD should be 'Elvis, sick as hell, two months before his death, shouldn't be performing, but still on the road trying to please his fans'. A short documentary (5 minutes) could explain the big downfall of the King, why he kept on touring, etc. It would also be a good thing when people would be informed that Elvis was still a big hit and was performing in soldout venues.

Then the selection of the real content, the show:
1) less talking of fans. Perhaps an option would be to add parts of the documentary instead
2) no mumbling Elvis. I prefer to have this cutout in order to make it more fluent. When Elvis talks in Rapid City, nobody can understand him.
3) select only songs with good vocals by Elvis. Better a DVD without a 'Hound Dog' than with a bad one.
4) good camera angles. Elvis was in a bad shape during that time, but not as bad as a camera registrates. A good angle can do great things.
5) It's an Elvisspecial, so no 10+ seconds closeups of fans during an Elvisperformance (like that girl, biting on her lip).
6) Elvis had his eyebrows accented by an eyeliner. In many shots this clearly shows. That's exactly not the purpose of makeup on stage. Stage makeup shoul compensate colours and lines that seem to dissappear because of the stagelights. I wouldn't have a problem with it when these errors would be fixed by computerediting.

The ideal would really be to have two new releases. One would have the purpose of featuring the best performances and showing Elvis in a positive light as much as possible, and the other would be to give the fans everything in excellent quality.

So some songs, though I enjoy them quite a bit but perhaps they aren't the cream of the crop, should not be on the new special. But I'd have to get them in the Fans' Edition. Thinking about it, just maybe this new special should be aired on TV, but then available on FTD only would be the deluxe release, which would also have the complete shows and all available footage. Hmmm, but then those people who saw and liked the new special should have it readily available to them for purchase. I was just thinking that a new special like the one I am detailing by itself, and no bonus tracks, would not be a DVD that non-fans would want to pay full-price for...and if we start adding bonus tracks, we'd be showing the things that we say would be better not to show to Joe Public. Perhaps the bonus footage could be of something else? Nah...I don't know--you all help me with that.

I think some of the outside footage, definitely including the Indianapolis airport scene, should be shown before the concert footage...incorporated into an introduction like what Albert was speaking of, which I agree should be pretty short. The stage needs to be set, for those who might not really know, but basically the performance should speak for itself.

As part of the opening, I would love to see the last 45 seconds or whatever it is of Hound Dog used. On the whole, Hound Dog and Teddy Bear were the tracks on which Elvis sounded the weakest, but that last part of Hound Dog rocks, and shows that the guy could still move. I think it's an impressive moment, and he's really into the music there. I see that as being used in the title sequence, with the title going up after that smile from him at the end of the song. During that part where he's doing his little shake, which was cleverly extended in the original special, I think it would add some extra pizzazz to jump back and forth between the different angles, accented by brief flashes of light between the angle switches. It would simulate flashbulbs going off, but also just add a nice special effect, making it even more exciting and giving it sort of a modern touch for the opening.

A bit of Elvis's arrival at Rapid City should be used, and a pretty brief snippet of Elvis with Monique Brave, and some of the walk from the dressing room to the stage entrance area, and then jump to just before taking the stage. Perhaps 2001 could be started at the beginning of all of that, with the sound dipping out a bit for Elvis and Monique's exchanges.

Songs from Rapid City except where indicated by a *:

See See Rider (original edit would be fine)
If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
You Gave Me A Mountain
That's All Right
And I Love You So*
Trying To Get To You
How Great Thou Art*
It's Now Or Never (No Sole Mio ;))
Early Morning Rain*
Little Sister*
I Really Don't Want To Know*
My Way
Hurt
Unchained Melody
Can't Help Falling In Love (splice of both performances--Omaha has the better ending, and of course the "'Til we meet you again..." would have to be included)

This is just a thought, but perhaps interspersing some of the core band's solos throughout the show might be alright. Of course, EMR and IRDWTK I've already included, but I was thinking how Ronnie Tutt's drum solo could add a little more rock and roll to the show, and maybe JB's Johnny B. Goode. The drawbacks would be, how do you include some and not others, and also it needs to be clear--which it wasn't in the original special or the album--that these truncated songs are part of the introductions. The 48 seconds, or whatever it is, of What'd I Say being it's own separate track on the EIC album was pretty lame, not knowing the context. Maybe this is a bad idea, but I just thought it could make for an interesting edit.

Some of the songs I picked...I could see arguments for both their inclusion and their exclusion. This is something I think about from time to time, and my song lineup is never quite the same. Maybe this one should be a little longer, not having all the fans' comments and such--though adding some of the intros like I was saying would help in that regard. Anyway, I hope my tracklisting seems to have some merit to some of you.

I would do two versions:

Version for classic public - 1DVD with best performances (cca 80 min with bonus /fans comments/):
1. See See Rider (Rapid City - complete version!)
2. That?s Allright (Rapid City)
3. Love Me (Rapid City)
4. How Great Thou Art (Omaha)
5. You Gave Me A Mountain (Rapid City)
6. Jailhouse Rock (Rapid City)
Introductions (cutted into this form:)
- Johnny B Goode
- Early Morning Rain
- I Really Don?t Want To Know
- NO solis!!!
11. Hurt (OMAHA!!!)
12. Hound Dog (Rapid City)
13. Unchained Melody (Rapid City)
14. Can?t Help Falling In Love (Rapid City - it?s last proffesional tape of King On Stage!!!!)
15. Comments by Vernon

2nd version for fans:
All songs and both concerts in full format with all backstage video + classic edition of EIC which was aired in October 77... It should be on 2DVDs.

The original special should definitely be included in a deluxe edition. Glad you brought that up, Peter.

You know, this may sound extreme, but if we are trying to present this footage as best as possible, in the new version of the special....and if we concede that it's OK (if not necessary) to cut in and out between performances from both shows in the middle of a song, then perhaps that should be taken a step further. What I have in mind is going through both audio and video independently, searching for the best lines and shots from each, and where the audio and video match and fluidity of the video can be maintained, use 'em. Is that going too far, or is that the kind of thing that should be considered? Albert, it sounds to me like you have some heavy editing in mind--am I correct?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jungleroom76

I will anxiously wait to see your list Night Rider....I'm sure it will be FANTASTIC!!

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I'm going to have another listen....just to be sure...even though i have a good idea what the list will be :lol:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jungleroom76

P.S. I LOVE your new avatar!! And, congratulations on your 2,000th post!!! :worthy:

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Thanks Mike (y)




Thanks Mike....

I am back with my list...seems like i am Omaha concert fan..so please dont laugh at my choice :)



C.C Rider ( i like it the one from EIC CD / with fans comments and 2001 in the beginning )
I Got A Woman / Amen ( Omaha )
That's Allright ( R.C )
Are You Lonesome Tonight ( Omaha )
Fairytale ( Omaha )
Little Sister ( Omaha )
Teddy Bear ( Omaha )
And I Love You So ( Omaha )
Jailhouse Rock ( Omaha )
How Great Thou Art ( Omaha )

Johnny B Good *
Early Mornin Rain *
I really Dont Want To Know *
* Omaha
HURT ( Omaha )


Cant help fallin' in love ( rapid city )
Its Now Or Never ( without O sole mio ) ( Omaha )
My Way ( Rapid City )
Unchained Melody ( Rapid City )

See See Rider (Rapid City)
I Got a Woman (Rapid City)
Early Morning Rain (Omaha)
Fairytale (Omaha)

oldies set 1:
It's Now Or Never (Rapid City)
Jailhouse Rock (Rapid City)
Little Sister (Omaha)

I Really Don't Want To Know (Omaha)
If You Love Me (Let Me Know) (Rapid City)
You Gave Me a Mountain (Rapid City)
And I Love You So (Omaha)

oldies set 2:
That's Allright (without introduction talking)
Are You Lonesome Tonight
Trying To Get To You (Rapid City)
Hawaiian Wedding Song (Rapid City) -without introduction talking-

How Great Thou Art (Omaha)
Hurt (Rapid City)
I Really Don't Want To Know
My Way
Unchained Melody (Rapid City)

Can't Help Falling In Love (rapid City)

So in short: few uptempo classics, because they can do very little good for Elvis. More focus on ballads, country and gospel. This set should be about 70 minutes.

EXCELLENT DISCUSSION EVERYONE!!! (y)

There are some really good ideas here, and the track listings are quite varied. Although I still haven't completed my personal list yet, I truly am enjoying reading everyone's ideas on a re-edit for the CBS special!!

In another post, I suggested that a deluxe edition DVD set (similiar to the ALOHA deluxe set) for the ELVIS IN CONCERT material would be the perfect way to go!! A 2-DVD set containing both the OMAHA and RAPID CITY shows in their entirety, along with the original 1977 CBS special (for historical purposes) and a newly re-edited version of the show! I am glad to see that several of you also feel this would be a perfect way to go, in terms of releasing the CBS footage to the public!

I do agree with Albert that, when re-editing the special, all camera angles for each song should be gathered and examined to determine which angles would be the most flattering to Elvis. Certainly, we don't want to simply use the same angles in an updated edit of the show! My feeling is, the purpose of the updated re-edited version of the show would be to show a stark contrast between what CBS did in 1977 (which is why I said including the original special for historical purposes would be a must, in a deluxe set like this) and how the show COULD HAVE looked, if more time and care went into editing the original special in 1977! I think being able to release a newly edited version of the show, with much more flattering camera angles, would show the general public that Elvis was not in as bad a shape as EPE would like you to believe, or as the original CBS special made Elvis appear. Now, I'm not saying different camera angles would make all of Elvis' obvious health issues disappear...but there must be different camera angles available that would make Elvis look better than the original special did.

I am glad that everyone has such great opinions on the subject of a new re-edit for the CBS special!! I will unveil my track listing soon, but I am certainly enjoying being able to see what other people think about the subject, and seeing which performances everyone thinks should be included!! (y)

TCB!
Mike