Best chances to put Elvis on the most succesfull World Tour ever?

[Raised on Rock]

As we know, probably the bigest mistake on Elvis career was that he never toured around the world, so right to the point, if you can take a moment to think of it seriously, when do you think were the best chances to put Elvis on the most succesfull World Tour ever? my choices are:

1) Circa fall '57 early '58. It is in fact known that that was the next move on Elvis career if the Army guys wouldn´t be there waiting for him with lots of fun, an European Tour. Those were the days when Elvis fan histerya mades Beatlemania look pale, but unfortunately there is not much video footage coverage of that period, which is quite a shame, yet a world tour back then could have put the world´s eyes into Elvis Presley on a degree that ELvis never experienced, (and hey its Elvis Presley, so man, thats a lot of media attention you know?) if a world tour happened back then, succes for any British band from the early '60 inside and outside the UK (Beatles and Stones included) would have been a diferent story.

A world Tour in the days before the Army would have been the most! not even the Bealtes first visit to the states be nearer to it, so that is something I regret didnt happened.

2) June 1972; yes, going over seas right after the Madison Square Garden gigs, right then, the world had finally forgot about Elvis image as a boring matine teen idol, and his image was totally restablished as "THE KING", ELvis was a the top of his game, in perfect good shape (the extra pounds that we seen on Elvis On Tour where gonne and he in fact looked as he had been lifting some weights), his voice was so powerfull, probably he never sounded that powerfull again during a whole show after summer '72, he had a smash hit "Burning Love" on the top of the charts worldwide, and the TCB Band never sounded that tight rocking as he did the summer of that year, since '69being touring almost all the most important concert venues in the States at that time playing at the MSG was like the finall peak, that was like taking the country, so now what? A WORLD TOUR DAM I! what was the Coronel thinking by sending Elvis to an already conquered land! so instead of the June '72 tour, I woud have used the MSG gigs as the launching plataform for sending ELvis not only to whole Europe but as far as Japan, Australia and even South America, U.K. sended The ROlling STones to AMerica that year! well America should have sended Elvis around the world! and there was no better time for that during the 70's, after that the were not to many challenges for the King, yes there were still some goodtimes, but by '73 his voice was having problems, he start gaining lots of weight and he never looked and preformed on stage again as he used to, the TCB bad was still a great band, but after the Aloha or even during the Aloha started to sound as a bunch of guys doing routin, never the super musicians band that they where once, the exiting of the Elvis show was never the same after '72, so yes, the Wolrd needed to see Elvis as he was on the summer of 1972.

So those are my choices, what about you Elvis Fans outthere! ohh and one more question, about the options on this poll, which dates 50's or 70's do you think could have pushed more succes into Elvis carrer?

[ruggishboo]

A worldwide tour in 1972 would of been a tremendous step in his career. With "Burning Love" high in the charts, and the success of the MSG shows as a catalyst, there would of been no limit to the exposure and supremecy of an Elvis worldwide tour. By now the road show had it's best groove, and he would of sold out every major arena in the world. I feel like so many others, had Elvis had this major challenge before him, his life might of taken a different course. The cost of the logistics, security, and promotion would of been easily recouped in a short amount of time. This success might of had a residual effect on his recording career after 1972, and perhaps he would been given much meatier and hitmaking material to record. It might have also given Elvis film offers, which with the exception of A Star is Born, were relatively few and far between in the Seventies. Of course all of this is pure speculation, and a definite lost opportunity. But it would of been nice to have seen it happen..

[Suspicious Minds]

I voted for June 1972. Elvis was riding high in the charts both sides of the Atlantic. Of course the Colonel had to knock that idea out. If it wasn't for the Colonel's passport problem we could have seen Elvis touring Europe and the rest of the World.
When Elvis finished his army days. I think they missed a good chance of touring European countries.

[Elvis 1972]

I saw Elvis in Vegas in September 1972, he was magnificent and he was in great shape. I think that 1972 would have been the right time for him to have toured outside of the USA.
When I met Elvis, he said that he wanted to come to England, unfortunately he never did.

[Trev1]

After the Hawaiian concert in 61 he shouda kept going and done a tour of Europe instead of making all the movies

[vulcandude]

Personally, I think Elvis would have had his best chances for a European/World Tour after Aloha From Hawaii because he was still riding the crest of the wave of success the TV special had brought, and also with "Burning Love" having been #2. I truly think both he and the TCB Band were on the top of their game, and had it not been for Colonel Parker, the world would really have gotten to see Elvis, not just via satelite on TV. The whole thing could have invigorated Elvis much more, and the later missed recording seesions in 76 and 77 might not have been missed. Elvis might not have died when he did. But, as much as I love thinking about these things that he could have done, (and I wish he had), it also brings me to tears because we are talking about things that should have been more than 30 years ago......

[Trisi]

I voted for 57 early 58 because i think that was elvis at his peak(my opinion)
and could you imagine how wonderful it would be if we have a CD of Elvis singin' Mean Woman Blues in Munich or London......

[moondust]

I think 72 would have been the best time for Elvis and Europe ...

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Where do I start?

I love the raw edgy sound from 1969 but the time was not right for Elvis to do world tour as he was establishing him self again.

1970 just After "That's The Way It Is" would have been a fantastic opportunity.

1972............ I'm just not sure, after MSG yes, but when you see the "Elvis On Tour" movie you just see a different man to the MSG shows, he sounds fantastic but looks a little jaded

1973 Elvis seems to have re-energised himself, although I prefer the setlists in 1972.............................................. ......................

I'll have too go for 1970

[T_J]

Hard question really, because we'll never know how great Elvis would have been live in the early-mid 60s. We have one live performance from 1961 in poor sound quality. It's very sad that he didn't tour in the period where his voice was probably at its most incredible. Right after TTWII would have been a great time too, as his performances were really intense and dynamic in that period. Even the oldies weren't complete throwaways.

For the dates given, fall 57/early 58 may not have been practical because of filming commitments. June/July 1972 would have been great, after the success of MSG. But I'll go with late 1970.

[Raised on Rock]

I voted for 57 early 58 because i think that was elvis at his peak(my opinion)
and could you imagine how wonderful it would be if we have a CD of Elvis singin' Mean Woman Blues in Munich or London......

I Also Voted (on my own poll hehe...) for the 50's, yes, the sound of the arenas wouldn't be that great (remember how bad was the sound in Beatles concerts?) the media hasn't developed as much to had the covering that Elvis might have got during the 70's, but Elvis in the 50's was the most! yes maybe not the great singer/musician he became later, neither the amazing performer he was by '70, but during the '50 his status was supreme, in the early days of rock and roll, Elvis Touring europe would have been the most explosive S"@!T the world have seen since the Atomic bomb, and the impact of that on the society woud have made that 6 years latter, the atention that the Beatles and other 60's rock bands get didnt look as that much.

In other way, ELvis was the ICon for a whole generation of British and european people, all the 60's rock icons adored him, but lisen, they didn´t even get the chance to see Elvis Live! and we need to know this, when you did see Elvis in person something happened, it was not just his music, his voice, his way of perform a song, his looks, personalty etc. you can get all of that on record and on film/TV and adore him just that way as all those Brits during he 50's and as we who were born after his passing do; but I've read and heard that when you saw Elvis Presley Live something far beyond a great concert happened there, like he was far above and average guy, that was the very magic of Elvis, so belive me, If Europe could have seen Elvis during the 50's, the 60's British rock scene would have had a diferent scenario to perform.

P.S. Anyway, why do we need to chose, ELvis must had to been performing outside the States both during the 50's and then again in the 70's, so in fact both of the dates Ive mentioned on this thread needed to happen.

Jumsuit Junkie, yes, Elvis didnt looked that great on the April '72 tour, bad times in Elvis personal life, but by summer same year it was obvious he did an efort to improve that, and during the MSG gigs I thinks he looked at his best, I mean, from June to Aug '72 along with Aloha '73, thats as close to '70 we can get, the last two times we get to see how good he did looked. Reality is he could have toured overseas during the 50's, and both '70 and '72, I really can't belive that because of someone stupid passport someone like Elvis never did that, so many minor acts during ELvis life time toured over seas more than three times!!!!!

[vulcandude]

Now this might be stretching the imagination a bit, but......if Elvis were alive today, I think a world Tour would be very successful now. Heck, he earned $42 million last year, and he's been dead for 30 years. Can you imagine how successful he'd be if he were alive? Col. Parker has long since passed, so if Elvis were alive, the constraints of not being able to do a world tour because of Parker wouldn't be there anymore, so who knows? If bands like The Rolling Stones can tour and have sell out concerts nearly 40 years after they hit the scene, surely Elvis could. Who knows? It's a nice idea anyway......

[ELV1S]

I would love to have seen Elvis perform a worldwide or european tour in 1957/1958
Im just sittin here imagining E in his Gold Lame Blazer and black trousers rockin Wembley stadium down lol

[toffe]

I would love to have seen Elvis perform a worldwide or european tour in 1957/1958
Im just sittin here imagining E in his Gold Lame Blazer and black trousers rockin Wembley stadium down lol

Ohh..i can imagine

[elvislady]

For me its got to be Elvis World Tour: June-July 1972 what a fantastic show that would be to watch.
elvislady

[Miss Clawdy]

.......P.S. Anyway, why do we need to chose, ELvis must had to been performing outside the States both during the 50's and then again in the 70's, so in fact both of the dates Ive mentioned on this thread needed to happen.

Now this might be stretching the imagination a bit, but......if Elvis were alive today, I think a world Tour would be very successful now. Heck, he earned $42 million last year, and he's been dead for 30 years. Can you imagine how successful he'd be if he were alive? Col. Parker has long since passed, so if Elvis were alive, the constraints of not being able to do a world tour because of Parker wouldn't be there anymore, so who knows? If bands like The Rolling Stones can tour and have sell out concerts nearly 40 years after they hit the scene, surely Elvis could. Who knows? It's a nice idea anyway......

All three World Tours would have been great...alas....

[rickb]

Another example of disgraceful management that he never got that option.
He should have gone after Aloha or in the mid 60s.
Even in 76-77 it might have given him some renewed focus.

[WHITETIGERMAN]

I think that the best time would have been after the Garden shows,or after the Aloha show.Summer of 1972 would have been really the time to go on a world Tour.
He was in top shape.......who knows,the Tours over seas would have kept coming.
I think Lamar Fike was right when he said if Elvis could have Toured over there he would have at least lived another 10 years.ELVIS FOREVER.

[KPM]

Where do I start?

I love the raw edgy sound from 1969 but the time was not right for Elvis to do world tour as he was establishing him self again.

1970 just After "That's The Way It Is" would have been a fantastic opportunity.

1972............ I'm just not sure, after MSG yes, but when you see the "Elvis On Tour" movie you just see a different man to the MSG shows, he sounds fantastic but looks a little jaded

1973 Elvis seems to have re-energised himself, although I prefer the setlists in 1972.............................................. ......................

I'll have too go for 1970

That is also my opinion 1970 would have been great.

[boogie]

I'll go for the end of 1970, top shape,and "that's the way it is" running....