Elvis 1977 and Elvis 1973

[mn-designs]

Yesterday i watched the cbs tapes (for the -who knows- times) and right after these tapes i put the new Aloha dvd in...
What almost shocked me was that Elvis seems to have a little more fun on stage on those cbs tapes than he had in the Aloha show, almost as he was giving his very first concert ever, after almost every song he puts a big smile on, like he wanted to say: you all see, i can still do it! (for example: after trying to get to you, hurt, hound dog, that's all right mama ect.) and he seems to get a lot of reaction from his band, look at charlie hodge when Elvis sings Hurt, he is almost shouting to Elvis: yeah come on!, the song that really stood out for me was Unchained Melody, god what a power in that voice..
This all can be seen on the rapid city concert and a part of the omaha concert (this concert was not the best he ever gave but some great vocals)
And when this tapes was over i turned the aloha on...he did sing some great songs there (never heard a better version of What now my love or you gave me a mountain) but i really have to say that something is missing in this show, and that is the fun..man he was giving the biggest show in the world, seen by the biggest audience in the world..and it was all so..controled, so rehearsed..and the tempo in this show was little to slow, most people outside the US saw him for the first time..and what was he singing? My way..a little strange for a man who was at the peak of his career and known as the king of rock and roll..
I also have to say that i love this aloha special, i am a big fan of the 70's Elvis and his 70's ballads/rockers..but this show was completly different than the Elvis On Tour from 1 year earlier..
If i was his stage manager for that show this is what i would do for a setlist:

Opening/ drum roll by ronnie tutt (like 69 shows)
That's all right mama/see see rider (medley)
Steamroller Blues
Burning love
Polk salad annie
R/R medley: Jailhouse rock/don't be cruel/all shook up/hound dog/blue suede shoes/one night.
You gave me a mountain
Never been to spain
Proud mary
What now my love
It's over
Suspicious minds
Band inroductions
Welcome to my world
I'll remember you
Fever
How great thow art
An american trilogy
Bridge over troubled water
A big hunk of love
Long tall sally/whole lotta shaking going on
Heartbreak hotel
Thank you words to the world
The impossible dream (due the fact that this was for him in 1956 the impossible dream..)
Closing theme

I think that this setlist has a good pacing and covers his career from 1956 to 1973, and the show had even more great reviews and ratings..
What do you think? i'm a right?

[E.L.V.I.S]

this is very easy to answer.

Elvis was determined to be serious and not mess up.This is why he never attempted such titles as 'polk salad annie' and didnt do the fast version of 'suspicious minds',as he basically didnt want to mess it up and to keep a serious feel to the show.
Whereas in '77 he hasnt really a care,ok it was to be shown on cbs,but not on the big scale as aloha.To tell you the truth i think he had 'fun' in aloha also.Like the part when he trows the water or the sneaky smile to the fans as they try to pull his rings off.For me aloha is just as much fun as any show

[Cherokee]

Perhaps maybe also a factor was that on his birthday he, only days earlier, he had officially filed for divorce from Priscilla (after SHE told him she was leaving him, HE was the one who eventually filed).......

I also read that he was experiencing his first, serious, health problems in the months leading up to Hawaii.....

[Lonniebealestreet]

Great observations.

I think Elvis did indeed have some fun in the Aloha show, and I think that is more apparent now with the new edit, but I think it's also true that in Rapid City (and Omaha to some extent) his enjoyment of his performance was more evident.

He was looser, quicker to smile, and actually about equally as mobile--at a time when he was obviously not well. I've heard others say this too, but the '77 material is so enjoyable to watch because he seems more down to earth, more real, and that's not just because he was heavier and therefore looked more human. He just seemed to soften up somehow and perhaps part of it was because of the physical change. Whatever the reason, and even if it wasn't entirely true, he seemed like a happy and kind soul in that footage. And he still could sing his *** off.

Much has been made of the vast changes in Elvis's voice over the course of his career. This is indeed very apparent, and we can all speculate about the possible reasons for the changes at different stages of his life. People also often say that he sang the way he did in '77 (lots of "yelling") because he no longer possessed the control and tonality to deliver his softer singing voice as effectively. I don't really agree with that, but there is probably some truth to it, just as there were probably similar reasons for changing his singing style throughout his career--to adapt to his changing voice and capitalize on his strengths. But I think that the Hawaiian Wedding Song, Are You Lonesome Tonight (listen to the very end), and the beginning of How Great Thou Art all were delivered quite beautifully.

OK, big digression there.

Back to Aloha, Patrick, that would have been a very exciting tracklisting for that show. But I think that Elvis at that point was trying to show the world that he was maturing, and that he was capable of singing all kinds of songs very well. Generally speaking, I think our lamenting how Elvis didn't sing more rock and roll in the 70s is not considerate of what Elvis was into, and what music he most closely identified with and personally enjoyed...and therefore probably performed the best. However, the songs you chose there would probably have made for a show that more greatly impressed the masses--and who knows, may have been enjoyed more by people like us.

[Cherokee]

People also often say that he sang the way he did in '77 (lots of "yelling") because he no longer possessed the control and tonality to deliver his softer singing voice as effectively. I don't really agree with that,

Well, I'm one of the people who's referred to many occasions in, mainly, 1977 where he resorted to "yelling". But my p.o.v. has always been not necessarily that he "no longer possessed the control and tonality" but that he did it more to prove to people that, despite the fact that he did not look (and in fact in reality indeed wasn't) healthy anymore, he still had the power to deliver.
So, more of a defiant thing "I may look bad, but hear me roar like old times!" Except that in the "old times" his voice was loud and powerful without sounding like yelling
So, that is what I meant with my remarks about the "yelling".

[Lonniebealestreet]

I'm sure there is some truth to that, and I'm glad to know you don't think his motivation was to cover up certain shortcomings in his voice. Thanks for explaining.

[Jungleroom76]

I really can't offer any more insight than everyone else here in this thread, only to say that I agree that Elvis' "restrained" performance during the ALOHA show was probably due to the stress of the whole show....knowing it was being televised globally, and that if he made a mistake, millions of people would see it! I know if that was me, I certainly would have been nervous!!

And, as many of you know (and Bobby can attest to this), I really can't stress enough that in my opinion, Elvis sounded better than ever in 1977! His voice was still as strong as ever, and despite his obvious deteriorating appearance, he could still deliver a song like no one else can, could, or ever will!!

TCB!
Mike

[buttonhead]

Maybe ...Elvis knew that it was one of his last concerts and he just wanted to do his very best on stage despite what rumors about his health and personal life. the hawaii concert was surely giving him such pressure and as i watched it i could tell he is nervous,...he IS also nervous on the CBS special and he admitted on stage " if you think i am nervous, youre right"..but again elvis just play his act as an entertainer, something that none of us could and that is his talent which makes everyone here on TCB forums loves him even more.

[mn-designs]

thanks for all the replies, it seems that the most people agree with the differences between the 2 shows. I'll gonna make a cd-cover for this new aloha tracklist and make a audio cd for it, so watch the art work gallery for it! it should be there by the end of the week or early next week, here is tracklist once again:

Opening/ drum roll by ronnie tutt (like 69 shows)
That's all right mama/see see rider (medley)
Steamroller Blues
Burning love
Polk salad annie
R/R medley: Jailhouse rock/don't be cruel/all shook up/hound dog/blue suede shoes/one night.
You gave me a mountain
Never been to spain
Proud mary
What now my love
It's over
Suspicious minds
Band inroductions
Welcome to my world
I'll remember you
Fever
How great thow art
An american trilogy
Bridge over troubled water
A big hunk of love
Long tall sally/whole lotta shaking going on
Heartbreak hotel
Thank you words to the world
The impossible dream (due the fact that this was for him in 1956 the impossible dream..)
Closing theme

I have a pretty good audio software programm but i takes time to create the 50's medley..so bare with me..i need all the help i can get..to use elvis' words...

[Lonniebealestreet]

Cool, Patrick. (h)