Elvis Greatest Vocal Performance

[peter]

What is your favourite live Elvis song (only for his vocal unique)???

My top 5:

01. An American Trilogy (14th January 1973 - was it ever recorded in studio version???)
02. How Great Thou Art (20th March 1974 - Grammy award&#33
03. Trouble (6/1968 - Comeback version)
04. If I Can Dream (6/1968 - Comeback version)
05. Unchained Melody (21st June 1977 - I love this version!!!&#33

[Stefan Kock]

Here?s my top 5:

1. And I Love You So ~ March 22nd 1975 MS (simply brilliant)

2. It?s Midnight ~ March 22nd 1975 MS (breathtaking ending)

3. My Boy ~ May 6th 1975 (much better than the studio version)

4. Trying To Get To You ~ June 21st 1977 (unbeatable vocal version imo )

5. What Now My Love ~ January 12th 1973 (outstanding & magnificent )

[NightRider]

Thats one i will have to think about a bit more

But 'Hurt' will have to figure in it somewhere

[P.S. Annie]

Originally posted by NightRider@Apr 26 2004, 09:23 PM
Thats one i will have to think about a bit more

But 'Hurt' will have to figure in it somewhere

Or a Bridge over troubled water

[JohanD]

Originally posted by NightRider@Apr 26 2004, 08:23 PM
Thats one i will have to think about a bit more

But 'Hurt' will have to figure in it somewhere

I have to agree with that one.

Altough i like his voice in 1970 best(soft,pure,with passion) the live performances of "Hurt" in december 76(always in fact) his vocal range is impressive,a real powerhouse performance.

No wonder the crowds always went wild after hearing such a voice!!

[Albert]

Another great topic

Difficult one, because I keep forgetting the CD's where I've heard the great versions. So I'm sure I've let out some of my favourites, but these are tracks with amazing vocal performances of The King:

1) Surrender..... this is just a classic piece of work. From the high and tender notes to the opera ending. I've read that a guy from the Jordanairs helped him out with this one and said that in order to reach those powerfull notes, Elvis had to pretend vomitting.

2) What Now My Love (17.2.73 from "We'll Make You Happy") a better version than the (a bit tensed) one from The Aloha.

3) How Great Thou Art (from te CD "Just Pretend") imagine that this song is performed between rockers by a Rock artist. In times where dancing and playbacking is more normal than performing the goods, a song like this, performed this way is simply unique. So sincere, so powerfull..... a tribute to religion.

4) The Impossible Dream (from "As Recorded In Madison Square Garden") it's not only the notes, the difficulty of the song, the dynamic, but also the fact that he did it perfectly on such an important night. He did the song many more times, but always seemed to have troubles somewhere in the song. But on that night he nailed the song perfectly. Amazing!

5) If I Can Dream (NBC Comeback Special) It's not only because of the rawness, the power, but more because it shows another Elvis, the true feeling and spirit of an artist who had been hiding this feeling, these emotions for many years. The message came across.... The King Is BACK

[rod]

just pretend

hurt

bridge over troubled water

how great thou art (77)

you gave me a mountain.


i lkie these songs at the moment but as we all know elvis could sing the socks off any song

[Lonniebealestreet]

Can't pick just 5, so I'll narrow it down some by picking my favorite 5 vocal performances from FTDs--at the moment!

Too Much Monkey Business - Alt. take 10
How The Web Was Woven - Alt. take 1
Bringin' It Back - Alt. take 3
Fairytale - Live May 6, 1975
Love Coming Down - Alt. take 2

[carolynlm]

Surprise, surprise, my favourite of all time is Just Pretend from August 1970 TTWII SE..

[Lonniebealestreet]

A shocker indeed!

I must say, if I had to go with one performance that I was going to stick to as faithfully as you have that one, I couldn't do much better than your perennial favorite, Carolyn.

Just Pretend and a bottle of wine, right?

[carolynlm]

It's half a bottle of wine Bobby, I'm an inexpensive date.........

[Lonniebealestreet]

...or better yet, stick to the full bottle and play the song (or video) twice!

[Elena/The Russian EP Fan Club]

1. The Sound of Your Cry(Nashville Marathon)

2. If I Can Dream (Comeback Special)

3. An American Trilogy (14th January 1973)

4. How Great Thou Art (20th March 1974)

5. The Impossible Dream (Madison Square Garden)

6. Danny Boy (Tucson'76)

[peter]

:bash:

Yes I forgot on few songs....

Again:

01. An American Trilogy - 14th January 73 - this is Elvis and this is Elvis? voice!!!
02. How Great Thou Art - 20th March 74 - still no change
03. Bridge Over Troubled Water - 26th June 77 - best version I ever heard!!!
04. Hurt - 19th June 77 - this show was bad, but this was amazing performance!
05. If I Can Dream - June 68 - one of his best gospel songs!
06. Trouble - June 68 - great performance!
07. Unchained Melody - 21st June 77 - my favourite version of this song
08. You Gave Me A Mountain - 14th January 73 - Aloha was his best concert from vocal point
09. Steamroller Blues - 21st March 76 - great performance!
10. What Now My Love - 12th January 73 - amazing vocal range (but not largest I known), nice great feeling in the song, simply great performance!!

[Jungleroom76]

Here's my Top 5 (at this very moment....subject to change depending on my mood!&#33

1. HURT (from "Elvis In Concert")
2. WHAT NOW MY LOVE (from "Aloha From Hawaii")
3. FAIRYTALE (from the FTD release "Spring Tours '77")
4. MY WAY (from "Elvis In Concert")
5. AMERICAN TRILOGY (from "Aloha From Hawaii")


However...there are a couple of performances that are bubbling just under my Top 5 list...

1. BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER (from Greensboro 4/14/72 as seen in "Elvis On Tour")
2. HOW GREAT THOU ART (from "Elvis In Concert")
3. CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE (from Largo, MD. 5/22/77)
4. HOW THE WEB WAS WOVEN (from "That's The Way It Is")

GREAT QUESTION PETER!!

TCB!
Mike

[peter]

I think that GREAT performance is Let Yourself Go on Comeback! It?s STUNNING VOICE!!! Maybe best I ever heard!!!

[Elvis' Babe]

1) unchained melody - june 21, 1977
2) american trilogy - january 14, 1973
3) lawdy miss clawdy/can't help falling in love - eot '72
4) polk salad annie - ttwii '70
5) suspicious minds - ttwii '70

[kennyelvis]

Albert got it right
"Surrender"
"Tomorrow never comes" are a very good one too, but there are so many good ones, but i will put "Surrender" on my top list, with "Bridge" from the on tour movie as a good nr two :worthy:

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Quite difficult

Polk Salad Annie (1970 with long intro) Fantastic song more because of the way Elvis sings this with passion and a southern drawl

Proud Mary (1972 Elvis On Tour) Just one of those songs that gets me going

I Got A Woman (1970 TTWII) probably one of my favourite concert songs along with my next choice

Mystery Train/Tiger Man (1970 TTWII) another which gets the motor running

American Trilogy (1972 On Tour) A real roller coaster of a song that builds to a crescendo just awesome

[boogie]

here's my top

american trilogy (aloha and "desert storm")
hurt (dallas 76)
bridge (ttwii disc 2)
lawdy miss clawdy (memphis 74)