Was CBS trying to embarrass Elvis?

[vivaelvis]

Back in October of 1977, Elvis In Concert aired for the first time on CBS television. Looking back on it today, I have to wonder, did CBS set out to mock or embarrass Elvis following his death? The reason I say this is the horrible choice of song selection they chose to use instead of the more stellar performances left out. The corny fan interviews didn't help either as they seemed to mock his once iconic status. The comments like "where retired people and all ages come to see him, I think" made it look like his audience was filled with grandmas and grandpas on the same level as Lawrence Welk when that was not the case. Then there's the one of the woman claiming her 12 year old daughter had no idea who the man was. Give me a break! There wasn't a soul on earth back then that didn't know who he was. Even children loved him.

Below is a comparison of what was used opposed to what should have been used to show the BEST of Elvis in 1977 as his final hurrah.

Show selection

See See Rider
That's All Right
Are You Lonesome Tonight
Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel
You Gave Me A Mountain
Jailhouse Rock
How Great Thou Art
Early Morning Rain
I Really Don't Want To Know
Hurt
Hound Dog
My Way
Can't Help Falling In Love

Now, what should have been used to describe the final tour (leaving out the stupid fan comments). The added songs are in bold.

See See Rider
That's All Right
If You Love Me Let Me Know (a popular song at the time by Olivia Newton John)
Little Sister
You Gave Me A Mountain
Jailhouse Rock
How Great Thou Art
Trying To Get To You
Hawaiian Wedding Song
What'd I Say
Johnny B Goode
My Way
I Really Don't Want To Know
Hurt
Unchained Melody (the vocals were strong and soulful)
Can't Help Falling In Love

Imo, I think this setlist would have gone a longer way in showing the real Elvis at the end and not a shadow of what once was.

[King Of The Whole World]

Viva you make a lot of good points. I don't know if they were trying to embarrass him or not. It would have been a better show if they would have used the songs you brought up. Elvis did a nice version of these songs. Also that rendition of Unchained Melody was the best version by Elvis and any other artist. If I remember correctly I think they actually finished editing the show before Elvis died. So they could have not wanted to go back and take the time to edit the show or the interviews.

Yes I do agree some of the fan comments are a little weird. I think they were trying to say everyone comes to see Elvis but it wasn’t very clear. The interview that always kind of drove me crazy is where the guy with the jet black hair and sideburns, he and his wife were in a tornado. That one is like they are making fun of Elvis.

My mom said she was talking with a person the other day who was younger and from Brazil and they had to Google who Elvis was. She said she didn’t believe him and thought he was trying to be funny. I don’t know how anybody could say they don’t know who Elvis is.

[Raised on Rock]

I don't think they where trying to hurt Elvis, why would they? on the other hand, yes they did. I think they where just being cheap and uncreative, looking for quick cash, well yes, that did put Elvis in a bad spot, just like back in the Harum Scarum days.

I think its was just a bad directed/produced TV Special, I mean aside Elvis bad condition, the show is poorly edited, poor camera angles, poor narrative and timing, unoriginal, non creative, it was just so poorly produced and concieved all they way from the begining. Now if you add Elvis at his worst to that, well it was bad news for sure... And as Presley's swan song? God! now wonder that terrible image got stuck so badly in the collective memory. Pretty sure that if that Special never ever happened, the Aloha Elvis would have been the most reminded image in the next 5 years after his dead.

I think Col. Parker was back to his mis 60's standars: The boy would do any script if you pay us the fee. Elvis needed the money and I guess CBS not being aware of Elvis bad state though they could make a lot of money investing little cash and work as: it was Elvis and Elvis sell. So basically it was a back to Clambake situation. Did MGM was trying to hurt/mock Elvis back in '67? maybe not, although they surely did.

The fans interviews where awfull, no dissrespect to those fans. But are they worst than the original TTWII ones? Both case it was that retarded idea of Col. Parler to prove that Elvis was an all family entertainer clean as white bread. Sure his appeal was all ages, but it was his original rebeliousnes and youthful energy and freedom what made him so all ages appealing as an entertainer, there was no need to put some old dudes and little kids talking boring stuff to prove it!!! Just give us Elvis!!!! But those whereCol. Parkers out of date ideas. Now by the time of the CBS special was in the works, the Bodyguards book was a current issue, did Parker really though that advising the director of the special to interview a bunch of straights talking about what a clean guy Elvis was would counter act the book? big lol...

[rocknroll]

If they tried, they didn't have to try very hard.

[T_J]

Of course they weren't trying to embarrass him. If they'd wanted to embarrass him, they could have left in more Omaha material, including slurred speech. They would also have included "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" in unedited form.

They just included what they thought was a fair selection of songs, spanning most of his career I guess. I agree that "Tryin' To Get To You" should have gone in, and a couple of performances could have been left out. Unfortunately, neither show gave them too much to work with.

[boquo2]

I don't think they intended to embarrass Elvis and it could have been worse, but I agree they could have improved the song selection, adding Unchained Melody, Trying To Get To You and even Now or Never and If You Love me would have made a better program.

[Ematt]

The only person hurting Elvis was Elvis himself.

[poor boy]

Elvis was his own worst enemy . He knew the special was coming up but yet from what i have read he didnt even bother to rehearse with the band before it . He just ran through the same concert he had been doing for the last couple of years . CBS could only film the concert Elvis performed . Although i hate to say it Elvis made no effort to get in shape even though he knew these performances were going to be seen on prime time tv by millions . He was certainly under the influence of drugs during the Omaha show as seen by his slurred speech and forgeting words . I mean he even had to read the words to My Way , a song he had sang a 100 times on stage which shows the total lack of preperation that he put in for these shows. Elvis should have rehearsed a tight show with new material not phoning in a performance when he knew millions would be seeing this . Elvis just didnt care anymore and there was not much CBS could do about that . People say Elvis was bored by then and blame the col ( i also think the col made a mess of his career in the mid 60s and again after the Aloha special which he never capitalized on ) but Elvis must take some of the blame himself because apart from the odd song here and there Elvis was doing the same concert with very little variety night in night out for 3 years . He had so many hits over the years he could have totally revamped and freshened up his show on a regular basis but he didnt . It was Hound Dog , Love Me , See See Rider , I Got A Woman /Amen ( god did that get boring with JD Sumner ) , Teddy Bear / Dont Be Cruel , Jailhouse Rock and those terrible endless band solos . No wonder he was bored how could he not be , doing the same show over and over and 2 times a night in Vegas . Elvis was in total control of what he did on stage so he must take some of the responsibility . Although i agree CBS could have done a better job , it was Up to Elvis to give them the material to work with and he just didnt deliver .

[Raised on Rock]

Elvis was his own worst enemy . He knew the special was coming up but yet from what i have read he didnt even bother to rehearse with the band before it ... No wonder he was bored how could he not be , doing the same show over and over and 2 times a night in Vegas . Elvis was in total control of what he did on stage so he must take some of the responsibility . Although i agree CBS could have done a better job , it was Up to Elvis to give them the material to work with and he just didnt deliver .

Your totally right about this!!! Although I still believe that the show was poorly produced, edited, and with no inovative ideas regarding TV specials, still if Elvis would have been in top shape and going for a new well rehearsed set list, even the lack of quality in the direction area wouldn't have taken away anything from Elvis magic, but the thing is, the magic was long gonne in that show except for a few moments.

Anyhow, I do think that a total remake of the show today (kind of TTWII SE) would make things not so bad.

[King Of The Whole World]

Elvis was his own worst enemy . He knew the special was coming up but yet from what i have read he didnt even bother to rehearse with the band before it . He just ran through the same concert he had been doing for the last couple of years . CBS could only film the concert Elvis performed . Although i hate to say it Elvis made no effort to get in shape even though he knew these performances were going to be seen on prime time tv by millions . He was certainly under the influence of drugs during the Omaha show as seen by his slurred speech and forgeting words . I mean he even had to read the words to My Way , a song he had sang a 100 times on stage which shows the total lack of preperation that he put in for these shows. Elvis should have rehearsed a tight show with new material not phoning in a performance when he knew millions would be seeing this . Elvis just didnt care anymore and there was not much CBS could do about that . People say Elvis was bored by then and blame the col ( i also think the col made a mess of his career in the mid 60s and again after the Aloha special which he never capitalized on ) but Elvis must take some of the blame himself because apart from the odd song here and there Elvis was doing the same concert with very little variety night in night out for 3 years . He had so many hits over the years he could have totally revamped and freshened up his show on a regular basis but he didnt . It was Hound Dog , Love Me , See See Rider , I Got A Woman /Amen ( god did that get boring with JD Sumner ) , Teddy Bear / Dont Be Cruel , Jailhouse Rock and those terrible endless band solos . No wonder he was bored how could he not be , doing the same show over and over and 2 times a night in Vegas . Elvis was in total control of what he did on stage so he must take some of the responsibility . Although i agree CBS could have done a better job , it was Up to Elvis to give them the material to work with and he just didnt deliver .

It has been discussed on here before but Elvis had trouble with My Way and a couple of other songs. He even had to read the lyrics for the Aloha special and that he rehearsed for that show. A few songs always gave him trouble.

I agree about the band solos but Elvis could no longer put on a show for an hour straight without having breaks in the show.

Yes he did know that they were going to film the shows but he tried to lose the weight and he couldn't do it in the short amount of time. This was one time he could just not get the weight down. Then the Colonel with directions from Elvis tried to get out of the special. Elvis knew he was not in the best of shape.

Elvis was bored there was nothing special about these shows they were just going to be filmed. The Aloha special would be seen all over the world so that was a huge mountain for Elvis to climb. If they would have done these shows overseas or something Elvis would have gotten pumped up to do them. It was just the same ol' cities that he would perform in. So he was bored, what else was there left for Elvis to do. He did everything.

[Snake Eyes]

I don't think it should of aired so soon after his death. Aloha would have been a more fitting tribute, showing everyone exactly what a huge talent had been lost. Although I have watched Rapid City a couple of times now and still think he was handsome, it is painful to see him under the influence

[poor boy]

It has been discussed on here before but Elvis had trouble with My Way and a couple of other songs. He even had to read the lyrics for the Aloha special and that he rehearsed for that show. A few songs always gave him trouble.

I agree about the band solos but Elvis could no longer put on a show for an hour straight without having breaks in the show.

Yes he did know that they were going to film the shows but he tried to lose the weight and he couldn't do it in the short amount of time. This was one time he could just not get the weight down. Then the Colonel with directions from Elvis tried to get out of the special. Elvis knew he was not in the best of shape.

Elvis was bored there was nothing special about these shows they were just going to be filmed. The Aloha special would be seen all over the world so that was a huge mountain for Elvis to climb. If they would have done these shows overseas or something Elvis would have gotten pumped up to do them. It was just the same ol' cities that he would perform in. So he was bored, what else was there left for Elvis to do. He did everything.

Elvis did not read the lyrics to My Way for the Aloha special nor did he have to read them when he was performing it in Vegas in 72 or 73 my friend . When i said get in shape i didnt mean slim right down . I agree he didnt have much time . I meant cut down on the pills so he could give a clear straight show and in shape musically by at least rehearsing some fresh material with his band .

[King Of The Whole World]

Elvis did not read the lyrics to My Way for the Aloha special nor did he have to read them when he was performing it in Vegas in 72 or 73 my friend . When i said get in shape i didnt mean slim right down . I agree he didnt have much time . I meant cut down on the pills so he could give a clear straight show and in shape musically by at least rehearsing some fresh material with his band .

Here is the video with My Way from the Aloha show. Watch his eyes around the 30 second mark, Charlie has them on the stand. He also used the cue cards during the Aloha show you can see those in other videos.

I know there are performances in 72 or 73 where he says "I need to read the lyrics if you don't mind". I will find some of those. I agree he should have tried to clean himself up before the shows like he did for the Aloha concert but the poor guy was bored to tears.

[boquo2]

The whole concept of filming Elvis in the middle of yet another tour at this time was flawed. Whereas Aloha was in a special place and featured two stand-alone concerts, this was done in the middle of nowhere with no significance to Elvis.
Surely it would have been better to have two stand-alone concerts in Memphis and film them? Considering he had two concerts lined up in August in his home town that would have made sense. There was no effort by the producers or management to make these concerts `special, and sadly no effort from elvis either, though I think his Rapid city show is pretty good.

[poor boy]

Here is the video with My Way from the Aloha show. Watch his eyes around the 30 second mark, Charlie has them on the stand. He also used the cue cards during the Aloha show you can see those in other videos.

I know there are performances in 72 or 73 where he says "I need to read the lyrics if you don't mind". I will find some of those. I agree he should have tried to clean himself up before the shows like he did for the Aloha concert but the poor guy was bored to tears.

I see what you mean . He does seem to be glancing towards the stand with the lyrics but that beggers the question why include it at all . Again he had such a huge backlog of hits . It still for me comes down to him knowing that this was going out on tv so at least rehearse but i agree as ive said earlier that he was bored out of his mind .

[vivaelvis]

I see what you mean . He does seem to be glancing towards the stand with the lyrics but that beggers the question why include it at all . Again he had such a huge backlog of hits . It still for me comes down to him knowing that this was going out on tv so at least rehearse but i agree as ive said earlier that he was bored out of his mind .

If I remember correectly, it was RCA who went to Elvis and asked him to do rarities that he had not done live on record up to that point. My Way was one of them that was "new". If you'll notice the song listing for the Aloha show there were quite a few new songs at that time that Elvis had never done on a live recording. Buring Love, Something, You Gave Me A Mountain, Steamroller Blues, My Way, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, What Now My Love, Fever, Welcome To My World, I'll Remember You, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On and A Big Hunk O' Love.

I'm actually surprised that he didn't sing Hawaiian Wedding Song or Blue Hawaii during the live telecast since it was in Hawaii.

[King Of The Whole World]

In all fairness to Elvis with the boring shows comment, I do agree some of the shows were the exact same. But Elvis didn’t know that 35 years after his death people would be buying bootlegs and professional recordings of his shows. So unless you followed him from show to show you wouldn’t know that a lot of the shows were pretty much the same. So if we didn’t have all of those shows you wouldn’t know that the concert they filmed was the same ol tired shows he was doing.

Again, I will just point out that Elvis was bored anyway and there was nothing special about these shows. If he would have been allowed to go overseas or maybe go back to Madison Square Garden and go for 5 sold out shows, he might have gotten excited about the shows and came up with new material.

[ThreeCornPatches]

I dont believe in the part where elvis is ''Bored'' Elvis loved being on stage. Elvis was ready for the cbs special as he wrote in a letter ''I'll shall do my best and make it one of my best shows ever'' If he didnt care for it he wouldnt have done it and to be fair Rapid city was a new building new place. As elvis states during the concert proudly ''I heard that i am the first to play in this building is that true (Audience Claps and screams) elvis: Yeah thats true.

If elvis didnt care for the show or anything he wouldnt have done it. Also during omaha elvis explains ''i never putted on make up in my life, but we had to for the camera's because they get hot, And if u think im nervous.... Your right (With a big smile on his face)

Elvis loved his fans and performing, Sure he didnt like doing his 50s songs anymore. Elvis tried out diffrent songs during the years,but fans simply came to hear him do the jailhouse rock. and ole teddy bear. So in all fairness, u cant judge the songs on elvis
He tried a whole diffrent setlist in August 1974 opening night, Which wasnt reseived well and changed back to see see rider but with some of the songs kept (Proud mary run for 3 or 4 more times after that performance). he went back to the ole routine coz thats what people wanted to hear. He tried again new songs in 1975 and 1976 (Crying in the chapel was sung in both of those years, Young And Beautiful to, I'll remember you was performed till may 1976, You'll never walk alone (only 1 time) I'm leaving was stopped after 1975, Green Green Grass of home was tried in 1975 a few times but went away. Promised Land was sung in 1974-1975 went away. The return of just pretend lived a short while being performed in the december 1975 Season. Elvis tried I just cant help believing in december 1976 opening night. So in all fairness elvis tried to change his setlists but the fans simply couldnt accept some of the new songs. So we cant put it all on elvis for goin back in routine, As he wanted every fan to be happy and enjoy themselfs. If elvis didnt wanna perform he would have performed a show like Closing night '73 where he fired the colonel before the show started because he kept doing vegas over and over. He took him back later on (Sadley) So if elvis really didnt wanted to do it he would have made a show like that. So in all fairness consider how elvis tried to change his setlist, The CBS Special could have been better with It's Now Or Never,Hawaiian wedding Song, If you love me let me know And i would have kept see see rider from rapid city uncut because the break in the song is actually funny and shows us a big smile on elvis face continueing the song like a master.

Think about that!

[poor boy]

I dont believe in the part where elvis is ''Bored'' Elvis loved being on stage. Elvis was ready for the cbs special as he wrote in a letter ''I'll shall do my best and make it one of my best shows ever'' If he didnt care for it he wouldnt have done it and to be fair Rapid city was a new building new place. As elvis states during the concert proudly ''I heard that i am the first to play in this building is that true (Audience Claps and screams) elvis: Yeah thats true.

If elvis didnt care for the show or anything he wouldnt have done it. Also during omaha elvis explains ''i never putted on make up in my life, but we had to for the camera's because they get hot, And if u think im nervous.... Your right (With a big smile on his face)

Elvis loved his fans and performing, Sure he didnt like doing his 50s songs anymore. Elvis tried out diffrent songs during the years,but fans simply came to hear him do the jailhouse rock. and ole teddy bear. So in all fairness, u cant judge the songs on elvis
He tried a whole diffrent setlist in August 1974 opening night, Which wasnt reseived well and changed back to see see rider but with some of the songs kept (Proud mary run for 3 or 4 more times after that performance). he went back to the ole routine coz thats what people wanted to hear. He tried again new songs in 1975 and 1976 (Crying in the chapel was sung in both of those years, Young And Beautiful to, I'll remember you was performed till may 1976, You'll never walk alone (only 1 time) I'm leaving was stopped after 1975, Green Green Grass of home was tried in 1975 a few times but went away. Promised Land was sung in 1974-1975 went away. The return of just pretend lived a short while being performed in the december 1975 Season. Elvis tried I just cant help believing in december 1976 opening night. So in all fairness elvis tried to change his setlists but the fans simply couldnt accept some of the new songs. So we cant put it all on elvis for goin back in routine, As he wanted every fan to be happy and enjoy themselfs. If elvis didnt wanna perform he would have performed a show like Closing night '73 where he fired the colonel before the show started because he kept doing vegas over and over. He took him back later on (Sadley) So if elvis really didnt wanted to do it he would have made a show like that. So in all fairness consider how elvis tried to change his setlist, The CBS Special could have been better with It's Now Or Never,Hawaiian wedding Song, If you love me let me know And i would have kept see see rider from rapid city uncut because the break in the song is actually funny and shows us a big smile on elvis face continueing the song like a master.

Think about that!

Im sorry but i dsagree with you about Elvis trying new material in the last few years . You are just quoting an odd song here and there . Im talking about a whole new set list to freshen things up . You make 2 points . One about fans wanting to hear 50s stuff and that Elvis was tired of singing them . Well he was tired of singing them because he sang the same handfull over and over . He could have sang A Fool Such As i , I Got Stung , I Want You I Need You I Love You , Dont ( Which would have been perfect for his voice in the 70s ) , I Need Your Love Tonight , Too Much , Hard Headed Woman and more . All multi million selling top 5 & No 1 hits . Are you saying the fans wouldnt have been happy with those . You make a second point about his August opening in Vegas and that the new stuff didnt go down well , well im not really surprised . The songs he picked i love but a lot of them only the die hard fans would know . Down In The Alley was an obscure bonus track from a low selling soundtrack album , Good Time Charlies Got The Blues was from the recently released Good Times which had flopped and not even charted in the US , Its Midnight , Promised Land & If You Talk In Your Seep had not even been released yet so no one had heard of them , Softly As I Leave You was Sherill Neilsen singing while Elvis talked the lyrics & Let Me Be There , Bridge Over Troubled Water , Proud Mary & Never Been To Spain were not his hits .So the show didnt go well . Heres a suggestion for a set list to make my point and show it would be a show full of hits , make the fans happy & for Elvis to be singing songs he had rarely done so wouldnt be tired of singing them .
Big Boss Man
I Got Stung
Return To Sender
Kentucky Rain
Rags To Riches
Devil In Disguise
Guitar Man
If I Can Dream
Raised On Rock
Stuck On You
Surrender
Good Luck Charm
Maries The Name ( His Latest Flame )
Always On My Mind
A Fool Such As I
Promised Land
Ive Lost You
I Was The One
King Creole
Fame And Fortune
Now that would have been fresh , made the fans happy & maybe give Elvis and the band a lift aswell .

[King Of The Whole World]

I wasn't trying to say he was bored performing for the people he was bored with song selections and nothing new for concerts. After the Aloha show there was nothing else for him to accomplish. The only opportunities that would make him change his song selections and get himself back in shape would be for a world tour or a great movie role. After that Elvis did absolutely everything a performer could accomplish in a lifetime. So I do think he was bored with aspects of his professional and personal life.

I agree that some of the fans wanted to hear the early songs or the hits but as pointed out by Poor boy there were plenty Elvis could have chose and not been the same songs. I think the fans would have listened to Elvis sing anything really, he just thought they only wanted to hear Hound Dog, Heartbreak Hotel, ect.