Memphis 74 Concert

Weil's gerade so schön paßt, hier nochmal die see-see-rider-review:



<span style='font-size:16pt;line-height:100%'>"Don't believe them!"</span>

"Elvis's fifth live album, Live On Stage In Memphis, is (most people will tell you) his worst. Don't believe them."

Author Paul Simpson ("The Rough Guide To Elvis") then gives a short and sweet review of one of Presley's most underrated and overlooked albums of the 1970ies and explains why it isn't his worst live album. Since "Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis" has recently been discussed superficially in another thread, I'd like to give it some kind of review right here in the review section of this messageboard.

<!--aimg--><a href=' images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000002W12.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg ' target='_blank'> <!--Resize_Images_Hint_Text--><!--/aimg-->

The two strongest arguments for being his worst live album have always been that 1.) the recording was edited and didn't feature all of the songs performed during this concert, and 2.) audience reactions and applause have been overdubbed for release. Well, while the overdubbing surely is not only annoying but completely silly somehow (did Elvis Presley really need fake applause on his first hometown appearance in 13 years??) the other argument doesn't hold: The first two live albums after Presley's 1969 live comeback (In Person and On Stage) didn't contain a complete concert also. And in its original release the latter one even had additional audience reactions overdubbed, too.

<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>"Elvis", "Memphis", "Hometown"</span>

So, while Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis didn't feature the complete performance of March 20th, 1974, it's still a worthwile listen. This isn't Elvis giving the "once in a lifetime" kinda performance he did in Hawaii 14 months earlier to this giving him the last #1 album of his lifetime. On the other hand this is probably more Elvis than "Aloha" was. Being his first concert in his hometown Memphis in 13 years (let's say "his first recorded and released concert in his hometown Memphis in 13 years", 'cause he already had performed there some days before) this release plays with the ideas of "hometown", "Memphis", and hence "early career" and "rock'n'roll" somehow.

With "I Got A Woman", "Trying To Get To You", "My Baby Left Me" and "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy" this album features some of his earliest songs, most of them rarely performed in concert. Track 5, a medley, even contains some other early performances like "Mama Don't Dance" and "Flip, Flop And Fly" (besides the rockers "Long Tall Sallly" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" that have already been issued on "Aloha).

<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Mainly new material</span>

Focussing somewhat on Elvis' musical roots the album also features three top-notch gospel performances ("Why Me Lord", "How Great Thou Art" and the recently recorded but not yet released "Help Me"). "How Great Thou Art" even provided Elvis with his third Grammy award for a gospel recording in 1974 and is the best version available on record. "Let Me Be There", a recent hit for Olivia Newton-John, was just another new song that hasn't been heard by Elvis before. It remained a part of his show after the Memphis concert as some kind of a shop stopper. Here it's sung with confidence and soul and even a little reprise. When Felton Jarvis was searching for material to add to Elvis 1977 album Moody Blue it was "Let Me Be There" that was included. It the kind of fun song to sing along with that wasn't there on the New York or Hawaiian concert.

The album opens and closes with "See See Rider" and "Can't Help Falling In Love" but you can't really blame it for doing so since both were regular numbers of his live concerts in 1974. So, "An American Trilogy" and "Love Me" remain the only two songs that have been released on two of his five live albums before. While "Trilogy" really didn't ask for a third release, "Love Me" is performed in a somewhat different mood making the song more enjoyable than on his Madison Square Garden concert.

"I Can't Stop Loving You" has also been released on both his MSG and Hawaiian album. But combined with another early rock song, "Blueberry Hill", by one of Elvis' musical idols, Fats Domino, this is a neat addition. IMO it's better sung than on the two release that preceeded this album.


<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>A "worthwile" performance</span>

Different from both As Recorded At Madison Square Garden and Aloha From Hawaii, Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis presents us a good-humoured Elvis all the way through this performance. After two personally difficult years Elvis finally seemed to have regained fun in live performance in 1974. This album has him joking and chatting with the audience like he did only on In Person and On Stage.

His voice had matured during the years giving him the opportunity to sing songs like "Why Me Lord" or "How Great Thou Art". Still the oldies are performed in a no less than amazing way. "Trying To Get To You", "My Baby Left Me" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" alone are worth buying this CD. When he goes into the high notes with "Wheeen I read your loving le-he-teeeeeer, then my heaaaaart began to si-hi-hiiiing", it makes your heart flutter. The same goes for "There was nothin' that could hold meeeee, oooooooor could keep me away from you", presented with a roughness that only the King Of Rock'n'Roll or Mick Jagger could come up with without seeming totally silly at the age of 39 or fifty-something respectively. During "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy" he encourages his piano player ("Play it, Glen!") and obviously seems to enjoy the song when he commands his band, a god-damn hunk o' background singers and a whole orchestra with a short: "One more time ..." Folks believe it or not but that's just gorgeous!

Obviously Elvis also enjoys "I Can't Stop Loving You" much more than the years before (1972 and '73) and gives an amazing vocal performance. At one point he incorporates a little joke when he sings "I made up my mind / To live in Tennessee - uh - memory". His laugh only a few notes later shows that it was an Elvis who was feeling pretty well performing his hometown in front of 12,500 people.

The cover of this album is something special, too. For the first time ever it didn't feature a picture of Elvis but his Memphis mansion "Graceland" instead. When during the last bars of the "Closing Vamp" it is anounced that "Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has left for Graceland. Thank you, good night. This concert was recorded live right here in the Midsouth Coliseum in Elvis's hometown Memphis, Tennessee ...", this is something special somehow. Though overdubbed later it never fails to give me some great goose bumps.

For its CD release the concert has been "digitally remastered" and provides a pretty good sound (forget the overdubbed applause) and made Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis one of my favorite concert albums ever. All in all a pretty "worthwile" concert experience. I pretty much prefer it to the Madison Square Garden concert that's just sounding terribly IMO and "Aloha" which features some rare and unique material but doesn't even have a spark of fun or enjoyment.

"It's always been said that a person cannot return to their hometowns but you have just disproven that theory completely - and you really made it worthwile." - So, if you still think this is "is worst live album" - it really isn't!

Und noch ein englisches Review von den FECC Seiten. Grundlage war die cd "Steamroller Blues".

The title says it all, " I'm a steamroller baby, I'm gonna roll all over you! " This is the last show from the longest and quite possibly the best tour of Elvis' career. March of 1974 saw Elvis on the road from the 1st to the 20th, giving 110% at each show, and seeming to love every minute of performing to an adoring audience. Whatever problems had plagued him in 1973 were left behind with the successful Stax recordings in December. Memphis had to wait five years for Elvis to play his hometown, but he made up for it with the five shows he gave on the 16th, 17th, & 20th. Although he was no longer giving the "totally insane" performances of 69 & 70, he was still very physical in his presentation and his voice had matured into an awesome richness that left nothing out of his reach. RCA released a highly edited and overdubbed recording of this show in the summer of 1974, but we had to wait until 1994 for the fine people at Ft. Baxter to give us the complete show. The first half of this cd is from the mixing disk and the second half is from the master tape. The sound is excellent either way.
The cd begins in the middle of Theme 2001 and then Ronnie Tutt's fantastic drumroll leads to the best performance of "See See Rider" I have ever heard. Next, the familiar well-wells introduce an outstanding " I Got A Woman," first heard live on the RCA albumn of this show. After this terrific start Elvis greets his hometown audience and leads on into a fairly standard " Love Me." Next is a fantastic "Trying To Get To You" with Elvis displaying the full power of his voice throughout the chorus. "All Shook Up" is taken at warp speed, but is still a good tune. One of the best blues numbers that Elvis incorporated into his live shows was James Taylor's "Steamroller Blues." The version here is one of his very best efforts on this song and the band is right with him. "Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel" and "Love Me Tender" are next and pretty much the same as always. The medley of "Long Tall Sally, Whole Lotta Shakin', Mama Don't Dance, Flip-Flop & Fly, Jailhouse Rock, and Hound Dog" is anything you want to call it. Any two of them would have been great for this spot, instead we get them all shoved together.

"Fever" is highlighted by a very excited female fan who is encouraged to wait until after the show to do her thing! A thumping "Polk Salad Annie" gets the audience in a frenzy as Elvis cranks up the ending. Elvis had just started performing this song again in January and these "later" versions are as good as the ones from 1970. A little break is needed after that workout and Elvis asks J.D. Summner & the Stamps to sing "Why Me, Lord?" This song first appeared in January at the Vegas engagement when Elvis turned and asked J.D. to sing it with absolutely no warning. The song is very well done here with Elvis joining in on the chorus.

"How Great Thou Art " is next and it is indeed a masterful performance. So much so that Elvis would win his third grammy award for best inspirational performance of 1974. This song had been performed live since 1971, but had not been released until the RCA recording of this show. It was inexcusably left out of the movie ELVIS ON TOUR, not performed at Madison Square Garden or the Aloha show, but here Elvis delivers every bit of power and dedication he can muster. It is most definitely a career highlight. "Suspicious Minds" is shorter than usual, but still cranking, although I wish Charlie Hodges harmony vocal was less prevalent. The band introductions follow and are short and to the point. A little bit of "Blueberry Hill" prefaces an excellent "Can't Stop Loving You" as Elvis extends the final notes beautifully. "Help Me" is introduced as a song that he has recently recorded and is another excellent performance. Sadly this was the only song from the 1973 Stax sessions to be included at this show. Elvis' homecoming should have been the premier of "It's Midnight, Promised Land, If You Talk In Your Sleep," etc, etc. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

The Southern National Anthem "American Trilogy " follows and is impressive as always. "Let Me Be There" is given a very strong performance here complete with oncore and there is no doubt Elvis really likes the song. "My Baby Left Me" is a little repetitive, but "Lawdy Miss Clawdy " is fantastic! I have always liked the way this song was performed in the 70's, especially with the swinging orchestral arrangement. "Funny How Time Slips Away" is very appropriate here as Elvis last performed in his hometown in 1961. At it's conclusion Elvis tells the audience how "it's always been said that a person cannot return to their homtowns, but you've really made it worth while." This is echoed by the fact that the Memphis fans were so eager to see him, they sold out five shows in record time. Finally "Can't Help Falling In Love" brings the show to a close and "Elvis has left for Graceland."

This is one of a handfull of shows that standout from Elvis' live performance period of 1969 to 1977. It is a damn shame that no one at BMG has given this recording it's proper credit. I would have much rather have had a remixed and mastered version of this show than the ALOHA FROM HAWAII show. BMG gave us all a fantastic gift with AN AFTERNOON IN THE GARDEN, but they owe us this one. Ft. Baxter should be highly commended for bringing us this cd. They have brought us some of the best and most interesting titles from the "import" market and hopefully they can continue to do this.
Reviewed By Mark Littlejohn, USA

Mal gucken ob es auf FTD kommt

Eine veröffentlichung in der Essential-Elvis Serie wäre aber besser.

Wieso besser?

Da bekommt man ein Booklet und es besteht die Mögl. das die Bänder DSD-geremastered werden ( was bei FTD finanziell kaum möglich wäre ).

Aber auch FTD kann gut remastern ( At The International )

Na Klasse! Der Musik-Sommer ist somit gerettet -und bis zur Weihnachts-CD im Dezember wird alles Andere aus den PKW verbannt. Mein absolutes Lieblingskonzert, bei dem man Elvis bei allerbester Laune und stimmgewaltig erlebt!

Klasse. Ich bin begeistert. Gestern hatte ich noch hier gepostet, das ich das Konzert von FTD erwarte. Welche eine Fügung.

Und darauf mussten wir 30 Jahre warten.

Fort Baxter's quality ist unschlagbar.

Fort Baxter's quality ist unschlagbar.

Doch

Die werden das Baby schon schaukeln

Doch

Die werden das Baby schon schaukeln

the way of BMG is a way with wholes.

the way of BMG is a way with wholes.

Let's wait and see!