Elvis (1968 album)

Elvis is a live album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records in December 1968.[7] It was recorded from his 1968 Elvis special in Burbank, California at Western Recorders on June 20, 21, 22 and 23, 1968, and at NBC Studios (Burbank) on June 27 and 29, 1968. It peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200. It was certified Gold on July 22, 1969 and Platinum on July 15, 1999 by the RIAA.

Elvis
Soundtrack album by Elvis Presley
Released	December 1968
Recorded	June 20–29, 1968
Genre	Rock and roll[1] R&B[1] country[1] gospel[1]
Length	44:27
Label	RCA Victor
Producer	Bones Howe, Steve Binder
Elvis Presley chronology
Elvis Sings Flaming Star (1968) Elvis (1968) From Elvis in Memphis (1969)
Singles from Elvis
"If I Can Dream" Released: November 5, 1968 "Memories" Released: February 25, 1969

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
MusicHound	[3]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]
Rough Guides	[6]

Content

The live album from the Elvis special is the audio-only version of the special, and consists of a mixture of studio and live recordings, the live material itself a mixture of "sit-down" tracks with a small group and "stand-up" tracks with an orchestra.[8]

Unlike the drudgery of the feature film soundtrack recordings, Presley was genuinely excited by the project.[9] For the album, the musical format presented Presley in three different settings: production numbers featuring medleys of his material; an informal small band featuring full songs in front of a live audience; and the two original numbers with Presley backed by an orchestra in front of a live audience.[10] The two ballad tracks from this album were issued as singles. "If I Can Dream" being released earlier in the month, backed on the B-side with a song from his movie in theaters at the time, Live a Little, Love a Little, making it a double promotion on one record. It peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, his highest charting single since 1965.[11] "Memories" was released over two months after the broadcast, backed with the title song to his next film, Charro!.[11] By making it to the top ten on the album chart after his previous album had charted at a dismal #82, this LP resuscitated his recording career at a time when it seemed practically moribund.[12] Presley insisted the mono mixes for these songs were retained for the album.[13]

Reissues

Several hours of music were recorded for the special, and the unused material has been reissued in many different formats over the years.

• On August 27, 1991, RCA released an expanded version for compact disc, including unedited versions of the medleys in several cases.
• Two extensive compact disc releases appeared in 1998, Memories: The '68 Comeback Special featuring more comprehensive versions of the production and orchestral numbers, along with the complete first informal small band show of June 27, and Tiger Man featuring the complete evening show of the two informal small band concerts of June 27, 1968. (Both small band shows would be issued on vinyl as The King in the Ring for Record Store Day 2018.)
• On August 5, 2008, Legacy released The Complete '68 Comeback Special, a 4-CD compilation of the complete recording sessions for the special. It was later expanded and re-issued as '68 Comeback Special - 50th Anniversary Edition on November 30, 2018, adding new stereo mixes of "Memories" and "If I Can Dream" as well as a bonus disc of sessions and alternate takes and two blu-rays worth of video.

Track listing

Original release

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date(s)	Length
1.	"Trouble" "Guitar Man"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Jerry Reed	June 22, 1968	3:26
2.	"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" "Baby What You Want Me to Do" "Heartbreak Hotel" "Hound Dog" "All Shook Up" "Can't Help Falling in Love" "Jailhouse Rock" "Love Me Tender"	Lloyd Price Jimmy Reed Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley George Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Vera Matson and Elvis Presley	June 27–28, 1968	14:52

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date(s)	Length
1.	"Where Could I Go But to the Lord?" "Up Above My Head" "Saved"	J. B. Coats Walter Earl Brown Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 20–21, 1968	7:31
2.	"Blue Christmas" "One Night"	Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King	June 27, 1968	5:33
3.	"Memories"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis	June 23, 1968	3:16
4.	"Nothingville" "Big Boss Man" "Guitar Man" "Little Egypt" "Trouble" "Guitar Man"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis Luther Dixon and Al Smith Jerry Reed Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Jerry Reed	June 20–21, 1968	6:42
5.	"If I Can Dream"	Walter Earl Brown	June 23, 1968	3:19

1991 CD reissue

Bonus sections are listed in italics

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date(s)	Length
1.	"Trouble" "Guitar Man"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Jerry Reed	June 22, 1968	3:26
2.	"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" "Baby What You Want Me to Do"	Lloyd Price Jimmy Reed	June 27, 1968	3:34
3.	"Heartbreak Hotel" "Hound Dog" "All Shook Up" "Can't Help Falling In Love" "Jailhouse Rock" "Don't Be Cruel" "Blue Suede Shoes" "Love Me Tender"	Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley/ George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley Carl Perkins Vera Matson and Elvis Presley	June 29, 1968	14:14
4.	"Where Could I Go But to the Lord?" "Up Above My Head" "Saved"	J. B. Coats Walter Earl Brown Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 21–22, 1968	7:31
5.	"Baby What You Want Me to Do" "That's All Right (Mama)" "Blue Christmas" "One Night" "Tiger Man" "Trying to Get to You"	Jimmy Reed Arthur Crudup Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King Lewis Burns, Al Lewis, Joe Hill Louis Rose Marie McCoy and Charles Singleton	June 27, 1968	15:49
6.	"Memories"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis	June 23, 1968	3:16
7.	"Nothingville" "Big Boss Man" "Let Yourself Go" "It Hurts Me" "Guitar Man" "Little Egypt" "Trouble"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis Luther Dixon and Al Smith Joy Byers Joy Byers and Charlie Daniels Jerry Reed Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 20–21, 1968	11:46
8.	"If I Can Dream"	Walter Earl Brown	June 23, 1968	3:19

Memories

Disc one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date	Length
1.	"Trouble" "Guitar Man"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Jerry Reed	June 22, 1968	3:22
2.	"Heartbreak Hotel"	Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley	June 29, 1968	1:34
3.	"Hound Dog"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 29, 1968	0:47
4.	"All Shook Up"	Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley	June 29, 1968	2:01
5.	"Can't Help Falling In Love"	George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore	June 29, 1968	2:19
6.	"Jailhouse Rock"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 29, 1968	1:59
7.	"Don't Be Cruel"	Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley	June 29, 1968	1:42
8.	"Blue Suede Shoes"	Carl Perkins	June 29, 1968	2:24
9.	"Love Me Tender"	Vera Matson and Elvis Presley	June 29, 1968	3:29
10.	"Baby What You Want Me to Do"	Jimmy Reed	June 29, 1968	3:16
11.	"Trouble" "Guitar Man"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Jerry Reed	June 22, 1968	4:22
12.	"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" (Vocals: Darlene Love) Where Could I Go But to the Lord?" "Up Above My Head" "Saved"	Traditional (arranged by Walter Earl Brown) J. B. Coats Walter Earl Brown Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 21–28, 1968	9:00
13.	"Memories"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis	June 23, 1968	3:15
14.	"A Little Less Conversation"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis	June 23, 1968	1:43
15.	"Nothingville" "Big Boss Man" "Let Yourself Go" "It Hurts Me" "Guitar Man" "Little Egypt" "Trouble"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis Luther Dixon and Al Smith Joy Byers Joy Byers and Charles E. Daniels Jerry Reed Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 20–21, 1968	15:42
16.	"If I Can Dream"	Walter Earl Brown	June 23, 1968	3:11

Disc two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date	Length
1.	"When It Rains, It Really Pours"	Billy Emerson	June 24, 1968	1:51
2.	"Lawdy, Miss Clawdy"	Lloyd Price	June 25, 1968	1:45
3.	"Baby What You Want Me To Do"	Jimmy Reed	June 26, 1968	1:27
4.	"That's All Right"	Arthur Crudup	June 27, 1968	6:42
5.	"Heartbreak Hotel"	Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley	June 27, 1968	2:53
6.	"Love Me"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	June 27, 1968	2:55
7.	"Baby What You Want Me To Do"	Jimmy Reed	June 27, 1968	3:45
8.	"Blue Suede Shoes"	Carl Perkins	June 27, 1968	4:40
9.	"Baby What You Want Me To Do"	Jimmy Reed	June 27, 1968	2:53
10.	"Lawdy, Miss Clawdy"	Lloyd Price	June 27, 1968	4:03
11.	"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"	Roy Turk and Lou Handman	June 27, 1968	2:56
12.	"When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again"	Wiley Walker and Gene Sullivan	June 27, 1968	0:38
13.	"Blue Christmas"	Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson	June 27, 1968	2:27
14.	"Trying To Get To You"	Rose Marie McCoy and Charles Singleton	June 27, 1968	2:58
15.	"One Night"	Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King	June 27, 1968	3:54
16.	"Baby What You Want Me To Do"	Jimmy Reed	June 27, 1968	3:59
17.	"One Night"	Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King	June 27, 1968	3:51
18.	"Memories"	Billy Strange and Mac Davis	June 27, 1968	3:25
19.	"If I Can Dream"	Walter Earl Brown	June 30, 1968	3:10

The Complete '68 Comeback Special

Disc one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Trouble" / "Guitar Man"	3:29
2.	"Lawdy, Miss Clawdy" / "Baby What You Want Me to Do" / "Heartbreak Hotel" / "Hound Dog" / "All Shook Up" / "Can't Help Falling In Love" / "Jailhouse Rock" / "Don't Be Cruel" / "Blue Suede Shoes" / "Love Me Tender"	14:42
3.	"Where Could I Go But to the Lord" / "Up Above My Head" / "Saved"	7:35
4.	"Blue Christmas" / "One Night"	5:34
5.	"Memories"	3:20
6.	"Medley: Nothingville" / "Big Boss Man" / "Guitar Man" / "Little Egypt" / "Trouble" / "Guitar Man"	6:43
7.	"If I Can Dream"	3:22
8.	"It Hurts Me"	2:32
9.	"Let Yourself Go"	2:37
10.	"A Little Less Conversation"	1:46
11.	"Memories"	3:08
12.	"If I Can Dream"	3:09

Disc two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"That's All Right"	4:08
2.	"Heartbreak Hotel"	2:54
3.	"Love Me"	3:12
4.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	5:44
5.	"Blue Suede Shoes"	2:20
6.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	4:02
7.	"Lawdy, Miss Clawdy"	3:02
8.	"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"	2:51
9.	"When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again"	0:38
10.	"Blue Christmas"	2:36
11.	"Trying to Get to You"	2:49
12.	"One Night"	3:56
13.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	5:10
14.	"One Night"	2:37
15.	"Memories"	3:26
16.	"Heartbreak Hotel"	1:28
17.	"Hound Dog"	0:46
18.	"All Shook Up"	1:57
19.	"Can't Help Falling in Love"	2:18
20.	"Jailhouse Rock"	1:59
21.	"Don't Be Cruel"	1:42
22.	"Blue Suede Shoes"	2:33
23.	"Love Me Tender"	4:17
24.	"Trouble"	3:01
25.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	3:05
26.	"If I Can Dream"	3:16

Disc three

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Heartbreak Hotel"	4:12
2.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	3:27
3.	"Introductions"	2:16
4.	"That's All Right"	3:07
5.	"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"	3:59
6.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	3:24
7.	"Blue Suede Shoes"	2:26
8.	"One Night"	3:19
9.	"Love Me"	4:14
10.	"Trying to Get to You"	3:04
11.	"Lawdy, Miss Clawdy"	2:57
12.	"Santa Claus Is Back in Town"	1:17
13.	"Blue Christmas"	4:02
14.	"Tiger Man"	3:11
15.	"When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again"	1:17
16.	"Memories"	3:15
17.	"Heartbreak Hotel"	1:23
18.	"Hound Dog"	0:46
19.	"All Shook Up"	1:36
20.	"Can't Help Falling in Love"	2:25
21.	"Jailhouse Rock"	2:00
22.	"Don't Be Cruel"	1:37
23.	"Blue Suede Shoes"	2:46
24.	"Love Me Tender"	3:31
25.	"Trouble" / "Guitar Man"	5:10
26.	"Trouble" / "Guitar Man"	2:32
27.	"If I Can Dream"	3:20

Disc four

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I Got a Woman"	2:47
2.	"Blue Moon" / "Young Love" / "Oh, Happy Day"	2:21
3.	"When It Rains It Really Pours"	2:55
4.	"Blue Christmas"	3:28
5.	"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" / "That's My Desire"	3:12
6.	"That's When Your Heartaches Begin"	0:49
7.	"Peter Gunn Theme"	1:37
8.	"Love Me"	1:45
9.	"When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again"	1:52
10.	"Blue Christmas" / "Santa Claus Is Back in Town"	3:03
11.	"Danny Boy"	1:35
12.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	3:22
13.	"Love Me"	2:38
14.	"Tiger Man"	3:14
15.	"Santa Claus Is Back in Town"	2:44
16.	"Lawdy, Miss Clawdy"	2:18
17.	"One Night"	2:18
18.	"Blue Christmas"	2:49
19.	"Baby, What You Want Me to Do"	1:25
20.	"When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again"	1:14
21.	"Blue Moon of Kentucky"	1:43

Personnel

on June 20–23, 29 1968 Elvis Presley – vocals, rhythm guitar The Blossoms – backing vocals Tommy Morgan – harmonica Mike Deasy – electric guitar Al Casey – electric guitar Tommy Tedesco – electric guitar Larry Knechtel – keyboards, bass guitar Don Randi – piano Charles Berghofer – double bass Hal Blaine – drums John Cyr, Elliot Franks – percussion Frank DeVito – bongo Billy Goldenberg – orchestra conductor

on June 27, 1968 Elvis Presley – vocals, acoustic and electric rhythm guitars, lead guitar Scotty Moore – acoustic guitar, lead guitar Charlie Hodge – acoustic guitar, harmony and backing vocals D.J. Fontana – percussion Alan Fortas – percussion Lance LeGault – tambourine

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position 1968 Billboard Pop Albums 8 Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units/sales United States (RIAA)[14] Platinum 1,000,000^^ ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

• Jorgensen, Ernst. Elvis Presley A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998;

1. Litovitz, Adam (March 21, 2016). "All 57 Elvis Prelsey Albums Ranked, From Worst To Best". Vulture. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
2. Elvis at AllMusic
3. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds) (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 891. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
4. Marcus, Greil (April 19, 1969). "Records". Rolling Stone. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.
5. "Elvis Presley: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
6. Simpson, Paul (2004). The Rough Guide to Elvis. London: Rough Guides. p. 131. ISBN 1-84353-417-7.
7. Jorgensen, p. 418
8. Jorgensen, pp. 248-259.
9. Jorgensen, p. 248.
10. Jorgensen, pp. 248-259.
11. Jorgensen, pp. 416-418.
12. Jorgensen, p. 262.
13. Jorgensen, p. 262
14. "American album certifications – Elvis Presley – Elvis". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 

External links

• Elvis (NBC TV Special) at Discogs (list of releases)
• LPM-4088 Elvis (a.k.a. Elvis' TV Special, Elvis' Comeback Special, or Elvis' NBC-TV Special) at The Elvis Presley Record Research Database