Swing And Swirl Your Hips Again

Released on an unknown import label (all we could find on the disc was "S&S")is an audience recording of Elvis November 13, 1972 performance at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, Ca.. Is it a swinging release?

Design

What can I say about the design of this release? It is colourful, but very homemade. But the picture of our man is good. The producer is a fan of the late Charlie Hodge, this album is dedicated to him.

Content

The CD contains an audience recording, but not a very bad one and since the show is entertaining, I even played it twice in a row. Leaving the everlasting discussion on the pro’s and cons of audience recordings for what it is, the highlights of the show I enjoyed were a balanced “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”, a short but raw sounding “Polk Salad Annie” with a lot of guitar, “Little Sister” in an up-tempo medley with the Beatles’ “Get Back” had the right feel too. “How Great Thou Art” is a nice spiritual and vocal break before Elvis picks up the pace with “Suspicious Minds”.

“What Now My Love” and “You Gave Me A Mountain” remain great ballads. Fortunately he does his then current hit, which clocks at almost three minutes, which he refused to perform on stage earlier in the tour. Most of the oldies got a quickie treatment, all clocking around one minute per song. The show ends for me with a rocking “Mystery Train / Tiger Man” medley. I still don’t like “Can’t Help Falling In Love” as a song since it closes a concert.

Conclusion

The original review in the Los Angeles Times focussed on Elvis as a country style artist, his “older” public and the Colonel’s strategy of picking venues for Elvis to perform, bringing him even to San Bernardino. But listening to this entertaining show I didn’t have the idea listening to a country show. There simply were too few ballads and to many up-tempo performances.

Track listing:
See See Rider, I Got A Woman/Amen, Until It’s Time For You To Go, You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, Love Me, Polk Salad Annie, All Shook Up, Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes, Teddy Bear, Don’t Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Little Sister/Get Back, I’ll Remember You, How Great Thou Art + reprise, Suspicious Minds, What Now My Love, Fever, Burning Love, You Gave Me A Mountain, Mystery Train/Tiger Man, Can’t Help Falling In Love.