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The Hillbilly Cat Returns

By ElvisNews.com/ Lex, April 08, 2012 | Music

Earlier this year Graceland Records released a complete show used for the legendary bootleg The Hillbilly Cat Live. Last week the second show from that vinyl treasure was released by the same Graceland Records: The Hillbilly Cat Returns. This disc brings the August 24, 1970 M.S. .

Design

I can make it myself pretty easy by linking to the review of the first release. This one is brought in the same tasteful way.

Content

Again a link to the January review is enough. As every August 1970 show this one is extremely good. Outstanding versions of I Just Can’t Help Believin’, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, Tiger Man, Polk Salad Annie and Bridge are a nice backbone for a show.
Particular for this one are the excerpt of Spanish Eyes, of course When The Snow Is On The Roses and Elvis decided to do Release Me after a false start of the closer Can’t Help Falling In Love.
Most important of this disc is that the sound is much, much better than previous outings of this show.

Conclusion

Everyone knows the quality of an Elvis show in August 1970. Keeping the sound quality in mind it is unnecessary to say you should get this disc.

Tracklisting

01. Orchestra Intro 02. Opening Vamp / That's All Right 03. I Got A Woman / Ave Maria (excerpt) 04. Spanish Eyes (excerpt) 05. Tiger Man 06. I Just Can't Help Believin' 07. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 08. Polk Salad Annie 09. Band Introductions 10. Johnny B. Goode 11. Celebrity Introductions (Jimmy Wakely, Darlene Love, The Osmond Brothers) 12. When The Snow Is On The Roses (with 2 false starts) 13. Celebrity Introduction (Ed Ames) 14. The Wonder Of You 15. Heartbreak Hotel (with false start) 16. One Night (with two breaks) 17. All Shook Up (false start only) 18. Blue Suede Shoes / Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On 19. Hound Dog 20. Bridge Over Troubled Water 21. Suspicious Minds 22. Can't Help Falling In Love (false start) / Release Me 23. Can't Help Falling In Love / Closing Vamp

 

Ciscoking wrote on April 08, 2012
Your summary nails it 100%.....nothing more to add. TOP !
Tony C wrote on April 10, 2012
Graceland Records is the name of a bootleg label, they have no connection to EPE or the Graceland mansion itself. FTD are an offshoot of Sony and obviously legal, unlike Graceland Records. Four shows from this engagement have already been released, three by FTD and one by BMG. Whenever another is released, many of the fans on this site complain that we have already had too much of this material so what makes us think that the general public would be interested in them. They do, after all, have more than enough live albums on the market to choose from.
circleG wrote on April 10, 2012
I can NEVER get enough of Elvis 1970. Its one of my favourite periods in his life.
Ciscoking wrote on April 11, 2012
I agree wholeheartedly..both discs make an excellent set..really...
Coronel Parker wrote on April 12, 2012
Great show and great sound!!
Steve V wrote on April 13, 2012
JeanMarie - another 4 cds of Elvis in Vegas? Vol 2? Yeah the world is all waiting for that one! CD boxsets are flying off the shelves aren't they? THank goodness you are not in charge of marketing.
circleG wrote on April 14, 2012
In all fairness SteveV was the world ready for an Elvis revival in the 90s? I know I was the only in my cirlcle in the late eighties and early nineties to buy the kings cds and play it to friends and family. Word spreads, something small becomes cult becomes 'in' again and the next thing you know is Elvis celebrates having the Uks 1000th number one! Sometimes risks have to be taken. A company can't always rely on market research and accountants. Some risks don't pay off but some do and they have to be taken.
Steve V wrote on April 14, 2012
I get your point circleg, but another Veags box? Sorry, I just dont see it being attractive to anyone other than a very few. Its something I as an Elvis fan dont want and need, so I dont the public will care. What difference can there be in any of the shows anyway? I thought what Sony did last year was the right thing, the attractive Young Man boxset that included the unreleased Hayride show, it was just too darn costly, that even I didnt buy it.
circleG wrote on April 16, 2012
Steve V I agree with you. As much as I'd like to see another vegas box set you are right. I wanted the Hayride box too and was quite surprised at the retail price. Maybe vegas '70 concerts should be kept to the FTD label. I know alot of fans find the concerts repetitive but i look at them on an individual basis - plus i'm just greedy ;) ! have a great day Steve.
benny scott wrote on April 16, 2012
Have to agree with Steve too. Love our man's music from the Sun-days on, the early sixties, (prefer not judging the 60s movies), 68' comeback and a lot of the seventies. There's already a lot Vega stuff available, and there is probably more to come.Question is : will it be bought in huge quantities, or only by the die-hard ? Have my doubts about sales figures. In any case: to each his own, we all have the right to like or not like a certain period of his career, but is it really necessary to express an opinion almost always coupled with mocking comments like some members do ? Always El.
You Dont Know Me wrote on April 18, 2012
Well this is a great follow-up to the day before's peformance and in great sound, but as it says on the Label maybe love me tender and iv'e lost you missing from this show, maybe but not certainly!~ great release by this CD label THANKS!`
Ciscoking wrote on April 19, 2012
I think they are missing..they were regulars..at this time..anyway..great release..