Hot August Night

Love the album cover ! And these early Las Vegas shows are powerful.

As much as I dug the laughing version of "Are You Lonesome Tonight" 30 years ago, I'm glad to finally be getting a straight version of the song from '69. Can't wait for this one and the "Sold Out" set. I say BRAVO to Ernst & co. for putting a complete '69 show in the 7" format.

It doesn't matter if we have already 8 songs from this gig on FTD Elvis In Person. I definately gonna have this one!

Now that's what I call a dam good cover! My hats off to the graphic design work! Elvis swinging into action on stage 1969.

Another 69 show is a bit of overkill, but lets face it, after 1969, Elvis never again did a true rock and roll show. This season was the only one he did. So for folks that like Elvis rockin, 1969 is what you want to hear. The only thing I get tired of is the silly monologue.

I agree with "dgirl" completely. His talking points were getting to the point of "why bother?" aka boring and eating up time. The music? That's another story. I only wish he would have taken "Are You Lonesome Tonight" much more seriously. He did a fine job singing this song in concert, especially in 1969, but he also started slaughtering the lyrical content of this song with his inane ad-libs. Ugh! 1969... the last of his in-concert rock 'n roll? Agreed.

The monologue, is fun, but because it is basically the same monologue in each show, maybe RCA-FTD-should edit and tighten up the monologues, just a bit. And, how great it would be if RCA-SONY, went back to the master tapes and remastered-remixed and released a new best of Vegas 1969 CD-called, "Elvis-The 1969 Vegas concerts" for the general public, This would be a edit of the absolute best performances, and monologues. Like a "greatest hits" of the Vegas engagement, that plays like a complete concert.

Great idea George with the best of 69 collection. I don't think that 69 was the last year Elvis did a rock'n roll show, neither with regards to the song choice or the energy he put into his performance, but maybe there is another clever definition of R&R that I don't know about. Were the 69 shows the best shows of his career ? well that certainly depends on ones taste, personally I love the energy in 69-70, his showmanship in 72-73, his voice in 75 (and 76/77 when he was happy and well) and in between these years he had a wonderful blend of it all. If you ask the fans about which years the prefer concert vice (Ciscokings corner) they answered/voted this way ; 30.7% prefer 1970 / 18.2% 72 / 16.2% 69, 9% / 8.6% 75 / 5.6% 74 / 5.1 % 71 / 3.8% 73 / 2.6% 77 !! And if you read old reviews you will see that in 1975 several reporters who had followed all his Vegas concerts years said that they had never heard him sing better than this year! So it is OK if you think that everything went downhill after 69, but drop the "lets face it remarks" like it is the ultimate truth, because you may have some fans agree with you, but there are a whole lot more who will disagree. Sometimes it almost seem like some fans try to be the ones with the best or truest taste in music, trying to overrule each other with the tale of singer who got worse after the day he sat his foot in the studio with remarks like these ; "The sun Days were the best", "He should have retired after 71 !" "69 were his last year he had a #1 hit" (yes if you don't count other countries than USA, the country hit list, The cash box hit list etc. etc , or the songs that have gained popularity after his dead Am. Trilogy for instance.), "The Army killed him", it is like some people have their head stuck so far up in the a.. of the great tale of the everlasting decline that every fact is made to fit into that tale, instead of looking at the music, it is tiresome to say at least.

Absolutely love '69 concerts and very happy with this release. I agree with alanfalk that there were still good concert years to come, and personally I do even prefer '70 concerts over '69 concerts, while the renewed show in '72 was impressive to say the least.

Alan Falk: spot on. Those who say the army killed Elvis, I ask them and what's the evidence ? The Elvis Is Back album ? In fact I look forward to 1976/77 shows the most in the hope that it was one of his better shows. In fact I wished that Elvis continued on from Indy '77 because I read that in his final year that Elvis ranted against the colonel saying he wanted Tom Hulet as his manager after the September tour. Instead of being the colonel's circus animal he would've toured Europe and done what he would've wanted, but alas the Almighty One had other ideas.

In my opinion the best shows were in the 50's. I was there & saw Elvis at several venues in the south before my family moved to Union City, NJ. That was true R&R. The concerts that came later were pageants & love fests. Elvis was the bomb in the 50's. He wasn't the same guy in the late 60's & especially in the 70's.

Union City NJ - I went to high school there ! St Michael' s HS . Speaking of 70's concerts , I saw Elvis That's The Way it Is at that small theater on Summit Avenue in UC. To get back to the subject , Elvis was great and innovative in the 50's , he was dymanic during 1969 (My Babe rocks as much as almost any 50's song) , and was the master showman in 1970. This looks like a quality package and I'm looking forward to buying it. I agree that a "best OF 69 Vegas " would make a good general release .

Looks like a great set but personally I am more excited about "Sold Out"with the 1974 shows. I think Elvis'overall sound was tops in 1972 and beyond. I know a lot of people might disagree but from 1972 on he seemed to really hit his stride. It's hard to beat 1972 - 1975, though I also enjoy 1976 and 1977. The 1977 Steamroller version on Amarillo '77 is as good as anything he did in my opinion.

Getting tired of the monologue? Skip it! I am sure those present were not bothered by it. Of course, now we have heard it since it was released and that is quite some years ago. We know the stories in and out. Yet let's put things in perspective: if you like a concert from that year (or any other year for that matter) this is what you can expect. If they would leave it out, some might say it is 'incomplete' and will have to buy a bootleg again to have the 'complete show'. (smile) Anyway, I'm happy with this release. I'm less interested in 'better sounding' re-releases. I rather have new material. George's idea is indeed a great one. ELVIS developed as a singer. Obviously he was the greatest earth shaking incomparable artist and innovator in the fifties, a singer he nevers was again in the later years. Others who had great influence on popular music also peaked in the beginning and after that developed into developed artists. Let's face it. Youngsters focus on youngsters and they are exposed to all that on a massive s(c)ale, leaving those who were before less focus. Nevertheless - for me - he is the mount everest, while others may be ranging from mountains to mole hills.

Butcher the monologue?? no thank you, if you don't like it skip it!!! The 69 shows are among the best that Elvis gave, sure they are similar, but I love them all. Just buy 1 if that is all you need but don't complain if sony bother to mix and master it, give it a 7" cover and booklet and after 44 years let us hear it.... Thank you Ernst

Natha, I absolutely couldn't agree more ! On the other hand I fully can understand Oldscudder and some other members of this site. They were there at the very beginning and whitnessed the musical explosion caused by our man.This must have left such a huge impression , so big that later periods of his career never again had the same impact as they underwent in those early days. Personally I like all stages of his career and have no problem at all with fans preferring, per example, his 70s work. Maybe, just maybe, if I had been born in the USA instead of Europe, I now would be reasoning like those who were there when it all started, I'm in their age category you see . But once again : to each his own ! Oh, and btw : great idea of George(GK) indeed ! Always El.

Absolutely love the 50s, but it would have been a disappointment to see Elvis enter the stage in 1970 with blue jeans on and singing Got A Lot Of Living To Do with some dancing girls in petticoat around the stage or is this really appealing to anyone?

Elvis in the 50's had an enormous effect on popular music and changed it forever. This is arguably unsurpassed by any other artist to date. We cannot compare the 50’s with any other period of Elvis’s career! As for the live shows it is down to personal taste. Hearing songs individually I prefer 1970, many superb performances from ‘On Stage’ and ‘That’s The Way It Is’. Hearing a complete concert my favourites are the 1969 shows, full of energy from start to finish. On the other hand there is something to love in every tour. Looking forward to this release!

Hey don't touch that monologue ! I agree, if you don't like it press 'skip'. On one Cd wasn't it tagged at the end of the show (?? ) There are other examples of tampered live shows which come off as quite frustrating if you know where the edits are. Come on, complete means complete. As for a greatest hits of live 69, don't we have Elvis In Person? and haven't we already got enough compilations to last us several lifetimes? A friend of mine who's a music buff couldn't name one Elvis album and yet knew the individual songs. Lets rectify that !

We have to remember that Elvis rarely recorded albums; he recorded songs for albums but most importantly for singles. RCA et al did a dreadfully job for the most part in the way they handled his recordings over the year. Some of the decisions like ‘Burning Love and Hits from His Movies’, not including Suspicious Minds in an album 1969 etc. were frankly insane! It has improved with the arrival of Ernst but it is still a mess! Things can still improve but I am afraid it is too late for Elvis to be remembered for his albums rather than his songs! Don't forget people started buying songs (78's and then 45's), then they switched to LP's but now they are back to songs (MP3's etc.). A good compilation of his 1969 recordings is not a bad idea and I have already created my version for listening in the car. On the other hand, Elvis In Person is exactly that, a compilation of some of his best live recordings from 1969!

In A Flash, that's my point too. It was nice to have him doing the old songs as such. But I dread the day he would have pretended to be in the fifties again. That would surely abhor me. It would be silly to see girls/ladies throw underware at him. That would have degraded him completely. Benny Scott, I also do understand the OldScudder and others. I was basically also an old rocker, not liking any other music that came / was sort of invented later on. It was ELVIS' voice that sort of converted me to the balads and the other styles he sang (apart from gospels, mind you). Hence I am also quite fond of the seventies. For me that is still way way better than all the other pop music I ever heard. (Please note: I am not an ELVIS only fan, as some tend to assume. I listen to quite a number of other RnR stars as well as other types of music).

Yes we have "Elvis in Person" as a semi best of CD. But its too short in Length, and it doesn't necessarily feature the best song performances (I've heard some better versions) and it deletes the monologue. I say put the absolute best version of the "Life Story monologue and the strongest song performances on a new Legacy CD. As a CD document of his 1969 Vegas shows. of note: Every era, of the concert years, had its highlights. For example, in the spring and summer of 1975, Elvis was performing "The Wonder of you" a little differently, with a little more emotion and feeling. Listen to his shows at the Nassau Coliseum-July 19th 1975. You will hear what I'm saying.

I've got '69 live stuff coming out of my ears. I won't buy anymore.

I'll buy ALL Vegas 69 shows I can get ! That's the period of Elvis' life I really do like & enjoy ! Someone though mentions that the King was not in great spirits... No great renditions of his songs...Perhaps FTD should "add & edit" such newly released shows (the ones to come in the future !!!) with sparkling comments that Elvis gave (to be heard on Having fun on stage...) in between songs, such as : 1. My fruit-of-the-looms are too tight, or 2. They want us to be out of here after 55 minutes...but we don't care what they like, or 3. Here's the towel, her's the scarf and here's the...kiss !!! Great humour by the King that people who listen ought to enjoy. Unknown territory for many people that know him from his hits only. Re. Lisa & Cilla selling Graceland... Fully endorse your business attitude. Normal behaviour of the rich & famous, I'd say. And always maintaining the Colonel's greedy spirit behind every deal that you both can get (even) more money from. Don't blame you. Just perhaps a more "social" twist...Why not open it up even more and offer a one (1) percent of shares to ALL of Elvis' former girlfriends and movie co-stars ( Linda, Ann-Margret, Shelley, Mary-Ann, Joanne, Juliet, Debra a.o. plus another 1% to each of the Jordanaires as well as 1% to eeach of his TBC band members, to Voice and the other vocal group members ? It would certainly have to be offset with promotional activities that those 1% stock-owners get, will have to do in coming years (as long as they are shareholder of something (read: huge successes) they were part of then ! All this, rather than a wealthy arab sheik who pays US$600 mio. for the whole thing and closes down Graceland; thereby not allowing all elvis-fans to visit his mansion. Wonder though if they find (and I hope they do !) that new investor, what his/her new marketing strategy will be and how fans will get more Elvis product, especially more music + movies to enjoy !! Wonder, really, if we'd be better off ? Really look forward to all fans' (commercial or business) comments & opinions. No wise-guys or unhealthy comments please. No need for those guys that suffer (like Nicholson) from that "last word freak syndrome". Be positive ya'all.

What shall I say? The concert just kicks ass.....!"!!!!