Elvis: '68 Comeback - Special Edition

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With these extras we get to see him sing this “message song” time and again, hitting the same gruff notes over and over, leaving us in no doubt - this Elvis was taking care of business. Language - Regardless of country of origin all tracks are sung in English, unless otherwise stated in our description.

Binder and Howe developed the concept of the informal section of the show after seeing Presley interacting with his entourage while playing music during breaks. The '68 Comeback Special' comprises, as closely as possible, the original television special as NBC would have broadcast it back in 1968. Unless some heretofore untapped NBC security camera footage surfaces in the coming years, this should be the final word on this legendary musical event.Yes, it is possible to see Elvis' eye shadow; his almost blue-rinse dyed hair; and yes, one can make out the make-up slapped on to his chiselled features. I've always regarded the final track from the '68 Comeback Special as Elvis' career defining moment, and a rare glimpse of the man actually put some effort into his performance. In his review for The New York Times, critic Robert Shelton wrote: "Parts of the hour program were unbelievably stagey, but other parts were believably effective and natural glimpses of one of the pop-culture phenomenons of the century at work where he works best, in music. The package contains an entire disc showcasing the legendary sessions for the special recorded with Elvis and the Wrecking Crew. The special received positive reviews and topped the Nielsen television ratings for the week in which it aired.

Although preserved in the best conditions possible by the singer's estate, the age of the two-inch master tapes were getting more noticeable by the year, particularly the faded colors and ghosting-type artifacts. Egged on by highly supportive audiences, Elvis' initial nervousness disappears within seconds as stellar versions of Blue Suede Shoes and Don't Be Cruel emerge among others. The Christmas song, requested by Parker, would then be played, and the special would close with a spoken statement by Presley.

In July 1969, Rolling Stone featured Presley on the cover for the first time, featuring a photo from one of the television special's stand-up performances with the black leather outfit. If you don’t see a personalisation section, you can always message the seller with your request too. Crisp, non-grating highs from the fronts are notable as is an impressive low end that really cooks, especially during the Trouble/Guitar Man medley that opens the special. Inspired by an emotional conversation Steve Binder had with Presley in the wake of Robert Kennedy's assassination, the director commissioned Brown to come up with a reflective, soulful composition that not only crystallized the feelings of its singer, but also incorporated the mood of a country in the midst of one of its most turbulent years in history. The Associated Press praised the set design as well as Presley's appearance that felt "sort of like old times.

On Disc 1, both of the sitdown shows from the night of June 27th, 1968 are released in their entirety for the first time (including performances of Are You Lonesome Tonight that were cut from previous releases due to publishing rights). Baz Luhrmann's 2022 film Elvis portrays the production of the special, with Billboard indicating "the scenes about the special are considered some of the film's most riveting". His initial Las Vegas booking, 57 shows in July–August 1969, attracted a total audience of 101,500, a Las Vegas attendance record. Backstage at NBC Studios, the air is fraught with tension as 33-year-old rock legend Elvis Aron Presley sits in his dressing room sweating profusely-and it's not entirely caused by the custom-made leather outfit he's wearing.I also admired the non-censoring of those rare working moments when Presley's legendary temper came into play, not to the point of embarrassing anyone, but agitated with himself over not coming in on cue, missing a dance step and so on.