This CD reissue of Elvis On Stage contains seven bonus tracks not on the original release. Recorded in February of 1970, Elvis On Stage documents Elvis Presley's month-long stint at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Although shorter than most of Elvis' live albums from the '70s, this CD captures the King in better voice, and singing with more enthusiasm, than do most of his other concert records.
The material performed at these concerts was made up largely of other artists' hits: Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline', Del Shannon's 'Runaway', the Beatles' 'Yesterday', and Ray Peterson's 'The Wonder of You', the last of which was a hit single for Elvis Presley. Elvis does particularly well with Tony Joe White's 'Polk Salad Annie' and Joe South's anthemic 'Walk A Mile In My Shoes'. Elvis' backing band, including guitar legend James Burton, Glenn D. Hardin on keyboards, and the vocal group the Sweet Inspirations, is particularly sharp.
Elvis On Stage - Elvis Presley CD
See See Rider - Release Me - Sweet Caroline - Runaway - The Wonder Of You - Polk Salad Annie - Yesterday / Hey Jude - Proud Mary - Walk A Mile In My Shoes - In The Ghetto - Don't Cry Daddy - Kentucky Rain - I Can't Stop Loving You - Suspicious Minds - Long Tall Sally - Let It Be Me
Personnel: Elvis Presley (vocals, guitar); James Burton, John Wilkinson, Charlie Hodge (guitar); Larry Muhoberac, Glen D. Hardin (piano); Jerry Scheff (bass); Ronnie Tutt, Bob Lanning (drums); The Sweet Inspirations, The Imperials Quartet, Jeannine Green, Mary Holladay, Jim Glaser, Sandy Posey, Millie Kirkham, Dolores Edgin, June Page, Hurshel Wiginton, Joe Babcock (background vocals); The Bobby Morris Orchestra.
Producer: Felton Jarvis.
Compilation producers: Ernst Mikael Jorgensen, Roger Semon.
Recorded at The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada in 1969 and 1970. Includes liner notes by Colin Escott. Digitally remastered by Dennis Ferrante.
Review by Dan Siciliano
I am so excited about the new CD 'On Stage'. I just got it today and was no less than thrilled as I listened to it for the first time. I was just expecting some 'unreleased' songs thrown into the mix, but was I surprised! The entire CD has been remixed, or should I say 'unremixed', the songs sound a lot different without all the tampering that RCA did for the original release in 1970. Even the bantering in between songs has been 'changed' (for a lack of a better word). I am assuming that it has been 'restored' to the original tape and not edited and Elvis' 'comments' just inserted in between songs as were done in the original release. (Elvis even introduces Fats Domino in this new release as well as the classic 'kissing segment' slightly changed), all the mixes in the songs are quite different than the original release, and I was very pleased with what I heard. This is probably the original mixes done live and have now been graciously given to us to hear unaltered!, and this is just the songs that we have heard before, (by the way, the un-fixed version of 'The Wonder Of You' is clearly heard on this gem of a release).
It is very refreshing to hear all the new material on this now complete retrospect of Elvis' first appearances in Las Vegas, the unreleased songs, held back from release in 1970 for obvious reasons then, now bring to light the real raw power that Elvis brought to the stage those first few years in Las Vegas. The early live versions of 'Suspicious Minds' and 'Don't Cry Daddy' are classic 'Elvis live'! and the supercharged energy on 'Long Tall Sally' clearly portray the excitement and energy of what Elvis was like on stage . This is the kind of releases that all the fans are screaming for.
I find it very disturbing that there are still some 'gimmick' releases still coming from RCA. The other new CD's that came out today are not, I repeat, not in my collection in this new form, nor will the ever be. I find it insulting when these type of 'old hash' compilations' are released when there are still so many 'gems' still left to be released like the 'On Stage' CD. This CD was done so well and is truly 'collectors gold'.
Most of the time, since Ernst took 'over', the releases have for the most part made good sense, and than they throw us a curve with these re-re-re-release in new 'packaging'. bmg should keep the good stuff coming like 'On Stage', we sure could use a great new 'Elvis In Concert-1977' compilation CD set with all the 'fans comments' removed and all the unreleased songs put back into a release that will satisfy all die hard fans.
Well. enough bashing, the Elvis releases and the state of his catalogue for the new millennium looks very bright. Keep it coming'. I would recommend to anyone who does not have the new 'On Stage' CD, run, don't walk to grab one, and you will be very pleased. You will sit back and think to yourself with a sigh of exhilaration, ahhhh, this is what it's all about, this is what makes it all worth while!!
Take care, Dan Siciliano - Las Vegas
Edited by David Troedson May 19, 1999
