Today would have been the 79th birthday of Elvis Presley, so it's only fitting that a new Elvis catalogue title would be announced on this day. Legacy Recordings will release an expanded edition of Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis for its 40th anniversary.
Recorded on March 20, 1974, the same day RCA released his most recent studio album Good Times, Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis found the rejuvenated King (whose live and studio efforts from that time have been chronicled on the recent box sets Prince from Another Planet and Elvis At Stax) and his crackling live band performing before an audience at the Midsouth Coliseum. Whether it was the home-field advantage (Elvis hadn't played a show in Memphis since 1957) or the spirit of his newest release, Elvis delivered a powerhouse performance heavy on intriguing covers (one medley combines his "Jailhouse Rock" and "Hound Dog" with "Long Tall Sally," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Flip Flop & Fly" and Loggins & Messina's "Your Mama Don't Dance") and gospel rave-ups (a performance of "How Great Thou Art" from this LP won Elvis his third and final Grammy Award).
This Legacy Edition features the complete concert, was released by Follow That Dream in 2004, and a "recently located recording of Elvis' complete concert 'test-run' held for an ecstatic live audience on March 18, 1974" in Richmond, Virginia. (This was also released by Follow That Dream in 2011.) Additionally, five rehearsal performances recorded in Hollywood's RCA Studios in August 1974 round out the bonus disc; only two have been previously released.
Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis: Legacy Edition is available March 18. Hit the jump for links and the full track list!
Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis: Legacy Edition (RCA/Legacy, 2014)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. (TBD)
Disc 1: Live at The Mid-South Coliseum, March 20, 1974 (originally released in part as RCA LP CPL1-0606, 1974)
- Also Sprach Zarathustra
- See See Rider
- I Got a Woman/Amen
- Love Me
- Trying to Get to You
- All Shook Up *
- Steamroller Blues *
- Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel *
- Love Me Tender *
- Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/Your Mama Don't Dance/Flip, Flop and Fly/Jailhouse Rock/Hound Dog
- Fever *
- Polk Salad Annie *
- Why Me Lord
- How Great Thou Art
- Suspicious Minds *
- Introductions *
- Help Me
- An American Trilogy
- Let Me Be There
- My Baby Left Me
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy *
- Funny How Time Slips Away *
- Can't Help Falling in Love
- Closing Vamp
* released on Follow That Dream reissue, 2004
Disc 2: Live at The Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA, March 18, 1974
- Also Sprach Zarathustra
- See See Rider
- I Got a Woman/Amen
- Love Me
- Trying to Get to You
- All Shook Up
- Steamroller Blues
- Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel
- Love Me Tender
- Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/Your Mama Don't Dance/Flip, Flop and Fly/Jailhouse Rock/Hound Dog
- Fever
- Polk Salad Annie
- Why Me Lord
- How Great Thou Art
- Suspicious Minds
- Introductions
- Help Me
- An American Trilogy
- Let Me Be There
- My Baby Left Me
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
- Funny How Time Slips Away
- Can't Help Falling in Love
- Closing Vamp
- Down in the Alley (RCA Rehearsal, Hollywood, August 1974) *
- Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues (RCA Rehearsal, Hollywood, August 1974) *
- Softly As I Leave You (RCA Rehearsal, Hollywood, August 1974)
- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (RCA Rehearsal, Hollywood, August 1974) *
- The Twelfth of Never (RCA Rehearsal, Hollywood, August 1974)
Tracks 1-24 released on 48 Hours to Memphis (Follow That Dream, 2011). Tracks 27 and 29 released on Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters (RCA 07863 66670-2, 1995). All others previously unreleased.
Very cool--these were two FTD titles that I had not (yet) picked up, now widely available and considerably cheaper. The only difference that I'm seeing is that the bonus disc (the Richmond concert" is listing an additional song not listed on the FTD version ("How Great Thou Art"). The FTD disc of the Richmond show did contain three additional songs from prior concerts not included here. Also--the three rehearsal tunes that weren't on the 70's box are on the "From Sunset To Vegas" FTD title.
I really don't pick up a lot of mainstream Elvis product anymore--I've been picking away at the FTD's and have a LONG way to go--but this looks to be far and away the most worthwhile Presley Legacy title yet.
I think I read somewhere there was a different mix of the FTD and regular cd of this album. The FTD discs look nice but the prices are $$$! I will probably be picking this one up when it is released. I don't have either version now. Thanks for the info Hank.
Exciting announcement! I've been wondering for awhile what the next Elvis Legacy Edition was going to be. I've really been enjoying this series.
My only complaint on this one is that they didn't "double up" like they did with most of the previous releases. They could have paired it with "Elvis in Concert" which would have completed all of his original live albums in Legacy Edition. Instead, we get a second version of the same concert. The rehearsal bonus tracks look cool though.