Live performance before studio release

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 10:21 am

I know that some artists are afraid fo playing new material before it is released in album-form, but it seems that Elvis has always been in the habit of performing new material live before releasing it on record.

Even on his first tour with the Attractions he was already playing many songs from This Year's Model, and this seemed to continue throughout much of his career.

I was just trying to think of some songs that are quite a bit different in their early live arrangements than on record.

One of these songs is the version of "Opportunity" that Elvis played on the Armed Forces tour, which sounds quite a bit different than the version that ultimately ended up on Get Happy!!

What are some others?

ChokingOnMyPrideandPity · Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:32 pm

If memory serves....

When EC and the Attractions were on The Tonight Show w/ Guest Host Joan Rivers, I believe they did an early version of I Hope You're Happy Now. The one on Blood and Chocolate is much more up-tempo.

Great Line from that song..."With his eyes upon the secret places he'd like to undo..."

snarling pup · Post by **snarling pup** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 4:44 pm

I think EC also did that song on the 1984 solo tour, along with acoustic versions of most of GCW. Really looking forward to Rhino's GCW reissue, hopefully featuring lots more from that tour.

In 1989 I recall he did an acoustic version of "My Brave Face", nothing at all like Macca's. Wish that a recording of that would turn up somewhere...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:14 pm

What's struck me with the bonus discs is the number of alternate or rough studio versions of songs he's recorded. Most artists turn up to cut the LP with 10% of it written. Not Elvis, he demoes it and then goes into the studio to demo it or try it out in full, and then records LP. Or used to, at least, in several cases.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:37 pm

High Fidelity, I like it much better for the live version.

Blue! Make your icon the drunk picture.

clairequilty · Post by **clairequilty** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:41 pm

I saw him do So Like Candy on the Spike tour and I swear in the solo acoustic version I saw that there were many more references to sweets, candy, chocolate, etc than ended up on the MLAR version.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:52 pm

Like this?:

Here lies the lipstick and the face
The coloured wrappers keep it all in place

Here lies a picture of a girl
Her arms are tight around that lucky eclaire(quilty)

She seemed so sweet to me, just like a Hershey

She just can't face the day
So she turns and melts the truffle away

Here lie the records that she scratched
And on the sleeve I find a mallow attached

"My Darling Dear it's such a farce"
She couldn't say "goodbye", but "I admire your Mars"

lapinsjolis · Post by **lapinsjolis** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:52 pm

I heard him play both 'Alibi' and '45' on his Lonely World Tour in 1999. I heard 'When It Sings' in March of 2003 in his UCLA performance. It gave me hope for 'North'.

clairequilty · Post by **clairequilty** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:58 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Like this?:

Here lies the lipstick and the face
The coloured wrappers keep it all in place

Here lies a picture of a girl
Her arms are tight around that lucky eclaire(quilty)

She seemed so sweet to me, just like a Hershey

She just can't face the day
So she turns and melts the truffle away

Here lie the records that she scratched
And on the sleeve I find a mallow attached

"My Darling Dear it's such a farce"
She couldn't say "goodbye", but "I admire your Mars"

... if ya can't say somethin' nice...

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:18 am

Elvis has never been afraid to try out new stuff as opening songs, closing songs or encores.

Getting back to Blue's question, Watch Your Step is a great example. Compare the versions on the latest reissue.

Another example is Baby Pictures. It started off as a piano based ballad and ended up as a Madness imitation. I think the ballad version would have graced any album although I'm not keen on the ska version.