DID ELVIS SING , ALWAYS ON MY MIND LIVE?

[Ciscoking]

Two songs...one theme...both mirror his own Story.. and he knew it.

[elvinda58]

Always On My Mind was the A side in the UK released at the end of 1972 which was a remarkable year for Elvis chart wise.It did not get the recognition it deserved at the time and it took several years after Elvis's passing for this remarkable single to hit home.It is now regarded as one of Elvis's greatest recordings.I would think it is highly unlikely that Elvis performed this live but we probably thought that about Danny Boy!

[Harty]

Two songs...one theme...both mirror his own Story.. and he knew it.

Yeah but Elvis did "It's midnight" live and during the song live performed in 1974 he said: Cilla this is for you


Maybe it's too late. Sometimes I even hate myself for loving you
Trying to be strong then nighttime comes along and I start loving you
Wanting you. Where is all my self control I'm burning way down in my soul
And needing you, and wishing I could be the man, I try to
Hating me for wanting you to be with you knowing you don't love me like you used to
But it's midnight, Oh and I miss you
It's getting late and I know that's when I am weak
Funny how things have a way of looking so much brighter in the day light
I ought to go to bed to try and straighten out my head and just forget you
Oh but it's midnight yes and I miss you
It's getting late and I know that's when I am weak
Funny how things have a way of looking so much brighter in the day light
I ought to go to bed to try and straighten out my head and just forget you
Oh but it's midnight yes and I miss you
It's midnight and I miss you

[Renan]

As yet we have no evidence of a live performance of Always On My Mind. But we have about 400 shows which are unreleased in any form. All is possible and we know of songs he only did once or twice.

true over 400 unknown shows but for ALWAYS ON MY MIND to be sung 'live' it would simply HAVE to have occoured between April 72' and say August 73' which is the time period and ttheir are a lot less unknown shows performed during that period....also an unknown run through at a rehearsal seems much more likely-especially before the January Vegas 73' season.

Absolutely correct.

[MadTiger]

As yet we have no evidence of a live performance of Always On My Mind. But we have about 400 shows which are unreleased in any form. All is possible and we know of songs he only did once or twice.

true over 400 unknown shows but for ALWAYS ON MY MIND to be sung 'live' it would simply HAVE to have occoured between April 72' and say August 73' which is the time period and ttheir are a lot less unknown shows performed during that period....also an unknown run through at a rehearsal seems much more likely-especially before the January Vegas 73' season.

Not necessarily. 'I Really Don't Want To Know' could, according to your logic applied here, only be sung around 1970. Instead, it was performed 7 years after that. (with only an unconfirmed/rumored live version from June 1972 placing it closer to its time of release ). I concur though that it is not very likely 'Always On My Mind' was done live.

[OnTourCam]

was hard to end the song they had to make up an ending
like burning love and patch it up

not saying that was the reason but yes would of been a killer live version
i would of liked James to put down the electric and sit on the stool and play acoustic on this song would of been special

[Harty]

As we know there was an orchestral rehearsal with "seperate ways". Is there a rumored live version ?

[Ciscoking]

IIRC...the Japanese site has it on one of hus set lists...but its speculation..

[MadTiger]

As we know there was an orchestral rehearsal with "seperate ways". Is there a rumored live version ?

IIRC there is a rumored live version of 'Separate Ways' from the November '72 tour. As with the rumored 'I really Don't Want To Know' from June '72 there is no confirmation and/or audio evidence to support its claim.

[drjohncarpenter]

It does beg the question with over 50 gold records, 18 #1 hits and some 38 top ten hits.......how many were even touched in concert (and I"m not talking about one or two offs or a verse). Food for thought.

Ironically, I just posted a reply in another topic that fits your comments here, and this is just in regard to the later singles:

... what promotion of a new single means.


It means the single A-side is released and pushed to radio and retail by the record company, and the artist actively performs it in that period in a live (or lip-sync) setting on radio, TV or stage. The goal is to promote sales and chart reach.

[snip]

So what do we have from Elvis and promotion of his new single A-sides in the comeback period?

There were 30, if you choose to start with "In The Ghetto" in April 1969.

Exactly 11 make the list.

Suspicious Minds
Kentucky Rain
I've Lost You
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
I'm Leavin'
Until It's Time For You To Go
An American Trilogy (live)
Burning Love
Steamroller Blues (live)
My Boy
T-R-O-U-B-L-E


Is this "many, many" of his new single A-sides? No, it's barely a third of them.

[drjohncarpenter]

IIRC, I read in a newspaper review a possible live version of "Separate Ways" in November 1972. Maybe a little surprise on this tour.

IIRC there is a rumored live version of 'Separate Ways' from the November '72 tour. As with the rumored 'I really Don't Want To Know' from June '72 there is no confirmation and/or audio evidence to support its claim.

"Separate Ways" was not likely performed in November 1972, though it almost happened two months later.

The confusion stems from a local review of the 11-11-1972 (Oakland) show, where critic Doris Worsham, long-time African-American journalist for the Oakland Tribune, mistakenly noted that "Separate Place" was one of his "up-tempo songs" that evening.

The now famous straddle-legged stance accented many of his up-tempo sings, including "I Got A Woman," his latest, "Separate Place," the rocker "Polk Salad Annie," and "Suspicious Minds."

Her report on the actual concert is otherwise very well-written and perceptive. She obviously meant "Burning Love," his current A-side, which was also sitting at #1 on the Cash Box "Top 100" the very same day.

This would be the last time Elvis would be on tour performing the #1 single in America.

See:

Separate Ways mystery!
https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1554495#p1554495

[Ryan73]

It does beg the question with over 50 gold records, 18 #1 hits and some 38 top ten hits.......how many were even touched in concert (and I"m not talking about one or two offs or a verse). Food for thought.

Ironically, I just posted a reply in another topic that fits your comments here, and this is just in regard to the later singles:

... what promotion of a new single means.


It means the single A-side is released and pushed to radio and retail by the record company, and the artist actively performs it in that period in a live (or lip-sync) setting on radio, TV or stage. The goal is to promote sales and chart reach.

[snip]

So what do we have from Elvis and promotion of his new single A-sides in the comeback period?

There were 30, if you choose to start with "In The Ghetto" in April 1969.

Exactly 11 make the list.

Suspicious Minds
Kentucky Rain
I've Lost You
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
I'm Leavin'
Until It's Time For You To Go
An American Trilogy (live)
Burning Love
Steamroller Blues (live)
My Boy
T-R-O-U-B-L-E


Is this "many, many" of his new single A-sides? No, it's barely a third of them.

Thanks Doc for doing the legwork on that one. I knew so much of his pre comeback material was neglected but I'm actually surprised of how little of his post comeback material was touched as well. Always learning something new here thanks to you!

[drjohncarpenter]

Thanks Doc for doing the legwork on that one. I knew so much of his pre comeback material was neglected but I'm actually surprised of how little of his post comeback material was touched as well. Always learning something new here thanks to you!\

Just another piece of the puzzle!

Thank you for the generous words.

[eric c]

wish he had.
beautiful song.
one of his most personal.

[eric c]

Two songs...one theme...both mirror his own Story.. and he knew it.

his most personal single ever released in my opinion.
he was letting us in very deep to something that was very real...and very personal.
thats the beauty of those 2 recordings and the brilliance of pairing them together.
he was hurting...and letting us in.

[vinelvis]

He still added new songs into his shows right through 1975.

About 1976 and 1977, we may have one surprise but chances are slim. Probably from this era, the last surprise was "Danny Boy" from Tucson.

And I Really Don't Want To Know in 1977. Maybe it wasn't a surprise in terms of rarity (since he didn't perform it only once) but it was certainly a surprise that he added a new song in the penultimate tour.

[Phil C.]

He still added new songs into his shows right through 1975.

About 1976 and 1977, we may have one surprise but chances are slim. Probably from this era, the last surprise was "Danny Boy" from Tucson.

And I Really Don't Want To Know in 1977. Maybe it wasn't a surprise in terms of rarity (since he didn't perform it only once) but it was certainly a surprise that he added a new song in the penultimate tour.

Not confirmed, ''I Really Don't Want To Know'' may have been rehearsed on June 9, 1972 at the Hilton Hotel, New York. As well as done ''live'' later in June, 1972 (also unconfirmed)

May 30, 1977 Jacksonville (first performance)
May 31, 1977 Baton Rouge
June 02, 1977 Mobile
June 18, 1977 Kansas City
June 19, 1977 Omaha
June 20, 1977 Lincoln
June 21, 1977 Rapid City
June 23, 1977 Des Moines
June 23, 1977 Madison
June 25, 1977 Cincinnati
June 26, 1977 Indianapolis

[Elvis Fan]

It's too bad that Elvis didn't sing it live but I agree with others that it might have hit a little to close to home. Kind of reminds me of the line for "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" that he conspicuously left out. ("I got my pills to ease the pain / can't find a thing to ease the rain). Listening to the On Tour mock recording session Elvis didn't seem particularly interested in singing / rehearsing "Always On My Mind." The same could be said for "Burnin' Love" for that matter. If memory serves correctly didn't his arm have to be twisted in order to include in "Aloha." "Separate Ways" is interesting, tho. Didn't he do 25 or 27 takes? Some were probably incomplete but he seemed to put a lot of effort into it despite the message--effort that he didn't care to put in other songs. Perhaps it was because Red wrote it???

Regarding the concert reviews, As Doc pointed out, many of the writers reviewing his concerts in the 70s weren't necessarily Elvis fans and even if they were they didn't always stay up to date with his latest releases. I remember reading one review, it must've been from late '74, and the writer said he sang "It's Midnight and I Miss You." For a New York Minute I thought that Elvis actually sang "I Miss You" in concert. ; )

[dougkapp]

I always wondered why Elvis didn't promote his latest singles at live concerts. Many interesting singles are no longer performed live. Separate Ways and Always on My Mind are good examples. But Way Down must not have been performed live either.

[drjohncarpenter]

And I Really Don't Want To Know in 1977. Maybe it wasn't a surprise in terms of rarity (since he didn't perform it only once) but it was certainly a surprise that he added a new song in the penultimate tour.

Of course none of these 1977 renditions featured the complete song. Elvis chose to drop the bridge, for whatever reason.

But it was still a nice moment in a very tough, half-year of shows.

[vinelvis]

And I Really Don't Want To Know in 1977. Maybe it wasn't a surprise in terms of rarity (since he didn't perform it only once) but it was certainly a surprise that he added a new song in the penultimate tour.

Of course none of these 1977 renditions featured the complete song. Elvis chose to drop the bridge, for whatever reason.

But it was still a nice moment in a very tough, half-year of shows.

Definitely one of the highlights of the year for me! Maybe not vocally or technically, but these version are very emotional and touching.

[jurasic1968]

Agree.

[arnaudbxl]

Whilst there's nothing to suggest that Always On My Mind was considered for inclusion in Elvis’s concerts, let alone performed, Separate Ways was rehearsed in January of 1973, making this a consideration at least. Although either would have been a fine addition to his set list at any time, of course.

Both are good songs and Elvis’s recordings are splendid, and with Separate Ways being the hit of the two on Billboard, as mentioned, this would seem like the more obvious choice. This said, Elvis was unpredictable in many ways. Whilst he did perform most of his singles from the 1970s in concert at one time or another.

Always love hearing your perspective, Greystoke.

Anyway...for our other viewers, here is the rehearsal of Separate Ways. Should give you a good idea of how these songs would have sounded live:

Thanks for sharing. It’s hard to understand why he didn’t sang something as ready and so good in concert. Always on my mind would have been incredible too. And the same goes for a lot of his 70’s serious tracks. Aw, if only I got a feelin in my body, Lovin arms, separate ways, way down, pledging my love, never again, Susan when she tried… so many missed occasions.

[jurasic1968]

Agree.