Best track on "Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite" 2LP 1973

[midnightx]

"Heartbreak Hotel" would have been nice, but I don´t think that Elvis HAD to perform "Hound dog"

Wonder what your choices would be if you could rearrange the Aloha special?

Lennart

At the end of the day, Elvis put on a very professional and solid performance. In 1973, he was never going to give the necessary attention and care to his 50's hits, no matter what the event was. With Aloha, Elvis basically had a nice balance of his Vegas standards, some classics and a few contemporary hits. For an international audience, this was for many the first and only time they would have a chance at seeing their hero - and the set list basically flowed pretty well. It would be hard to find a lot that needed to rearranged for that particular event.

[drjohncarpenter]

Hi Doc!

Do you miss any particular selection?

Regards//Björn

An argument could be made for the performances of "Johnny B. Goode," "I'll Remember You" or "An American Trilogy."

[Lennart]

Thanks for your input Midnightx, nice to see your thoughts about the show!

As for the Doc missing some songs to vote for, I am surprised you miss "Johnny B. Goode"?
Although it´s quite nice, it´s miles away from that killer performance Elvis did in1969.

"An American trilogy" on the other hand, is Elvis at his best and one of the absolute top performances from the Aloha special.

My humble opinion of course.

Lennart

[dreambear]

I'm not saying that Trilogy on MSG isn't good, but it falls short of the Aloha version (imo).

Totally agree. Those f***** poll limits..

//Björn

[dreambear]

[

Hard to pick just ONE song but I finally decided to vote for "Burning love"
"Steamroller blues", "It´s over" and "A big hunk of love" are the ones I´ve listened to most of the ones in the polls along with "Burning love" and I really like "I´m so lonesome I could cry" but I could only vote for one.

I got this album back in august 1973 and played it a lot, don´t listen to it that often nowadays though!

"Welcome to my world" is in my opinion the weakest track and should not have been included in the show along with the terrible version of "Hound dog" and the weak version of "Blue suede shoes". All my personal opinion of course.
I also think it´s strange that Elvis performed "I can´t stop loving you" since he already had released two live versions of it and both are superior to the Aloha version, especially the MSG version.

Lennart

Hej Lennart!

Wasn´t "I can´t stop loving you a last minute add together with "Johnny B. Good" and "Long tall sally/Whole lotta..."""? The main reason was probably that the band could play those without any rehearsals.

//Björn

Hej Björn!
I guess you´re right but why didn´t he choose a song like Polk Salad Annie or Little sister/Get back instead of I can´t stop loving you? That would have been much better and also give the concert a more "rock´n roll " feeling to it.
"Always on my mind" or "Seperate Ways" would of course be the most logical choices considering it was his latest singe at the time.

Lennart

I guess he/Parker wanted a family oriented show. Those last tracks you mentioned should have been great, and commercial right but were perhaps a little too close to the bone for him.

//Regards Björn

[dreambear]

Hi Doc!

Do you miss any particular selection?

Regards//Björn

An argument could be made for the performances of "Johnny B. Goode," "I'll Remember You" or "An American Trilogy."

Of those "I´ll remember you" and "An American trilogy" was very close to make it and could also had done in another day. But "Johnny B. Good" falls too short compared to the killer version on "In person".

Regards//Björn

[Suspicious Minds]

I voted for What Now My Love. I thought this was his best performance of this song. Should have been a single too.

[midnightx]

I voted for What Now My Love. I thought this was his best performance of this song. Should have been a single too.

It was a great performance, but it would have tanked as a single.

[Mike Eder]

Well perhaps "Seperate ways" would be difficult to perform in a way that suited the special but "Always on my mind" is one of his greatest ballads and should have been great íf Elvis would do a comitted performace.
Imagine Elvis doin "Always on my mind" and "Little Sister/Get back" instead of "Welcome to my world" and "I can´t stop loving you". Throw in a strong version of "Polk salad Annie" instead of "Hound dog" and "Blue suede shoes" and this show would probably rank among his absolute best.
Well if I can dream, me about this scenario and you about Elvis ending the show with "Life"

Still a good show I would have to say!

Lennart

As boring as the performance of Hound Dog is, he had to leave it in the set. Many international fans would have been disappointed had they not seen their hero perform one or two of the big 50's hits. Blue Suede Shoes was an absolute toss-away. A nice bluesy Heartbreak Hotel (similar to what was showcased during TTWII) would have been an appropriate inclusion for this particular event.

I would say Heartbreak Hotel was done better in the last five-six years then Hound Dog or Bliue Suede Shoes. Good call.

[Rob]

It's positively the best performance of "An American Trilogy" that I've ever heard. However, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" gets my vote, with "What Now My Love" a close 2nd.

[midnightx]

It's positively the best performance of "An American Trilogy" that I've ever heard. However, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" gets my vote, with "What Now My Love" a close 2nd.

Better than Hampton Roads '72?

[Rob]

Yes. I've always prefered the January 14, 1973 version over any other. However, that scream during the build-up of the finale in Hampton Roads gives me chills every time.

But, hey...that's just me.

[elvisa]

Hi Bjørn, I voted for "Burning love" as I think it`s the best live version we have, both in performance and sound. ....I love the song. Aloha is a favorite show of mine and I`ve watched it quite a bit and often play the cd.

Hi Elvisa! (Oh, those danish ö´s )That is probably right, especially soundwise. The version from the summer of 1975 on the "silver box" ain´t that bad either. A bit to much brass on both versions though.

Ha en dejelig dag!

//Björn

Tak skal du ha` ...have a nice day yourself.....

Oh yes, that`s a great version too and actually the sound isn`t too bad either, thanks for reminding me...just had a listen to it.

[Marc Haegeman]

Steamroller Blues.
And yes, "An American Trilogy" should have been up there, instead of "Something."

[dreambear]

Steamroller Blues.
And yes, "An American Trilogy" should have been up there, instead of "Something."

I see your point, but this is the only original album by Elvis, that included "Something", so on the live albums, all the "new" songs will be included. As an example: The Memphis live album will include "Why me, Lord". Absolutely no favourite of mine.

//Björn

[Wilko]

Voted for 'What now my love' Love the way it builds and builds. Its quite possible I would have voted for trilogy if it was there though. Its definatley one of my favourite versions of it. To listen to, I like the Hampton Roads and Greensboro versions more and I prefer the ending on greensboro more than Hampton roads because he nails those end notes a bit better. That being said, I find the performance on Aloha more visually pleasing and a result, I probably watch it more than the others. Think its because of the enormity of the occasion, the big ol' American eagle on his suit, that 'look' at the orchestra just before the reprise and that punch in the air as he goes to sing the last 'Glory,glory' Never fails to give me goosebumps

[Marc Haegeman]

Steamroller Blues.
And yes, "An American Trilogy" should have been up there, instead of "Something."

I see your point, but this is the only original album by Elvis, that included "Something", so on the live albums, all the "new" songs will be included. As an example: The Memphis live album will include "Why me, Lord". Absolutely no favourite of mine.

//Björn

OK, I see what you mean. Thanks for clarifying!

[dreambear]

Hardly surprising, "Steamroller blues" got most votes here, followed by "I´m so lonesome I could cry". Good choices!

Thanks for voting!

//Björn

[thekingisalive]

"A Big Hunk" was represented on another one of your polls. Therefore, it's shocking that you include it here as well, instead of what may have been Elvis's best version of "Trilogy".

It's decisions like this that make people not take your polls serious.

Per

[Matthew]

"A Big Hunk" was represented on another one of your polls. Therefore, it's shocking that you include it here as well, instead of what may have been Elvis's best version of "Trilogy".

It's decisions like this that make people not take your polls serious.

Per

Just how seriously are people taking these polls - or any forum polls for that matter? I mean, how seriously can they be taken? Aren't they just a bit of fun?

[poormadpeter]

"A Big Hunk" was represented on another one of your polls. Therefore, it's shocking that you include it here as well, instead of what may have been Elvis's best version of "Trilogy".

It's decisions like this that make people not take your polls serious.

Per

Oh, get a life!

[elvisa]

"A Big Hunk" was represented on another one of your polls. Therefore, it's shocking that you include it here as well, instead of what may have been Elvis's best version of "Trilogy".

It's decisions like this that make people not take your polls serious.

Per

Just how seriously are people taking these polls - or any forum polls for that matter? I mean, how seriously can they be taken? Aren't they just a bit of fun?

Matthew , ofcause it`s just for fun....to me it is anyway......nice fun for the fun of it......I love it

[keninlincs]

for me it will be
burning love ,steamroller blues and its over

[dreambear]

"A Big Hunk" was represented on another one of your polls. Therefore, it's shocking that you include it here as well, instead of what may have been Elvis's best version of "Trilogy".

It's decisions like this that make people not take your polls serious.

Per

Just how seriously are people taking these polls - or any forum polls for that matter? I mean, how seriously can they be taken? Aren't they just a bit of fun?

Spot on, Matthew! But the real explaination is, that Elvis 70´s take on "A big hunk o´ love", really was re-arranged and one of the few 50´s songs he tackled seriously. "An American trilogy" was brilliant performed here, but doesn´t really differs that much from the other recorded versions from 1972. However, I will do a few poll later with missed masters like "Burning love", "It´s only love" and so on. It´s possible that I will include the single version of trilogy here.

End of the discussion!

//Björn

PS: Elvisa, Matthew & poormadpeter: Thank you all for your support! This makes me in the mood fo doing the next poll soon. I´m so glad that "Raised on rock", just has 10 tracks....

[eric c]

his zenith.

excellent album...but better visually.
as much as his live garden album must be heard...this historic performance must be seen.

steamroller.

but the emotion conveyed in his performance of i'm so lonesome i could cry is a historic performance within a historic performance.