Kings and Ducks (CD - PA, 2007)

Title:

Kings and Ducks

Label:

PA [---]

Format:

CD

Number of tracks:

16

Running time:

32:40

Type of album:

Concert

Linked to:

Unofficial discography

Year:

2007

Recording date:

November 25, 1976

Release date:

2007

Singles:

---

Kings and Ducks was a bootleg CD released by PA in 2007. It features the incomplete November 25, 1976 concert in Eugene, Oregon.

In 1976 Elvis was happy with how things were going, as the year had started with more ups than downs. His desire to record was still low, but the sessions at Graceland's Jungle Room were fun and very productive. In fact, the sessions held there between February 3 and 8 had produced 8 usable tracks for an album - 9 if we count "America", which was mistakingly erased from the tape. Elvis also rehearsed "Feelings", a smash hit by Brazilian singer and composer Morris Albert.

As the first days of the year went by, Elvis no longer seemed interested in Las Vegas; little did he know, Vegas was reciprocal. Instead of a 28-day stint at the old and monotonous Hilton Showroom, he prefered to rest and record at his mansion and then going right into the national tours in March and April. He then decided to do a 10-day season in Lake Tahoe, which would be his last at the place, in the beginning of May. His return to national tours short after that seemed to point that Elvis may have been feeling lost or bored with the same old routine he had been enduring for the past 6 years.

But by the middle of that year, it didn't look like Elvis had returned to his old form or that it was possible. His performances were still erratic, and he would be slow and sometimes confused at the start of the concerts, though nothing like the terrible performances of August 1975 in Las Vegas. In fact, the singer would greatly improve his performance starting in June, culminating in the great show of December 31, 1976 in Pittsburgh, but it was clear that he no longer had that flame that burned in his core.

 Unfortunately, Elvis' performances were very questionable for most of the Summer and Autumn of 1976. The June 30th concert in Greensboro can be an exception, having a few great moments, but the August 31st concert in Macon wouldn't. Fans cheered anyway just for being able to witness a rock icon in the flesh as he sang, but his voice was often husky and out of tune.

Before his last Vegas season, Elvis did a small 7-day tour by the West Coast. Starting on November 24 in Reno, Nevada, the singer would do a quick run through another two cities in Oregon and two more in California. Eugene, in Oregon, got a nice Elvis concert on the 25th, but unfortunately the only known audience recording was so badly damaged that only a few parts could be saved for release.

Below is our review of this CD.

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- 1. Beethoven's Fifth (Joe Guercio & The Hot Hilton Horns): The upside for this very incomplete tape is that we get a substantial portion of the pre-show.

- 2. Jackie Kahane (Incomplete): The comedian does his usual bit.

- 3. Joe Guercio & The Hot Hilton Horns: Small instrumental bit.

- 4. Sweet Inspiration (The Sweet Inspirations - Incomplete): The Sweets do one of their greatest hits.

- 5. If You Leave Me Now (The Sweet Inspirations - Incomplete): The Sweets do a cover of Chicago's 1976 hit.

- 6. Also Sprach Zarathustra: Although the fanfare is announced here, it is actually the beginning of "See See Rider".

- 7. See See Rider: Elvis legitimately sounds great here and the audience takes it with full enthusiasm. The rendition is standard, but very good.

- 8. I Got a Woman (Incomplete): "If you think I'm nervous... You're right!" The "well, well, well" routine is very funny, with Elvis interacting a lot with his fans. Unfortunately, the actual medley was cut from the tape.

- 9. Love Me (Incomplete): Elvis welcomes the audience into the show and does his 1956 hit while entertaining his fans with kisses and scarves. The final portion of the song was cut.

- 10. It's Now or Never: After noticing a strange buzz on stage, Elvis goes right into his 1960 recording. This time he doesn't ask Sherrill Nielsen to do his screaming in Italian, thank God! The singer gives it his all in this one of his favorite songs.

- 11. Fever: This is a throwaway version, but Elvis has lots of fun with it and the audience.

- 12. Solo - Tony Brown (Incomplete): A huge portion of the show was cut and the tape resumes at the end of Tony's solo.

- 13. Solo - David Briggs (Incomplete): Elvis asks David to do his solo. The tape cuts after a few seconds.

- 14. Hurt: We return at the very end of "School Days". The performance is amazingly similar to the studio Master, and Elvis tries his best to do a great ending.

- 15. Hawaiian Wedding Song: Elvis introduces the song and interacts with the audience. This version is a lot more melodic than we're used to hear, but it's a good change.

- 16. Can't Help Falling in Love (Incomplete): Elvis starts saying his goodbyes, but gets distracted by the audience. The concert comes to an end with his 1961 classic, as usual. The ending and the "Closing Vamp" are missing.