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| Elvis performs at Madison Square Garden at 8:30 pm on June 10, 1972 |
In 1972, Elvis had been famous for 18 years. Despite the events in his personal life, which would culminate in his divorce the following year, his career was going very well. The return to the stage had been magnificent, "That's The Way It Is" was successful, "Elvis On Tour" was already recorded and promising awards, and Hawaii would receive him again in November of that year for "Aloha From Hawaii" - later postponed to January 1973.
But he still had to perform in a place of immense prestige: Madison Square Garden in New York.
The Beatles, Elton John, John Lennon, and many others have performed there. Ten years earlier, Marilyn Monroe had sung "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" to John F. Kennedy at the venue.
Elvis had done some TV appearances in New York and recorded in New York studios in the 1950s, but he had never played an open show there. Now he would finally perform in the most famous auditorium in the USA. There would be 4 concerts in 3 days, all with a record never before reached by any artist that has performed there: 20 THOUSAND SPECTATORS - THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY.
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That night's 8:30 pm show had been planned with the management of the powerful Colonel Tom Parker. The Sweet Inspirations would open with a session of good music and Jackie Kahane would do his comedy act. Then a short intermission and then, finally, the lights would go out so the audience could see Elvis emerge from behind the curtains in his white jumpsuit with a gold scarf around his neck.
This would be the longest entrance of his shows - Elvis would spend four minutes parading into the audience while an explosion of flashes capable of dazzling even the strobe lights of the stage would welcome him.
The performance would run smoothly, with little banter with the audience and at a fast pace - it was simply a professional performance, which he could deliver better than anyone in the world, with Parker's motto "time is money".
The most anticipated song of the night, "Hound Dog", would open with an intentional false start and finally, surprisingly, would be sung with the strong tone that had given him such early notoriety. Elvis would vary from the musical standards of the time with classics like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Proud Mary", among others, also singing his old hits like "Love Me Tender" and "Heartbreak Hotel".
The show would turn out to be a program with a rather rich menu. After 58 minutes, Elvis would depart without an encore. The effect would be a little disappointing for the fans who had waited almost 20 years to see him in their city, but it was enough to confirm the effective and usual magic of a concert by the King of Rock.
The concert wasn't recorded professionally, but some fans wouldn't lose the opportunity of registering an Elvis concert in New York for the first time.
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Elvis at Madison Square Garden
Label:
FTD [FTD 218] [506020 975113 2]
Format:
CD
Number of tracks:
23
Running time:
57:30
Type of album:
Concert
Linked to:
FTD discography
Year:
2017
Recording date:
June 9, 1972
Release date:
July 2017
Singles:
---
Elvis at Madison Square Garden was a book accompanied by a CD by FTD. It covers the entire show on June 9, 1972, the first in Madison Square Garden and New York City, officially released here for the first time.
The book contains hundreds of pages with texts and photos in detail about Elvis' arrival in the city and his first of 4 concerts at the famous amphitheater. The work is currently out of print.
Below is a review of the concert.
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- 1. Also Sprach Zarathustra: Already at the beginning of the fanfare, we realized that the audio does not come from a good tape. FTD tried to alleviate the problems and improve what they could, but even so the sound of Elvis and the band sounds far from the microphone of the recorder sometimes.
- 2. That's All Right: Elvis enters the stage and quickly begins the rendition of the classic that made his name in 1954. The version is strong and Elvis' voice sounds magnificent. The audience agrees.
- 3. Proud Mary: "Thank you." The Creedence Clearwater Revival classic is next number on the setlist. Elvis sounds enthusiastic and even asks the band to play the song longer than usual. His karate chops at the end drive the crowd wild.
- 4. Never Been to Spain: "Thank you. You are a fantastic audience! Good evening ladies and gentlemen." Relatively new to the setlist, the song pleases the audience and Elvis reciprocates by handing out some scarves and kissing some fans. The rendition itself is very powerful and very well performed.
- 5. Until it's Time For You to Go: The first song of the night directly used to cater to the crazed fans begins. As he sings, Elvis is surrounded by women looking for anything he can give them. The fans next to the recorder comment and laugh about everything. The rendition is standard.
- 6. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: This is Elvis' first performance in 1972. Played since 1970, the song had fallen into something of a rut, but the version here is pretty good. Fans scream for more of Elvis' attention.
- 7. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin': Another one from 1970 and also returning in this show, it lifts the fans up. An interesting fact is that it seems to run at a slightly slower pace than normal - or maybe it's the tape speed that's off.
- 8. Polk Salad Annie: A standard 1972 version, but with a sweeping bass solo. The sequence of karate chops at the end sounds phenomenal. The audience applauds effusively.
- 9. Love Me: Even this routine song drives fans crazy. Anyway, the medley of hits from the 1950s begins and it's time to hand out kisses and scarves to the fans.
- 10. All Shook Up: A routine version of less than 1 minute in length.
- 11. Heartbreak Hotel: Elvis puts some effort into the rendition, but even so, it's pretty routine.
- 12. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel: Another throwaway scarf-and-kiss moment.
- 13. Love Me Tender: Upon realizing that Elvis is going to sing one of the classics that had recently returned to the repertoire, a fan screams: "He's going to do 'Love Me Tender'!" The version is quite serviceable, with Elvis singing as if he were really interested in the music—unlike versions in later years. He even teases the lyrics at the end: "For, my darling / I love you / Because you take the pill".
- 14. Blue Suede Shoes: Excited, Elvis adds an extra improvised verse to this song that was already becoming routine.
- 15. Hound Dog: "I was on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, ladies and gentlemen, here in New York, and the television filmed me from the waist up. And I did this song. It's my message song for the night, man." Elvis does a false start to play with the band and tease the fans. The rendition is excellent and makes the audience applaud effusively.
- 16. Bridge Over Troubled Water: When it came to music he liked, Elvis always gave it his all. And here is no different. This is a solid, vocally strong and fantastically performed version.
- 17. Suspicious Minds: The audience claps to the rhythm of the music during the performance of the 1969 classic. When Elvis approaches the part of the audience where the recorder is, there is a small confusion with some cursing - it is not possible to know who they were directed to - while the singer interacts with the fans.
- 18. Introductions by Elvis: Elvis briefly introduces JD Sumner and The Stamps, The Sweet Inspirations, Kathy Westmoreland, James Burton, John Wilkinson, Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, Charlie Hodge, Glen Hardin, Joe Guercio and his orchestra.
- 19. For the Good Times: Another new addition to the repertoire, it makes the audience calm down and listen to the soft melody for a while.
- 20. An American Trilogy: The audience applauds the beginning of the song in reverence. Present in the repertoire since January, it gained notoriety and adoration from the April single. This version has different melody and arrangements that are simply sensational.
- 21. Funny How Times Slips Away: "Ladies and gentlemen, now that you've had a look at me, I'd like to turn the house lights up so I can take a look at you." The version is good, with Elvis focusing on the last goodbyes to the audience.
- 22. Can't Help Falling in Love: "Thank you. You are beautiful, ladies and gentlemen. A song from 'Blue Hawaii'." From the comments we hear on the tape, the fans really are fighting over a scarf or a kiss - and even cussing each other out - as Elvis performs his 1961 classic.
- 23. Closing Vamp: Elvis says the last goodbyes and pleases the last fans as the final fanfare is played.
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JUNE 10, 1972 - 2:30 PM - 2ND SHOW
At the matinee on the 10th, Elvis would present a show as vibrant as the previous night's. The audience would react with hysteria to every move, word and song.
The performance would feature a fantastic rendition of "Reconsider Baby", last heard on August 23, 1969. In addition to the usual flashes that went off every second, professional film cameras would be on the edge of the stage, which indicates that that show, and possibly all three others at Madison Square Garden, may have been filmed and recorded for "Elvis On Tour" or some other RCA and movie studio project.
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An Afternoon in the Garden
Label:
BMG / RCA [07863 67457 2]
Format:
CD / Cassette
Number of tracks:
24
Running time:
61:00
Type of album:
Concert
Linked to:
Official discography
Year:
1997
Recording date:
June 10, 1972 AS
Release date:
March 25, 1997
Singles:
---
An Afternoon in the Garden was the first official work to cover the full 2:30 pm show on June 10, 1972 at Madison Square Garden. The CD is still in catalogue.
Below is a review of the concert.
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- 1. Introduction - Also Sprach Zarathustra: The fanfare announces the beginning of the show.
- 2. That's All Right: Elvis' voice sounds strong and steady, but the audio mix puts more emphasis on the band - a mistake, you might say. Sometimes the singer's voice is drowned out by the instruments. The fast-paced version of the 1954 hit gets the crowd going. Elvis tosses his guitar to Charlie Hodge who, by the sound of it, wasn't ready for the action. The singer jokingly remarks, "He just died, didn't he?"
- 3. Proud Mary: Although the audio issue persists, we can hear that Elvis is enthusiastic and giving it his all. This is a very good version.
- 4. Never Been to Spain: For some reason, Elvis sounds extremely tired and out of breath in the quiet parts. Maybe it's because of the effort on the previous song or another factor, but the version is still very nice to listen to.
- 5. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: Comparing it with other versions, including the one from the night before, it appears that this one runs at a much higher speed than normal - or perhaps it has been digitally accelerated. Drums are the instrument that stands out the most, followed by bass, but overall the listening experience is great.
- 6. Until it's Time For You to Go: Although the audience can be heard a little more than desired, this version is mixed well and Kathy Westmoreland's voice was at just the right volume for this to be voted the best mix on the record so far.
- 7. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin':Elvis does a routine but soulful rendition. At one point, the overly loud cymbal makes him laugh, but he quickly recovers for a spectacular finish. Ronnie Tutt's drumming sounds excellent throughout the entire segment.
- 8. Polk Salad Annie: Even though we're practically halfway through the set, it's odd that Elvis still hasn't addressed the audience with more than a "thank you" here and there. But knowing the Colonel, it was probably his idea to save a few seconds. Elvis seems to forget the lyrics at one point, but even so this is a magnificent version where Jerry Scheff's bass shines masterfully. "Thank you. Well, that woke me up anyway."
- 9. Love Me: The 1950s medley begins and Elvis starts to greet his fans with kisses and scarves. The version is average.
- 10. All Shook Up: Addressing a fan who kissed him, Elvis jokes while chewing gum: "I hope that's bubblegum, dear." Maybe the mix helped this routine song sound more interesting here.
- 11. Heartbreak Hotel: Elvis sounds bored, which is to be expected from a song that's been on nearly every show for four years. He tries to change a few notes here and there, but the version is pretty routine.
- 12. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel: Elvis has a little fun here, swapping parts of the lyrics. Overall, he uses the version for a scarf-and-kiss moment.
- 13. Love Me Tender: "That's my first movie, ladies and gentlemen." Fans go wild for a little Elvis attention during this 1956 classic. Elvis, however, sounds like he wants to get it over with - which, by the rush, he did.
- 14. Blue Suede Shoes: Elvis really seems to like this song, interpreting it with will and dedication. His incentives for the band to continue and accompany him sound sensational.
- 15. Reconsider Baby: Last performed in 1969, this is a truly rare song that takes fans by surprise. Elvis works well on it and the mix rightly privileges the piano, giving the performance a fantastic Blues touch.
- 16. Hound Dog: "Then I was on The Ed Sullivan Show and I did this song here." When the fans start screaming, Elvis jokes: "You don't know what I'm going to do yet, just wait a minute!" For some reason, RCA decided to add a strange echo to this track. In general, both the slow part and the heavier and faster part bring the audience to delirium.
- 17. I'll Remember You: This is only the second time Elvis has performed this song live, the first being six months earlier. He does a serious and committed version that sounds very tasteful and well mixed.
- 18. Suspicious Minds: "Thank you. You are a beautiful audience, thank you very much. Suspicious Minds, baby!" This is perhaps the best mixed track on the entire album. Both Elvis' voice and the instruments and backing vocals have their spaces guaranteed and the audience does not drown out the sound of any of the parts. Elvis is entertained by some karate chops during the performance and a phenomenal sequence at the end.
- 19. Introductions by Elvis: Elvis briefly introduces JD Sumner and The Stamps, The Sweet Inspirations, Kathy Westmoreland, James Burton, John Wilkinson, Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, Charlie Hodge, Glen Hardin, Joe Guercio and his orchestra.
- 20. For the Good Times: This is definitely another fan favorite at the time, as it gave Elvis another chance to dedicate himself to the fans. The mix here isn't very good and the backing vocals are barely heard in some parts, but it's still a pretty strong version.
- 21. An American Trilogy: It's impossible to know what BMG wanted to do with the mix of each song, as there are so many ups and downs. Fortunately, this is a high moment, with a perfect mix. Elvis gives his all in a phenomenal version with a lot of emotion, which is only slightly marred by the exacerbated reaction of the fans who scream as if he was doing a striptease number and a feedback in the flute solo.
- 22. Funny How Times Slips Away: "I'd like to tell you that it's really fantastic being back to New York. You're really a good audience, thank you." A version very similar to the one in Greensboro on April 14th - seen in "Elvis On Tour" -, it has Elvis showing all his vocal ability by changing a few octaves at the end.
- 23. I Can't Stop Loving You: A great version with a satisfying mix that privileges the magnificent work of James Burton. Elvis also gives his all in this spectacular rendition.
- 24. Can't Help Falling in Love: "Thank you. You're fantastic. Take it home!" With a perfect mix, this fantastic version is a great ending to the show. Although the CD does not specify, "Closing Vamp" is included in its entirety at the end of the track, including the disclaimer that "Elvis has left the building" by Ed Enoch.
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JUNE 10, 1972 - 8:30 PM - 3RD SHOW
This is the best known show from that weekend at Madison Square Garden. It is the only RCA recording to have been released at the time.
The label would make an edit - removing just a few seconds of audience interactions or "silences" - and make it available to the public a mere eight days later, on June 18, on an LP entitled "Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden".
In this show is another of the rarities, the live version of "The Impossible Dream", sung here for the last time.
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Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden
Label:
RCA Victor [LSP 4776]
Format:
LP
Number of tracks:
22
Running time:
53:00
Type of album:
Concert
Linked to:
Official discography
Year:
1972
Recording date:
June 10, 1972 ES
Release date:
June 18, 1972
Singles:
"American Trilogy / The First Time" (April 4, 1972)
Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden was Elvis' 81st LP and 185th work (including singles and EPs). It contains the complete 8:30 pm show on June 10, 1972 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, the penultimate of only four appearances by Elvis in that city in the 1970s. The work is still in print.
Below is a review of the concert.
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- 1. Also Sprach Zarathustra: As usual, the fanfare announces the start of the show. Probably because we're so used to it, the original mix on the LP is what we like the most.
- 2. That's All Right: Right from the start we can note that the speed of execution is faster - either because it was done live like this or because it was sped up so that a simple LP could contain the entire show. Elvis' performance is full of enthusiasm.
- 3. Proud Mary: There's a little feedback at the beginning of the track, but nothing that spoils anything. Pay attention to James Burton's melodious guitar responses and backing vocals and you'll be in heaven. Maybe because Elvis is tired, this version is a little less fantastic than the one in the afternoon.
- 4. Never Been to Spain: Although the general mix is not the best, this version still has its value for containing a well pronounced bass, a phenomenal guitar and a good participation of the orchestra and the backing vocals. Elvis gives it his all, as always.
- 5. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: The orchestra is the star on this track, with the violins sounding magnificent at the start and then slowly being replaced by horns and backing vocals as Elvis gives a quiet but impressive rendition.
- 6. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin': With a bass section well placed in the mix, this version resembles the 1970 ones in many ways. Elvis delivers a solid, soulful rendition.
- 7. Polk Salad Annie: Elvis' voice sounds extremely tired as he thanks the audience. Overall, the version is pretty good, but it doesn't have the same cohesiveness as the one made just a few hours earlier. The mix favors Elvis' voice, part of the orchestra and the backing vocals, but the bass - which makes all the difference in this track - is not there. In the end, the force with which Ronnie Tutt hits his drum kit seems to indicate that Elvis is delivering one of his best displays of karate chops.
- 8. Love Me: Starting his medley of 1950s hits, Elvis seems bored with the music.
- 9. All Shook Up: A disposable just to please and serve fans.
- 10. Heartbreak Hotel: There's a good mix here and Elvis enjoys it.
- 11. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel: Nothing special here, just another routine scarf-and-kiss song.
- 12. Love Me Tender: "My first movie, ladies and gentlemen." The fans take over the track, but even so, you can hear that Elvis sounds extremely bored and tired.
- 13. The Impossible Dream: "We'd like to do our version of 'The Impossible Dream'." The classic that closed most of his shows in 1971 is interpreted here in an exceptionally fantastic way. Even the mix is perfect. There isn't a noticeable mistake and Elvis correctly exclaims at the end, "Good God!" It's a shame he would never sing this song again in his career.
- 14. Band Introductions: Elvis quickly introduces JD sumner and The Stamps (Rich Sterban, Ed Enoch, Donnie Sumner, Bill Baize) The Sweet Inspirations, (Estelle Brown, Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith), Kathy Westmoreland, James Burton, John Wilkinson, Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, Charlie Hodge, Glen Hardin, Joe Guercio and his orchestra.
- 15. Hound Dog: "This was a song I did on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1912." Unlike the afternoon version, there is no echo in the track. Elvis' voice sounds tired, but he still gives the song a good treatment.
- 16. Suspicious Minds: While it's slightly better than the afternoon version, there's not much to add here. The mix correctly favors the drums and backing vocals in the right places and the ending is very good.
- 17. For the Good Times: Here it is the bass that drives the track. Elvis sings softly as he attends to his fans and the band does a great job.
- 18. An American Trilogy: This is a more relaxed version of the one in the afternoon, with Elvis joking and even scaring the fans who scream crazily with his "what?!" at first. With no muffled instruments in the mix, this is a great version.
- 19. Funny How Times Slips Away: For some reason, Elvis' whole "now that you've seen us..." line sounds far away. The rendition itself is very good and Elvis doesn't joke too much at the end or make his usual funny comments.
- 20. I Can't Stop Loving You: This is proof that Elvis was always thinking about his audience and how to improve his performances. He makes a sensational rendition, but even so, he feels the need to improve his finish and repeats it to the delight of everybody.
- 21. Can't Help Falling in Love: "From 'Blue Hawaii', ladies and gentlemen." Elvis finishes the show somewhat hastily, without even thanking the audience. The version here is the routine one.
- 22. Closing Vamp: As always, it's the end of the show.
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JUNE 11, 1972 - 2:30 PM - CLOSING SHOW
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From New York to Chicago
Label:
SR Records [---]
Format:
Double CD
Number of tracks:
50
Running time:
122:00
Type of album:
Concert
Linked to:
Unnoficial discography
Year:
2010
Recording date:
June 11 and June 17, 1972 AS
Release date:
2010
Singles:
---
From New York to Chicago was a bootleg by SR Records released in 2010. It contains the complete shows from June 11 and 17, 1972 in New York and Chicago, respectively. The work is currently out of print.
Below is a review of the June 11th concert and the audio of both shows.
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- 1. Also Sprach Zarathustra: Although the CD marks this as a part of the early fanfare, it actually doesn't exist. What we hear is the beginning of "That's All Right", with Elvis entering the stage.
- 2. That's All Right: The audio from this source isn't the best and there's a lot of noise, leaving the tracks extremely muffled and unintelligible at times. Elvis is in great shape and, from what we can hear, he does an excellent rendition.
- 3. Proud Mary: The atmosphere is electric during the rendition, although it is very similar to so many others already made.
- 4. Never Been to Spain: Elvis begins his fan interactions with this slower song. The execution speed is probably too slow and the tape speed could be to blame for this. Overall, it's a pretty good version.
- 5. Until it's Time For You to Go: Fans scream during the rendition and it looks like Elvis is listening to them. The version is the standard for the time.
- 6. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: Elvis does a false start and then starts the song again. There's nothing new here, other than another very well interpreted version.
- 7. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin': Tape speed hurts this version, but nothing that's unbearable - other than a cut right through the middle of it. We can hear Elvis giving it his all and the backing vocals go along beautifully.
- 7. Polk Salad Annie: In 1972 Elvis had already changed the length and arrangement of this song. This new version is heavily reliant on the bass, which does a phenomenal job on the solo. The finish also sounds excellent.
- 9. Love Me: The 1950s medley begins. Elvis sounds more enthusiastic than the night before and, overall, the version really is better.
- 10. All Shook Up: A throwaway, but well executed.
- 11. Heartbreak Hotel: The tape speed hurts the rendition, making it look a lot like the post-1975 versions.
- 12. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel: Elvis does a good version, even if this is one of the ones he already found boring.
- 13. Love Me Tender: "My first movie, ladies and gentlemen." Elvis sounds bored, but the fans are still screaming wildly waiting for a scarf or a kiss. There is a slight distortion on the tape, but nothing that bothers too much.
- 14. Blue Suede Shoes: Unfortunately, we can only hear a few seconds of the rendition because the tape runs out. When the sound returns, Elvis is finishing the song.
- 15. Hound Dog: The 1956 hit starts without Elvis introducing it, as usual this season. The version is very good and has a slightly different ending.
- 16. I'll Remember You: Being a relatively new song on the setlist, Elvis gets a little lost with the lyrics - although it's almost imperceptible. The jewel that would be the version of Aloha begins to be molded.
- 17. Suspicious Minds: The rendition begins with a light feedback - which had already become a hallmark of Elvis' shows at Madison Square Garden. The version has a good rhythm and Elvis goes along with it. As he strikes his poses, he makes the comment that would become standard practice: "I hope this suit don't tear, oh baby!"
- 18. Band Introductions: Elvis briefly introduces JD Sumner and The Stamps, The Sweet Inspirations, Kathy Westmoreland, James Burton, John Wilkinson, Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, Charlie Hodge, Glen Hardin, Joe Guercio and his orchestra.
- 19. For the Good Times: A slow but pretty good version.
- 20. An American Trilogy: Despite having entered the repertoire in January, this song was already becoming one of the most anticipated in concerts due to the tremendous success of the April single. Elvis delivers a strong, cohesive version that excites the audience. The effusive applause fills the arena at the end.
- 21. Funny How Times Slips Away: "It was great to be here, you were a fantastic audience." The whistles and screams from the fans are deafening and almost drown out Elvis' rendition. Overall, it's a good version that serves to let the audience know that the show is nearing its end.
- 22. Can't Help Falling in Love: "You are a beautiful audience. This song is from 'Blue Hawaii', just for you." The 1961 classic warns the audience of the imminent end of the show as Elvis delivers the last kisses and scarves.
- 23. Closing Vamp: The fanfare, heard for a few seconds, officially marks the end of Elvis' last show in New York in his career.
BONUS: CHICAGO STADIUM - JUNE 17, 1972 AS
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