Burbank '68 (CD - FTD, 1999)

Title:

Burbank '68

Label:

FTD [FTD 001] [74321 67299 2]

Format:

CD

Number of tracks:

23

Running time:

51:00

Type of album:

Rehearsal / Recording session

Linked to:

FTD discography

Year:

1999

Recording date:

June 23, 25, 29 & 30, 1968

Release date:

July 1999

Singles:

---

Burbank '68 was the first CD released by the Follow That Dream (FTD) label, in July 1999. It featured 23 tracks, 17 of which were previously unreleased, recorded during rehearsal on June 25, 1968 and both shows on the 29th of the same month for the '68 Comeback Special, in addition to unreleased takes from the recording sessions for the attraction's LP. This work is currently out of the label's catalogue.


Without much pretension, FTD puts its first work on the market thinking about attracting the public with the unpublished tracks that it proposed to make available. In fact, 17 of the songs heard on the CD were coming to fans' ears for the first time, which was a huge draw in itself. But what the record company offered in material was neglected in the packaging and in the internal art, which were not worked in a way to visually excite the buyer.

The rehearsals for the recordings in Burbank, on June 24 and 25, 1968, were unknown to the public until then and FTD decided that only the second would be made available on this CD. The audio has an excellent quality for a common tape recorder, although clear distortions appear when Elvis' guitar or the singer himself is too close to the microphone.

Finishing the work, seven tracks are from the concerts that were also officially unreleased on June 29, 1968. Despite this, such concerts were already known to the most attentive fans, having been released for the first time in Germany in 1978. The antepenultimate and penultimate tracks are splices of the opening and closing songs of the program and LP. The last is a hitherto unreleased instrumental of "Let Yourself Go".

Below is a review of the material available on the CD.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- 1. Danny Boy (June 25, 1968): Instrumental track.

- 2. Baby, What You Want Me to Do #1 (June 25, 1968): Instrumental track.

- 3. Love Me (June 25, 1968): Fairly common version, with Charlie Hodge doing backing vocals exactly as seen in the TV special.

- 4. Tiger Man (June 25, 1968): A very amusing rendition, with Elvis using the guitar quite heavily.

- 5. Dialogue (June 25, 1968): Elvis and Steve Binder discuss the transitions between dialogues, stories and songs during the recordings and filmings to come.

- 6. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (June 25, 1968): One of the most successful songs of 1956 takes on a new and vibrant guise with Elvis' husky voice, which successfully tries to emulate the treble of his youth.

- 7. One Night (June 25, 1968): 1957 was a unique year in Elvis' career, with award-winning records and number one singles. "One Night" is one such example, reaching the top of the charts in record time. This version features Elvis skimping on the highs.

- 8. Blue Christmas (June 25, 1968): That year's biggest selling album also featured the most listened song, reproduced here by Elvis in a more personal style.

- 9. Baby, What You Want Me to Do #2 (June 25, 1968): Elvis sings in this segment, but the version is slower than usual and just for fun.

- 10. When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again (June 25, 1968): A short version of the 1956 song leads to a discussion about Elvis trying to sing "Blue Moon of Kentucky".

- 11. Blue Moon of Kentucky (June 25, 1968): The version kinda happens, but Elvis recognizes that his voice is not as high as it was in 1954 and that it would not be a good idea to put it in.

- 12. Dialogue #2 (June 25, 1968): Elvis and Steve Binder discussthe shows, with Elvis considering a medley of national hits following the songs that propelled him regionally.

- 13. Heartbreak Hotel (June 29, 1968 - 8 pm): Four days later Elvis began recording his medley in front of an audience of select fans at NBC's Studio 4 in Burbank. The song starts out a bit muddled, with Elvis losing the rhythm, but the final delivery doesn't leave much to be desired despite not being perfect.

- 14. Hound Dog (June 29, 1968 - 8 pm): Elvis misses his entrance again, perhaps more out of nervousness than lack of attention or practice. The version is still one of the best of those shows.

- 15. All Shook Up (June 29, 1968 - 8 pm): Elvis finally picks up the pace and does a clean version with no mistakes or fears. The women in the studio go wild with his pelvic thrusts.

- 16. Can't Help Falling in Love (June 29, 1968 - 8 pm): A little slower than the one heard and seen in the special, the version pleases the audience who admires it in silence. Elvis seems to do well with this setup.

- 17. Jailhouse Rock June 29, 1968 - 8 pm): The new guise for the immortal success of 1957 leads the public to applaud along with it. Elvis' every move is carefully watched, especially by female fans.

- 18. Don't Be Cruel (June 29, 1968 - 8 pm): A very psychedelic version, it should have appeared in the special but was somehow left out.

- 19. Love Me Tender (June 29, 1968 - 8 pm): The great success of 1956 gets a more melodic and quite interesting version. Elvis jokes about the lyrics (singing "you made my life a wreck" instead of "you made my life complete") and complains about the heat he feels having to wear the tight leather outfit under the bright studio lights, to which a fan responds "take it all off then" and gets everyone laughing.

- 20. Blue Suede Shoes (June 29, 1968 - 6 pm): The song that opened his first RCA album and brought him immediate national success gets its sixties version with Elvis standing on stage and playing guitar. The reason why it didn't make it to the special is explained from minute 1:30 onwards, as Elvis loses pace.

- 21. Trouble / Guitar Man (June 22 + June 29, 1968 - 6 pm Splice, Take 1): In order to make a "live" version of the flagship of the television program, Elvis records a small take putting his voice on a track recorded in the studio seven days before.

- 22. If I Can Dream (Alternate Vocal Take; June 23 + June 30, 1968 Splice): Recording on the night of June 30, 1968, Elvis puts his voice over the instrumental track also recorded seven days earlier. Although the version seen on TV came from the same moment, this is an alternate vocal take that has never been released to the public before.

- 23. Let Yourself Go: An instrumental version of that year's hit single, featured on "Live a Little, Love a Little", was used at the end of the TV show. Its recording date is unknown.