If You Talk in Your Sleep (CD - Fort Baxter, 1994)

Title:

If You Talk in Your Sleep

Label:

Fort Baxter [VTCD FB 2094]

Format:

CD

Number of tracks:

21

Running time:

60:00

Type of album:
Concert

Linked to:

Unofficial discography

Year:

1994

Recorded:

August 19, 1974 OS

Released:

1994

Singles:

---

If You Talk in Your Sleep is a bootleg CD by Fort Baxter. It contains the iconic Elvis' season 11 Opening Show in Las Vegas on August 19, 1974. The work is out of print at the label.

1974 may have gotten off to a slow start on record releases with new material, but there was a sense of change to come in the air. The success of the compilation "A Legendary Performer, Volume 1", released on January 11, was a great sign of this.

When the first season of the year began in Las Vegas on the 26th of that month, Elvis was still shaken by his divorce three months earlier and his temper was as strong as that of the last show the year before. During the season, he would modify the repertoire to songs more to his liking and take the reins of the performances. "Let Me Be There" would gain prominence, Sherrrill Nielsen and his group would have even more space with the participation in "Spanish Eyes" and the solos in "Killing Me Softly", "Bringin' it Back", "I Can't Live Without You" and "Aubrey".

It was in March 1974 that the best season of Elvis' entire career took place. It was also at this point, after living in Memphis for 26 years and 13 years after his last performance there, that the singer finally conquered the city.

From March 1st to March 20, the singer held his biggest tour yet, with 24 shows in 20 days, and the whole thing was a bang. These were some of the best performances by the King of Rock since his return to the stage in 1969. Several cities have been blessed with 2, 3, 4 and even 5 concerts. The crowds were incredible and the anticipation excited them. Arenas were sold out in every city for at least a month before Elvis took the stage.

From May 10 to July 2, performances on national tours and the final season of his Lake Tahoe stint that year were also top notch. The sense of change began to become more visible as Elvis added more and more songs of his own personal preference to the shows, something the Colonel disliked. For Parker and RCA, many of these tracks were not concert material and would hardly sell well if released on live records. Among them there was a consensus that what would be heard on the LP "As Recorded Live On Stage in Memphis", which would be released on July 7 of that year, should be the synthesis of Elvis Presley from then on.

The King of Rock, of course, did not agree with this. So much did he disagree that he decided during his July vacation that his next season in Las Vegas, which would start on August 19, 1974, would be the starting point of a new repertoire and, ideally, a new Elvis. In fact, he sent his musicians several drafts of songs he wanted to be considered for upcoming shows and worked on them intensely and thoroughly in rehearsals on August 14-16 at RCA's Hollywood studios.

After setting up a new repertoire in rehearsals, Elvis was ready for the new season. Sadly, the August 19 show would be the only one to bring some of his best rendition. The list of songs for the performances would go back to being basically the same as always the next day. In addition, the singer planned a new opening for his performances, something that, probably due to Parker's influence, never happened.

Elvis' annotation of favorite songs for August 1974 concerts

The concert on the 19th was well received by fans, who already wanted a more modern Elvis on stage at that time. Certainly "Hound Dog" and other classics could not be removed or replaced due to the importance they had, but bringing some current songs in ways that only Elvis knew how to do was necessary for him to get along with the younger and more dynamic audience of the 1970s. The singer knew that, but for Parker and RCA there was no room for innovation and the goal should be to keep the King of Rock as a vintage classic.

It only took a few comments about the quality of that night's show for the Colonel to take action and warn Elvis that he should return to the default playlist. Perhaps because he did not want to get involved in more controversial fights like the one in September 1973, the singer accepted. In the August 20 performances, "See See Rider" was already back in the opening; there were also "I Got a Woman / Amen", "Love Me", "You Gave Me a Mountain" and "Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel". By the 21st, Elvis' favorite songs had been reduced to a handful.

Below is a review of the concert.

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

- 1. Big Boss Man: As usual, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" was not recorded at this time. The fanfare leads to the opening of the show with "Big Boss Man", which was already part of the fixed repertoire since May 16 of that year, a welcome novelty in replacement of the already beaten "See See Rider". Elvis' voice sounds great.

Note that FTD's  "Nevada Nights" from 2008 uses the spacial mix heard here, but the instrumentation feels a little bit lost.

- 2. Proud Mary: Although performed sporadically since 1970, it was in 1972 that Elvis featured this song in almost all of his shows. It's a surprise that it appears here after a two-year absence, but the version is well performed and cheers the audience up.

Wearing the Peacock jumpsuit, Elvis teases the fans: "Good evening. My name is, uh... NBC Peacock." Noting that he screwed his own joke, he comments: "'My name is NBC Peacock! I practiced that all evening and goofed it, see?"

-3. Down in the Alley: "This next song is a song that we did here about ten years ago, when Charlie was a child." Total surprise, as it had never been introduced in concerts before and was just a B-side of a 1967 single, it brings a well-paced blues and rock touches to the show.

Unfortunately, this would be its only live rendition.

- 4. Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues: Without saying a word, Elvis enters the song that was one of Danny O'Keefe's biggest hits since 1972.

His version would only be performed in this show and would become quite autobiographical by some additions made by the singer, such as "play around, you'll lose your wife - already done that" and "play too long, you'll lose your life - almost did that."

Due to the controversy at the time, Elvis decided to omit a stanza that talked about drug addiction.

- 5. Never Been to Spain: "You know, I've done a lot of things in my lifetime, but..." is the phrase that leads to the beginning of the song that was part of the 1972 repertoire and is now yet another surprise for the audience. Elvis seems to really like it and the infectious rhythm soon makes it one of the best renditions of the show.

This would be the last live rendition.

- 6. It's Midnight: "This next song is a new record that I have coming out - one side of a record coming out..." The new repertoire continues to please and the audience listens in silence. For a first rendition, it proves to be perfect. Elvis really conveys all the feeling of the lyrics, probably because it is so close to his current life situation.

- 7. If You Talk in Your Sleep: Written by Red West, this mix of blues and funk is heard for the first time here. Elvis has fun with the lyrics that talk about a woman who cheats on her husband with a lover, making a correlation with the gossip of the time about himself.

In the end, the singer jokingly states: "That's not about me. I didn't write that song about myself, because I don't do that, I... [the Sweet Inspirations mockery says it all]. Charlie wrote it. No, a friend of mine, Red West, wrote it. I don't know why, what, when he wrote it."

- 8. I'm Leavin': "Uh, what do we do next? [A fan asks for some music in the background] Wait a minute, honey. I've got 'Fever', 'I Just Can't Help Believin'' and 'I'm Leavin'' - all three at one time. [The fan answers 'I'm Leavin''] 'I'm Leavin'? Ok. All at once. 'I'm Leavin'."

The song had a greater presence in shows in 1971 and 1973, and in 1974 it would be on the list of performances practically only this season in Las Vegas. The rendition is good, but there are better ones on previous occasions.

- 9. Let Me Be There: A hit by Olivia Newton-John the year before, the song had been a part of Elvis' performances since January 26, 1974. The rendition is consistent with the previous ones, but the audio quality doesn't help for optimal enjoyment. As usual, the King of Rock repeats the final part of the song before ending it.

- 10. Softly, As I Leave You: "I want to do something a little bit, uh... I wanted to do for a long time, and, uh, I'd like to do it tonight." The spoken intro of the song unfolds with total silence from the audience which wants to pay full attention to what Elvis says. As he recites the lyrics for the second part, Sherrill Nielsen sings in the background.

For a first rendition, the effusive applause shows that it would be welcome in the performances, and the singer would keep it until the end of 1976.

- 11. If You Love Me (Let Me Know): Another Olivia Newton-John hit in 1973 makes its debut on this show. The song was one of Elvis's ten most favorites and proof of that is that it remained constantly present in the concerts from then until his penultimate show, on June 25, 1977.

Elvis had agreed with JD Sumner that he wanted a quick dive bomb at the final and that's what we hear here.

- 12. Love Me Tender: After starting the song and abruptly stopping it saying he didn't want to sing it, the King of Rock does a good quality rendition. His laughs and comments are very refreshing additions to the already well-known song and routine of handing out scarves and kissing fans.

- 13. Polk Salad Annie: In a version already quite different from those heard in 1970 and closer to those that would come between 1975 and 1977, the singer pours out all his energy. A small Ronnie Tutt solo is performed during the rendition, which would have been quite interesting if it had been incorporated into the performances and expanded to the other musicians.

The rendition is one of the wildest of all. Even so, the King of Rock doesn't even seem to have gotten tired.

- 14. Band Introductions: "I'd like, uh, to take this opportunity to introduce myse- Uh, to introduce the members of my group." After a brief banter, Elvis introduces the Sweet Inspirations (calling them the "Crew Cuts"). JD Sumner & The Stamps Quartet, "the little girl that does her high voice singing" Kathy Westmoreland (he also makes a remark about her see-through blouse), "the guy I never understood" John Wilkinson, James Burton, "one of my karate students" Ronnie Tutt, "another weirdo" Duke Bardwell, Glen Hardin, Charlie Hodge, Sherrill Nielsen and the Voice group, Joe Guercio and the Joe Guercio Orchestra.

- 15. Promised Land: "Ok, what do we do next? [Charlie answers 'Promised Land'] I'm game, son!" Another one that appears for the first time, it's a version of the Chuck Berry classic. Elvis has fun during the performance, but still makes very shy vocals, probably for fear of getting the lyrics wrong.

- 16. Introducing Telly Savalas: Elvis introduces actor Telly Savalas.

- 17. My Baby Left Me: The song appeared only five times in Elvis' performances, this being the last.

The rendition heard here is regular, but nothing compared to that of March 20 of that year.

- 18. Bridge Over Troubled Water: Present in the shows for exactly 4 years, it's a beautiful version with the orchestra standing out in the audio. As with all the songs that moved him, Elvis does his best.

- 19. Fever: Appearing regularly at concerts since August 5, 1972, the song cheers up the audience. Elvis plays with the audacity of his fans and in the end he complains, in a joking tone, that Charlie dropped his guitar.

- 20. Hound Dog: Rendition has been the default since 1972, just deleting the slow part and going straight to rock.

- 21. Can't Help Falling in Love: "We bid you an affectionate, uh, 'adiós'." The end of the concert is announced. Only 48 seconds of the song are heard before the CD ends.