Send Me the Light... I Need it Bad! (CD - Groti Records, 1994)

Title:

Send Me the Light... I Need it Bad!

Label:

Groti Records [Groti Rec. 101]

Format:

CD

Number of tracks:

27

Running time:

79:00

Type of album:

Concert

Linked to:

Unofficial discography

Year:

1994

Recording date:

May 29, 1977

Release date:

1994

Singles:

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Send Me the Light... I Need it Bad! is a CD by the Italian label Groti Records that first brought to the public the complete concert of May 29, 1977 in Baltimore, Maryland, in which Elvis leaves the stage during the show. The work is out of print.

The following excerpt is partially taken from the Elvis History Blog review. You can read the full article by clicking here.

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Every live stage performer is entitled to have an off night once in awhile, especially somebody like Elvis Presley, who gave hundreds of live concerts during his career. Unfortunately, as his health declined in the mid-seventies, Elvis’s touring schedule was increased at a time when it should have been curtailed instead. The result? … a string of sub-par Presley shows that left his fans saddened and obliged ethical reviewers to be honest about Presley’s mediocre performances.

One of those ethical writers was Marty Bennett, whose blunt review of Elvis’ May 29, 1977, show in Baltimore, Maryland, appeared in  Variety three days later. The distressing story of that Presley appearance started before Elvis came to town with widespread ticket scalping and culminated in an embarrassing and painful stage show in the Baltimore Civic Center.

Tickets, scaled with a top price of $15, went on sale in mid-April and sold out the same day. The take for the 12,700-seat Civic Center was $179,350, a record for a live performance at the facility. (Frank Sinatra held the previous record at $126,555.)

Immediately after the tickets sold out, they went back on sale, this time illegally. In an April 20, 1977, article, Variety reported that Elvis’ appearance in Baltimore had “generated record illicit prices as scalpers, professional and otherwise, gathered the chutzpah to go public with classified ads in a Sunday newspaper.” Of course, details of such illicit ticket sales are hard to come by, but it is known that one scalper who advertised $15 tickets for “best offer” received up to $100 per ticket.

Although there was a strict 10-ticket limit at the box office, the professional scalpers were able to accumulate much more than that. One classified advertiser told a radio reporter that he had 67 Elvis tickets for sale at $40 each. One newspaper, The New American, stood by its principles and refused to accept the scalpers’ ads.

Of course, all the tickets held by scalpers were moved for a healthy profit. Certainly, hundreds of those Elvis fans who were still standing in line when the box office put out the “sold out” sign had no misgivings about paying multiple times the issue price for tickets in Baltimore that spring in 1977. After all, for many it was a once in a lifetime chance to see Elvis Presley in person. The scalpers could have charged even higher prices and gotten them had they and their customers known that Elvis would die just a few months later.

 And what did the fleeced victims get for their overpriced tickets? A performance by Presley they would never forget but wish they could. The headline over Bennett’s concert review in the June 1, 1977, issue of Variety read, “What’s With Elvis: Walks Out Midway at Show in Baltimore.”

Civic Center personnel had shoe-horned an extra 200 seats into the arena, upping the crowd to 12,841 and the record “official” take to $181,410. Bennett noted that the audience’s indulgence was remarkable, “given the fact that some $15 ticket holders could barely see even a fraction of the stage.”

When Elvis came on following the warm up acts, he was “heavy-eyelidded and appeared to most observers to be weak and tired,” judged Bennett. “Presley, paunchy and apparently pained, first did 30 minutes marked by anemic singing, a few stilted attempts at his patented gyrations, bewildering patter and awkward stage movement that included having an aide hand-hold his voice mike.”

Suddenly, without explanation, Elvis announced he had to leave the stage and walked off. His large stage entourage quickly went into ad lib mode. Bennett reported that the crowd “endured the mysterious break with unusual patience.” He added, “While Presley was gone his troupe’s uneven filling included a vocal flight by an anonymous opera songstress that drew a partial standing ovation, more than the main attraction received at any time after his intro.”

After a half-hour hiatus, Elvis returned to the stage. He had left, he explained, because of a “twisted ankle and nature calls and you don’t fool around with nature.” Though he emphasized, “there’s nothing wrong with my health,” a Civic Center official later said Elvis was on medication and was treated by a physician during the 30-minute gap.

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Follow our detailed concert review below.

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- 1. Also Sprach Zarathustra / See See Rider: The audience is ecstatic at first. Despite everything that was going on those days, it seemed that the audience was in awe. For a 1977 tape released on a 1994 CD, the sound is above average and you can hear almost every instrument over the screams of the fans. As you can notice, the playback speed of the songs is faster than usual - although the tape could be the culprit. The rendition is standard and Elvis actually sounds great.

- 2. I Got a Woman / Amen: "Hello!," Elvis shouts. "Thank you very much." This is a standard rendition, but Elvis begins his "well, well, well" routine sounding rather tired. There is an attempt at a "striptease" in which Elvis sounds good, but some difficulty can be noted. Even his standard joke about JD being "the lowest person in the world" lacks the necessary tone to be funny. Unlike what he's been doing so far, here Elvis doesn't throw his guitar to Charlie Hodge.

- 3. That's All Right: The routine about him knowing "only three chords" follows. Elvis sounds energetic and looks like he's actually playing his guitar. It's a quick but good version.

- 4. Are You Lonesome Tonight: "And then we did a song called 'Are You Lonesome Tonight'." The "gay couple" routine with Charlie makes everyone laugh. The rendering is standard and neat.

- 5. Blue Christmas: "And then we did... Blue Christmas." It's strange to hear this song outside of Christmas, but the public doesn't seem to mind and loves it. Even stranger, she would be dropped for Elvis in Concert. It's hard to believe Variety's review at this point, because it really does sound like Elvis is putting on an above-average show.

- 6. Heartbreak Hotel: Who would have thought that Elvis would do this song in 1977? The very rare occasions he performed it that year were killer moments and this is no different. The sound has some distortions, but what we hear is a solid version full of good blues.

- 7. Love Me: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Wayne Newton!" Amidst the screaming, we can hear fans calling for "Burning Love". Honestly, this is a song that Elvis wasn't prepared to perform in 1977. The audience seems to disapprove of the chosen song, but Elvis performs it anyway. The version is standard and Elvis starts handing out scarves to his hysterical female fans.

- 8. Jailhouse Rock: "My third movie was Jailhouse Rock." The rendition proceeds as usual, but it is noted that Elvis' voice is weak.

- 9. You Gave Me a Mountain: While May 1977 has good versions, this is one of the least memorable. Elvis does it well, but it sounds rushed in the execution - perhaps because of what was to come.

- 10. Danny Boy (Sherrill Nielsen): "I'm gonna ask Sherrill Nielsen to come up here and do a song. He hasn't rehearsed for this, but... 'Danny Boy' and a Gospel song called 'Walk With Me'. Son, you're on your own!" This was one of the most notable signs that Elvis shouldn't be performing in his state of health. He just hands the show to Sherrill and sits down to drink water and rest - something that was never the norm.

- 11. Walk With Me (Sherrill Nielsen): With Elvis still resting, Nielsen does his part.

- 12. Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel: Elvis returns to the microphone to do the standard scarf -and-kiss, but his voice is clearly weak and barely audible under the instruments.

- 13. Walk That Lonesome Road: "I'm gonna have to leave the stage for just a second, because, uh... I'll have JD to do, if you don't mind,'Walk That Lonesome Road', and then Kathy will sing something. I'll be right back, just hang loose." The audience clearly does not believe what is happening on stage. As fans wonder what's going on, JD and The Stamps begin their Gospel jam as Elvis leaves. During the song, fans chant, "We want Elvis!"

- 14. My Heavenly Father: Kathy Westmoreland sings. The audience seems genuinely annoyed and even boos a little, but applauds the rendition at the end.

- 15. Introductions Done by Charlie Hodge: Charlie takes the microphone and introduces The Sweet Inspirations, JD Sumner and The Stamps, before a tape cut - due to severe damage or tape running out. On other tapes, the intros are complete with individual introductions for The Stamps and Kathy Westmoreland.

- 16. Early Morning Rain: John Wilkinson does his solo and sings.

- 17. School Days: James Burton delivers his two solos ("What'd I Say" and "Johnny B. Goode"), followed by the usual solos by Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, Tony Brown and Bobby Ogdin, and Joe Guercio and his orchestra. Elvis returns to the stage and sings during "School Days". He then explains himself: "I'm sorry about leaving the stage at that moment, but, uh... I have a twisted ankle and, uh, nature calls - you can't fool around nature."

- 18. Hurt: "One of our latest records is called 'Hurt'." It all sounds strange and Elvis' explanation for leaving the stage didn't convince anyone, but he's back and he looks in better shape than before - even if the quality of the tape doesn't let you hear it very well.

- 19. Hound Dog: Yet another kiss-and-scarf delivery moment and a very throwaway version where Elvis mumbles all over the place. He tries to compensate with energetic thrusts from the pelvis towards the end and the audience seems to like it.

- 20. Help Me: "We did a song, uh, called 'Help Me', and, uh..." Elvis seems to be having trouble finishing his sentences tonight. He doesn't forget his lyrics, though. The version is very well done.

- 21. Unchained Melody: "What do you want to hear?"Elvis chooses "Unchained Melody" for his next act. He quickly sits down at the piano and begins his rendition of the Everly Brothers' 1965 hit. This is a slower version and Elvis plays the piano magnificently and hauntingly, as he used to do on early 1976 versions. The breath fails him at one point, but he quickly dismisses the error with a beautiful sequence. The ending is simply incredible for the time and circumstances.

- 22. Blue Suede Shoes: "What do you wanna hear now?" A fan screams "Moody Blue" - something Elvis wouldn't sing, as his two attempts in February of that year were unsuccessful. The tape has a cut and Elvis is already in the middle of his rendition of the 1956 classic. The version is average.

- 23. The Wonder of You (1 Verse): "Burning Love?!" Elvis recognizes the fans' requests, but decides to interpret the 1970 hit. A few seconds of music are heard before he misses the lyrics and gives up.

- 24. One Night: A quick, honest, but throwaway version.

- 25. O Sole Mio: "In 1960 we did a song, uh, called 'It's Now or Never', and it was taken from, uh... the Italian song 'O Sole Mio'. So I'd like to ask Sherrill Nielsen to do, uh... 'O Sole Mio' and then we'll do 'It's Now or Never'. Just listen to his voice, ladies and gentlemen." Elvis' adoration of Sherrill's screams is a bit masochistic at times.

- 26. It's Now or Never: Elvis' version, while not the best of 1977, is very good.

- 27. Can't Help Falling In Love / Closing Vamp: "I'd like to tell you that, uh... that you've been a fantastic audience, you know,  during this time, and, uh, you know..." The audience applauds effusively. "Except that, uh... There's nothing wrong with my health or whatever, it's just that, you know... So the next time, just ask for us and we'll come back."

Even though some reviews consider this show to be "one of the worst", we really don't get that. Elvis was still performing well after all his health issues. The show ends with the classic 1961 hit and the usual fanfare.