Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special
Encyclopedia
Elvis, starring Elvis Presley
, was the title of a 1968
United States
television special
. Sponsored by The Singer Sewing Machine Company
, it aired on December 2, 1968 on the NBC
television network. The special is commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special, because of subsequent developments in Presley's career, but the soundtrack album was released simply as NBC-TV Special. It was directed by Steve Binder
and produced by Binder and Bones Howe
.
Presley's informal jamming in front of a small audience in the '68 Comeback Special is regarded as a forerunner of the so-called 'Unplugged
' concept, later popularized by MTV
.
, and the British Invasion
in particular, were leading "the swinging sixties".
Partly due to the repetitive scripts and laughable song choices, as well as the general feeling that he was "uncool", Presley's films had been making less money with each release and he was tiring of Hollywood. Colonel Parker, Presley's manager, had found it increasingly difficult to secure the usual $1,000,000 fee for a Presley film, and had no alternative than to take a different approach. Parker negotiated a deal with NBC for $1,250,000 to finance both a television special and a film (1969's Change of Habit
).
Parker wanted the show, which was scheduled as a Christmas
season broadcast, to be little more than Presley singing Christmas carols. He believed the special could simply be a TV-version of the Christmas radio show Presley had contributed to the year before. Binder argued that the special was an opportunity to re-establish the singer's reputation after years of formulaic movies and recordings of variable quality. He and Howe hired writers to script a show with specific themes: they envisaged large set designs, dance sequences and big productions of Presley's hits. However, Binder was open to any variations on this that would showcase the singer's talent, and Presley was apparently very happy to go along with this flexible approach.
The special eventually included an extravagant musical sequence featuring Gospel
-style numbers, a semi-autobiographical "mini-movie" centered around the song "Guitar Man
" and other re-recordings given lavish set designs. A segment set in a bordello featuring the song "Let Yourself Go" was initially passed by the network's censors, but was removed at the request of the show's primary sponsor, Singer Corporation
, as it was deemed too risqué. (The first public appearance of this sequence was in the expanded video version of the 1981 documentary film This Is Elvis
. It was later restored for RCA's 3-DVD release in 2004.) The special ends with Presley appealing for world peace and tolerance with the song "If I Can Dream."
Studio recordings for these segments were made at Western Recorders in Hollywood, California between June 20 and 23 and featured an orchestra and The Blossoms
as background vocalists: Fanita James, Jean King and Darlene Love
. Other musicians included drummer Hal Blaine
, pianist Don Randi
, guitarist Tommy Tedesco
, bass player Larry Knechtel
and harmonica player Tommy Morgan.
Presley is said to have been very apprehensive about the idea of performing live. His last live concert had been at the Bloch Arena in Pearl Harbor
, Hawaii, on March 25, 1961. Binder offered a lot of support and reassurance to stop the singer from rejecting the idea of any live segments. He realized some songs already re-recorded or scheduled would need to be cut (The special was only an hour long). He quickly arranged for rehearsals to take place to capture the feel of Presley's informal studio jamming, drafting in the surviving members of Presley's original backing band – Scotty Moore
and D. J. Fontana
(bassist Bill Black
had died in 1965). He also brought in Presley's friends Alan Fortas, Lance LeGault
and Charlie Hodge
to encourage Presley and make him feel at ease. Two sessions took place, each about two hours in length; the first on June 24 and the second on the 25th. Both took place in the informal surroundings of the dressing room at NBC. They were recorded by Presley's friend Joe Esposito using the singer's own tape recorder. Many songs were tried, including "Danny Boy", "Blue Moon
", "That's My Desire
" and "I Got A Woman", before the final repertoire was decided for the actual TV recording.
Subsequently, at 6.00pm, June 27, Presley took to the stage for the first time in over seven years, resulting in four one-hour live shows being taped at NBC's Burbank studios. A black-clad Presley sat down and jammed with band mates for two shows, each show having a different audience. There was a one hour break between them (enough time for Presley to shower and have his outfit dry cleaned after performing under the hot studio lights). In the second two, recorded at 8.00pm, June 29, he remained standing and sang live to a mix of live and pre-recorded backing, again in front of two different audiences. These four sessions are often referred to collectively as "The Burbank Sessions", the name coming from not just the venue, but the titles of two collectible bootleg LPs which feature them. The role of each musician at the two sit-down performances was:
Filmed in the round, only a small portion of these - and the stand-up sets - were included in the televised special. Presley and the others played and sang while interjecting personal stories of his music and early performances. Referring to music and his religious upbringing in a break between songs, Presley says: "Rock and roll is basically gospel (music), or rhythm & blues (is too). It sprang from that, people have been adding to it." He also makes reference to the leading groups of the time, like The Byrds
and The Beatles
, and notes how things have improved and not just changed, like the standard of musicians and sound engineering. Presley is also prompted to speak about a Florida concert at which the police had filmed the show, threatening to use the film as evidence to prosecute him for "vulgarity."
Presley sings many of the songs he was famous for including: "That's All Right", "Heartbreak Hotel", "One Night", "Love Me Tender" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?". He also reprises Jimmy Reed's
"Baby What You Want Me to Do
" on several occasions and includes the less well known songs, "Tryin' To Get To You" and "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again" "Lawdy Miss Clawdy
". As each session progresses, he can be observed playing and singing with such gusto that he occasionally feels the urge to rise up and sing off mike, even when he uses the electric guitar with no strap (during a reprise of "One Night").
During "Love Me Tender", he sang particularly to his wife, Priscilla
, who was in the audience. During the first verse, he jokingly replaced the line "You have made my life complete" with "You have made my life a wreck...err, complete" as a brief, lighthearted joke. It drew a giggle from the audience, including Priscilla.
In both sit-down shows, Presley sits between two of the women sat at the edge of the stage to sing the final song, "Memories". Although this move was Binder's idea, Colonel Parker had originally been concerned that the audiences would contain older, more reserved adults and that this might give the impression that Presley had lost some of his appeal (The only time Presley had 'bombed' at a live gig was in front of a mature audience in Las Vegas in 1956). Parker had therefore arranged that young women should be seen nearest the stage during filming.
The stand-up shows feature Presley performing a similar energetic set by himself, mostly without guitar. He performs on the same small stage (no more than ten feet square) which is closely surrounded by the audience. Musical backing this time comes from an unseen live orchestra and the Blossoms. Presley also sings to a pre-recorded track on a few songs that were intended to be integrated into other parts of the show.
's Timex Special of 1960, in which Presley himself appeared with other celebrities, including Peter Lawford
and Sammy Davis Jr..
At the beginning of the '68 Special project, a nervous Presley had said to the executive producer Bob Finkel: "I want everyone to know what I can really do." Critics generally agree that the broadcast did show what Elvis Presley really could do - in addition to making profitable, but generally uninspired movies and soundtracks. The '68 Special is widely credited with revitalizing his career: chart statistics for the summer of 1968 suggest that Presley's recording career was becoming all but non-existent and irrelevant. After the special, he began his stint in Las Vegas and toured, achieving a string of record-breaking sell-out performances across America. Chart successes returned, including a U.S. number one in 1969 ("Suspicious Minds
") and a U.K. number one ("The Wonder of You", (1970)) - his first since 1965.
The live segments of the '68 Comeback Special in particular gave the audience more than a glimpse of Presley's charismatic and emotionally charged performing style that won him his first fans in the 1950s. This is arguably even more evident in the later uncut versions of the special (see below). His career had been considered by many to be artistically fallow since his return from the Army (1960), the subsequent Beatles invasion and since the new and varied musical directions forged by the likes of the Rolling Stones, The Doors
, The Moody Blues
, Pink Floyd
, Bob Dylan
, and Jimi Hendrix
.
" – the only seasonal song Binder agreed to use. When the special was rebroadcast the following summer, this was replaced with a performance of "Tiger Man".
In 1984, one of the sit down sessions was released uncut and unedited by Media Home Entertainment, Inc. on a video as Elvis - One Night With You. RCA Video Productions
also made a shorter version for television and an album. The original special has also been made available for television and home video - the reissued version restores the censored musical numbers from the "Guitar Man" segment, and features both "Blue Christmas" and "Tiger Man".
In June 2004, RCA Records
issued a deluxe 3-disc DVD
release containing all the video footage still in existence, including bloopers and incomplete performances. It features a 24-page color booklet with text written by Greil Marcus
.
A number of songs were shortlisted for recording but were rejected. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was cut in favor of "If I Can Dream". Undistinguished songs showcasing his movie career, like "Cotton Candy Land" and "How Would You Like To Be", were axed - as was "U.S. Male". A song that was partially re-recorded but did not make the final show was "A Little Less Conversation
", a track from Presley's then-current film release, Live a Little, Love a Little
. In 2002, this version was used as the basis for a popular remixed version of the song by Junkie XL
, giving Presley his second posthumous #1 hit in Britain (he has now had a record twenty-one no.1s in the British charts). The remix reached #1 in an additional 20 countries, and was added, at the last minute, to the quadruple platinum 2004 compilation ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits
The show's opening sequence, "Trouble/Guitar Man" was copied almost exactly (down to the same opening song with the same arrangement) in Robbie Williams
' 2003 live DVD The Robbie Williams Show
. The stage sets in Williams' show are also similar to the ones in Presley's.
There are at least two more instances of "homages" being paid to the show's opener. The entire set is replicated in the video for the title track of Falco
's fourth album, Emotional, with the giant red letters spelling the artist's stage name. The video for Texas
' 2000 song "Inner Smile
" is an even more open tribute, as it features a leather-clad Sharleen Spiteri
singing in front of an Elvis-like red TEXAS sign and remarkably resembling a young Elvis, thanks to the use of prosthetics.
Trix payed homage to the opener for one of their 2011 commercials.
, Big Boss Man
and at the end of the film If I Can Dream
.
Elvis introduces band-mates.
That's All Right
Heartbreak Hotel
Love Me
Swapping axes. / Are we on television?
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Touching body with hands. / Rock & roll music is ...
Blue Suede Shoes
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Something wrong with my lip. / He's gotta be crazy.
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Can You Buckle My Belt, Baby?
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Blue Christmas
Trying To Get To You
One Night - Somebody pulled the plug, man.
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Man, I just work here. / No strap.
One Night
Memories
Elvis talks.
Heartbreak Hotel
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Elvis refers to script. / Introduces band-mates
That's All Right
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Can't even touch myself. / you gonna get arrested, boy.
Blue Suede Shoes
We don't have a strap? / Lines from MacArthur Park.
One Night
Love Me
Hanky flies about. / The new music. / My style came from ...
Trying To Get To You
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Girl saves Elvis tissue lint. / Never ceases to amaze me. baby.
Santa Claus Is Back In Town
Blue Christmas
Tiger Man
Another tissue girl. / MacArthur Park lines.
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Memories
compilation album Elvis Sings Flaming Star
(PRS-279), which was first released through Singer Sewing Machine stores and given wide release in April 1969 (CAS 2304).
The NBC-TV Special soundtrack itself was released in November 1968 as well (LPM 4088). As originally issued, it contained most (but not all) of the music from the original broadcast; a new edition with additional tracks was released on CD in 1991.
In March 1969, RCA released "Memories" as a single (47-9730).
Over the following decades, additional performances from the TV Special were released in piecemeal form, particularly in RCA's A Legendary Performer compilation series, as well as in the 1985 box set A Golden Celebration, although bootleg
albums featuring unissued material circulated informally for years. In the 1990s and 2000s, RCA issued more-complete soundtrack recordings. In 1998, it issued Memories, a 30th anniversary release that was an expansion of the original NBC-TV Special album. That same year RCA released Tiger Man which consisted of the complete sit-down performances. Finally, in 2006, RCA released Let Yourself Go: The Making of Elvis the Comeback Special, which consisted of outtakes and rehearsal recordings from the special.
As noted above, the version of "A Little Less Conversation" originally recorded for (but not used in) the special was later remixed and became a hit single in 2002. The original recording was released (officially) for the first time in the 1998 Memories CD collection.
Various '68 Comeback recordings (as well as some from Aloha from Hawaii) were used as the soundtrack to the Elvis pinball machine
, released by Stern in 2004.
Disc one
Disc two
Disc three
Disc four
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, was the title of a 1968
1968 in television
The year 1968 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1968.For the American TV schedule, see: 1968-69 American network television schedule.-Events:...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
. Sponsored by The Singer Sewing Machine Company
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
, it aired on December 2, 1968 on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television network. The special is commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special, because of subsequent developments in Presley's career, but the soundtrack album was released simply as NBC-TV Special. It was directed by Steve Binder
Steve Binder
Steve Binder is an American producer and director. He found success behind the camera on influential TV shows showcasing music, like The T.A.M.I. Show and Hullabaloo...
and produced by Binder and Bones Howe
Bones Howe
Dayton Burr "Bones" Howe is a Grammy-award-winning record producer and recording engineer associated with 1960s and 1970s hits, mostly of the sunshine pop genre, including most of the hits of The 5th Dimension and The Association, as well as music supervision of several films...
.
Presley's informal jamming in front of a small audience in the '68 Comeback Special is regarded as a forerunner of the so-called 'Unplugged
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
' concept, later popularized by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
Original concept
Despite huge success in both his music and acting careers following his release from the army in 1960, Presley's career had declined steadily in the years leading up to 1968. The music scene had changed dramatically since his last U.S. #1 single in 1962, and Presley was in no doubt that bands such as the BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
in particular, were leading "the swinging sixties".
Partly due to the repetitive scripts and laughable song choices, as well as the general feeling that he was "uncool", Presley's films had been making less money with each release and he was tiring of Hollywood. Colonel Parker, Presley's manager, had found it increasingly difficult to secure the usual $1,000,000 fee for a Presley film, and had no alternative than to take a different approach. Parker negotiated a deal with NBC for $1,250,000 to finance both a television special and a film (1969's Change of Habit
Change of Habit
Change of Habit is a 1969 musical drama film starring Elvis Presley and Mary Tyler Moore. It was Presley's 31st and final film acting role; his remaining two film appearances were concert documentaries. It was also Moore's fourth and final film under her brief Universal Pictures contract; she...
).
Parker wanted the show, which was scheduled as a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season broadcast, to be little more than Presley singing Christmas carols. He believed the special could simply be a TV-version of the Christmas radio show Presley had contributed to the year before. Binder argued that the special was an opportunity to re-establish the singer's reputation after years of formulaic movies and recordings of variable quality. He and Howe hired writers to script a show with specific themes: they envisaged large set designs, dance sequences and big productions of Presley's hits. However, Binder was open to any variations on this that would showcase the singer's talent, and Presley was apparently very happy to go along with this flexible approach.
The special eventually included an extravagant musical sequence featuring Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
-style numbers, a semi-autobiographical "mini-movie" centered around the song "Guitar Man
Guitar Man (Jerry Reed song)
"Guitar Man" is a 1967 song written by Jerry Reed, who took his version of it to number 53 on the country music charts in 1967.Soon after Reed's single appeared, Elvis Presley recorded the song, and it became a minor country and pop hit...
" and other re-recordings given lavish set designs. A segment set in a bordello featuring the song "Let Yourself Go" was initially passed by the network's censors, but was removed at the request of the show's primary sponsor, Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
, as it was deemed too risqué. (The first public appearance of this sequence was in the expanded video version of the 1981 documentary film This Is Elvis
This Is Elvis
This Is Elvis is a 1981 documentary film directed by Andrew Solt and Malcolm Leo, based on the life of Elvis Presley. It combined archival footage with reenactments, and narration by pop singer Ral Donner. It was screened out of competition at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival...
. It was later restored for RCA's 3-DVD release in 2004.) The special ends with Presley appealing for world peace and tolerance with the song "If I Can Dream."
Studio recordings for these segments were made at Western Recorders in Hollywood, California between June 20 and 23 and featured an orchestra and The Blossoms
The Blossoms
The Blossoms were a backing group from California. They had a recording career in their own right and were to the American West Coast what The Sweet Inspirations were to the East Coast and The Andantes were for Motown.-Early years:...
as background vocalists: Fanita James, Jean King and Darlene Love
Darlene Love
Darlene Love is an American popular music singer and actress. She gained prominence in the 1960s for the song "He's a Rebel," a #1 American single in 1962, and was part of the Phil Spector stable that produced a celebrated Christmas album in 1963....
. Other musicians included drummer Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and...
, pianist Don Randi
Don Randi
Don Randi is an American keyboard player, bandleader and songwriter. He has performed on innumerable recordings, including many as a session musician and member of "The Wrecking Crew", as well as releasing his own jazz records...
, guitarist Tommy Tedesco
Tommy Tedesco
Thomas J. Tedesco was an American master session musician and renowned jazz and bebop guitarist.Tedesco's credits include the iconic brand-burning accompaniment theme from television's Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Vic Mizzy's iconic theme from Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley's '68...
, bass player Larry Knechtel
Larry Knechtel
Lawrence William "Larry" Knechtel was an American keyboard player and bassist, best known for his work as a session musician with such artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, The Partridge Family, The Doors, and Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s...
and harmonica player Tommy Morgan.
Live segments
It was after rehearsals at Western Recorders that Binder took special note of how Presley and the other musicians would spontaneously unwind by improvising old blues and rock 'n' roll numbers. Binder commented: "...and that's when I really got the idea: Wouldn't it be great if I had a camera in here and they didn't know I was here?"Presley is said to have been very apprehensive about the idea of performing live. His last live concert had been at the Bloch Arena in Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, Hawaii, on March 25, 1961. Binder offered a lot of support and reassurance to stop the singer from rejecting the idea of any live segments. He realized some songs already re-recorded or scheduled would need to be cut (The special was only an hour long). He quickly arranged for rehearsals to take place to capture the feel of Presley's informal studio jamming, drafting in the surviving members of Presley's original backing band – Scotty Moore
Scotty Moore
Winfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III is an American guitarist. He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, between 1954 and the beginning of Elvis' Hollywood years...
and D. J. Fontana
D. J. Fontana
Dominic Joseph Fontana is an American musician best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years. He played on over 460 RCA cuts with Elvis....
(bassist Bill Black
Bill Black
William Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician who is noted as one of the pioneers of rockabilly music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio and the leader of Bill Black's Combo....
had died in 1965). He also brought in Presley's friends Alan Fortas, Lance LeGault
Lance LeGault
Lance LeGault , sometimes credited as W. L. LeGault, is an American film and television actor, best known as Colonel Roderick Decker in the 1980s American television series The A-Team.-Personal life:...
and Charlie Hodge
Charlie Hodge (guitarist)
Charles Franklin Hodge , better known as Charlie Hodge, was an American singer, vocal coach and musician who was a confidant and associate of Elvis Presley.- Early music career :...
to encourage Presley and make him feel at ease. Two sessions took place, each about two hours in length; the first on June 24 and the second on the 25th. Both took place in the informal surroundings of the dressing room at NBC. They were recorded by Presley's friend Joe Esposito using the singer's own tape recorder. Many songs were tried, including "Danny Boy", "Blue Moon
Blue Moon (song)
"Blue Moon"'s first crossover recording to rock and roll came from Elvis Presley in 1956. His cover version of the song was included on his self-titled debut album Elvis Presley....
", "That's My Desire
That's My Desire (1931 song)
"That's My Desire" is a 1931 popular song with music by Helmy Kresa and lyrics by Carroll Loveday.The highest-charting version of the song was recorded by the Sammy Kaye orchestra in 1946, although a version of the song recorded by Frankie Laine has become better known over the years, being one of...
" and "I Got A Woman", before the final repertoire was decided for the actual TV recording.
Subsequently, at 6.00pm, June 27, Presley took to the stage for the first time in over seven years, resulting in four one-hour live shows being taped at NBC's Burbank studios. A black-clad Presley sat down and jammed with band mates for two shows, each show having a different audience. There was a one hour break between them (enough time for Presley to shower and have his outfit dry cleaned after performing under the hot studio lights). In the second two, recorded at 8.00pm, June 29, he remained standing and sang live to a mix of live and pre-recorded backing, again in front of two different audiences. These four sessions are often referred to collectively as "The Burbank Sessions", the name coming from not just the venue, but the titles of two collectible bootleg LPs which feature them. The role of each musician at the two sit-down performances was:
- Elvis Presley: vocals, guitars (acoustic and electric - he and Scotty Moore use the same ones and swap them)
- D. J. Fontana: drumming, using a guitar case
- Alan Fortas: guitar back-slapping, occasional vocals
- Charlie Hodge: acoustic guitar, occasional vocals
- Lance LeGault: guitar back-slapping, tambourine
- Scotty Moore: guitars (acoustic and electric)
Filmed in the round, only a small portion of these - and the stand-up sets - were included in the televised special. Presley and the others played and sang while interjecting personal stories of his music and early performances. Referring to music and his religious upbringing in a break between songs, Presley says: "Rock and roll is basically gospel (music), or rhythm & blues (is too). It sprang from that, people have been adding to it." He also makes reference to the leading groups of the time, like The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and notes how things have improved and not just changed, like the standard of musicians and sound engineering. Presley is also prompted to speak about a Florida concert at which the police had filmed the show, threatening to use the film as evidence to prosecute him for "vulgarity."
Presley sings many of the songs he was famous for including: "That's All Right", "Heartbreak Hotel", "One Night", "Love Me Tender" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?". He also reprises Jimmy Reed's
Jimmy Reed
Mathis James "Jimmy" Reed was an American blues musician and songwriter, notable for bringing his distinctive style of blues to mainstream audiences. Reed was a major player in the field of electric blues, as opposed to the more acoustic-based sound of many of his contemporaries...
"Baby What You Want Me to Do
Baby What You Want Me to Do
"Baby What You Want Me to Do" is a blues song that was written and recorded by Jimmy Reed in 1959...
" on several occasions and includes the less well known songs, "Tryin' To Get To You" and "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again" "Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a song by Lloyd Price. It was first recorded by Price at the New Orleans recording studio of Specialty Records in March 1952. It was released under the Specialty label in April and was number one on the Billboard rhythm and blues chart for seven weeks and stayed on the chart...
". As each session progresses, he can be observed playing and singing with such gusto that he occasionally feels the urge to rise up and sing off mike, even when he uses the electric guitar with no strap (during a reprise of "One Night").
During "Love Me Tender", he sang particularly to his wife, Priscilla
Priscilla Presley
Priscilla Presley is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the ex-wife of singer Elvis Presley, and the mother of singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley....
, who was in the audience. During the first verse, he jokingly replaced the line "You have made my life complete" with "You have made my life a wreck...err, complete" as a brief, lighthearted joke. It drew a giggle from the audience, including Priscilla.
In both sit-down shows, Presley sits between two of the women sat at the edge of the stage to sing the final song, "Memories". Although this move was Binder's idea, Colonel Parker had originally been concerned that the audiences would contain older, more reserved adults and that this might give the impression that Presley had lost some of his appeal (The only time Presley had 'bombed' at a live gig was in front of a mature audience in Las Vegas in 1956). Parker had therefore arranged that young women should be seen nearest the stage during filming.
The stand-up shows feature Presley performing a similar energetic set by himself, mostly without guitar. He performs on the same small stage (no more than ten feet square) which is closely surrounded by the audience. Musical backing this time comes from an unseen live orchestra and the Blossoms. Presley also sings to a pre-recorded track on a few songs that were intended to be integrated into other parts of the show.
Acclaim
The edited broadcast of December 2 - combining the big, choreographed numbers, lavish sets and some of the informal live sessions - was an enormous success. The show was the highest-rated television special of the year. According to Binder, it was probably the first one-man TV special to appear on commercial American television. Previously, TV specials tended to be packed with guest stars, like Frank SinatraFrank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
's Timex Special of 1960, in which Presley himself appeared with other celebrities, including Peter Lawford
Peter Lawford
Peter Sydney Ernest Aylen , better known as Peter Lawford, was an English-American actor.He was a member of the "Rat Pack", and brother-in-law to US President John F. Kennedy, perhaps more noted in later years for his off-screen activities as a celebrity than for his acting...
and Sammy Davis Jr..
At the beginning of the '68 Special project, a nervous Presley had said to the executive producer Bob Finkel: "I want everyone to know what I can really do." Critics generally agree that the broadcast did show what Elvis Presley really could do - in addition to making profitable, but generally uninspired movies and soundtracks. The '68 Special is widely credited with revitalizing his career: chart statistics for the summer of 1968 suggest that Presley's recording career was becoming all but non-existent and irrelevant. After the special, he began his stint in Las Vegas and toured, achieving a string of record-breaking sell-out performances across America. Chart successes returned, including a U.S. number one in 1969 ("Suspicious Minds
Suspicious Minds
"Suspicious Minds" is a song written by American songwriter Mark James that, after the failure of his own recording, was handed to Elvis Presley by producer Chips Moman becoming one of his most notable hits and a number one in 1969, "Suspicious Minds" was widely regarded as the single that returned...
") and a U.K. number one ("The Wonder of You", (1970)) - his first since 1965.
The live segments of the '68 Comeback Special in particular gave the audience more than a glimpse of Presley's charismatic and emotionally charged performing style that won him his first fans in the 1950s. This is arguably even more evident in the later uncut versions of the special (see below). His career had been considered by many to be artistically fallow since his return from the Army (1960), the subsequent Beatles invasion and since the new and varied musical directions forged by the likes of the Rolling Stones, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
.
Additional information
Two versions of the special were initially aired by NBC. The first included Presley singing "Blue ChristmasBlue Christmas
"Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays had long been considered a Christmas staple of country music, having been recorded first by Doye O'Dell in 1948 and popularised by Ernest Tubb the next year...
" – the only seasonal song Binder agreed to use. When the special was rebroadcast the following summer, this was replaced with a performance of "Tiger Man".
In 1984, one of the sit down sessions was released uncut and unedited by Media Home Entertainment, Inc. on a video as Elvis - One Night With You. RCA Video Productions
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
also made a shorter version for television and an album. The original special has also been made available for television and home video - the reissued version restores the censored musical numbers from the "Guitar Man" segment, and features both "Blue Christmas" and "Tiger Man".
In June 2004, RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
issued a deluxe 3-disc DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release containing all the video footage still in existence, including bloopers and incomplete performances. It features a 24-page color booklet with text written by Greil Marcus
Greil Marcus
Greil Marcus is an American author, music journalist and cultural critic. He is notable for producing scholarly and literary essays that place rock music in a much broader framework of culture and politics than is customary in pop music journalism.-Life and career:Marcus was born in San Francisco...
.
A number of songs were shortlisted for recording but were rejected. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was cut in favor of "If I Can Dream". Undistinguished songs showcasing his movie career, like "Cotton Candy Land" and "How Would You Like To Be", were axed - as was "U.S. Male". A song that was partially re-recorded but did not make the final show was "A Little Less Conversation
A Little Less Conversation
"A Little Less Conversation" is a song written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange that was originally performed and written for American rock and roll icon Elvis Presley for the 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little. When the song was released as a single with "Almost in Love" as the b-side, it became...
", a track from Presley's then-current film release, Live a Little, Love a Little
Live a Little, Love a Little
Live A Little, Love A Little is a 1968 musical comedy starring Elvis Presley. It was directed by Norman Taurog, who had directed several previous Presley films. This was to be Taurog's final film. Shortly thereafter, he went blind...
. In 2002, this version was used as the basis for a popular remixed version of the song by Junkie XL
Junkie XL
Tom Holkenborg , better known as Junkie XL or JXL, is a Dutch musician. He uses the name JXL in cases where the term "Junkie" might cause offense. XL is for "Xpanding Limits"....
, giving Presley his second posthumous #1 hit in Britain (he has now had a record twenty-one no.1s in the British charts). The remix reached #1 in an additional 20 countries, and was added, at the last minute, to the quadruple platinum 2004 compilation ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits
The show's opening sequence, "Trouble/Guitar Man" was copied almost exactly (down to the same opening song with the same arrangement) in Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
' 2003 live DVD The Robbie Williams Show
The Robbie Williams Show
The Robbie Williams Show is a live DVD by Robbie Williams, recorded in 2002 in Pinewood Studios before the release of the album Escapology.- Track listing :#"Trouble"/"Handsome Man" #"Rock DJ"...
. The stage sets in Williams' show are also similar to the ones in Presley's.
There are at least two more instances of "homages" being paid to the show's opener. The entire set is replicated in the video for the title track of Falco
Falco (musician)
Johann Hölzel , better known by his stage name Falco, was an Austrian pop and rock musician and rapper. He had several international hits: "Der Kommissar", "Rock Me Amadeus", "Vienna Calling", "Jeanny", "The Sound of Musik", "Coming Home " and posthumously, "Out Of The Dark"...
's fourth album, Emotional, with the giant red letters spelling the artist's stage name. The video for Texas
Texas (band)
Texas are a Scottish pop band from Bearsden, near Glasgow, Scotland. They were founded by Johnny McElhone in 1986 and feature Sharleen Spiteri on lead vocals. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at Scotland's University of Dundee...
' 2000 song "Inner Smile
Inner Smile
Inner Smile is a song by Scottish pop group Texas, originally released on their 2000 album The Greatest Hits and co-written by Gregg Alexander and Rick Nowels. It was released as the second single from The Greatest Hits album in the United Kingdom and peaked at #6 on the UK Singles Chart...
" is an even more open tribute, as it features a leather-clad Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri is a Scottish recording artist and songwriter, best known as being the lead singer of Scottish rock/blues band Texas. Texas began their career in 1986, and shot to fame in 1989 with their UK Top Ten single, "I Don't Want a Lover" released from Southside...
singing in front of an Elvis-like red TEXAS sign and remarkably resembling a young Elvis, thanks to the use of prosthetics.
Trix payed homage to the opener for one of their 2011 commercials.
In popular culture
The Comeback Special is featured in the television mini-series Elvis, a biopic about Elvis' life story starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. It shows him first meeting with Steve Binder and performing the songs on stage which includes Lawdy Miss ClawdyLawdy Miss Clawdy
"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a song by Lloyd Price. It was first recorded by Price at the New Orleans recording studio of Specialty Records in March 1952. It was released under the Specialty label in April and was number one on the Billboard rhythm and blues chart for seven weeks and stayed on the chart...
, Big Boss Man
Big Boss Man (song)
"Big Boss Man" is a blues song written by Luther Dixon and Al Smith in 1960 and first recorded by Jimmy Reed. The song was a hit for Reed and has been interpreted and recorded by a variety of artists, including Elvis Presley and B.B...
and at the end of the film If I Can Dream
If I Can Dream
"If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown and notable for its direct quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was recorded by Presley in June 1968, two months after King's assassination...
.
Set list
- "Trouble"/"Guitar Man" - Show Opener
- "Lawdy Miss ClawdyLawdy Miss Clawdy"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a song by Lloyd Price. It was first recorded by Price at the New Orleans recording studio of Specialty Records in March 1952. It was released under the Specialty label in April and was number one on the Billboard rhythm and blues chart for seven weeks and stayed on the chart...
" - "Baby What You Want Me to DoBaby What You Want Me to Do"Baby What You Want Me to Do" is a blues song that was written and recorded by Jimmy Reed in 1959...
" - Something wrong with my lip. / He's gotta be crazy.
- Heartbreak HotelHeartbreak Hotel"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American rock and roll musician Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. His first number-one pop record, "Heartbreak Hotel" topped Billboards Top 100 chart, became his first...
/ Hound DogHound Dog (song)"Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton in 1952. Other early versions illustrate the differences among blues, country, and rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The 1956 remake by Elvis Presley is the best-known...
/ All Shook UpAll Shook Up"All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music and composed by Otis Blackwell. Elvis Presley's single topped the U.S. Pop chart on April 13, 1957, staying there for eight weeks. It also topped the R&B chart for four weeks, becoming Presley's second single to... - "Can't Help Falling in LoveCan't Help Falling in Love"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a pop song originally recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody was based on "Plaisir d'Amour" but with a different...
" - "Jailhouse RockJailhouse Rock (song)"Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock...
" - Can I borrow your little whatchacallit? / This leather suit is hot
- "Love Me TenderLove Me Tender (song)"Love Me Tender" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music, adapted from the tune of "Aura Lee" , a sentimental Civil War ballad.- History :...
" - "Are You Lonesome Tonight?Are You Lonesome Tonight? (song)"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is a popular song with music by Lou Handman and lyrics by Roy Turk. It was written in 1926, first published in 1927 and most notably revived by Elvis Presley in 1960 ....
" - Rock & roll music is ...
- Gospel Production Number:
- "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless ChildSometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" is a traditional Negro spiritual.The song dates back to the era of slavery in the United States when it was common practice to sell children of slaves away from their parents. An early performance of the song dates back to the 1870s by the Fisk Jubilee...
" / "Where Could I go But To The Lord" / "Up Above My Head" / Saved- "Baby, What You Want Me To Do"
- "Blue Christmas"
- "One NightOne Night (song)"One Night" is a song popularized by Elvis Presley. It was issued as a double A-side with "I Got Stung". The single reached number one twice on the UK Singles Chart. In the U.S., "One Night", reached number four on the pop singles chart and number ten on the R&B chart...
" - "Memories"
- Guitar Man Production Number:
- "Nothingville" / "Guitar Man" / "Let Yourself Go" / "Guitar Man" / "Big Boss Man" / "It Hurts MeIt Hurts Me"It Hurts Me" is a 1964 Top 40 song recorded by Elvis Presley on RCA Victor. Credited to Joy Byers and Charles E. Daniels, "It Hurts Me" is a ballad that was a new song when recorded by Elvis Presley on January 12, 1964...
" / "Guitar Man" / "Little Egypt" / "Trouble" / "Guitar Man"- "If I Can DreamIf I Can Dream"If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown and notable for its direct quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr. It was recorded by Presley in June 1968, two months after King's assassination...
" - Show Closer
- "If I Can Dream
Set list from black leather sit-down show #1
Elvis takes the stage.Elvis introduces band-mates.
That's All Right
Heartbreak Hotel
Love Me
Swapping axes. / Are we on television?
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Touching body with hands. / Rock & roll music is ...
Blue Suede Shoes
Blue Suede Shoes
"Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955 and is considered one of the first rockabilly records and incorporated elements of blues, country and pop music of the time...
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Something wrong with my lip. / He's gotta be crazy.
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Can You Buckle My Belt, Baby?
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Blue Christmas
Trying To Get To You
Trying to Get To You
“Trying To Get To You” is a song performed by Elvis Presley in 1955 on his Sun recordings.It was written by Rose Marie McCoy and Charles Singleton, also known as Charlie Singleton. It was originally recorded by the rhythm and blues outfit The Eagles in 1954 and released in mid-1954 on Mercury...
One Night - Somebody pulled the plug, man.
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Man, I just work here. / No strap.
One Night
Memories
Set list from black leather sit-down show #2
Audience warm-up / Mr. Elvis Presley.Elvis talks.
Heartbreak Hotel
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Elvis refers to script. / Introduces band-mates
That's All Right
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Baby. What You Want Me To Do
Can't even touch myself. / you gonna get arrested, boy.
Blue Suede Shoes
We don't have a strap? / Lines from MacArthur Park.
One Night
Love Me
Hanky flies about. / The new music. / My style came from ...
Trying To Get To You
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Girl saves Elvis tissue lint. / Never ceases to amaze me. baby.
Santa Claus Is Back In Town
Blue Christmas
Tiger Man
Another tissue girl. / MacArthur Park lines.
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Memories
Soundtrack releases
The first song from the special to be released to the public was "If I Can Dream", which was released as a single by RCA Victor (47-9670) in October 1968. In November 1968, the live performance of "Tiger Man" appeared on the RCA CamdenRCA Camden
RCA Camden was a budget record label of recordings, first introduced by RCA Victor.-History:The label was named after Camden, New Jersey, original home to the Victor Talking Machine Company, later RCA Records. It specialized in reissuing historic classical and popular recordings from the RCA catalog...
compilation album Elvis Sings Flaming Star
Elvis Sings Flaming Star
Singer Presents Elvis Singing Flaming Star and Others is the thirty-third album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Records in stereo, PRS 279, in October 1968...
(PRS-279), which was first released through Singer Sewing Machine stores and given wide release in April 1969 (CAS 2304).
The NBC-TV Special soundtrack itself was released in November 1968 as well (LPM 4088). As originally issued, it contained most (but not all) of the music from the original broadcast; a new edition with additional tracks was released on CD in 1991.
In March 1969, RCA released "Memories" as a single (47-9730).
Over the following decades, additional performances from the TV Special were released in piecemeal form, particularly in RCA's A Legendary Performer compilation series, as well as in the 1985 box set A Golden Celebration, although bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
albums featuring unissued material circulated informally for years. In the 1990s and 2000s, RCA issued more-complete soundtrack recordings. In 1998, it issued Memories, a 30th anniversary release that was an expansion of the original NBC-TV Special album. That same year RCA released Tiger Man which consisted of the complete sit-down performances. Finally, in 2006, RCA released Let Yourself Go: The Making of Elvis the Comeback Special, which consisted of outtakes and rehearsal recordings from the special.
As noted above, the version of "A Little Less Conversation" originally recorded for (but not used in) the special was later remixed and became a hit single in 2002. The original recording was released (officially) for the first time in the 1998 Memories CD collection.
Various '68 Comeback recordings (as well as some from Aloha from Hawaii) were used as the soundtrack to the Elvis pinball machine
Elvis (pinball)
Elvis is a 2004 pinball machine released by Stern. It is based on the singer of the same name.The machine's soundtrack includes Elvis singing "C.C...
, released by Stern in 2004.
Complete '68 Comeback Special
On August 5, 2008, Legacy released a 4-CD compilation of the complete recording sessions for the special. The tracklisting is here:Disc one
- Medley: Trouble/Guitar Man
- Medley: Lawdy, Miss Clawdy/Baby, What You Want Me To Do/Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up/C...
- Medley: Where Could I Go But To the Lord/Up Above My Head/Saved
- Medley: Blue Christmas/One Night
- Memories
- Medley: Nothingville/Big Boss Man/Guitar Man/Little Egypt/Trouble/Guitar Man
- If I Can Dream
- It Hurts Me
- Let Yourself Go
- Little Less Conversation, A
- Memories
- If I Can Dream
Disc two
- Introductions
- That's All Right
- Heartbreak Hotel
- Love Me
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- Blue Suede Shoes
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- Lawdy Miss Clawdy
- Are You Lonesome Tonight?
- When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
- Blue Christmas
- Trying To Get To You
- One Night
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- One Night
- Memories
- Heartbreak Hotel
- Hound Dog
- All Shook Up
- Can't Help Falling In Love
- Jailhouse Rock
- Don't Be Cruel
- Blue Suede Shoes
- Love Me Tender
- Trouble
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- If I Can Dream
Disc three
- Heartbreak Hotel
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- Introductions
- That's All Right
- Are You Lonesome Tonight?
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- Blue Suede Shoes
- One Night
- Love Me
- Trying To Get To You
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
- Santa Claus is Back In Town
- Blue Christmas
- Tiger Man
- When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
- Memories
- Heartbreak Hotel
- Hound Dog
- All Shook Up
- Can't Help Falling In Love
- Jailhouse Rock
- Don't Be Cruel
- Blue Suede Shoes
- Love Me Tender
- Medley: Trouble/Guitar Man
- Medley: Trouble/Guitar Man
- If I Can Dream
Disc four
- I Got a Woman
- Medley: Blue Moon/Young Love/Oh, Happy Day
- When It Rains It Really Pours
- Blue Christmas
- Medley: Are You Lonesome Tonight?/That's My Desire
- That's When Your Heartaches Begin
- Peter Gunn Theme
- Love Me
- When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
- Medley: Blue Christmas/Santa Claus is Back In Town
- Danny Boy
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- Love Me
- Tiger Man
- Santa Claus is Back In Town
- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
- One Night
- Blue Christmas
- Baby, What You Want Me To Do
- When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
- Blue Moon of Kentucky
Charts and certifications
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Top 40 Music DVDs | 1 |
| Austrian Top 10 Music DVDs | 2 |
| Belgium (Flanders) Top 10 Music DVDs | 4 |
| Finnish Top 5 Music DVDs | 1 |
| German Albums Chart | 72 |
| Japanese DVDs Chart | 99 |
| Netherlands Top 30 Music DVDs | 2 |
| New Zealand Top 10 Music DVDs | 4 |
| Norwegian Top 10 DVDs | 1 |
| Swedish Top 20 DVDs | 1 |
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Wallonia) Top 10 Music DVDs | 1 |