Night of the Dragon
The Straight Arrow import label announced the release of the 2-CD ‘Night of the Dragon‘ containing August 28, 1974 Dinner and Midnight show performances.
From the press release: Straight Arrow is pleased to bring you a new double CD dedicated to Elvis' 1974 Las Vegas Summer season, which was always rated as controversial due to Elvis in-between-songs comments in several shows. Nevertheless, musically, all shows were very good.
Straight Arrow has released only 2 shows from this engagement so far, ‘Karate Fever’ (August 31, 1974 Dinner show) and ‘Stormy Weather Ahead’ (September 2, 1974 Dinner show).
Both setlists included several songs unique to this season: ‘It's Midnight’, ‘Big Boss Man’ and ‘If You Talk in Your Sleep’, the latter with a karate demo half way the song. The song selection clearly shows our man’s great variety of musical genres. From the sexy styling of ‘Fever’, the poignancy of ‘I'm Leavin'’, and the feel-good of two Olivia Newton John songs ‘If You Love Me (Let Me Know)’ and ‘Let Me Be There’. Most of all, perhaps,
Elvis touched first base musically with the stirring performances of ‘How Great Thou Art’. Also worth mentioning is the rare inclusion of ‘My Boy’ which was performed only once in 1974 (by request).
As usual, this release comes in a deluxe 4-panel double digi-pack with a collection of images of Elvis on stage from the 1974 Las Vegas Summer season. If you have enjoyed our previous August and September 1974 releases, we believe that you will love this one as well.
CD1 – Wednesday, August 28, 1974 Dinner Show:
01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra - 02. C. C. Rider - 03. I Got A Woman / Amen - 04. Love Me - 05. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) - 06. It's Midnight - 07. Big Boss Man - 08. Fever - 09. Love Me Tender - 10. All Shook Up - 11. I'm Leavin' - 12. Softly As I Leave You (with Sherrill Nielsen) - 13. Hound Dog - 14. An American Trilogy - 15. Introductions of singers, musicians, orchestra - 16. If You Talk In Your Sleep - 17. Help Me - 18. My Boy - 19. How Great Thou Art - 20. Let Me Be There (with reprise) - 21. Hawaiian Wedding Song - 22. Can't Help Falling In Love - 23. Closing Vamp.
Bonus tracks (recorded from soundboard, August 28th, 1974 D/S): 24. Help Me - 25. My Boy - 26. How Great Thou Art.
CD2 – Wednesday, August 28, 1974 Midnight Show:
01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra - 02. C. C. Rider - 03. I Got A Woman / Amen - 04. Love Me - 05. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) - 06. It's Midnight - 07. Big Boss Man - 08. Fever - 09. Love Me Tender - 10. All Shook Up - 11. I'm Leavin' - 12. Softly As I Leave You (with Sherrill Nielsen) - 13. Hound Dog - 14. An American Trilogy - 15. Introductions of singers, musicians, orchestra - 16. Introduction of Tom Jones - 17. If You Talk In Your Sleep - 18. Why Me, Lord? - 19. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel - 20. How Great Thou Art - 21. Let Me Be There (with reprise) - 22. Hawaiian Wedding Song - 23. Monologue - 24. Can't Help Falling In Love - 25. Closing Vamp.
Four More New releases
The new Gold Standard import-label announced the release of the CDs ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’, ‘Stay Away, Joe’ and ‘Girl Happy’.
From the press release: The Gold Standard label presents ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ (27 tracks), ‘Stay Away, Joe’ (28 tracks) and ‘Girl Happy’ (29 tracks). New CD releases with tracks related to the movies. All include great sounding alternate takes, movie versions, demos and more! Also, for the first time on cd the original radio spots for the movie! These releases are limited to 500 copies each.
Tracks ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’:
Easy Come, Easy Go (Radio Spot #1) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Take 9 - Unedited Master) - She’s A Machine (Take 14) - She’s A Machine (Take 15 - Master) - The Love Machine (Take 14 - Movie Version - Master) - Sing You Children (Take 22 - Unedited Master) - I’ll Take Love (Take 1 & 2A) - Yoga Is As Yoga Does (Take 1) - Yoga Is As Yoga Does (Take 2) - Yoga Is As Yoga Does (Take 3) - Yoga Is As Yoga Does (Take 4) - You Gotta Stop (Take 5 - Master) - Intro / Easy Come, Easy Go (Movie Opening) - You Gotta Stop (Movie Version) - Yoga Is As Yoga Does (Movie Version - Duet With Elsa Lanchester) - Go Away Gow (Dialogue) - The Love Machine (Movie Version) - I’ll Take Love (Movie Version) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Movie Final) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Radio Spot #2) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Radio Spot #3) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Radio Spot #4) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Radio Spot #5) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Radio Spot #6) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Radio Spot #7) - Easy Come, Easy Go (Demo) - Love On The Rocks (Demo)
Stay Away, Joe (Radio Spot #1) - Intro / Stay Away (Movie Version) - Stay Away, Joe (Movie Version - Take 1 & 2) - 4. Stay Away, Joe (Movie Version - Take 3 & 4) - Stay Away, Joe (Movie Version - Take 5 & 6) - Stay Away, Joe (Movie Version - Take 8) - Stay Away, Joe (Movie Version - Take 9) - Stay Away (Take 1) - Stay Away (Take 3 & 4) - Stay Away (Take 7, 8 & 9) - Stay Away (Take 10) - Stay Away (Take 12 & 13) - Stay Away (Take 15 - Unubbed Master) - Goin’ Home (Take 16, 17 & 18) - Goin’ Home (Take 19 & 20) - Goin’ Home (Take 25, 26 & 28) - Stay Away (Guitar Overdub - Take 1) - Stay Away (Guitar Overdub - Take 2) - Stay Away, Joe (Score #1) - Stay Away, Joe (Score #2) - Practice (Dialogue) - You Got A Lot Of Guts Lady (Dialogue) - Stay Away, Joe (Score #3) - All I Needed Was The Rain (Movie Version) - Stay Away, Joe (Radio Spot #2) - Stay Away, Joe (Radio Spot #3)
Girl Happy(Radio Spot #1) - Do The Clam (Movie Version) - Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce (Movie Version) - Spring Fever (Composite Movie Version) - Wolf Call (Overdubbed Movie Version) - I’ve Go To Find My Baby (Movie Version) - Puppet On A String (Movie Version) - Girl Happy (Movie Version) - Girl Happy (Movie Version - End Title) - Girl Happy (Orchestra Movie Version / End Title) - Cross My Heart And Hope To Die (Take 8) - The Meanest Girl In Town (Take 4, 5 & 6) - Spring Fever (Take 1, 2 & 3) - Girl Happy (Original Composite Master) - I’ve Got To Find My Baby (Movie Version - Transfer - Unedited Master) - Do The Clam (Master Track - Take 5) - Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce (Alternate Master - Take 5) - Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce (Master - Take 7) - I’ve Got To Find My Baby (Alternate Master - Take 1) - Puppet On A String (Movie Version With Dialogue) - Until Next Year (Dialogue) - Girl Happy (Score #1) - Rusty (Dialogue) - Let’s Go Back To Work (Dialogue) - Chicken (Dialogue) - Girl Happy (Score #2) - Girl Happy (Radio Spot #2) - Gril Happy (Radio Spot #3) - Gril Happy (Radio Spot #4)
A Legendary Christmas
From the press release: The 2020 Elvis One Christmas CD is a special alternate Elvis Christmas CD. The compilation features 16 tracks, all tracks newly remastered and remixed versions with the main focus on the legendary and unique voice of Elvis Presley.
Hear special and beautiful versions from ‘I Believe’ and ‘Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem’. No extra overdubs but only the original recordings were used for this release. Also included are 2 home-recordings (including ‘The Lord's Prayer’), a spliced take version from ‘It Is No Secret’, a recording from the ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ and the Red West version of ‘If Every Day Was Like Christmas’ with Elvis supposedly singing background vocals. This release is limited to 500 copies.
Tracks ‘A Legendary Christmas’:
Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem - I Believe - White Christmas - Blue Christmas - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - Silent Night - Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - Take My Hand, Precious Lord - It Is No Secret (Spliced From Take 6, 8, 12 & 4) - I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Homerecording - December 1958) - The Lord’s Prayer (Homerecording - November 1960) - Jingle Bells / White Christmas (Informal Session - “Million Dollar Quartet” - 04.12.1956) - If Everyday Was Like Christmas (Red West With Elvis Supposedly Singing Background Vocals) - Christmas Message From Elvis
(Source: Tony Plews / FECC)