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Faded Love

By ElvisNews.com/ Lex, July 04, 2010 | Music

This CD ended up in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago, at the same time as the Our Memories CD. The disc contains the “famous” February 15, 1973 D.S.

Design

The foldout case has merely pictures from the January/ February engagement. There an excerpt of a personal review of the show and an explanation about ambiance recordings. All together the whole ended up as a nice package.

Content

The so called ambience recording makes this an above average audience recording, but it is certainly not the best around. Of course the sound is pretty important, since some audience recordings are hardly listenable, you can’t even recognize Elvis at all. That is not the case on this particular show. You can hear it is Elvis – when present. That last remark defines the pleasure of an Elvis CD to me… he MUST be present. Unfortunately Elvis was ill this night, sang some weak versions (understandable, but still), went of the stage, the Stamps took over, before Elvis returned. No need to say this show is not among my favourites. Okay, Faded Love live is pretty rare, but sitting through the Stamps for five songs before hearing it, is not my piece of cake. Elvis recited “Oh how I wish I was in the doctor’s office” and he should have done just that, instead of going on stage.

Conclusion

This CD is for historical reasons a nice addition to the collection, but for me it will be just another shelf-filler.

Tracks

01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra - 02. C. C. Rider - 03. I Got A Woman / Amen - 04. Love Me Tender - 05. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (with false start) - 06. Steamroller Blues - 07. You Gave Me A Mountain - 08. Fever / Elvis left the stage - 09. Walk That Lonesome Road (J. D. Sumner & The Stamps) - 10. Sweet Sweet Spirit (The Stamps) - 11. When It's My Time (Bill Baize & The Stamps) - 12. How Great Thou Art (Donnie Sumner & The Stamps) - 13. I Should Have Been Crucified (Ed Enoch & The Stamps) - 14. Can't Help Falling In Love #1 - 15. Faded Love (first live version) - 16. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (last live version) - 17. Polk Salad Annie (first of two versions performed in 1973) - 18. An American Trilogy (with false start) - 19. Can't Help Falling In Love #2 - 20. Closing Vamp / Announcements - 21. After show comments.
Approx. running time: 76:34


 

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EJF wrote on July 04, 2010
My thoughts exactly Lex. I rarely purchase audience recorded shows as 99% they sound awful but I succumbed to this CD due to the hyped " two-mike ambience recording". Now, even it falls under the other 1% bracket, I regret having spent my hard-earned cash on it, mostly due to unbearably listening to a very sick Elvis. I'm not sure if I am allowed to say this but is there anyone who wants my copy?!
Ciscoking wrote on July 04, 2010
Yes,..me..
Taprik wrote on July 04, 2010
...and me...
Elvis_The_King wrote on July 05, 2010
Dont think the audience agrees that he shouldnt be on stage......like many shows the fans was comig from europe/ japan to see the show and image they get a canncelled message :/ Anyway I actually enjoyed the show as its very unusual to all the others.....real shame about the poor sound on the rare "im so lonesome I could cry".........sounds like the mic is also recording a nearby 8mm camera sound?
Natha wrote on July 05, 2010
Elvis_the_King, you are quite right. I think we should take into account the actual show. Elvis performed for the people and they seem to enjoy themselves. I skipped the Stamps (easy now-a-days, unlike LPs). Obviously Elvis wanted to please his fans, not disappoint them (after spending so much money). Maybe he should have gone to the doctor, but in my opinion a hindsight reflection is a waste of time as it is all history. Sorry CiskoKing and Taprik, I will keep mine. By the way; I think there was another taperecorder rewinding on the table. In those days it was very loud and thus recorded.
Ciscoking wrote on July 05, 2010
I did know you`d keep it..the show is not the best of course but it has its own merits....therefore ..worthwhile...
Mofoca22 wrote on July 06, 2010
hey lex just curious here because i never heard the concert but what makes it famour or is it just sarcasm?
Ciscoking wrote on July 07, 2010
Well famous..it has got its merits cause Elvis left the stage for about 20 minutes and let Charlie be the host..and The Stamps be the singers..it`s unusual..that`s all..Elvis begins the show tired and a bit bored but after he returns to the stage..it`s a fine show...with some rarities..there are worse shows..it is worth the price and the sound is really good..for those who like it no prob..if you aren`t a fan of such recordings..just skip it..
Erika Freiburger wrote on July 10, 2010
I have this CD and it's excellent. The sound is great,i have never heard a better sounding audience recording. Much better than New Year's Eve 76,Royal Gambit in Richfield or Kicking & Rolling. It rather sounds like a soundboard. I'm looking forward to the booth recordings series this label announced earlier. I'm tired of bad sounding audience recordings and finally here's the chance to get a few good sounding ones. Keep them coming! Love,Erika
Steve V wrote on July 10, 2010
So it has its merits because Elvis left the stage for 20 minutes and Charlie took over? That's a new twist.
Ciscoking wrote on July 10, 2010
EVERY show has its own merits..some are not to mention..some are..it is easy..every show is something special..
benny scott wrote on July 11, 2010
Erika : thanks for letting us know the sound is very good for an AR. Such postings are much more interesting than negative reaction(s) on the statement "famous" concert. I agree with Cisco that every concert was something special and has (had) "it's own merits."Always El.
Erika Freiburger wrote on July 11, 2010
I was just honest,Benny. Soundwise it's an excellent release. And the show is very interesting. Even though Elvis' voice was obviously weak because of the flue,he tried to give his best to entertain the audience in this strange and unexpected situation. The Stamps and Charlie Hodge did the same and they did a good job. Kudos to them. Love,Erika
Ciscoking wrote on July 11, 2010
Granted..there are better shows..no question..but the listening pleasure alone makes it worthwhile.. We weren`t spoiled with such good sounding AR`s these days..
Harvey Alexander wrote on July 12, 2010
Why did Charlie fill up the time Elvis was off stage with gospel music? He should've asked the TCB band to play something. Imagine an instrumental version of 'Johnny B. Goode', for example. Or extended versions of any of the instrumental pieces they played during the introductions. It seems mad to me. He had the greatest guitarist in the world on stage, but he turns to Bill Baize to shout a gospel song that makes you cringe.
Natha wrote on July 12, 2010
Harvey Alexander, you are so right. I am happy that the skipping is much easier now-a-days than in the days of LPs. Benny Scott, I second your posting for the full 100%. As you know I also think it is more imortant to know how the quality of the sound is, rather than personal views. By now most of us know the others sentiment.
benny scott wrote on July 12, 2010
Hi Natha and Harvey. Maybe they should have done a +/- 50 % of singing AND instrumental . According to the tracklisting there was a gap of 5 songs Elvis would have done in case he hadn't had to leave the stage. 5 songs, and you look at , let's say +/- 15 minutes . I may be wrong, but 10, 12, or 15 minutes just instrumentals would have been a bit long, don't you think so ? Oh well, it was recorded that way, so we can't change facts . Always El.
Ciscoking wrote on July 12, 2010
Good news is that we will get more of this recording format..meaning shows in good sound..
Natha wrote on July 12, 2010
Indeed, Benny Scott, we cannot change things. I just dwelled upon the gospels. I think it was done so as Elvis and his band often spent their time singing gospels. It would have been nice though if some nice RnR intermezzo had been done ALSO with the TCB band, the Sweet Inspirations and so forth. Just an interesting observation. I really enjoy(ed) this Cd and like CiscoKing I am looking forward to the next releases.
benny scott wrote on July 12, 2010
Yeah Natha, I think you're right !Elvis always loved gospels, and JD & The Stamps had their own solid reputation of being very good at singing this sort of music. Your obsrvation in not only interesting, it's a good one ! Always El.
Greg Nolan wrote on July 14, 2010
At the level of collecting all of us (most anyway) are at, so many Elvis CDs are really "shelf-fillers," as Lex put it. This is fantastically-presented digipak by Straight Arrow (their first, I believe) and a highly-unusual show at that. I didn't say great but off-beat, that's for sure. For collectors who want off-beat or interesting shows, this is one to have, assuming you can appreciate Audience-Recorded shows (AR's) and it's sounding decent, to boot. Essential? Of course not. But for rapid Elvis fans who like their collections to document Elvis history, it's another nice piece of the puzzle and one more "for the shelf."
Tony C wrote on July 16, 2010
The use of the term "substandard" depends on the view of the listener. Some fans consider anything less than perfect multitrack recordings substandard while people like myself are delighted with the quality of the soundboard shows that have been released. With regard to the last word in the previous posting, this was how this particular person described the film "Elvis On Tour" on a recent posting! With fans like this, who needs critics?
benny scott wrote on July 16, 2010
Kilburn Tony : you' re right ! And the sound of this AR recording is very good ! As for your remark about " the last word of the previous posting by a certain person " : you have read nothing yet ! Have a look at one of the last postings about the upcoming FTD releases in the category "NEWS " (7/11/2010) ( 45 reactions untill now )by that same person, and you know what I mean ! Have to agree with you : we really don't need such "fans " on this website . Always El.
Greg Nolan wrote on July 20, 2010
Are you sure you're not someone who goes by the name of Johanesson on FECC? (Grin). I honestly don't get that sort of free-floating hostility toward FTD. Sure, they've goofed a few times but overall it's been a bonanza for serious fans. How can you rationally argue otherwise? Were you around for the Joan Deary years at RCA? Now that's BAD and even then, we lapped up every rare *track* that was doled out ...every few YEARS. That in 2010 I can still look forward to new (often-unheard) Elvis recordings after 30-plus years after his death and since I became a fan is still a welcome shocker. And likewise, Straight Arrow, and most other "import"Labels, are also for serious "hard-core" fans, who can look past the less-than perfect sound because they want to document shows that Elvis did that otherwise would be lost to history. Where's the sense of perspective, Linda? There are always forums out there that concentrate on Elvis' various girlfriends, rare photos, or commentary on his movies. This is a collector's CD release, plain and simple, (somewhat-more) casual fans need not apply
HowGreatEP wrote on July 21, 2010
If I buy it, it'll be ONLY for the great song 'Walk that lonesome road' ! Too bad, EP never sang it together with JDSumner!
FLY-TROUBLE! wrote on July 21, 2010
This concert is a tragedy. But at least the sound is good. As Dick Nolan wrote,it's a welcome shocker!
HangLoose wrote on July 21, 2010
Greg Nolan,Ciscocking and others write positive reviews for a few free CD's (what a good???? thing being a friend of a bootlegger,isn't it?) but for God's sake,as much as i hate Lex's so called reviews,at least he's honest. When he doesn't like something,he says so.
benny scott wrote on July 22, 2010
Hello Hangloose, would be nice if you'd re-read Greg Nolan's posting of july 20th. He clearly writes " I don't like hostility towards FTD" and also " (FTD) has been a bonanza for serious fans " . Now, that's being a friend of FTD too if I'm not mistaken ! And personally ( but that's my opninion , and no one has to agree ) I think nor Greg nor Cisco get free cds . And even if it were so, I have no problem with that, 'cause in the past Cisco, more than once, wrote positive as well negative comments about different cd releases. Hey, nothing personal, just my opinion, but I really think these guys should not be blamed, they really don't deserve it. Always El.
Zoltan84 wrote on July 22, 2010
the faded love release is btr than prev. releases of the show from poor audience tapes. this could be considered almost a sb not audience recording dude.
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on July 24, 2010
In a world full of so much nonsence,i read fans attacking other fans over cd's,and there here because they like the same singer or some are,and yet someone just cant give there view and that be the end of it. Personally im about tired of soundboard and audiance recordings,id like a multi track show but thats just me. Does this show sound any differt than most others,anything special and Elvis leaving the stage doesnt make it special to me. But however if you love this kind of release then go nuts,just get along,pretty please. As for Ftd ,heres my problem with it,the cheap looking digi pack and no good informative booklet,sometimes bad soundwork,and last but not least the lack of communication and not telling fans the real story. I think by law in Elvis land you must say that in spite of the short comings of the collectors label that your glad its there. Although i wish material from things like On Tour was put out on the main label. PS ,i am aware Ftd is now putting booklets in there releases,but should have been there from day 1,my favorite Ftd is the wonder of you if you were wondering and i know you were.
Deano1 wrote on July 24, 2010
You can look at Elvis performing sick from two different angles...One, he had such disdain for Vegas at this point that he figured I might as well go out there at 50% and get it over with it because the audience will never know the difference (and they probably didn't, until he left the stage) and I don't want to have to come back here before August. OR...he realized a lot of people had made special plans to see him and he went out and tried to give them a show despite feeling horrible. Look, there is nothing tragic about this show. He had the flu or a bad cold and he never in a million years thought that 37 years later people would be critiquing his performance based on an audience member's recording. He had a job to do and he went out and did it to the best of his abilities that night. Comments about what Charlie Hodge should or shouldn't have done are silly. Again, he was just trying to please 2000+ audience members that night. He didn't know he had an obligation to the illegal CD buying public 37 years later.
Natha wrote on July 30, 2010
Deano1, your comment on the factual situation is exactly what it is all about: Elvis and his audience at that time. This has been my point all the way dealing with the concerts he gave. He nor us for that matter could ever fathom we would have discussions over details decades later. I appreciate these recordings as it gives me a sense of what it was that night. I enjoy(ed) listening to this CD several times. And in my routine on 15 Februari 2011 I will definitely listen to it again and appreciate it. Thanks for your sharing.