[2019-02-15] Elvis Presley "'68 Comeback Special (50th Anniv. Ed.)" 5CD/2BD box set and 1CD distillation (RCA/Legacy)

Linda · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2018 2:04 pm

Description
'68 Comeback Special (50th Anniversary Edition) is the definitive chronicle of the now legendary NBC-TV show, Elvis.

After years of making formulaic movies, Elvis was finally unleashed to perform live again on an intimate stage with his original sidemen, Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana. Playing "That's All Right", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" and many of his great hits, the sheer rawness and excitement of the performances attracted unanimous critical acclaim. Greil Marcus in his book Mystery Train said, "If ever there was music that could bleed, this was it." The closing song "If I Can Dream" encapsulates every emotion that Elvis and the entire production crew felt during the making of the special.

NBC-TV's Elvis is as raw and inspirational today as it was in 1968. This 50th Anniversary Edition includes all the known audio recordings from RCA's vault and all the videotaped performances are here for the first time on Blu-ray. For millions of fans, including a young Bruce Springsteen, the Elvis '68 Comeback Special was a life-changing event. "I remember I waited for weeks for the '68 Special," Springsteen recollected recently. "I knew it was coming. I can remember exactly where our TV was set up in the dining room, the exact place I was sitting. I mean, it's one of those things that's imprinted on my memory forever."

CAREER-DEFINING '68 COMEBACK -
* 7-Disc definitive box set chronicles the pivotal NBC-TV '68 special called Elvis and takes you behind the scenes in audio and remastered 4:3 Blu-ray video.
* Contains ALL KNOWN recordings/rehearsals from the RCA vaults and from original NBC-TV videotapes.
* 80-page book includes a new, oral history on the special, crafted from interviews with producer Steve Binder, recording engineer Bones Howe, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Priscilla Presley, Emmylou Harris, Scotty Moore conducted for Thom Zimny's 2018 documentary, "Elvis Presley: The Searcher."
* The book also features rare photos and memorabilia and full recording data.
* Over 7.5 hours of footage across 2 newly mastered Blu-ray discs, overseen by Thom Zimny.

[tracklisting]CD 1 - The Original Album

Trouble / Guitar Man
Lawdy, Miss Clawdy / Baby, What You Want Me To Do
Heartbreak Hotel / Hound Dog / All Shook Up
Can't Help Falling In Love
Jailhouse Rock
Love Me Tender
Where Could I Go But To The Lord / Up Above My Head / Saved
Blue Christmas / One Night
Memories
Nothingville / Big Boss Man / Guitar Man / Little Egypt / Trouble / Guitar Man
If I Can Dream

Bonus Cuts

It Hurts Me
Let Yourself Go
A Little Less Conversation
Memories (Stereo Mix)
If I Can Dream (Stereo Mix)

CD 2 - First 'Sit Down' Show (June 27, '68, 6PM)

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

First 'Stand Up' Show (June 29, '68, 6PM)

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 / Guitar Man
Baby What You Want Me To Do
If I Can Dream

CD 3 - Second 'Sit Down' Show (June 27, '68, 8PM)

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

Second 'Stand Up' Show (June 29, '68, 8PM)

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 / Guitar Man
Trouble / Guitar Man
If I Can Dream

CD 4 - First Rehearsal (June 24, '68) (FTD-CD 'Let Yourself Go')

I Got A Woman
Blue Moon / Young Love / Oh, Happy Day
When It Rains It Really Pours
Blue Christmas
Are You Lonesome Tonight? / That's My Desire
That's When Your Heartaches Begin
Peter Gun theme
Love Me
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Blue Christmas / Santa Claus Is Back In Town

Second Rehearsal (June 25, '68) (FTD-CD 'Burbank 68')

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

CD 5 - Out-takes

Nothingville (Guitar Man's Evil #1) (Takes 5 & 6)
Guitar Man (Guitar Man's Evil #1) (Take 2)
Let Yourself Go, part 1 (Guitar Man's Evil #2) (Take 5 & 7/M)
Let Yourself Go, part 2 (Guitar Man's Evil #3) (Take 7/M)
Guitar Man (Escape #1, fast) (Takes 1, 2 & 5)
Big Boss Man (Escape #3) (Take 2)
It Hurts Me, part 1 (Escape #4) (Take 5)
It Hurts Me, part 2 (After Karate #1) (Take 3)
Guitar Man (After Karate #2) (Take 1)
Little Egypt (After Karate #2) (Take 6)
Trouble / Guitar Man (After Karate #3) (Take 2)
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child / Where Could I Go But To The Lord (Gospel #1) (Rehearsal & Take 1)
Up Above My Head / Saved (Gospel #2) (Takes 4 & 7)
Saved (Gospel #3) (Takes 2 & 4)
Trouble / Guitar Man (Opening) (Takes 6 & 7)
If I Can Dream (Alternate Take 1)
If I Can Dream (Takes 2, 3 & 4)
Memories (Takes 3 & 4/vocal overdub #1)
Let Yourself Go (Closing Instrumental)

Blu-ray Disc - 1:

Original Broadcast Version
Sit-down Show #1
Sit-down Show #2
Stand-up Show #1
Stand-up Show #2

Blu-ray Disc - 2:

Trouble/Guitar Man TV Show Opener
If I Can Dream TV Show Closer
Gospel Production Number
Guitar Man Production Number[/tracklisting]

5CD/2BD Box Set (shown above)
Nov 30, 2018
US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HBG8YJN/?tag=imwan-20
CA - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07HBG8YJN/?tag=imwanca-20
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HBG8YJN/?tag=imwan-21

1CD "Best Of" Distillation
Feb 15, 2019
US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KLPTWBM/?tag=imwan-20
CA - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07KLPTWBM/?tag=imwanca-20
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KLPTWBM/?tag=imwan-21

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

What makes this different from the previous box?

The COMPLETE 4 cd box.
The Deluxe 3 DVD box.

The two combined?

RoyalScam · 04 Oct 2006

According to Elvis Info Net's website:

Quote:

...the five CDs in this special re-release comprise of the 4 CDs from the SONY/BMG 2008 'The Complete '68 Comeback Special' plus CD2 'The Wrecking Crew Sessions' from the FTD 'ELVIS: Original Soundtrack Recording'...

CD1 - Original Album, plus bonus tracks:
It is notable that the track 'A Little Less Conversation' mistakenly thought to have been laid down at the 68 Special is now omitted from the 2018 Re-Release Bonus Tracks
Bonus Tracks: It Hurts Me - Let Yourself Go - Memories (stereo) - If I Can Dream (stereo)
CD2 - First Sit-Down show & First Stand-Up show:
CD3 - Second Sit-Down show & Second Stand-Up show
CD4 - First Rehearsal/Second Rehearsal
Click here to see 2008 Original Release tracklist: http://www.elvisinfonet.com/cdreview_completecomebackspecial.html
CD5 - On the final disc the tracks have been combined to give a less complicated tracklist of 19 songs although the content is in fact the same as the 30 tracks on the FTD

http://www.elvisinfonet.com/EIN_ELVIS_F ... _2018.html
(Go there, scroll down to "Sunday 13 October" for full post.)

pobbard · 18 Jun 2007

CD2 - First Sit-Down show & First Stand-Up show:
CD3 - Second Sit-Down show & Second Stand-Up show

I can't remember the details now, but weren't these edited to make each sitdown/standup combo disc work? I remember that being a big drawback of the previous set.

RoyalScam · 04 Oct 2006

pobbard wrote:

CD2 - First Sit-Down show & First Stand-Up show:
CD3 - Second Sit-Down show & Second Stand-Up show

I can't remember the details now, but weren't these edited to make each sitdown/standup combo disc work? I remember that being a big drawback of the previous set.

I recall the same thing, that there was some editing done to make room on 1 disc.

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2018 5:43 pm

The box set is now available for pre-order in the USA:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HBG8YJN/?tag=imwan-20

A sample from one of the included Blu-ray discs:

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Oct 23, 2018 5:51 am

The packshot, description and tracklist have been added to the first post, and the UK pre-order link is now also active.

Check out the box set teaser:

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:15 pm

Christmas sale at Amazon USA for this box set -- $76.89:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HBG8YJN/?tag=imwan-20

GodsComic · 03 Aug 2006

Linda wrote:

Christmas sale at Amazon USA for this box set -- $76.89:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HBG8YJN/?tag=imwan-20

Well, OK then.
Purchased.

RoyalScam · 04 Oct 2006

This would've sold TONS, even at the original pricing, if they had just fixed all previous errors/omissions and included all available video and audio.

Glenn S. · 30 Oct 2006

I still think of the last boxed set as a relatively "recent" release, but time flies the older you get. I would rather they had gone a bit smaller scale this time and done a deluxe edition of the original soundtrack album. You could fit several bonus tracks on a second disc and it would be plenty for the casual fan.

Stumpy Joe · **Joined:** 29 Apr 2014 **Posts:** 1538

Glenn S. wrote:

I still think of the last boxed set as a relatively "recent" release, but time flies the older you get. I would rather they had gone a bit smaller scale this time and done a deluxe edition of the original soundtrack album. You could fit several bonus tracks on a second disc and it would be plenty for the casual fan.

That's essentially what FTD released a year or two ago--Disc 1 was the original album, plus all of the songs from the special as they were later released on various comps (e.g. the spliced version of "Let Yourself Go" from "Legendary Performer Vol. 3"), and disc 2 was a whole set of outtakes from the sessions for the Road and Gospel medleys, plus all four takes of "If I Can Dream". It had a terrific booklet as well.

https://www.shopelvis.com/product/EPCD2 ... 1143_11184

Linda · **Posted:** Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:27 pm

A single CD "best of" distillation from the box set has been scheduled for release on February 15th:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KLPTWBM/?tag=imwan-20

GodsComic · 03 Aug 2006

I listened to CD2 and CD3 over the weekend. I know most fans have probably heard these, but I started my deep Elvis journey last year with the 60 disc box.
The sit-down and stand-up sets are so damn good in their entirety. Such command of his talents, it's still hard for me to realize that 8 years later he was gone.

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

He was incredible during those concerts, never too late to discover Elvis.

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

As far as performances...this was his zenith...IMO.

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:28 pm

Linda wrote:

A single CD "best of" distillation from the box set has been scheduled for release on February 15th

Here are the details:

Description
Elvis Presley's The Best Of The '68 Comeback Special is a new companion album to "Elvis All-Star Tribute," NBC's upcoming star-studded special celebrating "The King of Rock 'N' Roll's" unforgettable 1968 television special. An ideal set for longtime Elvis fans and newcomers, "The Best of the '68 Comeback Special," comprises the Elvis recordings and performances that inspired the upcoming tribute and showcases a new version of the legendary closing number, "If I Can Dream," as heard in the new special featuring Elvis' original vocals alongside new performances by Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton. The album features 15 Elvis performances from the "stand-up" and "sit-down" shows filmed for the '68 broadcast, plus three original studio recordings to represent songs that appear in the new special. The original special, recorded over several sessions in June 1968, featured Elvis playing the songs that mattered most to him, in his first live performance since 1961. When it aired on December 3, 1968, the special was the week's highest-viewed television program, re-establishing Elvis as a driving force in popular music. The special was recently revisited in 2018 in the 5CD/2 Blu-ray Disc box set 68 Comeback Special: 50th Anniversary Edition. NBC's new two-hour program will pay tribute to Elvis Presley's "'68 Comeback Special," recreating the iconic night with musical performances, a showcase of rare footage and interviews with Pricilla Presley and Steve Binder, the director of the original special, plus a special appearance from Lisa Marie Presley. "Elvis All-Star Tribute" is being produced by Ken Ehrlich for AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC. Ehrlich is one of event television's most prolific producers, from the annual Grammy Awards telecast, which he has produced since 1980, to numerous single artist and event specials including the Global Citizens Festival, which he produces for MSNBC.

Tracklist
1. Trouble / Guitar Man
2. Heartbreak Hotel (First 'Stand-Up' Show)
3. Hound Dog (Second 'Stand-Up' Show)
4. All Shook Up (Second 'Stand-Up' Show)
5. Can't Help Falling in Love (First 'Stand-Up' Show)
6. Jailhouse Rock (First 'Stand-Up' Show)
7. Don't Be Cruel (First 'Stand-Up' Show)
8. Blue Suede Shoes (Second 'Sit-Down' Show)
9. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (First 'Stand-Up' Show)
10. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (First 'Sit-Down' Show)
11. One Night (Second 'Sit-Down' Show)
12. Love Me Tender (First 'Stand-Up' Show)
13. Trying To Get To You (Second 'Sit-Down' Show)
14. Love Me (Second 'Sit Down' Show)
15. Memories
16. A Little Less Conversation
17. Suspicious Minds
18. Burning Love
19. If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker, and Blake Shelton

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KLPTWBM/?tag=imwan-20

Glenn S. · 30 Oct 2006

Let me be the first to officially complain about the inclusion of current stars overdubbing vocals on "If I Can Dream".

I feel better now.

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

Is anyone selling this for less than $100 now? I held off with the glut of boxes coming out but hope to get a copy eventually.

JoeP · **Joined:** 20 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 542

Will the blu ray be available separately?

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

JoeP wrote:

Will the blu ray be available separately?

Bank on that happening as soon as I receive the box. I don't own the 40th CD set or the DVD' so this may be the way to go (don't care about 5.1)

Stumpy Joe · **Joined:** 29 Apr 2014 **Posts:** 1538

eelkiller wrote:

JoeP wrote:

Will the blu ray be available separately?

Bank on that happening as soon as I receive the box. I don't own the 40th CD set or the DVD' so this may be the way to go (don't care about 5.1)

I finally bought the "Elvis In Concert" CD about 2-3 years ago--the final Elvis album I did not own--and assumed that in doing so, I was all but guaranteeing the release of a giant, expanded boxed set of 1977 live Presley multitracks to mark the 40th anniversary. That did not happen.

What I'm now hoping for is a boxed set devoted to the fiftieth anniversary of Presley's August 1969 Vegas shows--reportedly, at least eleven full shows were professionally recorded. Much of it has appears on a slew of different titles over the years, but I'd really like to see everything collected into a comprehensive boxed set, as happened with the "That's The Way It Is" box.

[2019-02-15] Elvis Presley "'68 Comeback Special (50th Anniv. Ed.)" 5CD/2BD box set and 1CD distillation (RCA/Legacy)

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