ELVIS RETURNS TO RECOVER HIS THRONE
Beginning on June 3, Elvis rehearses for the taping of his television special. A press conference is initially held on June 25. Tapings take place on June 27, 28, 29, and 30. Known as the “68 Special” or the “68 Comeback,” the actual name of this television special was simply “Elvis.”
The sixties had ushered in great changes in music and pop culture, changes for which Elvis helped pave the way more than a decade earlier when he burst onto the scene with his unique blend of pop, rock, country, R&B, and gospel influences. Focusing largely on his Hollywood film career in the sixties, Elvis has become less of a part of the popular culture scene today. Films in the fifties and early sixties were wildly successful, but by the mid-sixties, films and records, while still profitable, were not as successful as they once were.
Elvis had reached the ultimate level of frustration with the state of his career and all of its limitations on his creativity and artistic expression. He had hoped to become a serious actor, but Hollywood had other ideas and Elvis ran with them. His chance to show his true acting talent came only rarely. Elvis knew he needed a change. It had been more than seven years since Elvis had appeared in front of a live audience. Elvis had missed the closeness of his audience, the energy and excitement of live performances.
The ’68 Special opens with Elvis singing a powerful and gritty version of “Trouble” from his 1958 film “King Creole.” This leads into “Guitar Man,” which becomes the theme song of the show. Elvis is then reunited with two of his original 1950s band members, guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer DJ Fontana. They sit together on the square-shaped stage, along with two more friends, Charlie Hodge and Alan Fortas. The idea is to sing informally and exchange old stories. There is also footage of Elvis getting up on stage alone and performing many of his best-known hits. It also introduces a new song, “Memories.” One can speculate that in this special, Elvis pours out years of professional frustration and creative energy pent up in the performance of these songs.
His natural talent, charisma, sensuality and stage presence have not been diminished by his years in Hollywood. In fact, Elvis looks, sounds and moves in a way that is no longer remembered. At 33, he’s better than ever.
For the group’s session segments (Sit-Down Shows) and solo performances (Stand-Up Shows), Elvis wears a two-piece, black leather suit specially designed for the show by Bill Belew, who also designed Elvis’s wardrobe for the entire special. The look evokes the era of James Dean and Marlon Brando, the kind of motorcycle movies of the 1950s, the era when Elvis was proclaimed the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
In one of the jam session segments, Elvis talks about the origins of rock ‘n’ roll. This segues into the gospel music portion, which features Elvis dressed in a two-piece maroon-wine colored suit, singing “Where Could I Go But to the Lord,” “Up Above My Head,” and “Saved.” During this segment, Elvis is backed by the female vocal group, “The Blossoms,” and accompanied by a troupe of dancers.
Information provided by Club Elvis Spain http://www.clubelvis.org
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