Today is Elvis Presley’s birthday and by 1968, at an ancient 33 years old, he needed a comeback. He was 27 or 28 films into a junky Hollywood career (although Jailhouse Rock is amusing, and King Creole is genuinely good. No, I’m not kidding.). A comeback special got scheduled, Elvis slimmed down (due to good choices and also, well, pills) and showed regained vitality throughout the broadcast. In the acoustic segments in particular he recovered his guileless strangeness that made his 50s recordings so essential.
For my favorite parts, the acoustic sessions, he reunited with his original lead guitarist, Scotty Moore. Bill Black, the bassist in the original trio (Elvis on rhythm guitar) had already died. D.J. Fontana, the first drummer to back Elvis, also plays in these segments.
I recommend you do a search for the entire Elvis Presley 1968 Comeback Special. The entire program(me) is a delight of fluctuating rawness and cornball showmanship.
In 1977, at age 42, he’d be bloated again, frustrated by his bloat but still striving to entertain, and by August he’d be dead. There’s a lot to mock but a lot to mourn in his life. Below is the finale of the program. He wanted to sing about unity given the special followed the April 1968 murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. and June 1968 murder of Robert Kennedy. Even in a white suit, he channels something essential here.
And, honestly, between us, is this song any goofier than John Lennon’s “Imagine”.
