Title: Deep Down South
Label: King Records
Date: June 3, 1975 8:30 p.m., Tuscaloosa
Sound Quality: * * * * + / * * * * * +
Concert Rating: * * * * + / * * * * * +
Tracks:
1.Opening Theme 2001 2.C C Rider 3.I Got A Woman / Amen 4.Love Me 5.If You Love Me Let Me Know (with repeat) 6.Love Me Tender 7.All Shook Up 8.Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel 9.Hound Dog 10.The Wonder Of You 11.Burning Love 12.Introductions 13.Johnny B. Goode / Hail Hail Rock and Roll 14.Bridge Over Troubled Water 15.T.R.O.U.B.L.E. 16.Hawaiian Wedding Song 17.Let Me Be There 18.An American Trilogy 19.Funny How Time Slips Away 20.Little Darlin' 21.Mystery Train / Tiger Man 22.Can't Help Falling In Love 23.Closing Vamp.
Package: It is great as usual for the King Records Label and features 8 high quality Elvis photos taken during this fantastic show. Praising article from "The Tuscaloosa News" encourages us to join those 15,000 fans that attended this show. Unfortunately the producers of this release "forgot" to mention that this concert was not recorded in it's entirety: 2001, See See Rider and 1/2 of I Got A Woman/Amen was edited from another show of the same period. This "silence" seems to be a typical strategy of the bootleggers although they should know that this is at least dishonorable. All that editing is rather easy to find out. Nevertheless, this CD is good enough to enjoy it.
Elvis: He is cloning through the show as usual during the summer 1975 and this makes the atmosphere of the concert. When another part of a female dress fell down on the stage, he asked: "Who did it? You're gonna freeze to death!", when she repeats her action, he replies "Same girl! You've got nothing left"
Highlights: Among the standard program of that tour, I'll mention only two songs: Bridge Over Troubled Water and Mystery Train. The first one is great as usual, but here it is performed like never before - Elvis howls through the song. It's beautiful! The second is the strongest version of all soundboards from that tour: Elvis is in time to say "One of the first records I've ever recorded" and the Train rushes along - it takes us back to the 50's.
Review:
A nice concert. All the shows from this period are a joy to listen. Too sad the show is incomplete.
The first 2 and a half songs are from another concert, even the instrumental introduction in C.C.Rider and the first chorus are from different concerts (when Elvis begins to sing the shouts disappeared very quickly, from one moment to another) or at least it is incomplete. But still, this one is a great version, much better than those he did in 76-77. What follows is a short (comparing to versions from 74, 76 & 77) I Got a Woman along with Amen. Elvis introduces himself as Johnny Cash. The next song is a long Love Me, which is even longer than the original, probably our man is giving too many scarves away. If you Love Me sounds just like always, a very happy song, as Elvis once admitted. Love Me Tender is introduced with the words "My first movie was Love Me Tender, so I'd like to do a little bit of that for you." But he doesn't start with the group, and asks to begin it again. All Shook Up isn't great at all, Elvis by that time had already grown tired of it. The medley of Teddy Bear and Don't Be Cruel is slower than usually, but not much better. Elvis jokes during it, and says "...God, it's hot in here... Don't be cruel...". Hound Dog comes with 3 or 4 false starts - Elvis shouts "You ain't..." but can't start. Even when he begins to sing it's funny for him. The Wonder of You is a good version. Glen Hardin begins with the first chords and Elvis says "Wait a minute. I can't drink water and sing at the same time, I told you Glen!". Burning Love is nice. Elvis introduces his band as usual: the differences are that he asks Ronnie Tutt to stop his solo and the man can't do it!
After School Days Elvis asks the group to begin "Bridge". Glen goes into the nice intro and Elvis gives (as always) a wonderful rendition. T.R.O.U.B.L.E. is done well, but Elvis (as he confesses) doesn't remember the words and sings it by paper. Before the Hawaiian Wedding Song somebody from the concert hall shouts "I'll Remember You", but Elvis does the Hawaiian standard instead. Let Me Be There sounds pretty strange as on many other concerts from this period with some shouts and personally I don't like it. An American Trilogy is a very good version, as always. Funny How Time Slips Away is another scarf - giving song, nothing special. Little Darlin' is really funny I like it, though Elvis just like always plays with the words. Mystery Train / Tiger Man is very good - I think it can be even compared to the versions from 1969. Can't Help Falling In Love is a closing number as always - nothing special.
What we have here is a GREAT CONCERT and I think that it will be good for every collector to have this one.
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