Title: Movin' Mobile (released in 2004)

Label: Madison SWP-08 MS

Date: June 2, 1975, Municipal Auditorium, Mobile, AL (afternoon show)

Sound Quality: * * * * - / * * * * * +

Concert Rating: * * * * / * * * * * +

Tracks: 1.I Got A Woman / Amen (incomplete) 2.Love Me 3.If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 4.Love Me Tender (with false start) 5.All Shook Up 6.Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel 7.Hound Dog 8.The Wonder Of You (with false start) 9.Burning Love 10.Introductions by Elvis of vocalists, band 11.Johnny B. Goode (James Burton) 12.Drum solo (Ronnie Tutt) 13.Bass solo (Jerry Scheff) 14.Piano solo (Glen D. Hardin) 15.Introductions by Elvis of vocalists, orchestra 16.School Day (Joe Guercio Orchestra) 17.T-R-O-U-B-L-E (incomplete) 18.I'll Remember You 19.Why Me Lord? 19.Let Me Be There (with reprise) 21.An American Trilogy 22.Funny How Time Slips Away (with reprise) 23.Little Darlin' 24.Mystery Train / Tiger Man 25.Can't Help Falling In Love / Closing Vamp (partial) Bonus26.Let Me Be There (Stereo Recording - March 21, 1976 Evening show, Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH) (Duration: 66 min. 20 sec.)

Package: Looks like Madison label owns all soundboards from 1975 summer tour. Since they already produced two shows from this tour: The Capital Performance and FLY T-R-O-U-B-L-E. This time we have an afternoon show from June 2, 1975. The evening gig (Sold Out In Dixie) was released under Rock Legends label about 7 years ago.

As usual the package is provided with 12 pages booklet with many nice and high quality photos. We are looking forward for next shows from this tour which are still unreleased (Huntsville, May 31, 1975 AS, Huntsville, May 31, 1975 ES, Huntsville, June 1, 1975 AS, Huntsville, June 1, 1975 ES, Shreveport, June 7, 1975, Jackson, June 9, 1975 AS). What will be next?

Elvis: He swears that he never in his life done a show on a Monday afternoon, which is of course not true. However Mobile Municipal Auditorium stuff still can't remember any other 30 000 attendance event on Monday Morning. In fact this show was not really "afternoon" since it started at 4:30 PM. Elvis also performed at this auditorium on September 14, 1970, June 20, 1973, August 29, 1976 and June 2, 1977.

Actually he acts not very correct to Voice quartet by saying during introductions: "You know what I dreamed last night? I dreamed that you guys didn't open the show, see. I don't know why I dreamed that but I, I, I dreamed it. No, but I dreamed that you didn't open the show, I dreamed that you were backstage and they wouldn't let you come on. Do you think that might mean something? Like maybe the next show?" I guess that If Elvis could imagine that after 30 years somebody would release this show, he would have acted another way and would never say such things.

Interesting detail: Elvis makes advances to Estelle from Sweet Inspirations. He shouts her name during Little Darlin'.

Highlights: Some songs from the show are incomplete (see the tracklisting). Unusually this also includes T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Elvis gives his best during American Trilogy, although without reprise.

The bonus song from March 21, 1976 evening show, which is said to be in stereo for the first time, is in very poor quality and sounds worse then on digitally remastered Holding Back The Years CD. If they ever decide to re-release it in such stereo I can't recommend this.

In overall I can't agree with the logo on the reviewed disc, which says: "Not for sale".

Review by Christopher Brown (witness of the show). The review is taken from his book On Tour With Elvis: As I wait through the intermission, Al Dvorin (of "Elvis has left the building" fame) is up on stage, hawking Elvis souvenirs. While Al is up there. Colonel Parker walks out onto the stage. It is surprising that the Colonel would come out here in Mobile, but not at all in Huntsville.

Other than Elvis' brief introduction of the Colonel from the stage on opening night, the Colonel was not to be seen in Huntsville.

As the Colonel stands beside Al, Al captures the audience's attention, and introduces the Colonel. He only receives a smattering of applause.

I certainly don't applaud, considering the cold reception he had given me in the hallway, and because of the poor record releases I felt he was responsible for. Many in the crowd probably don't know who he is.

Finally after hustling Elvis products, and asking/warning the fans to remain in their seats, the houselights dim following an unusually long twenty-five minute intermission.

After the ear-shattering musical introduction of ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA, Elvis finally walks out on stage. He looks happy as he begins a good version of SEE SEE RIDER. Elvis seems a little sluggish this afternoon -- after all, he doesn't do too many weekday matinees, and he's probably still a little sleepy.

As the song slows down, Elvis says "... wooh, two, three, three, three, four, yeah see ...", and stabbing the air with his guitar to conduct the conclusion of the opening song, Elvis greets the audience.

"Thank you very much. Good afternoon. Afternoon?" The look on Eivis' face is priceless as he cannot believe he's doing a Monday matinee.

"I tell you, I, I, O.K. honey ..." at which point Elvis breaks into the "... well well ..." wells, and suddenly stopping, he bows to the audience, and says, "... that's if Thank you." As the crowd laughs and applauds, he breaks into a frantic version of I GOT A WOMAN coupled with one verse of AMEN.

Following the drumming by Ronnie at the end of 'Amen,' Elvis wakes himself up by doing a modest amount of gyrating. After a lengthy bit of hip shaking, Elvis says, "... that's enough of that. I just got through eating." Finally, Elvis looks at J.D., and says "... go get it ..."

Playing the part of a bird/airplane, Elvis, flapping his arms, smiles broadly as J.D. rumbles the speakers and finishes 'Amen.'

Elvis returns to the microphone and sings the last few lines of 'I Got A Woman.' Swinging the guitar off of his shoulder, Elvis thrusts it back and forth in the air as Ronnie completes the drum ending. Elvis then tosses the guitar, without looking, over his shoulder to Charlie who has stationed himself about ten feet or so behind him.

"Thank you very much ..." Elvis says. "Good evening. Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Johnny Cash. We hope you have a good time. What is this, Monday afternoon? I never in my LIFE done a show on Monday afternoon!" Elvis stresses. Lots of applause at this comment by the thousands in attendance who are happy that Elvis had consented to another show today.

However, Elvis is wrong. Very wrong, because I attended the first Monday matinee performance by Elvis on June 24, 1974 in Niagara Falls, New York. Had I the nerve I think I have today, I would have shouted this out to him.

Elvis continues talking about the matinee, "... good grief, I want to know ..." with the following said as if Elvis is a school teacher, taking attendance, "... how you got off from work and how you got out of school. I shouldn't ask that ..." he adds quickly. "No one would show up!"

"Anyway, I hope you have a good time. We're gonna sing a lot of songs, old ones, new ones, middle-aged, and in-between. Some of them go back as far as J.D.'s age. Ah, we hope you have a good time so just hang loose. I'm sorry J.D., they didn't have songs back then."

Quickly Elvis begins LOVE ME as the crowd laughs at Elvis' joke, and applauds the third song of the afternoon. Elvis 'makes the rounds,' kissing the female fans, and giving out scarves in the process. Again, while the back-up vocalists hold the last note, Elvis teases them, singing "... please love me oh, ohhh, ohhhh ..." and finally "... oh yeah ..."

"Thank you very much. Thank you." Elvis smiles because of the teasing he's given the singers, and says "I'm sorry I made you guys hold that note that long, you know. I, I know you can do it. If you couldn't do it, you wouldn't be working here, right? We'd have the Supremes or Flip Wilson or somebody up here. What am I doing next? O.K. I don't know, I just work here, you know."

IF YOU LOVE ME, LET ME KNOW is next, and Elvis sings this beautifully. It seems a little slower this afternoon. But it doesn't really make any difference to Elvis' enthusiasm -- Elvis really likes this, and it shows. "Thank you very much. Thank you. My first movie song was LOVE ME TENDER ..." to which, as usual, the crowd responds with applause and whispers amongst themselves. "So I'd like to sing a little bit of that for you now."

After a few bars of the song, Elvis motions for the band to stop, saying, "I said I'd like to, I'm not going to sing it, really, you know." You can almost feel the disappointment in the air that is shared by many in the audience. However, Elvis quickly adds, "... naw, no, go ahead."

Similar to his performance of 'Love Me', Elvis interacts with the audience by kissing the females, and passing out as many scarves as possible. His first kiss is to a little girl to whom he says, "... just on the cheek kid, you're too young!" As the song continues, Elvis covers all the sides of the stage.

At one point he walks to the edge of the stage near the balcony, but shakes his head 'no' to the frantic pleading of the fans there, simply saying, "... no way!" A few seconds Later, while kneeling at the edge of the stage for another kiss, a fan grabs his arm and says something that really makes him laugh. "Ho, no, one more ..." Elvis says, instructing the band to play one more verse.

As applause erupts at the finale of the song, Elvis responds with "... thank you. Thank you." while handing out yet more scarves, Elvis kneels by the edge of the stage again. Teasing a fan with a soon-to-be handed out scarf, Elvis says "... I've got to use this first, O.K? ..." Elvis then goes about wiping his face, his chest and then under his arms -- more in jest than anything. Finally, he hands the scarf to the girl, while the crowd continues to yell and laugh at his antics.

A quick version of ALL SHOOK UP follows, with Elvis almost breaking up completely with laughter at the end.

"Thank you." Elvis launches into a medley of TEDDY BEAR/DON'T BE CRUEL.

'Teddy Bear' is sung very sincerely and completely, as none of the lyrics are missed. As the song segues into 'Don't Be Cruel,' the crowd is really with Elvis as many join in and clap along with the beat.

There is no ad-libbing on 'Don't Be Cruel' either, as Elvis sings all of the lyrics.

The applause barely begins for the medley just performed, when Elvis, slightly bent over, sings "... you ain't nothin' but a HOUND DOG ..." On the third repeated verse, Elvis really accentuates the lyrics, singing "... you ain't nothin' but a hound dog ..." quite differently. Good 'chang chang chang' ending. This version lasts almost eighty seconds, and is one of the more inspired versions performed on the tour,

"Thank you very much. This next song is one that we did about three years ago, called THE WONDER OF YOU." As the band breaks into the introduction, Elvis, who hadn't finished drinking the water Charlie had handed him, says, "... just a minute. Hold it! Hold if! Old Chinese proverb say, cannot sing with mouth in water, or water in mouth, whatever." As Elvis is standing next to Charlie, he can easily be heard laughing into Elvis' microphone following his messing up of this famous 'proverb'.

Elvis had already used this 'saying' many times, and he was really beginning to mess it up. "You give me hope and CONSOOOLAATION ..." he sings, emphasizing the last word. At the instrumental break, he says, "... play it James ...", steps back, and hums/oohs along. Elvis performs an exceptional version of this 1970 gold record.

"O.K., thank you very much. Polk Salad, nah, Burning Love?" A real, rocking version follows, with Elvis apparently forgetting some of the lyrics as he sings, "... please won't you help me, I feel like I'm slipping away, la la la la la la ...", substituting 'la la la' for the next line. A lengthy ending features prominently on this exciting version of BURNING LOVE.

"O.K. Thank you very much. What was that buzzing on the stage? Huh? The what? O.K., I'll do it in a minute. The bass is spinning around?

They say the bass is spinning around. Goes like this ..." Elvis jokes as he spins on the stage. "I've never seen a bass spin around. Lord have mercy!"

"I'd like to introduce you to the members of my group. Ladies and Gentlemen, before we go any further. First of all, the young ladies that opened our show tonight. They've been with me for about five years, I think they're really fantastic, The Sweet Inspirations."

"The gentlemen back here are one of the finest gospel quartets in the nation, J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet. I'd like to introduce these fellas individually because they're the only ones that don't get introduced."

"On the baritone, from Nashville, is Ed Hill. On the lead, from Nasvhille, is Ed Enoch. On the high tenor from, ah, Nashville is Bill Baize."

"The little girl that does our high-voiced she's from Los Angeles, she has a beautiful voice, her name is Kathy Westmoreland. On the rhythm guitar from Springfield, Missouri is John Wilkinson."

"And on the leeaaad ..." Elvis says very low, "... ha ha, from Shreveport, Louisiana is James Burton. Play something, James." James plays a great, short solo of JOHNNY B. GOODE with Elvis singing a few of the lines.

Elvis introduces Ronnie Tutt, who performs a solo on the drums. The crowd responds as the solo comes to a conclusion, and Elvis says, "wooh, yeah, thank you very much ..."

"On the fender bass from up in Canada is Jerry Scheff ..." which prompts Jerry to perform a slow, blues solo. "Yeah, thank you. Jerry."

"On the piano from Lubbock, Texas, is Glenn Hardin ..." Standing out of the spotlight, Elvis watches. "One more time ..." Elvis says as he encourages this talented musician to play on. Elvis is swaying in time with the music. "Thank you, Glenn."

"The guy that gives me my water and scarves, and sings harmony with me, he's from Decatur, Alabama, his name is Charlie Hodge."

Turning to Voice, Elvis stops, and says, "... the fellas that opened our show tonight, I think they did. You know what I dreamed last night? I dreamed that you guys didn't open the show, see. I don't know why I dreamed that but I, I, I dreamed it. No, but I dreamed that you didn't open the show, I dreamed that you were backstage and they wouldn't let you come on. Do you think that might mean something? Like maybe the next show? They're from Nashville, and I think they're really great, I call them Voice."

Looking at Joe Guercio, Elvis says, "... our conductor's from Las Vegas, and I dreamed that he didn't show up at all' Ha ha, Mr. Joe Guercio ..." Elvis says, laughing hard while saying his name. "Fantastic Joe Guercio Orchestra ..." who play a rousing version of HAIL HAIL ROCK AND ROLL -- and Elvis sings along with most of it. I keep wishing they will play the whole song, but that never happens. "Wooh, yeah, yeah! Thank you. Gentlemen."

"We have a new record out. Ladies and Gentlemen, that's been out for about ah, ten days now. And I don't know all the words to it. And it's one of those type songs that if you miss a word you might as well forget it because you can't pick it up." Elvis stops talking, noticing for the first time the echo that has just bounced back to him in the large auditorium. "Pick it up" he says. Amused, Elvis goes on to say, "... there's an echo in this building. Pick it up" he repeats again.

And then, trying to act like two people by himself, Elvis says, "... pick it up Pick it up yourself O.K. It's called T-R-0-U-B-L-E ..." which is a signal for the band to begin. The crowd responds immediately as the song title is announced, well aware of this new song climbing the charts in the South. Elvis sings the lyrics at a fevered pitch. Great, extended ending.

"Thank you very much. This next song is from the ah. Aloha special that we did from Hawaii about a year and a half ago, called I'LL REMEMBER YOU." Elvis sings this most beautifully. It's unfortunate that so much screaming continues during the song, but it is one of the crowd's better opportunities to get Elvis' attention since the music is being performed so softly. "To your arms, one day I'll return, till then, I will reeeeemmmember too ..." is sung perfectly. A perfect version.

"I'd like to ask J.D. Sumner and the Stamps to sing one of my favorite songs, called WHY ME, LORD?" Elvis continues to try and break J.D. up by repeating the comment "... not much'. ..." when J.D. sings, 'what did I ever do.' Elvis joins in on the chorus, and the audience responds loudly.

As J.D. starts the second verse, Elvis says "... sing it, J.D. ..." using his familiar Geraldine impression. Elvis now takes a scarf from Charlie, and puts it over his head while holding the ends of the scarf under his chin. He walks over to The Sweet Inspirations, and raising his arm, leans on one of them. Looking at J.D., Elvis uses his Geraldine voice again, and says, ''... no way. Show me baby. Come on, come on ..." J.D. couldn't help himself, breaking up with laughter, and so Elvis helps him sing the last few words before the chorus. Quickly, Elvis asks, using that voice again, "... what's the matter?" Elvis and the Stamps repeat the chorus again, while Elvis puts the scarf back around his neck where it belongs.

"Thank you very much. Thank you. Take it on" After this fun, Elvis performs a great toe-tapping version of LET ME BE THERE. Elvis really emphasizes several of the lines, letting his voice soar over many of the lyrics. With a good audience response, Elvis let's out a loud "Wooh",and then repeats the chorus, and the drums really drive the song.

"Thank you. Thank you very much. thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen. Oh I wish I was ..." Elvis begins singing, beginning an emotional version of AH AMERICAN TRILOGY. On the line, "... old times there are not FORGOTTEN ..." Elvis receives great audience reaction -- plus a little special attention.

While standing next to The Sweet Inspirations, a female fan manages to jump up onto the stage, run to Elvis and grab him. With the momentum of her running, and grabbing Elvis, he is able to lift the girl off her feet with his free hand -- barely missing a note the entire time. Sonny West manages to gently separate the two, and escorts her off away. Elvis instructs the Stamps to sing, using his high Geraldine voice. As they sing 'I wish I was in Dixie,' Elvis responds with "... I wish I was tool" Elvis sings a beautiful (but all too short) version of 'All My Trials,' and with the trumpets blaring, the drums pounding, the back-up vocalists singing, Elvis pulls out all the stops and raises 'Battle Hymn of the Republic' to a tremendous climax.

"Woohl" Elvis says, as the crowd shows its appreciation. "Thank you.

Thank you, you're a good audience. Thank you very much. Ah, the little girl that we had up here, is sh-she O.K.? You know, what she did, she got a bunch of hair in my mouth". That's all. I sang, 'oh I wish I was ... ummppff ..." he says, trying to immitate the effects of her hair in his mouth. As Elvis continues, the audience laughs louder and harder. "I'd like to turn the houselights up, and take a look at you, ah, because I can't see you ..." As usual, the crowd reaction is loud and long, as almost everyone wants Elvis to see them Elvis responds by exclaiming, "Woohl"

Looking around the large auditorium, Elvis gives out several more scarves, noticing a child approaching the stage, Elvis kneels down and asks, "... what do you want? Tell me what you want" Elvis, smiling, hands the child a scarf, and later, while 'making the rounds', comments, "... a tough way to make a living, I'll tell you."

With the houselights still up, Elvis begins FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY.

A few lines into the song, the auditorium goes dark again, except for the spotlight, "Seems like, JUST THE OTHER DAY ..." Elvis sings as low as he can, and then later, "... remember what I told y-o-u ..." he sings, using his high falsetto. Great!

"Thank you very much. LITTLE DARLIN' ..." Elvis says, and the band and Elvis begin one of the highlights of the show (and tour). Teasing one of The Sweet Inspirations, Elvis yells out "Estelle" just before singing, "... only you ..."

During the spoken part, Elvis uses a very low voice, and has fun with the line, "... to hold in mine your little", pausing long enough for us to insert whatever word first comes to our mind. Elvis continues with "... hand. I'll know we'll soon, do something, ah ha I don't know ..."

On the final note, Elvis slides up the scale again using his falsetto.

Priceless! The guitar licks seem a little sharper this afternoon -- very reminiscent of the original version.

Elvis pauses after singing this classic, 'well-written' song, and says, "I have no idea what that song says. I don't know one word in it. Just a hoopa hoopa hoopa, no-wella, wella, nohoop, ooop, ooppa, ooppa..." and with a very high voice, "... la la la la la."

"You've been a fantastic audience. Ladies and Gentlemen, huh ..." and Elvis is, fortunately interrupted by lots of screaming, as it is obvious he is about to close."

"What do you want? What? Oh, you wanna hear MYSTERY TRAIN? O.K."

Great, I thought, one more song at least. Elvis really puts himself into this performance of the "MYSTERY TRAIN/TIGER MAN" medley. At the instrumental break, Elvis says, "... play it, James ..." On 'Tiger Man' Elvis gyrates to the beat as the strobe lights strike the stage. Elvis obviously enjoys this, and it shows.

With the crowd screaming and yelling, Elvis finishes the song, and says, "... thank you very much, you've been a great audience. Until we see you again, be careful driving home, and God bless you." This leads immediately into the closing number, CAN'T HELP FALLING IM LOVE. Great crowd reaction as ELVIS hits the last note, salutes all sections of the audience, and leaves the stage for a few hours.

Another four hours, and I will, hopefully, see Elvis again!

M bootleg index