????? Elvis Presley Boot LPs ? Softly As I Leave You ? EXCELLENT CONDITION!

ELVIS

December 12, 1976

Last Night of 1976 Tour 

Both records are in Excellent condition

SONGS:

2001 (Also Sprach Xarathrustra) • See See Rider • Medley: I Got a Woman/Amen • Love Me • My Way • Fairytale • Lord, This Time You Gave Me a Mountain • Jailhouse Rock • Little Sister • It’s Now or Never • Trying to Get to You • Blue Suede Shoes • Can’t Help Falling in Love • Blue Christmas • Softly, As I Leave You • Are you Lonesome Tonight? • That’s All Right Mama • Bridge Over Troubled Water • Introductions • Early Morning Rain • What’d I Say • Johnny B. Goode • Ronnie Tutt Drum Solo • Jerry Schepp Bass Solo • “Sonny” Brown Piano Solo • David Briggs Electric Clarinet Solo • Love Letters • Hail Hail Rock ’n’ Roll (Two Versions) • Hurt • Such A Night • Sweet Caroline

It's a very good show to listen to with surprises of 'LITTLE SISTER','SWEET CAROLINE’ and especially 'SUCH A NIGHT". At 90 minutes long it's superb (vocally) with great versions of ‘MOUNTAIN’, O SOLE MIO, IT'S NOW OR NEVER, HURT, BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS -but with no performance of songs like FEVER or POLK SALAD ANNIE. Near the end of the show Elvis even shows us one of his favorite books and this 1986 'Softly as I Leave You' LP featured summer 76' shots on the back cover and a shot of Elvis seated in his Blue Rainbow Suit from the 10.12.76 D/S on the front cover. With a very sincere focused look on his face (We've all heard how it took Elvis 14 years to find a black diamond from a collector in Denver, Colorado!).

Elvis opens tonight's show strongly with C.C. RIDER before muttering “well, I hope your having a good evening everybody". During AMEN Elvis says he needs as much help as he can get and then proceeds to kid around a lot good naturedly with the audience during his leg shaking routine. Elvis introduces himself as John Davidson and says his job is to entertain and make us happy, that's his job. Elvis says he has a request for MY WAY and after a false start (when he loses his temper at Tony Brown remarking that he'd strip the beard off his face!) performs the best version of this season. Next Elvis surprisingly introduces FAIRYTALE as the story of his life! Introducing YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN, Elvis says his Father likes it and he's fine. YOU GAVE ME A MOUNTAIN receives the spoken line again of 'Just tired of being my wife'. Elvis delays the start of JAILHOUSE ROCK as he mentions that it's hot under those lights. Before LITTLE SISTER he explains that it takes 5 people to get him into his suit.

Elvis then starts to get annoyed at all the audience members shouting out song titles at him and asks them to refrain. Before O SOLE MIO Elvis intro's Sherril as the weird Guy with sunglasses on and says “Son, give it you best shot." After this Elvis notes that after singing a real high song his vocal chords stretch which prompts him to sing TRYING TO GET TO YOU. Then this show in the tradition of many closing shows in Vegas takes a really funny turn as Elvis sings HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Charlie Hodge after someone in the audience is recognized by Elvis as he exclaims 'IT'S HIM!!!'. As Elvis announces BLUE CHRISTMAS he says Charlie B's birthday was too long and explains about his Black Diamond that doesn't shine, just sitting there and it took him 14 years to collect it from a collector in Denver, Colorado. Aware that he may be waffling on, Elvis says he hopes he's not boring you.

Whilst introducing SOFTLY Elvis gets caught up in the emotions of the song for a while, then after the song snaps out of it to provoke Charlie Hodge by saying that his birthday took too long snd that he'll change his sign to HEE-HAW. With this, Charlie says 'I've tried' and throws water over Elvis. Elvis says 'I QUIT'!.This is leading into a send up version of ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT Elvis sings it well whilst kidding around and ends with "There's just me and Charlie here". Before Elvis plays his guitar for THAT’S ALL RIGHT MAMA  he jokes with Charlie if he'd had a FEVER for the last 2 days to which Charlie reply's NO, for the last fortnight! Then Elvis remarks about being under 'the eyes of the world’.

Elvis sounds very withdrawn and subdued before BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER saying, "There are quite a few lyrics in this song, so I have to read it, hope you don't mind". At the start of the intros Elvis starts mumbling to himself part of the GOSPEL song 'Farther Along’. Ed Enoch receives a big embellishment from Elvis and E.M. Rain ends up a longer version whilst Elvis does get the lyrics mixed up. Before introducing the Joe Gercio Orchestra he gives Joe an unusual embellishment saying wherever he travels he takes the whole Orchestra with him and that Joe's timing is beautiful watching him and conducting an Orchestra at the same time. HAIL HAIL ROCK AND ROLL features YET AGAIN! the same lead guitarist from the orchestra so we hear it twice. HURT, however is well worth waiting for, sung very well and up higher.

Elvis announced appropriately that souvenir sales had raised $17,000 for the American Heart Association this season. Their leading member is introduced as well as Wayne Newton and Vernon Presley (recovering from a mild heart attack on 9.12.76). Amazingly here Wayne Newton is introduced and Elvis's supposed letter is one of Wayne's acts as he performs THE LETTER. After singing HURT Elvis says he hopes he's not boring people on closing night, then he shows a book to the audience and sings a great 'off the cuff' version of SUCH A NIGHT. Then finally Elvis sings SWEET CAROLINE for a couple who come and see him every time he's in Vegas. Although shortened, Elvis does sing it before quipping 'last chance as he closes this great show with C.H.F.I.L. not the best ever ending to an engagement somewhat subdued, less good than the start but musically a great ending show from Elvis.

Before Elvis flew out however there was the closing 'party' and the Colonel was STILL at the 'Wheel of Fortune' Gambling away and puffing furiously on his cigar!