topic Elvis & His Last Performance in Community Chat

Elvis & His Last Performance

Mersha — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 06:11:52 GMT

I watched Elvis sing "Unchained Melody" in his last public performance a few weeks before he passed.

You could tell he was not well but he still managed to sing his heart out on that one. I was in tears while watching.

He had quite the life but at 42 was gone way too soon.

Check it out on YouTube.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Desertdi — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 06:41:40 GMT

If that was the last one in Las Vegas, I was there, too!

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

golding76 — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 06:49:32 GMT

That was gut-wrenching to watch. It is a strange sensation watching a performer do what he so much loves for the very last time and no one -- not even Elvis -- knew it, of course.

His whole being was in this performance, but his voice faltered here and there as he sweat bullets (no doubt caused by his extra weight, drugs and whatever sicknesses he had at this point), and his last sung syllables were almost a yell that was cut off. He did not have enough breath to sing them fully.

He was the consummate entertainer, wasn't he? Touched by the gods.

Thank you for sharing this, Mersha.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

hckynutjohn — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 09:03:31 GMT

@Mersha

My wife and I saw Elvis in concert a few weeks before he died. This concert was being recorded by CBS Network for TV, I guess. I know it was later shown on the network and I also bought a VHS copy of it when it came out.

He looked exactly like the picture. I had seen him in 2 previous live concerts in town over the years. This was the worst I had seen him look, but his voice was the strongest of the other concerts I had seen him.

He put on a great show as usual and I am glad I was able to see him that last time. Elvis was always big on Southern Gospel Music, and I had about every tape and CD of his Gospel Music, along with a few LaserDiscs, with higher quality video and sound than the VHS tapes,

hckynut 🇺🇸

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

OKPrincess — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 10:18:27 GMT

Thank you for sharing @Mersha .

I was 23 when Elvis died but I will never forget the two times I saw him in concert (7/76, 3/77).

Watching the movie multiple times, I almost forgot he'd been gone so long.

The feeling....the voice....the memories.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Roscoe the Rascal — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 11:31:08 GMT

Always loved Elvis no matter how he changed. I cried when I watched that last performance. My heart ached for him.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

goldensrbest — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 11:47:17 GMT

Ever since i saw him on ED SULLIVAN show ,i was hooked, so loved him he could sing all types of music,what a entertainer,actor never missed any of his movies a kid.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Pearlee — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 18:42:59 GMT

This clip is shown at the very end of the film Elvis. It was about 6 weeks before he died and he was a mess. But oh, that glorious, powerful voice is really something. It brings me to tears also. I just love his voice and the feeling he puts into a song. A very talented man, one gone much too soon.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Northray — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 15:42:13 GMT

An American icon for the ages.

He was way before my time but my mom and grandma even, adored him and had all his albums. So I basically grew up listneing to his music and I love it and him.

Yes he was very sick here but he knew he was responsible for all the people he employed, them and their families and was indebted to his fans, who he appreciated more than anything. They kept telling him to cancel but he couldn't do it to the fans. He wasn't one of these peformers that hated the very people that made them. NO, he was a grateful man who never let greatness go to his head. He never forgot his beginnings, that proverty stricken boy from Tupelo Mississippi.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

bikerbabe — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 16:18:21 GMT

I can’t watch “Las Vegas” Elvis. It just makes me sad. To me, he’s a caricature of his younger self and he was surrounded by users. The trap of being a superstar is not hearing the word no when you most need it.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Greeneyedlady21 — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 16:22:09 GMT

It's so sad

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Bookplate — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 16:49:16 GMT

In the Baz Luhrmann movie, for that performance he used Elvis' own version of Unchained Melody, as well he should have, as it is extraordinary. I thought it was odd that he allowed the actor to sing some of the songs instead of using Elvis' recordings, but then Luhrmann movies are a bit odd.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Mersha — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 16:53:57 GMT

@Desertdi wrote:
If that was the last one in Las Vegas, I was there, too!

@Desertdi I was not at that performance. I saw Elvis when he performed at the University of Maryland in 1974 or 1975.

When you watched this performance live, did most in the room realize how ill he was?

The video is heartbreaking.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

ROMARY — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 16:55:54 GMT

What a shame.........I'm only guessing that it's a difficult profession for many entertainers.

Working nights and trying to sleep in the day along with rehearsals before each performance, etc., etc.

And those who are touring from city to city while working mostly nights.

I guess it would be fairly 'easy' to, say, take a sleeping pill or two, etc. on a regular basis. And then some sort of 'upper' for night time performances.

Personally, I'm not functioning at all without my two cups of coffee in the morning. 'Gets me going'........

RIP, dear Elvis. And wishing all entertainers good health.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Pearlee — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 18:47:46 GMT

@golding76 wrote:
That was gut-wrenching to watch. It is a strange sensation watching a performer do what he so much loves for the very last time and no one -- not even Elvis -- knew it, of course.

His whole being was in this performance, but his voice faltered here and there as he sweat bullets (no doubt caused by his extra weight, drugs and whatever sicknesses he had at this point), and his last sung syllables were almost a yell that was cut off. He did not have enough breath to sing them fully.

He was the consummate entertainer, wasn't he? Touched by the gods.

Thank you for sharing this, Mersha.

I thought his voice sounded great in that last performance.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Citrine1 — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 20:02:20 GMT

Hmmm. You know, I liked Elvis and many of his songs. I think he had a great voice. But Unchained Melody is my all time favorite song and no one can sing it like the Righteous Brothers. I found myself trying to take a deep breath while listening to Elvis' labored breathing and I don't care for his rendition of this song at all.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

golding76 — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 20:33:55 GMT

Pearlee, to each his own.

Re: Elvis & His Last Performance

Trailrun23 — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 02:41:22 GMT

The Las Vegas concert is DH's absolute favorite to watch. He has to be the world's biggest Elvis fan. I never really listens to his music. It was so clear the effort he was having to use to finish the concert and he did not look well to anyone, especially those who had seen him in previous concerts in person. Certainly an icon who will always be remebered as one of the greats.