[NightRider]

We all know how iconic Heartbreak Hotel is. It is thought of as probably the track that truly got Elvis noticed worldwide. But am i the only one who prefers some of the Live versions he performed ? You just gotta love the 'well since my baby left me' on the '68 special. Also very keen on the live versions from '69/'70. I do like the original obviously. But it is unlike many of the 50s numbers where i prefer the original versions...any else of the same opinion (IMG:style_emoticons/default/undecided.gif)

[hcvegas]

Yes I totally agree. I think Heartbreak Hotel is allot more bluesy in the 70'. An afternoon in the garden ver. is one of my fav versions. I also think that Trying to get to you, and My baby left me are other 50's songs I like better live in the 70's.

[ALAN]

I totally agree with both of you - the 70s versions were better and faster when he did them right unfortunaly he used the song far too often as a throwaway 50s can't be bothered with this type of song - which is a pity

[Deck]

Sorry, but I have to disagree.
I don't think that Elvis did ANY 50s song better in the 70s, not even 'Big Hunk o' Love'.
I always wish he'd kept the 50s arrangements & tempos on 50s songs, & done them properly.
I would have liked it if he had done a '50s section' in his shows, where everything is stripped back, just leaving the songs as they were.

[J]

If we're talking about 'Heartbreak Hotel' in spesific, I personally prefer the '56 original over any live version. It has a great mix of blues and jazz (piano) feel to it, which was never captured the same way in the live versions. ... To this day the original sounds incredibly 'fresh', despite the fact that it was recorded some 54 years ago... ...it's without a doubt one of EP's signature songs.

[Suspicious Minds]

I prefer the 1956 single version.
The live versions don't have the jazz sound.

[C.C.Rider]

I do enjoy both. The original is pure class !! But i do enjoy some of the live versions just as much. Are they better ? No, just different (IMG:style_emoticons/default/winking0001.gif)

[Ryan2919]

I rank the original way higher than any live version, can't touch it in my opinion.

[GuitarMan66]

I'd have to say I prefer the original to....but that doesnt mean I dont enjoy the 70's versions...Elvis was a master at changing songs tempo's etc to fit his ever changing voice and styles.

[Deck]

I'd have to say I prefer the original to....but that doesnt mean I dont enjoy the 70's versions...Elvis was a master at changing songs tempo's etc to fit his ever changing voice and styles.

I agree that he was a brilliant arranger of music, especially the big orchestrated ballads, & I would have loved to have seen/heard him singing them live.
I still must say though, that if I'd listened to Elvis' 50s records, then gone to a concert in the 70s expecting to hear any of those songs done decently, then I would have been disappointed.
I mean, which 50s songs did he do in the 70s, lets make a list......

Heartbreak Hotel - 50s version is WAY better.
Hound Dog- 50s AWESOME, 70s Lame, he couldn't be bothered to sing both verses, guitar solos are not a patch on Scotty Moores originals.Missing the Jordanaires backing.
Don't Be Cruel-50s Fantastic bopping tune, 70s lame run-thru, sang half-heartedly,intro isn't half as good as the 50s record, played too fast.Missing the Jordanaires again.
Teddy Bear- 50s good bopping tune, 70s lame run thru.
Love Me, Just play the 50s original followed by ANY 70s version.50s version wins hands down.
Mystery Train/Tiger Man, 50s (Mystery Train) Pure Rockabilly,68 (Tiger Man) raw & powerful. 1970, not bad.
Love Me Tender, 50s I never liked this song, 70s, an excuse to slow things down.
My Baby Left Me, 50s Awsome vocal, 70s attempting an awesome vocal but not getting there.
One Night, 50s WHAT A VOCAL, 70s vocal nor music as powerful as 50s version.
Trying To Get To You, 50s, Fantastic vocal, wonderful sounding meandering guitar work,70s, well, just listen to it, it's NOT as good.
Jailhouse Rock, 50s What Can Ya Say? Amazing, 70s, Why bother trying ?
Thats Alright Mama, 50s, Fresh & Invigorating & Exciting, 70s Too Fast,lost it's original vibe.

I've probably missed some out, but ya get the drift.
Now, I sing & play guitar in a band, & I give 100% to every song we do, no matter how many times we've done it.
Elvis didn't.
In my opinion, if he didn't want to do those songs, then he shouldn't have done them.
I've heard it said,"but that's what the people wanted to hear". Well, if that's the case, he should have done those songs properly, or said "No", & had the balls to change his style, instead of doing lousy versions of those songs.
The people were paying to get in, & Elvis was getting paid big $$$$$ to deliver the goods.
If he wanted to just sing big ballads, then he should have announced that that was what he was going to do, then done it.
As an example, if you went to see Guns n Roses, & they did the intro to Sweet Child Of Mine, followed by one verse, then ended it, you would think WTF ????
Well, that's what Elvis did on many a song in the 70s.
Well, that's just my opinion............................

[J]

'Deck', while it certainly is your opinion, I think you're taking things way over the top. EP's 50s songs were obviously classic, groundbreaking material but you still can't really expect EP to perform them in the same way he did them in the studio over a decade earlier. By the 70s alot had changed... for one, he had a completely different line up of musicians behind him... also his voice was quite different.

The attitude that EP never did anything right when it came to his 50s classics on stage is rather worn by now... but yes, with some of them I can agree... 'Don't be Cruel', 'Teddy Bear', 'Hound Dog', 'Love Me Tender', 'Jailhouse Rock' are some that didn't turn out too well live... they were done too fast, or arranged in a way that made them loose all their edge (Jailhouse Rock in spesific)... but I personally completely disagree with 'That's All Right' for one. I'd only consider it a "throwaway" when it was used as the opening... although a cool choise, it was way too fast... but the times when EP did it in the middle of the show, strumming along with his guitar, it was perfectly fine... he performed it with the respect the song deserved and it certainly was a great homage to his first professional recording. Was it better than the original from '54... not neccesarily, but it was definitely good in a different way. The 1970 version has more 'rock edge' to it, while the later ('76-'77) versions were a more mellow take on it... almost like trying to get as close as possible to the original sound... ...but once more as said before, you really can NOT expect it to be completely similar to the version that was recorded some 15-20 years earlier.

In my opinion 'My Baby left Me', 'A Big Hunk O' Love' and 'Trying To Get To You' are a few 50s hits that were also more often than not performed in a respectful manner in the 70s.

[Mags]

Sorry, but I have to disagree.
I don't think that Elvis did ANY 50s song better in the 70s, not even 'Big Hunk o' Love'.
I always wish he'd kept the 50s arrangements & tempos on 50s songs, & done them properly.
I would have liked it if he had done a '50s section' in his shows, where everything is stripped back, just leaving the songs as they were.

Well said Deck. I agree 100% !!

[Antje]

I love both versions, but I think I like the later versions of heartbreak hotel better then in 56, I really love his early stuff, and I prefer it most of the time over the 70's performances. Altough he did a great job later on, it was another time so the songs needed to be sounding a little more updated I think.

[NightRider]

I think that if you look at what Elvis did with the 50s songs in the 70s....you would find it 50/50 at the very least where he did good solid versions of those songs every time he performed them. For sure...Hound Dog ( impossible to re-create the magnificence of the original), Jailhouse Rock ( although some excellent live versions appeared in the early 70s), Don't be Cruel, All Shook Up were all pretty much let downs for the most part. But look at Trying to get to You, Mystery Train, I Got a Woman ( ok...you have to ignore the Amen and plane impressions), That's all right ( which i disagree with Deck and think he did some solid performances live on most occasions), A Big Hunk O Love...all performed very well all of the time. I can't ever recall hearing a bad version of Trying to get to you.

So, although i agree on some points...he shouldn't have continued with songs he had grown bored with...i don't agree that he never gave performances that these songs deserved. As Jouni has stated already...Elvis had changed a hell of a lot since the 50s.

One thing i would have liked to have heard him do with those songs...another sit down like the 68 comeback with some of those original 50s musicians and do an 'unplugged'. I think that he could have done that and it may have brought back some passion for some of those songs that helped him become who he was... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/undecided.gif)

Back on topic to Heartbreak Hotel. As i said above...its not that i don't like the original...its a pure Elvis classic !...but i do love the way he made it 'feel', live in 69 / 70...and especially in the stand up part of the 68 Comeback Special. He sang it ( and Jailhouse Rock for that matter) like his life depends on it. Like a wild vicious animal who has just been set free. You can hear it in his voice....its just awesome and it never fails to send chills down my spine.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/taz.gif)

[Tigerman]

I do enjoy both. The original is pure class !! But i do enjoy some of the live versions just as much. Are they better ? No, just different (IMG:style_emoticons/default/winking0001.gif)

Agreed. I love the 50's version and adore the 68/69/70 versions. I also agree with Chris regarding that not all 50's songs was performed poorly later in his life. "Trying to get to you" was a good example, with my favourtite performance must be the '68 version. I have yet to hear a bad version of That's Allright. I got a woman was performed really well in both '69 and '70.

Jailhouse rock is a number we disagree on, ELvis never came close to the orginal in my opinion, not in '68, nor in 1969.. Elvis voice on the orginal track is the embodiment of 50's rock'n roll music. THat said the 68 version is really good, but as soon as the orchestra and choirs joined in 1969 the song lost all it's edge in my opinion... But there is no correct ot incorrect answer since it's a matter of taste.

[NightRider]

As far as Jailhouse Rock goes....on a slightly different topic to the one in hand....but..could anyone ever again deliver the sort of vocals Elvis did during Jailhouse Rock ??? It has to be one of...if not the....best vocal performances in a Rock n Roll song....EVER !!

I kind of agree Einar...but i still enjoy the 68 special versions of Jailhouse Rock....second only to the original. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif)

[Bazza]

I do enjoy both. The original is pure class !! But i do enjoy some of the live versions just as much. Are they better ? No, just different (IMG:style_emoticons/default/winking0001.gif)

Couldn't agree more.....well said!

[Antje]

I very much like the '68 version of Jailhouse Rock,
and when time went on, sounds do change, and Elvis' voice changed, music changed, so it is not strange
that the originals from the 50's would change during later periods.
It is just like Shaun sais, it is different, but not per sé bad.

[hcvegas]

I very much like the '68 version of Jailhouse Rock,
and when time went on, sounds do change, and Elvis' voice changed, music changed, so it is not strange
that the originals from the 50's would change during later periods.
It is just like Shaun sais, it is different, but not per sé bad.

From "that's allright mama" to hurt, I can't think of another singer who's voice progressed and changed so much. So many different periods of Elvis voice. When I was a new fan back in the late 70s I used to be dissapointed in the live versions of his classics but now as I've gotten older, I have a different perspective now. I think from 69 to 70 is when Elvis last gave really rocking versions of his classics, but I reallly like his later live versions of, "trying to get to you, lawdy miss claudy, Heartbreak hotel, The 74 "my baby left me. Elvis had to be sick of houndog and jailhouse rock and not counting the hundreds of takes he did when he first recorded them in the studio. Elvis is not the only artist to have rushed through his oldies even though I personally wished he wouldn't have.

[kwimper]

I believe that the original Studio master of "Heartbreak Hotel" is a masterpiece. The live versions of the song all seem to be a little Tongue- In -cheek. I do very much enjoy them though!

To me the original is the ultimate. I remember sitting in a sleazy cafe in Sydney's Kings Cross about 15 years ago and when "Heartbreak Hotel" came on the jukebox this young hippie lookin' dude just went in a trance like state and enjoyed every second of it. He applauded at the end. It was a weird experience!