Customer Reviews

Elvis Viva Las Vegas

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I give it five stars because the music is good,but enough is enough.They did not have to get very creative to package this one.Not much different in content from last years Elvis Live except one of these songs is a studio track.I give it 5 stars for the music and 2 stars for the companys creativity.Surely there must be a live version of Viva Las Vegas in their vaults.This rehashed collection is only for the die hard fan or for those who don't already own his other live cds.I just believe for a thiriteth anniversary they could have done better.

Simply amazing!!!!! I mean disc 2. Disc 1 was good, but Disc 2 is the best live performance by Elvis I have ever heard. the sound quality sounds like the concert was recorded in 2007, not in 1969. It combines all 3 Elvis eras 50s, 60s, and 70s. Elvis is totally just having fun on stage. He swears a few times and you get an idea of what he was really like, when he talks in his southern drawl. The set list is awsome. A must have for all fans. As a child I idolized the man, and I'm glad I came across this jewel. Must have, be sure its the one that contains the second disc. BUY THIS!!!!!

I give this 5 stars because of the music, which is awesome. It shows Elvis once again re-inventing himself, this time concentrating on his live performances. RCA could have done so much better, though. There are no unreleased performances that they could package and put out for the fans? Well, there are. They are on the FTD (Follow That Dream) label. The CD's range from live concerts to versions of songs never before heard. They are like bootleg CD's, but done professionally. I recommend them over the stuff RCA puts out every year.

I gotta agree with the other reviewers here--all of the tracks are previously released material, over-polished by RCA and containing none of the live-concert feel of the FTD CDs. Tacking on the studio recording of "Viva Las Vegas" at the start and giving it that title is just a cheap marketing ploy. But, hey, if it reminds people of the greatness of Elvis Presley and dispels some of the unfair myths of him as just an overweight has-been in later years--fine with me.
In other words, if you know Elvis, skip this. If you're a casual fan or a newcomer, you'll be amazed at the power of his live performances. RCA never got it right, and they prove it again with this release. Like others, I just can't believe this is the best they could come up with on the big anniversary.

Listen up! It's in the music. On disc one you get highlights of some of Elvis' best live performances ever. On disc 2 you get a complete unreleased (at the time) live concert from Vegas '69. What more do you want? And no, there are no live versions of Viva Las Vegas known to exist in the vaults.

The first CD is the soundtrack of the Elvis Viva Las Vegas TV special. It has the studio version of the song "Viva Las Vegas" in addtion to some of his best Vegas performances, including the hits "The Wonder of You", "I Just Can't Help Believin'", and "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me". One of the performances that hasn't been included on numerous other releases is a nice version of his early 70's rocker "Patch It Up". Of course no live set would be complete without his excellent performance of "Walk a Mile in My Shoes".

The second CD is the first recording of one of his Vegas shows after his late 60's comeback. While it is not as polished as some of his later shows and includes more banter than usual, it is still quite good and includes some different songs than other live recordings like opening with a rocking version of "Blue Suede Shoes" instead of his later standard "See See Rider". It also has strong versions of "What'd I Say" and "Runaway".

While this is a solid collection, the import price is kind of high. You should be able to find a US release of this for significantly cheaper.

I'm onld enough to remember actually seeing Elvis video-ed from the waist up on Ed Sullivan. As a teen-age boy and relatively impervious to his appeal I couldn't understand why so many of the girls I knew got weak in the knees at the thought of him. In the years since, I've visited Graceland and watched as Elvis evolved into an icon, a sound bite, a commercial tool and corporate cash cow. At the end of the day, whatever he was in life - or wasn't - he captured the longings of a generation of kids who wanted more than the meager life they were born into. Ironically for him, he got much more than what he yearned for, milked it for all that it was worth, and died still hungry for more. The King is dead. Long live the King.

The first CD is the soundtrack of the Elvis Viva Las Vegas TV special. It has the studio version of the song "Viva Las Vegas" in addtion to some of his best Vegas performances, including the hits "The Wonder of You", "I Just Can't Help Believin'", and "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me". One of the performances that hasn't been included on numerous other releases is a nice version of his early 70's rocker "Patch It Up". Of course no live set would be complete without his excellent performance of "Walk a Mile in My Shoes".

The bonus CD is the first recording of one of his Vegas shows after his late 60's comeback. While it is not as polished as some of his later shows and includes more banter than usual, it is still quite good and includes some different songs than other live recordings like opening with a rocking version of "Blue Suede Shoes" instead of his later standard "See See Rider". It also has strong versions of "What'd I Say" and "Runaway".

I grew up listening to Elvis Presley's music. Both my parents played the records and I remember his concert in our city. The CD features GREAT LIVE performances by the King himself in Vegas. My only complaint was the inclusion of the title song which isn't LIVE. It is not enough of a distraction however to impact what I think is a
NICE collection. The song selection includes American Trilogy which is an Elvis trademark, and my favorite "CC Rider". There are also amazing covers of Bridge Over
Troubled Waters, and Can't Help Falling In Love. Listening to this CD takes me back to my youth. It also reminds me how GREAT that era of Vegas entertainment was
and what a TREAT it was to get to see and hear Elvis LIVE! WOW!

A must have for the rebuild of my collection. There are so many "best of" recordings that I am finding I have to be careful or I will wind up with multiple duplications of songs on various cd's. This one was a prize find.