Vegas Opening Nights part 3
Posted: September 6th, 2025, 2:55 pm
This is part three of my posts about Elvis’ opening nights in Las Vegas, specifically what is available on CD.
August 19, 1974 – Nevada Nights (FTD) soundboard – 2008.
Big Boss Man – Proud Mary – Down in the Alley – Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues – Never Been to Spain – It’s Midnight – If You Talk in Your Sleep – I’m Leavin’ – Let Me Be There – Softly As I Leave You – If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – Love Me Tender – Polk Salad Annie – Introductions – Promised Land – My Baby Left Me – Bridge Over Troubled Water – Fever – Hound Dog - Can’t Help Falling in Love (incomplete).
I remember getting this show on the old Fort Baxter label ‘If You Talk in Your Sleep’ as a curiosity because of the strange song lineup, hoping that the sound was good. This show is legendary because of the way Elvis shook the setlist, opening the show with ‘Big Boss Man’ and including rare songs like ‘Down in the Alley’ and ‘Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues’. Why he never did these songs again is a travesty. Other highlights include ‘Never Been to Spain’, ‘If You Talk in Your Sleep’, ‘Promised Land’ and ‘My Baby Left Me’. The special moment is when Elvis introduces Telly Savalas to the audience. Apparently, the audience reaction was not what Elvis hoped for, so her returned to the same boring routine of starting the show with ‘C.C. Rider’, ‘I Got A Woman/Amen’ and ‘Love Me’ the next night. Too bad. This is my favorite ‘Opening Night’ of my collection.
March 18, 1975 – Top Acts in Vegas, volume 5 (Stage Enternainment) audience – 1995.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Love Me – And I Love You So – Let Me Be There – It’s Midnight – Big Boss Man – Green Green Grass of Home – Burning Love – Love Me – Fairytale – Introductions – My Boy – I’ll Remember You – Promised Land – Until It’s Time for You to Go – Introduction of Glen Campbell – When It’s My Time by the Stamps - Can’t Help Falling in Love (incomplete).
Because of health issues, Elvis’ 12th Vegas season opened later than usual. The rest had done him good, and he did a very good show. The only rarity is ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ which he sang a few times this new season. It is a good and varied setlist. Highlights include ‘Burning Love’, ‘Fairytale’ and ‘Promised Land’. He introduces Glen Campbell to the audience and asks J.D. Sumner and the Stamps to sing ‘When It’s My Time’ before closing the show. Another good show.
August 18, 1975 – Las Vegas in Gypsy Style (Memory Records) audience – 2004.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Love Me – If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – Blue Suede Shoes – Suspicious Minds – My Boy – Heartbreak Hotel – Polk Salad Annie – Introductions – Johnny B” Goode – Band solos – Hail Hail Rock N’ Roll – The Wonder of You – T.R.O.U.B.L.E – Why Me Lord? – How Great Thou Art - Can’t Help Falling in Love – Closing Vamp.
This would be Elvis’s shortest Vegas season, ending the season after only 5 shows due to health reasons. Too bad since this promised to be one hell of a season with Elvis doing rare songs, like what he had done on his July tour. These shows would be called the ‘Request Box Shows’ because he would get song requests from the audience. This short season would include rarities like ‘Young and Beautiful’, ‘Loving You’, and ‘Crying in the Chapel’. A little trivia: What other show did Elvis perform these 3 rarities at the same time. The answer at the end of this post.
Back to this show and Elvis was in a great mood. This started so promising with a funny version of ‘Love Me’. The requests in the box included ‘Blues Suede Shoes’ (which he does). Then he picks ‘Kentucky Rain’ and ‘Memories’ but unfortunately, he skips these because he could not remember the words to them. What a shame! He sounds tired after doing a great version of ‘Polk Salad Annie’. The band solos are the long versions to help catch his breath. The sound is very good, and this is an entertaining show.
December 2, 1975 – Season’s Greetings from Vegas (Sundial Productions) audience – 1996.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Elvis monologue - Love Me – Fairytale – Big Boss Man – It’s Midnight – Early Morning Rain – And I Love You So – Trying to Get to You – All Shook Up – Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel – Hound Dog – You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling – Monologue – Blue Christmas – Polk Salad Annie – My Boy – How Great Thou Art – Mystery Train/Tiger Man – Softly As I Leave You – America the Beautiful - Can’t Help Falling in Love.
Elvis was back to finish the aborted August season in better shape. Unfortunately, there would be no more ‘Request Boxes’ for rarities, but the set list is still interesting, including good versions of ‘Fairytale’, ‘Big Boss Man’, ‘Early Morning Rain’, ‘Trying to Get to You’, ‘Blue Christmas’ and ‘Softly as I Leave You’. He added ‘America the Beautiful’ to the setlist in advance of the bicentennial celebration for 1976. The Righteous Brothers were in the audience so it’s probably why he did ‘You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling’. This would be the last time he performed this song. A good show overall.
December 2, 1976 – The Last Vegas Opening Night (Straight Arrow) audience – 2009.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Love Me – If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – You Gave Me A Mountain – Jailhouse Rock – It’s Now or Never/Are You Sincere (excerpt) – All Shook Up – Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel – And I Love You So – I Just Can’t Help Believin’ – Fever – Softly As I Leave You – Polk Salad Annie – Introductions – Early Morning Rain – What’d I Say – Johnny B. Goode – Band solos – Love Letters – Hurt (with reprise) – Hound Dog – Hawaiin Wedding Song – Blue Christmas – That’s All Right – Bride Over Troubled Water - Can’t Help Falling in Love – Closing Vamp.
The end of an era. Nobody knew that this would be Elvis’ last Vegas season, thus the title. The sound is very good, and this show is longer than usual, included on 2 CDs and Elvis does a good show. He does ‘I Just Can’t Help Believing’ by request and forgets the musical break. This obviously would be the last time he would do this song. Other highlights are ‘It’s Now or Never’, ‘Polk Salad Annie’, ‘Hurt’ with reprise, ‘Hawaiian Wedding Songs’, Blue Christmas’ and ‘That’s All Right’ near the end of the show. He introduces Glen Campbell, Vikki Car and Vernon from the audience.
Trivia answer: The May 6, 1976, show in Lake Tahoe where he accepted some requests, and did these 3 songs (although only an excerpt of Young and Beautiful). The 2012 CD is called ‘The Bicentennial King, volume 5 from Millbranch Music.
August 19, 1974 – Nevada Nights (FTD) soundboard – 2008.
Big Boss Man – Proud Mary – Down in the Alley – Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues – Never Been to Spain – It’s Midnight – If You Talk in Your Sleep – I’m Leavin’ – Let Me Be There – Softly As I Leave You – If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – Love Me Tender – Polk Salad Annie – Introductions – Promised Land – My Baby Left Me – Bridge Over Troubled Water – Fever – Hound Dog - Can’t Help Falling in Love (incomplete).
I remember getting this show on the old Fort Baxter label ‘If You Talk in Your Sleep’ as a curiosity because of the strange song lineup, hoping that the sound was good. This show is legendary because of the way Elvis shook the setlist, opening the show with ‘Big Boss Man’ and including rare songs like ‘Down in the Alley’ and ‘Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues’. Why he never did these songs again is a travesty. Other highlights include ‘Never Been to Spain’, ‘If You Talk in Your Sleep’, ‘Promised Land’ and ‘My Baby Left Me’. The special moment is when Elvis introduces Telly Savalas to the audience. Apparently, the audience reaction was not what Elvis hoped for, so her returned to the same boring routine of starting the show with ‘C.C. Rider’, ‘I Got A Woman/Amen’ and ‘Love Me’ the next night. Too bad. This is my favorite ‘Opening Night’ of my collection.
March 18, 1975 – Top Acts in Vegas, volume 5 (Stage Enternainment) audience – 1995.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Love Me – And I Love You So – Let Me Be There – It’s Midnight – Big Boss Man – Green Green Grass of Home – Burning Love – Love Me – Fairytale – Introductions – My Boy – I’ll Remember You – Promised Land – Until It’s Time for You to Go – Introduction of Glen Campbell – When It’s My Time by the Stamps - Can’t Help Falling in Love (incomplete).
Because of health issues, Elvis’ 12th Vegas season opened later than usual. The rest had done him good, and he did a very good show. The only rarity is ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ which he sang a few times this new season. It is a good and varied setlist. Highlights include ‘Burning Love’, ‘Fairytale’ and ‘Promised Land’. He introduces Glen Campbell to the audience and asks J.D. Sumner and the Stamps to sing ‘When It’s My Time’ before closing the show. Another good show.
August 18, 1975 – Las Vegas in Gypsy Style (Memory Records) audience – 2004.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Love Me – If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – Blue Suede Shoes – Suspicious Minds – My Boy – Heartbreak Hotel – Polk Salad Annie – Introductions – Johnny B” Goode – Band solos – Hail Hail Rock N’ Roll – The Wonder of You – T.R.O.U.B.L.E – Why Me Lord? – How Great Thou Art - Can’t Help Falling in Love – Closing Vamp.
This would be Elvis’s shortest Vegas season, ending the season after only 5 shows due to health reasons. Too bad since this promised to be one hell of a season with Elvis doing rare songs, like what he had done on his July tour. These shows would be called the ‘Request Box Shows’ because he would get song requests from the audience. This short season would include rarities like ‘Young and Beautiful’, ‘Loving You’, and ‘Crying in the Chapel’. A little trivia: What other show did Elvis perform these 3 rarities at the same time. The answer at the end of this post.
Back to this show and Elvis was in a great mood. This started so promising with a funny version of ‘Love Me’. The requests in the box included ‘Blues Suede Shoes’ (which he does). Then he picks ‘Kentucky Rain’ and ‘Memories’ but unfortunately, he skips these because he could not remember the words to them. What a shame! He sounds tired after doing a great version of ‘Polk Salad Annie’. The band solos are the long versions to help catch his breath. The sound is very good, and this is an entertaining show.
December 2, 1975 – Season’s Greetings from Vegas (Sundial Productions) audience – 1996.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Elvis monologue - Love Me – Fairytale – Big Boss Man – It’s Midnight – Early Morning Rain – And I Love You So – Trying to Get to You – All Shook Up – Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel – Hound Dog – You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling – Monologue – Blue Christmas – Polk Salad Annie – My Boy – How Great Thou Art – Mystery Train/Tiger Man – Softly As I Leave You – America the Beautiful - Can’t Help Falling in Love.
Elvis was back to finish the aborted August season in better shape. Unfortunately, there would be no more ‘Request Boxes’ for rarities, but the set list is still interesting, including good versions of ‘Fairytale’, ‘Big Boss Man’, ‘Early Morning Rain’, ‘Trying to Get to You’, ‘Blue Christmas’ and ‘Softly as I Leave You’. He added ‘America the Beautiful’ to the setlist in advance of the bicentennial celebration for 1976. The Righteous Brothers were in the audience so it’s probably why he did ‘You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling’. This would be the last time he performed this song. A good show overall.
December 2, 1976 – The Last Vegas Opening Night (Straight Arrow) audience – 2009.
2001 Theme - See See Rider – I Got A Woman/Amen – Love Me – If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – You Gave Me A Mountain – Jailhouse Rock – It’s Now or Never/Are You Sincere (excerpt) – All Shook Up – Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel – And I Love You So – I Just Can’t Help Believin’ – Fever – Softly As I Leave You – Polk Salad Annie – Introductions – Early Morning Rain – What’d I Say – Johnny B. Goode – Band solos – Love Letters – Hurt (with reprise) – Hound Dog – Hawaiin Wedding Song – Blue Christmas – That’s All Right – Bride Over Troubled Water - Can’t Help Falling in Love – Closing Vamp.
The end of an era. Nobody knew that this would be Elvis’ last Vegas season, thus the title. The sound is very good, and this show is longer than usual, included on 2 CDs and Elvis does a good show. He does ‘I Just Can’t Help Believing’ by request and forgets the musical break. This obviously would be the last time he would do this song. Other highlights are ‘It’s Now or Never’, ‘Polk Salad Annie’, ‘Hurt’ with reprise, ‘Hawaiian Wedding Songs’, Blue Christmas’ and ‘That’s All Right’ near the end of the show. He introduces Glen Campbell, Vikki Car and Vernon from the audience.
Trivia answer: The May 6, 1976, show in Lake Tahoe where he accepted some requests, and did these 3 songs (although only an excerpt of Young and Beautiful). The 2012 CD is called ‘The Bicentennial King, volume 5 from Millbranch Music.