In the later part of the pit segment, Elvis sat on a chair placed a in a
circle among the members of his old band, each playing an acoustic guitar while members and the audience in between loose, yet powerful renditions of his
old hits and standard rhythm and blues numbers.
Elvis was supposed to reminisce about the old days and talk about his
music. Instead, he just jammed with
his old friends and had a good time. Despite the scripted instructions, Elvis
refused to open talk about himself. Nevertheless, he did joke around with the
band and the fans. Indeed, at one point during the segment, he stopped the band
in the middle of a song as his lip curled in a classic Elvis snarl and said,
“Wait a minute…wait a minute. My lip’s stuck. “ As the band laughed he
continued, “I’ve got news for you. I did twenty-nine pictures like that.”
It has come to be regarded by many as the ultimate showcase of Elvis
Presley as an artist and a man. It was another milestone in Elvis’career. Many
more were to follow. After this show everything in Elvis’ life and career
changed. Elvis and the Colonel seized the moment. Then the “concert area”
would begin, with Elvis breaking new musical ground and reaching a whole new
level of superstardom.
“He was very polite which surprised me..and his wanting to change. I
felt he wanted to break away from the past. I felt he wanted somethin’ else
that his life up until that point hadn’t given him that the ’68 Special had
exposed him to. The Special, I think, opened his mind entirely.”-Gene McAvoy,
Art Director for the 1968 NBC TV Special
I had heard that Elvis won Grammys for his gospel music, and I believe,
from the time I spent with him, that’s really more where his heart was at. We
were doing a song on the ’68 Special. I think it was called “Saved”. It’s
about a guy standing on the corner shouting about God. “I’m saved, I’m
saved. People let me tell you I’m saved”. Something just clicked inside of
me..that Elvis really ment what he was saying. I never really forgot that moment
when he was singing that song. I think it was one of the things that helped me
seek out a relationship with God!
Nothingville, Big Boss Man, Guitar Man (first version), Little Egypt, Let
Yourself Go, It Hurts Me, Trouble, Guitar Man (2nd version), Where
Could I Go Up to The Lord, Up Above My head, Saved, Trouble (Opening Version),
Guitar Man (Complete Opening Version), If I Can Dream, Memories, A Little Less
Conversation, Let Yourself Go (Instrumental)
Studio:
Held In Elvis Presley’s dressing room at NBC, Burbank, California.
June
24, 25
I
Got A Woman, Blue Moon, Young Love, Happy Day (Excerpt), Guitar Instrumental,
When It Rains It Really Poors, Blue Christmas, Are You Lonesome Tonight, That’s
My Desire (One Line), That’s When Your Heartaches Begin, Peter Gunn (Instrumental),
Love Me, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again, Blue Christmas, Santa Claus Is
Back In Town, That’s All Right, Danny Boy (Instrumental), Love Me, Tiger Man,
Lawdy Miss Clawdy, One Night, Blue Christmas, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Blue
Moon, Blue Moon Of Kentucky.
The
Live Recordings
Studio:
NBC Studio, Burbank, California
June
27
6:00
PM Sit-down Shows
That’s
All Right, Heartbreak Hotel, Love Me, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Blue Sued
Shoes, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Are You Lonesome Tonight,
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again, Blue
Christmas, Trying To Get To You, One Night, Baby What You Want Me To Do, One
Night, Memories.
8:00
PM Sit-down Show
Heartbreak
Hotel, Baby What You Want Me To Do, That’s All Right, Are You Lonesome Tonight,
Baby What You Want Me To Do, Blue Suede Shoes, One Night, Love Me, Trying To Get
To You, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Santa Claus Is Back In Town, Blue Christmas, Tiger
Man, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again, Memories.
June
29
6:00 PM Stand-up Performance
Heartbreak
Hotel, One Night, Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, All Shook Up, Can’t Help
Falling In Love, Jailhouse Rock, Don’t Be Cruel, Blue Suede Shoes, Love Me
Tender, Trouble/Guitar Man, Baby What You Want Me To do, If I Can dream.
8:00
PM Stand-up Performance
Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, All Shook Up, Can’t Help Falling In Love, Jailhouse Rock, Don’t Be Cruel, Blue Suede Shoes, Love Me Tender, Trouble, Trouble/Guitar Man (first version), Trouble/Guitar Man (2nd version), If I Can Dream.