It was like having the power to turn back the clock ten years. As I sat on the TV stage steps, only five feet away from the King while he gyrated, twisted, and glided through his early hits, looking tender, or cruel, or loving, or mean as he sang through the lyrics, it was as though I was watching Elvis’s first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show way back. I became a Presley fan ten years late!
Let me tell you about the exciting night I had with Elvis. He spent most of a week taping his first TV special in eight years at the NBC studios in Burbank, near Hollywood.
He had rehearsed for two weeks before that. By Saturday night, the second-to-last night of taping, the NBC cameras had captured Elvis in over 40 hours of tape, which would be clipped to fit the one-hour special to be aired in America on December 3.
Let me say I have never been an avid Elvis fan—until now. I had seen several of his movies, which I enjoyed without going overboard about them, and the only LPs I have were sent for review by RCA. Yet when the head of RCA publicity called and asked if I wanted tickets for an Elvis taping, I jumped at the chance. I mean—he is the King, and it would be a royal occasion!
I waited outside the studio for over two hours. They were still rehearsing and no audience was allowed in. This was to be the second night of taping with an audience. Many big production numbers had already been taped without an audience, but with many dancers in them.
The Setting
As we (about 200) entered the studio, we gazed upon a 15-foot square platform with three steps leading up to it. This was surrounded on three sides by seats going up about seven rows, so that even the farthest fan was very close. The fourth side was filled by the orchestra
We were seated and after about 15 minutes, when the place was full, Priscilla came in with four friends to sit right behind me! I could dig it! The pictures I had seen of her made her look rather hard, but in person she was so petite and lovely I could hardly keep from staring. Her hair hung softly on her shoulders. She wore a smart, simple black and white dress. And she was so tiny!
She talked with the people close to her and she seemed to be smiling every minute. I couldn’t get over her natural loveliness. I heard the friend next to her say, “Aren’t you going back to see the old man?” She laughed and told him Elvis had said not to come back before the show because there would be too much hassle in the dressing room for her.
He Picks Me
About this time the executive producer came out and explained that for this particular sequence, he needed people to sit on the surrounding steps of the platform. Hands darted up all around the audience, but he told them he would just walk around and choose the ones he wanted.
And I was one of the lucky ones to sit on the steps!
The square platform was covered by four cameras: one directly overhead, two on opposite corners, and one roving camera. We were seated, and in a matter of seconds, the producer was saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Elvis Presley.”
It was almost too much at first. Without warning, there stood Elvis, the legend, and the man slimmer than I have seen him in the past few pictures. He was dressed from head to toe in black leather. His coal-black hair was combed back, thick and shiny. He stepped onto the platform and grabbed the guitar from his friend, Lance. His skin was smooth with only a touch of makeup. He looked 21 years old!
His first line on the cue card read: “Well, I’m going to have to do this sooner or later, so here goes…” The band struck a note… Elvis parted his feet in that personal stance and then it began “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog.” The time machine was working well…
From there he went through “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Jailhouse Rock.” In between numbers there would be a slight pause for him to walk around the platform or smile at one of us below or move into a different stance. The presence he commanded is indescribable!
There he was! You could tell he was aware of his power. When he’d bend down in a sudden jerk to sing one line of a song to the girl seated there, he knew that look and that scream would come. It has been eight years since Elvis performed these songs live, yet every movement, every twist, every bump, every look was smooth, so precise, so compelling. You could feel the impact, oh how you could feel it!
What I did realize as I was watching him go through the numbers was that he was very aware of the power he possessed. He was playing his very famous game. He knows how to look sexy, or cruel, or tender, and after many of his seasoned movements you could catch the slightest smile, because he knows. I think, too, that there was a subdued delight inside of him that he was getting the very same reaction he knew so many years ago. He knew he still had the power!
Young and Old
What amazed me was the audience’s reaction. If there had been 200 viewers who had been Elvis fans since the days of “Hound Dog,” then I would expect the reaction he got. But no, there were old women, grown men, teenagers, children of every age were there, and they were all freaking out over The King. Sex made no difference, either; the guys were just as eager to touch him as the girls.
At one point he was singing the song “Evil” in which he sings the line “I’m only made out of flesh-blood and bone,” but I recall thinking at the time and I still feel that there is more to Elvis than that… there’s a touch of magic, too.
He sang a few more of the old greats like “Love Me Tender” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” His voice, so smooth and perfect, was more beautiful than I have ever heard it on record. Many artists use studio techniques to enhance their voices, but with Elvis, I’ve never heard his voice sound as warm as it does in person.
The final number of this particular segment, which had so far lasted about half an hour and would comprise only about 10 minutes of the special, Elvis sang a new song called “If I Can Dream.” It’s the most powerful ballad I’ve ever heard him do.
The lyrics speak of others walking hand in hand, love, peace and then they ask “if I can walk and talk and dream, why can’t my dream come true right now?” With Elvis singing those words, pleading to make his dream come true so sincerely, the song takes on even added dimensions and becomes a true experience.
Editor’s note: Little did I know that when the “Elvis” Comeback Special aired that I would be superimposed with Elvis while he’s singing “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” This is a screen shot from the special.
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