Elvis Presley - Kentucky Rain Revisited - The Live Comparison Series - Volume One Hundred and Two

This was the song which originally kicked off this series of compilations but originally just included just the first version and another later in the engagement. As the series evolved, it became more in depth and now this revisited entry of the song allows for such a treatmen for this song.
After the band introductions on 26 January 1970, the opening night show of Elvis' second Las Vegas engagement, Elvis would perform the last of the ten new songs introduced during this show - Kentucky Rain.
In February 1970, halfway through Elvis' second Las Vegas season, RCA had arranged to make some live recordings, presumably to cash in on the success of the 'In Person' album recorded the previous August. These recordings were done as professional reel to reel recordings, as opposed to the soundboard recordings which are now so used to. Soundboard recordings in the main of course were never really intended for public release.
Recordings took place in nine shows through five consecutive nights, from 15 to 19 August, and segments of shows were recorded rather than complete shows, as it was likely that each particular song to be recorded had been previously arranged with Elvis beforehand. The exception seems to be the first show, the Midnight show of the 15th, which was recorded almost in it's entirety, and has been officially released by FTD, titled 'Polk Salad Annie'.
In all, leaving the first show apart, sixteen different songs were recorded many with many recorded more than once, and from these only half made it onto the 'On Stage' album complemented with two from the previous August.
Ironically the only song which was recorded most, at all but one of the nine shows, is one which was omitted from the final album - Kentucky Rain.

All Versions except the final entry recorded in Las Vegas at The International Hotel.

00:00 Version One – 26 January 1970, Opening Show
Whilst most versions of 'Kentucky Rain' during this engagement would include some humorous comments or lyric changes, this very first live version is one of very few played absolutely straight. This version is also very close to the original studio master.

03:27 Version Two – 3 February 1970, Dinner Show
07:03 Version Three – 15 February 1970, Dinner Show
10:21 Version Four – 16 February 1970, Dinner Show
This live version, recorded during the second of the shows at which RCA were present, gives a clue that recordings were taking place. The clue is that Elvis plays it absolutely straight, the norm was for him to change "Showed your photograph to some old grey bearded men" to "some old grey bearded fools" plus the intro to this one seems smoother than other live versions.
This is my personal favourite version of this song, and that includes the studio master from American Sound Studios in Memphis on February 19th, 1969. Elvis included it in his setlist for his second Vegas season, with a few tweeks from the studio master. Firstly there was a subtle lyric change in the chorus ("And up ahead's another town, that I'll go walking through" became "And up ahead's another town, that I'll be walking through") and there was a heavier drum influence, both after the pause at the chorus end and at the songs finale.
Originally released on the 1980 silver box set, Elvis Aron Presley, and was a real treat at the time as live selections outwith the previously released concert albums were extremely rare. It took until 2010 for it to reappear on another album, as a bonus track on the On Stage Legacy Edition with no little irony as it was for the original album that it’s recording had been intended!

13:44 Version Five – 16 February 1970, Midnight Show
16:57 Version Six – 17 February 1970, Dinner Show
20:47 Version Seven - 17 February 1970, Midnight Show
23:54 Version Eight - 18 February 1970, Midnight Show
27:07 Version Nine - 19 February 1970, Dinner Show
30:09 Version Ten - 19 February 1970, Midnight Show
33:24 Version Eleven - 20 February 1970, Dinner Show
37:05 Version Twelve - 20 February 1970, Midnight Show
40:52 Version Thirteen - 21 February 1970, Midnight Show
43:11 Version Fourteen - 22 February 1970, Dinner Show
46:49 Version Fifteen - 23 February 1970, Dinner Show
49:53 Version Sixteen - 23 February 1970, Closing Show
53:02 Version Seventeen – 1 March 1970, Evening Show
Elvis retained the song on the set list for his first non Las Vegas engagement after his return to live performing, a six show run at The Houston Astrodome between 27 February and 1 March 1970. Elvis performed the song at all shows apart from the opening show, and this version from the final show is included to represent that engagement. As Elvis would never return to the song again this would also be the final time that he would perform it on stage.

As with all of these videos, to get the most out of the re-edited audio, I highly recommend you use ear /headphones and turn the volume up as much as you dare!

Видео Elvis Presley - Kentucky Rain Revisited - The Live Comparison Series - Volume One Hundred and Two канала The Ultimate Elvis Channel by Leon