Elvis Presley - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - The Live Comparison Series - Volume Thirty One

Despite the RCA master of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" being a solo recording it was actually originally attempted as a duet with Ginger Holliday on 15 March 1971 with both her and Elvis present at the recording in RCA's Studio B in Nashville. However with a combination of Elvis and Felton Jarvis unhappy with the result it was rejected but not before some non-vocal overdubs were done the same day and later some back up overdubs were recorded by The Imperials and The Nashville Edition on March 18th.
On 21st May in the same studio Elvis re-tried a duet of the song this time with Temple Riser, using the instrumental track from the previous session but this too was also quickly rejected by Elvis.
Finally using that same take 12 from the original session on 15 March, with Ginger Holliday's vocals removed, Elvis and the Imperials did some vocal repairs and additions on 9 June 1971 and this finalised what would become the master (APA4-1255).

00:00 Version One – 9 November 1971, Baltimore – The First Rendition
This first live rendition is almost a carbon copy of the studio master in tempo, arrangement and vocal delivery by Elvis. It also lacks the extra verse that Elvis would add in the coming years. Elvis would sing the song once more on this final tour of 1971, in Dallas four evenings later.

03:53 Version Two – 19 April 1972, Albuquerque
This is the only known rendition throughout 1972 meaning that by the beginning of 1973, Elvis is only known to have performed the song three times on stage by that point. It is a pity that Elvis did not perform the song just twenty four hours earlier as then the MGM cameras may have captured it during his show in San Antone. This was the final show in which the cameras were present during main production of Elvis On Tour. Unfortunately, the only source of this solitary 1972 live rendition is in poor sound but it’s inclusion was a must.

07:59 Version Three – 11 August 1973, Las Vegas – The First Vegas Rendition
After the first three renditions, it would not be until his second Las Vegas engagement of 1973 before it would be re-introduced to the set list. The song now included the additional “…ever I lay with you” verse for the first time, not heard on the master. Even after this first Las Vegas rendition on 11 August during the midnight show, it would not be until the midnight show on 23 August before it would be heard again, However, after this Elvis would sing it at all twenty four remaining shows of the engagement except for the midnight show of 25 August. This would constitute the first sustained inclusion of the song in Elvis’ live show.

12:08 Version Four – 24 May 1974, Midnight Show – Lake Tahoe
This is the first known version performed by Elvis in Lake Tahoe but given that this is the seventeenth show of the engagement and audio is only available for six of the previous shows it is possible that there was a previous rendition. It’s also nice to hear Elvis proclaim that he likes the song at it’s conclusion.

15:23 Version Five – 21 August 1974, Midnight Show – Las Vegas
There are only seven known live renditions of the song throughout 1974 and this was the penultimate rendition. The final known version of the year came at the midnight show three evenings later. At the beginning of the song you can hear Elvis dedicate the rendition to his then girlfriend, Linda Thompson.

17:53 Version Six – 30 March 1975, Midnight Show – Las Vegas
The intimate setting of the 2,200 seated Hilton main showroom in Las Vegas probably suited the delivery and arrangement of this delicate song best. This is also the likely reason that it was rarely performed on tour, indeed of the forty known live renditions, only five were out with Vegas or Tahoe. This rendition was the second of only three known renditions throughout 1975.

22:04 Version Seven – 15 December 1975, Closing Show – The Last Vegas Rendition
The third and final 1975 known rendition is also coincidentally, the final live version that Elvis performed in Las Vegas. Having ignored it for the entirety of this re-scheduled Vegas engagement, Elvis performed it during the closing show and gives it a very intimate reading. This results in it being one if the best of the forty known live renditions.

25:41 Version Eight – 29 December 1976, Birmingham – The Final Rendition
As previously mentioned, there are only five known renditions of the song out with the intimate settings of Vegas or Tahoe but ironically both the first and final renditions were sung on tour!
Sang slower than the studio master, this is a nod to the Roberta Flack version, which is far slower than Elvis' studio recording. This final live version by Elvis is just slow enough to showcase the tenderness and sincerity of the performance.

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

Видео Elvis Presley - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - The Live Comparison Series - Volume Thirty One канала The Ultimate Elvis Channel by Leon