Favourite Calling Elvis version?

[dustyvalentino]

The King died 40 years ago and he was obviously a huge figure for MK - three songs directly about him if you count Gator Blood? Also loads of NHB covers, collaborations with Scotty Moore etc.

Anyhoo, what's your favourite version of Calling Elvis? I'll go for the OTN tour, Basel if I have to pick a specific one...

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[Dutchessy]

The King died 40 years ago and he was obviously a huge figure for MK - three songs directly about him if you count Gator Blood? Also loads of NHB covers, collaborations with Scotty Moore etc.

Anyhoo, what's your favourite version of Calling Elvis? I'll go for the OTN tour, Basel if I have to pick a specific one...

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The On the Night livealbum version for me.

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[dustyvalentino]

The King died 40 years ago and he was obviously a huge figure for MK - three songs directly about him if you count Gator Blood? Also loads of NHB covers, collaborations with Scotty Moore etc.

Anyhoo, what's your favourite version of Calling Elvis? I'll go for the OTN tour, Basel if I have to pick a specific one...

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The On the Night livealbum version for me.

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I mean it's the same version, but the whole On The Night album sounded too processed and polished. Compared to the Ticket to Heaven bootleg it's not very good.

Considering the lengths they went to to keep Alchemy "live" it was strange that OTN was a sterile, over-produced snooze-fest.

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[lfblaauw]

Would be some of the 1991 versions (first European leg of the OES-tour).  Band sounded fresh and full of energy.  Most of the 'European' 1992 versions are boring. The band looks tired and doesn't sound fresh at all.
2nd place for the 2001 rendition of Calling Elvis.   As an opener, CE is a perfect song.

[Jules]

[Love Expresso]

I go for the 1996 version. Just phantastic.. A totally new level... the connection with Je Suis Desolée was also brilliant. Versions: Hamburg and Vaison 1996 both.

LE

[dmg]

For me the 1992 European tour versions are the best because Mark finally sorted out a proper solo that lead somewhere instead of just twiddling around until it went wrong and covering his tracks like he did in earlier versions and later tours.  In saying that there are still some really nice versions from '91 and the NA leg like Zurich and New York City. 

Fav versions:

Werchter
Basel
Woburn Abbey (if only the mix was half decent)!
Copenhagen
Helsinki
Verona

1996 and NHB versions were awful.  Attempting (badly) to replicate parts of old licks on the wrong guitar, no pedal steel and no extra percussion so that it sounds like merely a pale imitation of OES tour versions.  2001 version is best forgotten. 

[JF]

I go for the 1996 version. Just phantastic.. A totally new level... the connection with Je Suis Desolée was also brilliant. Versions: Hamburg and Vaison 1996 both.

LE

same here. Many reasons :
- The Les Paul sound
- the link with the previous song
- the surprise in concert when you don't know why they turn back, an then suddenly bam !
- Mark having fun to play (not like in 91/92)
- Glenn's lick on he bass, Richard's lick on the Telecaster, all brilliants.
- Vaison is even more elaborate than during start of he tour, because of changing chords.

the only thing I don't like in 96 is that lick miming electric guitar payed by Guy on synth : I never understood why to play that ?

and well I must admit I like the studio version. it has a JJ Cale flavour and I like it. What a surprise when I heard it on radio in august 1991 when I was in camping !

[herlock]

On the night, 1992 for me.
Although I usually hate Paul Franklin's abuse of pedal steel on this tour (TR ! Atrocious ! In that case 96 versions are way better), in the case of CE it brought a lot of texture to it.
And the guitar solos were so smooth and impressive.
1996 versions never really appealed to me. Too "clumsy" compared to 92..

[JF]

1996 versions never really appealed to me. Too "clumsy" compared to 92..

well it's a matter of taste.
I find the 91-92 versions too much "clean" and "demonstrative" (I don't like this era when Mark tried to show his "rockish-guitar-hero" side, you know the "hey look how I can play fast if I want" thing)
while the 96 versions sounds more "vintage", "rough" and "authentic" to me

I also like the NHB and 2001 versions....

[herlock]

1996 versions never really appealed to me. Too "clumsy" compared to 92..

well it's a matter of taste.
I find the 91-92 versions too much "clean" and "demonstrative" (I don't like this era when Mark tried to show his "rockish-guitar-hero" side, you know the "hey look how I can play fast if I want" thing)
while the 96 versions sounds more "vintage", "rough" and "authentic" to me

I also like the NHB and 2001 versions....

Yeah, I see what you mean, a lot of show-off in 92. As if Markcwas si bored that he needed to compensate with skill demonstrations... TR is a good example of that: the end solo is out of the world, very fast and impressive, but does not fit the song. And the rest of it (no intro, abuse of sax and pedal steel, lifeless vocals) is atrocious. In 96/01/05 Mark returned to the essence of the song...
But for CE if strangely feel the opposite - that the change of key on 97 is a kind of show-off and that the rest is lifeless oh well...

[Pottel]

brilliant song, great to see mark on it...

[JF]

brilliant song, great to see mark on it...

Yes but I prefer "ode to liberty", more MK guitar style

[Love Expresso]

After the Tracker tour I really looked at the set and suddenly thought about old stuff return like Darling Pretty, Border Reiver.. and yes, Calling Elvis. I guess GE would still be able to give a good rendition of this song..

LE

[Jules]

After the Tracker tour I really looked at the set and suddenly thought about old stuff return like Darling Pretty, Border Reiver.. and yes, Calling Elvis. I guess GE would still be able to give a good rendition of this song..

LE

Yes, I can see a great fiddle-pipes duel at the end of the song!!!!