Soundtrack Sessions for NBC: Elvis TV Special, June 20-23, 1968

	Studio :	Western Recorders (Studio 1), Hollywood, California
	Producer :	Bones Howe
	Engineer :	Bones Howe

	Nothingville / Guitar Man (part 1)		June 20 (Thu.): 20:00 -
	"Guitar Man's Evil, section 1"

	Take 01	FS				UN
	Take 02	FT				UN
	Take 03	FT				UN
	Take 04	FT				UN
	Take 05	FS				UN
	Take 06	FT				UN
	Take 07	FS				UN
	Take 08	FS				UN
	Take 09	FS		"Hold. 1st Section two."		UN
	Take 10	(M)	1:51	Used for record version of Road medley & filmed	WPA1 8045	Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°(O, Nothingville only)
				playback: Road #1/v.o. "Alley" on June 30.

	Let Yourself Go (part 1)		June 20 (Thu.): 20:00 -
	"Guitar Man's Evil, section 2"

	Take 01	FT	2:07	Used for alternate, composite master
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	FS				UN
	Take 04	FS				UN
	Take 05	FS				UN
	Take 06	Complete	2:05	"Hold"		UN
	Take 07	(M)	1:58	Used for Road medley & filmed playback on June 28.		UN

	Let Yourself Go (part 1, first verse, female v.o.)
	"Guitar Man's Evil, section 2"

	Take NA		0:34+	Darlene Love v.o. of part 1-take 7(first verse)		The '68 Comeback°/soundtrack
				Filmed playback June 28

	Flicker Routine / Let Yourself Go (part 2) / Alley Pickup		June 20 (Thu.): 20:00 -
	"Guitar Man's Evil, section 3"

	Take 01	FS				UN
	Take 02	Complete	1:22	"+ Sect #2 Tk 1 edited together". Used for Alt. M
	Take 03	LFS				UN
	Take 04	FT	1:19			UN
	Take 05	FS				UN
	Take 06	FT	1:20			UN
	Take 07	(M)	1:23	Used for Road medley & filmed playback on June 28.

Let Yourself Go (composite)

	Spliced	(Alt. M)	2:36	Record version: Spliced from Part 1-01(1:43) &	WPA1 8112	Leg. Perf. 3 LP°°(unique takes, ending poorly edited or replaced)
				Part 2-02(0:53). First bar (0.1s) & end (10s) edited

	Guitar Man (part 2, fast)		June 20 (Thu.): 20:00 -
	"Escape, section 1"

	Take 01	FS		I nearly starved...		UN
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	LFS				UN
	Take 04	FS				UN
	Take 05	FS				UN
	Take 06	FT				UN
	Take 07	FS				UN
	Take 08	FS	0:36	"Hold" (Not used) Remake on June 21		UN

	Calliope Carnival		June 20 (Thu.): 20:00 -
	"Escape, section 2"

	Take 01	FT				UN
	Take 02	(M)	0:13	Used for Road medley before Big Boss Man.		Memories '98°°(R, track without announcer)/ TV Special '91°°/TV Sp. LP°(O)
				Announcer possibly overdubbed.
				Filmed playback on June 27

	Big Boss Man		June 20 (Thu.): 20:00 -
	"Escape, section 3"

	Take 01	FT	1:00			UN
	Take 02	FT	0:59			UN
	Take 03	(M)	1:03	Used for Road medley. Filmed playback on June 27	WPA1 8046	Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°(O)

	It Hurts Me (part 1)		June 20 (Thu.): 20:00 -
	"Escape, section 4"

	Take 01	FT/Incompl.	1:38	"...he'll never change"		UN
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	FS				UN
	Take 04	FS				UN
	Take 05	FT/Incompl	1:40			UN
	Take 06	FS				UN
	Take 07	(M)	1:40	Used for Road medley and composite master.		Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°
				Filmed v.o.("...to see you sit and cry") & playback("when
				I know"... "he'll never change") on June 27.

	Guitar Man (part 2, slow)		June 21 (Fri.): 20:00 -
	"Escape, section 1, remake"

	Take 01	FS		"I nearly starved..."		UN
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	FT				UN
	Take 04	FT				UN
	Take 05	FT				UN
	Take 06	FT				UN
	Take 07	(M)	0:29	Used for Road medley		Memories '98°°(R)/ TV Special '91°°
				Filmed v.o. on June 30: "Road #2"

	It Hurts Me (part 2)		June 21 (Fri.): 20:00 -
	"After Karate, section 1"

	Take 01	FT		"I know that he..." up to end.		UN
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	FT				UN
	Take 04	FS				UN
	Take 05	FT				UN
	Take 06	FS				UN
	Take 07	FT				UN
	Take 08	FT				UN
	Take 09	Complete		"Hold"		UN
	Take 10	Complete		"Hold"		UN
	Take 11	(M)	0:46	Used for Road medley & composite master with		Memories '98°°(R)/ TV Special '91°°
				different end. Filmed playback on June 27.

It Hurts Me (composite)

	Spliced	(M)	2:31	Spliced from part 1-07 and part 2-11. Unknown	WPA1 8113	Leg. Perf. 3 LP°°(alt. vocal ending from last word "you". Possibly edited)
				ending-alt. vocal last word "you" with strings.

	Guitar Man (part 3) / Little Egypt		June 21 (Fri.): 20:00 -
	"After Karate, section 2"

	Take 01	FT		"I slept in the hobo..."		UN
	Take 02	FT				UN
	Take 03	FS				UN
	Take 04	FS				UN
	Take 05	Complete?		"NG"		UN
	Take 06	FT				UN
	Take 07	FS				UN
	Take 08	FT				UN
	Take 09	FS				UN
	Take 10	(M)	1:51	Used for record version of Road medley	WPA1 8048	Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°(O)
				Filmed v.o. on June 30: "Road#3" & "Little Egypt".

	Trouble / Guitar Man (part 4)		June 21 (Fri.): 20:00 -
	"After Karate, section 3"

	Take 01	Complete		"I came a long way..."		UN
	Take 02	Complete				UN
	Take 03	(M)	2:45	(2:33) Used for record version of Road medley.	WPA1 8030/8047	Memories '98(R)°°+"The '68 Comeback°"/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°
				Filmed v.o. on June 30: "Little Egypt",
				"Discotheque" & "Supper club" and on June 29:
				"Guitar Man with Road".

	Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child /		June 21 (Fri.): 20:00 -
	Where Could I Go But to the Lord? /
	Yes, Yes, Yes / Up Above My Head (intro)
	"Gospel, section 1"

	Take 01	LFS		Sometimes I Feel Like Motherless Child sung by		UN
	Take 02	FS		Darlene Love. Bridge between songs: Yes, Yes, Yes		UN
	Take 03	FS		performed by The Blossoms.		UN
	Take 04	LFS	1:59+			Today, Tomorrow and Forever(Where Could I Go But to the Lord only)
	Take 05	FS				UN
	Take 06	FS				UN
	Take 07	(M)	3:01	Used for Gospel medley & filmed playback June 28	WPA1 8039	Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°(O)

	Up Above My Head / Soul Support / I Found That Light /		June 21 (Fri.): 20:00 -
	Saved (intro)
	"Gospel, section 2"

	Take 01	FS				UN
	Take 02	Complete	2:00			UN
	Take 03	FS				UN
	Take 04	LFS				UN
	Take 05	Complete				UN
	Take 06	Complete				UN
	Take 07	FT				UN
	Take 08	Complete		"Hold"		UN
	Take 09	FT				UN
	Take 10	FS				UN
	Take 11	FT		"Hold"		UN

Continued on_

June 22 (Sat.): 14:00 -

	Take 12	FS				UN
	Take 13	FT (M)	1:38+	Used for Gospel medley & filmed playback June 28	WPA1 8040	Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°(O)

	Saved (part 1) / Preach for the Sky / Saved (part 2)		June 22 (Sat.): 14:00 -
	"Gospel, section 3"

	Take 01	Complete	4:19			Easter Special°°
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	FT				UN
	Take 04	FT				UN
	Take 05	FT/Complete		"Hold". End used for spliced master
	Take 06	Complete		Used for spliced master
	Spliced	(M)	3:57+	Spliced from takes 6 & take 5(end). Edited.	WPA1 8041	Memories '98°°(R, encore end)/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°(O, edit 2:55)
				Used for Gospel medley & filmed playback June 28

	Trouble / Guitar Man		June 22 (Sat.): 14:00 -
	"Guitar Man Opening"

	Take 01	FT/Complete	3:45	("3:27")		Today, Tomorrow and Forever°°
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	FT/Incompl.	2:30			UN
	Take 04	FS				UN
	Take 05	FS				UN
	Take 06	FS				UN
	Take 07	FT	3:28			UN
	Take 08	FS				UN
	Take 09	FS				UN
	Take 10	FS				UN
	Take 11	FS				UN
	Take 12	FS				UN
	Take 13	LFS				UN
	Take 14	FT	3:40			UN
	Take 15	FT	3:49			UN
	Take 16	FS				UN
	Take 17	FS				UN
	Take 18	LFS				UN
	Take 19	FT	3:04	"Ending incomplete". Possibly used.		UN
	Take 20	FS				UN
	Take 21	FT/(M)	2:55	"Hold". Trouble used for spliced master.	WPA1 8030
	Take 22	FS				UN
	Take 23	FS				UN
	Take 24	FS				UN
	Take 25	FS				UN
	Take 26	Complete	3:00	"Hold"
	Take 27	FS				UN
	Take 28	LFS				UN
	Take 29	FS				UN
	Take 30	FS				UN
	Take 31	FS				UN
	Take 32	(M)		"Intro incomplete. Ending only" Guitar Man used	WPA1 8047
				for spliced master.		UN
	Spliced	M	3:18	Spliced from takes 21, 32 and possibly 19. Filmed		Memories(R)°°/TV Special(O)°
				v.o.(Trouble)/playback(Guitar Man)on June 30:
				"Section #1" , "Opening section #3" ,
				"Guitar insert" & "Stills"

Electronic Karate (instrumental)

June 23 (Sun.): 14:00 -

	Take 01	FT				UN
	Take 02	FT				UN
	Take 03	FT				UN
	Take 04	FT				UN
	Take 05	FT				UN
	Take 06	FT				UN
	Take 07	FT				UN
	Take 08	FS				UN
	Take 09	FS				UN
	Take 10	FT				UN
	Take 11	FT		"NG"		UN
	Take 12	FS				UN
	Take 13	FT		"NG"		UN
	Take 14	FS				UN
	Take 15	FS				UN
	Take 16	FS				UN
	Take 17	(M)	1:42	Used for composite master. Filmed playback June 27		Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°/The '68 Comeback°

The Scratch (instrumental)

June 23 (Sun.): 14:00 -

	Take 01	FS				UN
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	(M)	0:22	Used as ending for TV version only of "Guitar Man		soundtrack°
				Opening". Filmed playback on June 30

If I Can Dream

June 23 (Sun.): 14:00 -

	Take 01	FT/Complete	3:06			Platinum(L/R swapped)
	Take 02	FS				UN
	Take 03	FS				UN
	Take 04	FT/Complete	3:15			Collection vol. 4 CD/He Walks Beside Me LP/CD(Can/Aus)
	Take 05	M	3:10	Record version. Filmed v.o. for TV ver.: June 30	WPA1 8029	Memories°°(R)/TV Special°(O, +918, applause overd.)°/We Love Elvis 1°°
				Also used for June 29 lip-synch: 6PM & 8PM.

Memories (track?)

June 23 (Sun.): 14:00 -

	Take 01	FT		usually regarded as track only		UN
	Take 02	FS		"Hold intro"		UN
	Take 03	FS				UN
	Take 04	(M)	3:09	v.o. on June 24 +filmed v.o. June 27: 6 PM & 8 PM.		UN

Memories (short track)

June 23 (Sun.): 14:00 -

	Take 01	FS				UN
	Take 02	(M)				UN

Let Yourself Go (closing instrumental)

June 23 (Sun.): 14:00 -

	Take 01	FT				UN
	Take 02	FT				UN
	Take 03	FT				UN
	Take 04	FT				UN
	Take 05	M	1:03	Filmed playback on June 30		Burbank '68°/The '68 Comeback°

Memories (v.o.)

June 23? (Sun.):

	Take NA	M	3:09	vocal overdub of track-04		Today, Tomorrow and Forever°°+The '68 Comeback°(last second)/
						On Tour soundtrack°°(edited)/Great Performances°°(edited)/
						This Is Elvis°°(edited)/Special Edition"°°"(i.e. not stereo)

A Little Less Conversation

NA

Take NA

M

1:44

Low key! Perhaps v.o. of unknown track

Memories°

 

Road medley (record version, composite)

Spliced

M

15:31

Composite of:

Memories '98°°(R, full length)/TV Special '91°°(edit)/TV Special LP°(O, 6:40)

			1:51	Nothingville /
				Guitar Man (1) (Guitar Man's Evil, section 1-take 10)		not on original master
			1:58	Let Yourself Go (1) (Guitar Man's Evil, section 2-take 07)		not on original master
			1:23	Flicker routine /		not on original master
				Let Yourself Go (2) /
				Alley pickup (Guitar Man's Evil, section 3-take 07)
			0:29	Guitar Man (2) (Escape, section 1, remake-take 07)		not on original master
			0:13	Calliope carnival (Escape, section 2-take 02)		overdubbed announcer missing on 1998 remaster
			1:03	Big Boss Man (Escape, section 3-take 03)
			1:40	It Hurts Me (1) (Escape, section 4-take 07)		not on original master
			1:42	Electronic Karate		not on original master
			0:46	It Hurts Me (2) (After Karate, section 1-take 11)		not on original master
			1:51	Guitar Man (3) /
				Little Egypt (After Karate, section 2-take 10)
			2:33	Trouble /
				Guitar Man (4) (After Karate, section 3-take 03)

Gospel medley

	Spliced	M	8:37	Composite of		Memories '98°°(R)/TV Special '91°°/TV Special LP°(O, edit)
			3:01	Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child /		not on original master
				Where Could I Go But to the Lord /
				Yes, Yes, Yes /
				Up Above My Head (intro) (Gospel, section 1-take 07)
			1:38	Up Above My Head /
				Soul Support /
				I Found That Light /
				Saved (intro) (Gospel, section 2-take 13)
			3:57	Saved (part 1) /
				Preach for the Sky /		edited on original master
				Saved (part 2) (Gospel, section 3-spliced)

	Musicians:
	Guitar :	Tommy Tedesco
	Guitar :	Mike Deasy
	Guitar :	Alvin Casey
	Bass, Keyboards :	Larry Knechtal
	Bass :	Charles Berghofer
	Piano :	Don Randi
	Drums :	Hal Blaine
	Percussion :	John Cyr
	Percussion :	Elliot Franks
	Bongos :	Frank DeVito
	Harmonica :	Tommy Morgan
	Keyboard :	Bob Alberti
	Keyboard :	Tommy Wolfe
	Backup Vocals :	The Blossoms: Jean King, Darlene Love and Fanita James
	Backup Vocals :	Julie Rinker, B.J. Baker,Frank Howren,Bill Lee, Gene Merlino, Thurl Ravenscroft, Bill Brown, Joe Eich, Elaine Back,
		Dean Parker, Jack Gruberman, Sally Stevens, Jackie Ward, Ronald Hicklin, Tom Bahler and Mitch Gordon

	Orchestra :
	Conductor :	Billy Goldenberg
	Violin:	Leonard Atkins, Leonard Malarsky, Sidney Sharp, Thelma Beach, Marvin Limonick, Joseph Stepansky,
		Alexander Murray and Ambrose Russo
	Cello :	Eleanor Saltkin, Paul Bergstrom, Christine Walevska, Emmett Sargeant, Richard Noel, Frank Rosolino and Ernest Tack
	Trombone :	Francis Howard
	Trumpet :	Oliver Mitchell, John Audino, Manny Stevens, Anthony Terran
	Saxophone:	Anthony Ortega, Peter Christlies, John Kelso, Gene Cipriano
	French Horn :	Dick Perrisi and William Hinshaw

	Notes:
	The only interesting source of the TV Special album masters from the June 20-23 sessions has to be BMG's remastered 2-CD set 'Memories' from 1998. The bass is a bit boosted, a little midrange is perhaps missing in the equalization and the pitch may be about 1.5% too slow, but these are minor, reversible details in comparison. Take 1 of Saved, released on the FTD CD 'Easter Special', sounds even better because of less or no re-equalization and in spite of being subjected to hard limiting. This track does not suffer a lot from BMG/FTD entering "the loudness race", since the entire session appears to be recorded with little dynamics in the first place. The (now obsolete) 1991 CD version of the TV Special is poorly edited overall and the source appears to have generation loss in spite of being remastered and in stereo. The Japanese paper sleeve CD of the NBC TV Special is a decent representation of the original, dull mono masters (considered obsolete as well -except as reference), but suffers from fluctuating scratchy L/R dropouts.
	Let Yourself Go as first released by RCA on 'A Legendary Performer' vol. 3 in 1978 is actually different from start to finish (sample). The ending is obviously edited with the word "go" being interrupted before the spliced part begins ("g---go"). Better than average sound quality, mix and a fairly natural equalization on the other hand. It sounds as if the take may have been close to a breakdown just before the repaired ending.
	It Hurts Me on 'A Legendary Performer' vol. 3 has different vocals on the last word "...you" only (sample). The string ending is unique and not edited from intro (according to spectral comparisons). It is edited near 1:41, before and after where the instrumental break is edited on master.
	It is likely that the final vocals for Memories were overdubbed in the evening of June 23, but there are no published notes (as of February 2003) available to confirm it. The full stereo version was available on the TT&F box for the first time (June/July 2002). Previous stereo versions have been edited with the 1972 'Elvis On Tour' soundtrack being the most complete. The 'This Is Elvis' soundtrack and 'Great Performances' stereo version of Memories is edited like this: _0:12-0:19 of full master _0:24-2:20 of full master _2:42-2:58 of full master (early fade-out) The 'On Tour' soundtrack version of Memories is almost complete and edited like this: _0:13-0:21 of full master (fade in while overdubbed applause being faded out) _0:21-3:06 of full master (end only missing the final drum beats)
	It's possible (although not considered likely anymore) that the vocals of the so-called "acetate" version of A Little Less Conversation, released on 'Memories', were overdubbed in the evening of June 23 or 24. A Little Less Conversation is thought to be the eventually unused "Reprise" version. The 'A Life in Music' information about the March 7 'Live a Little, Love a Little' soundtrack backing track (take 16) being used with replaced, overdubbed vocals does not fit here. The track and background vocals of the TV Special A Little Less Conversation are unique and in another, lower key (sample). Neither is it close to the March 7 outtake/LP version (take 10). Although an acetate of the instrumental and background vocal tracks of the original 'Live a Little, Love a Little' version was produced and released on the bootleg LP 'The '68 Comeback', it apparently wasn't overdubbed at any stage during the production of the TV Special. A guess is that it may have been used as a lead track to guide the percussion when recording a new version. The drum work of the June version is simplified, but fairly synchronized with the March version (sample). Another abandoned, version of A Little Less Conversation was an "Arena medley" version, probably planned to have been recorded with orchestra backing on June 29.
	Many thanks to Bones Howe for all the help and kindly answering our questions. Also, thanks to Peter Baumann for sharing his fantastic research. Thanks to Johnny Savage for sharing all the misery in trying to sort out the June '68 sessions! Also thanks to Kevan Budd, Jean-Marc Juilland and Johnny UK for helpful source comparisons.