Elvis Presley - My Way (The Sherill Nielsen Duet) - 10 December 1975 - 10pm Show - Las Vegas

Despite an unsuccessful attempt to record the song in the studio on 10 May 1971, Elvis introduced the song to his live set list on his Las Vegas season opening show on 4 August 1972. Elvis had attempted three takes but was totally dissatisfied with the result during that RCA Studio B session in Nashville, so much so that it did not even advance to the post production stage. Instead, it was largely forgotten and it was not until twenty four years later, when it appeared on the box set “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” in September 1995, that it finally received an official public release.
After being introduced to the set list, it was performed regularly during that August 1972 season but it was not until 1976 that it became an integral part of the show. During the four years in between it was performed sporadically, and would often appear on a whim, usually only a few times a year. Testament to this is that in 1975 for example, it is only known to have been performed by Elvis just twice and both in December.
This example is the first of those, and here Elvis is performing the song for the first time in eighteen months. As a result, the band an orchestra are totally unprepared and something strange and fascinating occurs as a result.
Here is an eyewitness account from someone who was actually there that evening - John Andrews who wrote the following in Issue 242 of Elvis News Service Weekly released on 28 January 1976.
After performing Elvis said, “There was somebody at the back that requested, uh, 'My Way'..... I don't know if we got the chart, we haven't done it in quite a while.... if we can find it we'll do it for” (there was much activity by Charlie and others trying to see if the chart was around anywhere) “... yeah, my time is up, but here ladies and gentlemen, but uh...uh..... 'Little Sister', okay, we'll do, Little Sis, Little Sister, while we're looking for 'My Way', or 'My Way' while were looking for 'Little Sister', whatever one comes first as there appeared to be no sight of the lyrics”.
Elvis turned to Joe Guercio and asked “Uh, do you have any lyrics, Joseph?”, but, as he didn't Elvis attempted to start it, but forgot the lyrics after the first couple of lines, saying, “That's it, forget it.... now just a minute, wait a minute, wait...... (then to the light-man who had started to dim the lights for the song) .... hey, keep the lights up, don't get excited up there in the booth, just... you know... we, we don't, we, we, we don't have anything locked in there man, we just play it by ear (and with that he shoved the microphone into his ear much to everyone's great amusement, and Elvis' too). .... okay.”
Then he went over and stood in front of Sylvia who mouthed the words for him to sing as Charlie scuttled off stage left to try and get some words to the song. When he got to the line, and so I face the final curtain, he gave a really despairing look. At one stage, though, Sylvia couldn't remember the lyrics either, so Elvis chided her, “What?..... you don't even know it, either?” Charlie had by now re-appeared with, apparently, some words which Elvis tried to sing from, but then got lost, and whilst leaning on Sylvia, first asked Sherrill to sing it on his own, and then asked the rest of The Stamps to sing it with him, before deciding then to hit Sherrill with the notes Charlie had given to him. Eventually though, Elvis finished the song off......P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L-L-Y.
“Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to tell y'all, it's uh, you've been a fantastic audience, it's it's been a pleasure working for you and uh,.... I'll have a blue Christmas”.
It was just the way he surprised us all by singing this favourite amongst Elvis fans, Christmas or not, and as he continued the line to say, without you, he glanced in Charlie's direction. He nearly changed one of the lines of the song to, Decorations of red on a green purple, no Christmas tree. Just to complete the colour scheme he was handed some yellow puppets. Deservedly, this quietly and gently-sung song got a tremendous applause before Elvis went on to say in reply to someone who called out for You Ain't Nothing But A Hound Dog,
“You're not, either..... nah, I'd like to say, uh, ladies and gentleman, that it's uh, great to be back working again and uh,..... wait a minute folks, really, you know, I can't do all them songs (which people were still calling out for) you know, just a heart with money in it, that's all. I think he said, continuing, uh, and it's great to be back working again and uh, I had about a three month lay-off and everybody's been really fantastic up on stage and the audiences have been really great, you know (big applause) ... and so... until the next time we see you, if we don't see you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we bid you an affectionate........ (grin at JD) ..... farewell”. And with that he again told us that, Wise men know, when it's time to go, as he went into 'Can't Help Falling In Love'

[@CadiaComanducci]

Magnifico ! 🌟 Sarebbe stato bello vedere questo..... Grazie

[@ildikonyilas4870]

Amazing performance, special version. Elvis could always surprise and dazzle the audience again and again with his dreamy voice and emotional performance. That's gorgeous orchestration. Thanks✌️👑👼❤️🌹

[@tinapapp7136]

💛✨AWESOME POWERFUL PRECIOUS VOICE🎼✨🎹🎸🎤💖💛💖💛ELVIS PRESLEY💛💖💛💖🎤🎸🎹✨🎼!💛🌹💓THANK YOU FOR THE AWESOME MUSIC💓🌹💛!💜

[@ludevinadefreitas213]

What a voice! I loved this version. Elvis is SECOND TO NONE! Thanks, Leon!

[@anY-bf9ud]

Never the quitter, and always the joker, Elvis truly was one of a kind. What an ending, he raised the rafters with that climax, powerful and some, whoaaaa. He for sure did it his way Thanks Leon ,

[@chriskinkead9045]

So. Wonderful !!! Love. The. Ending. He. Truly. Was. Marvellous.

[@martinmuldoon603]

An amazing version. Elvis was the man, he improved on every song every covered in my opinion anyway.

[@tacticalix]

Constantly and endlessly gave his soul.

[@reginamedeiros8364]

Amazing! Wonderful! 💫💫💫

[@helenludlow2331]

Great song and version 🎵🎤🎶💙

[@Wildlife_SA.]

Very nice video. Thanks Leon. 🎶👍

[@pink_panther2302]

Kathy Westmoreland once was quoted as saying Elvis could do incredible things with his voice. This powerhouse ending is an example of just that. Thank you for posting!

[@brandonvandine1695]

That note he hits at the end wow

[@freesia5345]

Such a beautiful version of My Way sung with Elvis' fabulous voice with great harmony with Sherrill, I've never heard before!!...I think It's a fantastic impromptu performance of this song with good results, demonstrating his excellent musical skill under difficult circumstances. And his fantastic treble at the end of this song that brings it to a climax!!...Thanks for sharing Leon!!......🤍🪻🤍

[@stevenoels2757]

Fantastic find, I have nit heard this version before and what a sign of Elvis comfort with his own abilities he allows, or invites Sherrill Neilson to join him in singing and Sherill has such a beautiful voice too. Thanks for the upload

[@susannethemann7178]

❤❤❤ suuuuuuper

[@maggieshome]

Wow 😍

[@tommyboo21]

Another great upload Leon! It is said that Elvis shows were hardly rehearsed, but this probably added to the magic of an Elvis concert. So loose and limber, they sounded like he was entertaining friends at home. Everyone on stage was a professional musician and knew how to go with the flow. Perhaps it's that element of surprise and excitement that kept Elvis' enthusiasm for live performances. And in this recording, My Way inadvertently received that unique ending as a direct result of it being totally unrehearsed.

[@helenecinesysteme7380]

The fact that we are able to know the story behind this heartwarmingly funny and gorgeous rendition is one of the many reasons to love Elvis and his fans. It was recorded, there was a Elvis News Service Weekly, its report is as thorough as can be and all this is just pleasing in itself. Thanks for perpetuating the chain Leon!

[@SamuelVII]

One of my favorite versions of My Way by Elvis, now even more knowing the story behind it, Thanks Leon

[@rodlassiter2922]

This is great. I agree with him on the studio take, it just wasn't good enough to release. But it was fantastic every time I heard him do it "live".

[@roselacorreiadossantos2297]

❤

[@phoenixents1557]

If a modern day pop star didn't know the words and wasn't rehearsed there'd be an outcry, but this was Elvis, he transcended the rules and had his own relationship with his fans. He was actually in better voice here two years after Aloha and two years before the end. 1975 harboured some great vocals all round.

[@jaygordon1033]

An off the cuff performance of a song rarely performed after Aloha. It's inclusion here may have led to it's performance in Pontiac a few weeks later. He did a bit during Spring 1976. It came back "for good" during the December '76 Vegas engagement.

[@toshiojohnston3732]

Recorded my way June 1971 1st sang Aug 1972 both aloha shows 1973 Jan 1973 mayv1973 Tahoe June 1973 Atlanta Aug 1973 ? Tahoe may 1974 Dec 1975 this show and Pontiac 1975 April 1976 Tahoe may 1976 Oct Nov Dec 1976 and Feb, march,April may June 1977.the last time tv rapid city junec1977 last time sang Cincy June 25 1977.

[@jariheikkila4782]

👑🎤🇫🇮

[@toshiojohnston3732]

Some fans maybe a little to much to drink .