Why were Elvis’ performances sometimes…lackluster?? | Personal response

I will be answering the best subscriber comments in video format going forward. Look forward to them!!
-ElvisistheMan
Video referenced: • Elvis gives an Emotion...

[@ElvisistheMan_]

I will be answering the best subscriber comments in video format going forward. Look forward to them!!

[@tomlivesay8407]

It really doesn’t disappoint me to hear a lackluster performance on any given song. Of course, I don’t like it as much, but it doesn’t disappoint me. All I have to do is to put myself in Elvis’ shoes, then I can imagine how bored I would get with the same songs over and over, given his touring schedule year after year. If not bored, then it would certainly be a difficult task to try to keep the enthusiasm at a heightened level. On tour, he was singing in a different city every night for multiple tours every year. The legendary touring acts that are touring nowadays also have to sing the same repeated songs show after show, but I have noticed that many of them take a day or two off between shows. Maybe doing highly anticipated large venue stadium tours once a year, with adequate time between shows would have been a better alternative for him. We can only speculate. Have a great week.

[@celestinebachelder3441]

I saw him December 1976 and he didn't look too bad.

[@delorespetree3243]

I am glad I got to see elvis live in 1971 he was on fire

[@iowa61]

Yes. He was.

[@MichelleAtnip-iw2ym]

I saw him in 77 just a few months before his last performance not in best performance shape , but his voice stilled my soul...

[@edizenver6406]

Considering the fact that Elvis was terminally ill from about 1975 onwards the fact the man pushed himself so hard bears testimony to his incredible stamina and work ethic

[@marttihamalainen3724]

What was the disease?

[@edizenver6406]

@@marttihamalainen3724 it wasn’t one disease it was many Heart disease, Liver disease, COPD lung dysfunction, glaucoma , twisted colon,comprimised immmune system. His genetics were basically screwed because his grandparents were first cousins Elvis was always going to die young, look at the smith side off his family they all died young so did Elvis mum and dad. Elvis used the meds to be able to work he used them for a reason

[@edizenver6406]

@@marttihamalainen3724 Elvis was born with illness in 5 of his 11 body systems as he got older he suffered from Heart disease, Liver disease, COPD lung disorder, twisted colon, immune system disease, Glaucoma the list goes on. His genetics doomed him from the start alpha 1 antitripsin killed him. The fact he continued to work clearly shows he wasn’t a drug addict because drug addicts only care about drugs, Elvis continued to work to support his family, for his fans and employees

[@Jeri_C11]

Being so sick I can hardly get out of bed, I give him all the credit in the world. He pushed beyond his endurance. I look at every song sung and every video out there as a blessing so many years later. Missed a real opportunity to see him in 72 at MSG and regret it to this day and when I became ill at a young age, I’d think of him still going out there to entertain his fans, probably at the detriment to his own health and eventually his life 😢❤❤

[@TheAlfa1Omega]

Well, we got to take into consideration that Elvis was sick pretty much all the time. He did excellent despite of that.

[@MichelleAtnip-iw2ym]

In the book destined to die young, there's a sample of a Vegas show several shows actually the months and the year that he played with fevers sore throats flu...Check it out.

[@elfriedekupfer931]

​YES INDEED 👌 THATS TRUE ELVIS WOULD BE PEPERFECT ALWAYS 😢🙏👌🇦🇹

[@TS-gg9dk]

NOone can be 💯ALL the time. Especially not all the time in every show when doing as many as he did in Vegas and on tour. Like you said, there could be many different reasons, and in combination, to why a performance or a whole show is not as good or better as it can be.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

We shouldn’t hold Elvis to such a high standard at all times, I understand. Especially when you consider all the shows he did, more than any other performer in the 70s. Off nights are a thing that can be expected. But, I’m just speaking from a fan point of view, how it can be disappointing. Like, when you go to see your favorite team and they lose lol. Although seeing Elvis is never a loss lol

[@TS-gg9dk]

@@ElvisistheMan_ Elvis is such a powerhouse of a Mega-star, someone said he wasn’t a star, but a whole Galaxy… This thought always blows my mind; in 1973 he did a show for almost the entire world, where he was the ONLY star to pull it off with. Live Aid in 1985, just 12 years later, it took like 20 of the biggest stars and bands in the world on two continents to accomplish the same scale and reach about the same number of viewers… THIS makes it very clear which level ELVIS was at. And that most big stars that came after have him as their inspiration and even reason for becoming artists themselves. So we fans have high expectations, and he often meets and exceeds them. Which makes him like this super-hero. And we fans LOVE him for being so accessible, clearly loving us back, giving his all to please us, even when the energy just isn’t there because of the show schedule, health issues and other things. Ultimately paying with his life.

[@deannamaude2303]

After all he was human and had feelings and emotions,I did hear him say that he liked to enter act with the crowd if they were having a good time then he’d play off of it,God bless him I feel awesome to know that growing up I knew who. He was today’s kids don’t have a clue to how amazing he really was…Always love Elvis❤

[@thecoolcreativebuildchanne2613]

I love finding moments of greatness too! Recently I found a live version of Love Me Tender from opening night 1969 Las Vegas, where it's the only time I ever heard him sing it like on the original record. The part where he sings,"All my dreams fulfill." Through the entire song, he does the exact notes as in the movie version. I've never found another live version where he does that. Really awesome when you find something like that!👍⚡ A beautiful version David!

[@scsu5085]

- - - Motivation was his greatest obstacle. Said another way, Elvis himself was his own glass ceiling. He needed a lifecoach (not yes men) to have recognized he constantly needed new challenges taking him out of his comfort zone. Elvis was as good as he felt at any given moment. If he were to simply 'decide' to outdo everyone else and truly felt it, he could plow down the field of competitive artists in any period in which he lived. I can think of no other artist who had this gift. But even that can be boring knowing you can do something if you want to. Compounding this is Parker's hindering creativity & selection of material, resulting in forgettable album cuts (but many gems among them). Having said all this, Elvis still left behind an unmatched body of work of brilliant material.

[@wrad8292]

I think his career was like...ice cream. Everyone likes ice cream, but when you eat it 2-3 times a day for a month at a time it just gets old. He needed more variety in his career, period. Tom Parker was an a$$hat. Parker should have had better, more open communication with Elvis and what HE wanted.

[@Key-ho3qi]

But we all know he wasn’t healthier or very healthy at all. That being said, he’s brilliant! For someone that was falling apart health wise, he looks and sounds great!! He could have canceled all of the shows and rested, which I preferred he did. He showed up to damn near every show and put on while going throw it. God bless him! 🙏🏽❤️

[@dianeshea6222]

Even when Elvis was not quite on his game due to I'll health bored or whatsoever he always tried to do his best. To me even if it was not his best it still was awesome. Love you Elvis RIP in your Mama's arms.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

It’s still interesting to watch Elvis at 100% or 50% 👍🏻

[@doriswilliams6422]

Think it hinged on the drugs more at sometimes less at others We can tell it but the addict will always say it doesnt affect me it sure does saw a close up video of his eyes one concert the light in it was gone Burns me up the way his Dad knew there was a problem but denied it to so many ppl Charlie Hodge to

[@ElvisistheMan_]

I totally agree with you. But with this video, I’m specifically meaning about a particular song not about a throwaway show.

[@LuanneHarris-rk9ei]

Thanks David ❤️🇭🇲from Sydney Australia

[@thomasgreen4712]

Elvis was human bro, everybody has bad days! The fact that he was great and sung like nobody I know could, proves he was gifted!!

[@iowa61]

I can tell you exactly why. He suffered from some form of undiagnosed congenital depression. Perhaps even bipolar. Just as his mother had. He tried to self-medicate with prescription drugs and went through some periods of greater abuse than others. He upped his abuse to new levels in late 1972 and was stoned out of his mind at “Aloha From Hawaii.” 1973 was a bad year for the abuse. He rallied in 1974-looking, acting and performing much healthier. Than another downward slide of abuse started in 1975 and worsened until his death. His performances reflect the above timeline exactly.

[@Rose-ii7fk]

Jeez, if after ALL these years then imo stop talking about Elvis Presley.

[@MohawkHalfBreedTheShredder]

When Elvis was depressed he's performance suffered. Listen to he's movie soundtrack it almost sounds like late ,70s Elvis signing especially in the late 60s when he really was getting sick of the movie s ..when Elvis did not feel like singing a song he sang it in a certain way ..I think alot of the 70s concert s was Elvis just bored and depressed.

[@AndyMangele]

If somebody would push me to my limits - like the Colonel did to Elvis - I would perform lackluster too!

[@saphireblue3563]

Why were some performances lackluster? Because no one is perfect all the time.

[@dinostello4563]

I think it would be cool if you did a video talking about the unfinished song most of us lifetime fans may not know about. It's Different Now

[@vickyclausen4631]

Because he was human ,n he couldnt be bothered sometimes.

[@MarkRogersVOCFB]

Elvis started going downhill in 1971. His voice started to get weak and he lost resonance, vibrato and vocal quality. The reasons are obvious: Drugs, smoking, boredom and fatigue from being overworked. Unfortunately we never got to see Elvis at his best.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

All valid point! Can’t be ignored

[@locksmithsilva1163]

I say that Elvis was human and had his ups and downs especially when he was not at his best looks, he sure killed it with his outstanding voice.

[@OdditiesandRarities]

I am glad you have the courage to say this, I kind of think that elvis steadily declined through the 1970s, I think 1969 is the peak, and 1970 is good, but not as good as 1969, and 1971 not as good as 1970, and 1972 not as good as 1971 and so on and so on. I think elvis got bored and had an addiction to drugs that got worse. Aloha 1973 is great, but if it had happened any year prior to that, his voice and performance would have been better imo.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

I think they were parts of 72 that were better than most of 71. There were parts of 71 that were better than 72. I’ll overall though, you’re right. She went downhill each year. A bit of boredom, a bit of sadness, satisfaction with his career. Basically a lack of motivation and desire. Also, let’s not forget, drugs.

[@gpt465]

He had to get tired of doing those same songs. Fans never got tired of listening to them❤Wouldbe hard to sing sometimes when not feeling the words you were singing!When he felt it he gave his all ❤❤❤

[@mrsongman]

I've been wondering about this quite a lot recently after listening to the December 1976 tour. Just wondering what was going on that brought this on. I've heard people saying it was because of ginger or for ginger but it just seems too simple an answer. Drugs? More drugs? Less drugs? Elvis had women or drugs whenever he wanted...and these shows from Dec 76 are some of the best he has put on in *years*. The thing for me also is it's very clear it's not just a case of being willing to put these shows on. It's willing and able too. He looks, seems, sounds, acts so good. When you think of the bad shows from 1976 where he sounds terrible, it's not just the singing. If you listen to him just speaking between the songs, his voice is noticeably f***ed up. So nasal and slurred. The singing comes out the same. The December 1976 shows his speaking voice sounds back to normal, he's razor sharp in his banter with the audience, making quips and going on to sing fantastically. Fast forward to certain parts of 1977 and he can barely speak. It's all just so odd. I wonder if you have any theories or explanations. Would love to hear them if so.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

Well, he definitely wasn’t on any strong downers during the show like he was in summer 76. Also, you can tell he used speed a lot in November 1971 and in fall 1974. Especially fall 74 because he’s talking a mile a minute.

[@mrsongman]

@@ElvisistheMan_ now that you say that, I remember showing a friend some of the Nov 1971 footage and he said it was awesome and "I've never seen him going as wild as that" 😁

[@OdditiesandRarities]

Lamar Fike said that as the years wore on, Elvis went into "automatic pilot" while performing. I think its disappointing that hed just go through the motions and sing the same setlists over and over. I dont get why elvis would do that, whats the point?

[@ElvisistheMan_]

Hard to say for certain. He did add quite a bit to his Setlist over the years. But he did basically the same Setlist for a while, only adding or taken away a few here and there for the most part.

[@bobbyhunt3009]

IMO, He hardly ever gave his all on a whole show after 1973. Yeah he gave his all for certain songs but I cannot say he gave his all through the whole performance on any one show after 1973-1974. He quit moving around on stage then too, after he was 37 Years old it it's like he hit a wall. The drugs had a hold onto him and instead of trying to kick them he got worse. I don't enjoy saying these things but I do want the truth of Elvis and I get all this info from the Memphis Mafia. They explain it all and it lines up just like they say. Every day the last 2 years from 75-77 he was taking 25-30 pills per day every day and a shot to get up in the morning and a shot to go to bed at night. How long do you think a human is gonna continue living when they have to get a shot to get up and to go to bed. Elvis had to know he was not doing well. He quit caring if he lived or died. Ironic isn't it, here is a man that is the most beloved man ever to live and everyone wants him to live but he himself doesn't care if he lives or dies. It angers and saddens me. I get so mad at him sometimes because I loved him

[@vickyclausen4631]

@bobbyhunt ,all drug addicts are in denial!!until you admit you have a problem then its a vicious circle,!!

[@ElvisistheMan_]

That’s right! I’ve learned a lot through the Memphis mafia. I like the intricate details they gave of Elvis’s life.

[@iwantfood89]

See if you can find information on this: Why is there very little information, if any at all, about Elvis's vocal warmup or practice drills that enhanced his voice throughout his career? Seems pretty strange to me.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

I made a few videos on that. Elvis took certain cocktails, and inhaler at times. You’re right though, not a lot has been said about his warm-ups before a show. But, he did warm up for hours before recording session singing gospel music according to Kathy Westmoreland.

[@iwantfood89]

​@@ElvisistheMan_ So back in the day, my mother was kissed by Elvis and given his scarves at shows at the Hilton multiple times. In the next coming months I will be treating my parents to Elvis's half brother David Stanley's Elvis experience at Westgate Hotel. I am currently compiling a list of never before asked questions, and am not afraid to get into the nitty gritty. Let me know if there are any questions you'd like asked, and I'll potentially add them to the list!

[@iwantfood89]

@@ElvisistheMan_ Warmed up for HOURS. Interesting lol.

[@tonbruins7335]

It's very simple. Elvis had a huge addiction problem. So he was on the automatic pilot more and more. I have been to a lot of Tom Jones shows and he was never on the automatic pilot. Never. Not the way Elvis was anyway.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

Absolutely a big reason!

[@tonbruins7335]

@@ElvisistheMan_ Another reason was, I think, that Elvis was a man who got bored quite quickly.

[@tonbruins7335]

@@ElvisistheMan_ Also I think that Elvis saw no challenges for himself, although there were challenges enough. But he did not see them. But the main reason for his bad/mediocre shows was his addiction.

[@lkastelis8764]

I love the live version of Hound Dog when he slows it down, I think it was in one of his 1972 concerts.

[@ElvisistheMan_]

Me too

[@carolhayar3037]

Besides the painful physical side to his issues, the man just had had it. How many more times could he keep doing to same thing over & over, just in different cities. His writings on hotel stationery in December of '76 is the tell-all of his true feelings & depression.

[@bobbyhunt3009]

Highly disappoining to see him give partial effort but I dont blame him. He did far too many shows, that stint in Vegas was Ridiculous. He should've done 7 shows a week in Vegas. 1 show on Tues., 2 shows on Wed. & Thurs., 1 show on Fri. & Sat. Sun. & Mon. Off. 7 shows/Week for 5 weeks, twice a year. 35 shows/Stint, 70 shows per year. That still would've been too many but he would've had enough time between shows to refresh & recover. On certain songs he tried to give his all most of the time but sometimes he cruised through them too. Elvis should've set is own standard through his career by telling Col. Parker how things are going to be instead of just going along with anything. That going along with anything got him laughed at a lot and got him by some to be considered a puppet and a joke. What other huge star would've made those silly movies, some of them I cringe at when watching and all the way through all I can think is how Elvis agreed to make this movie. They can say contracts all they want, the bottom line is Elvis did not have to make those movies, they hurt his image Very Badly.

[@daviddavies2072]

I have always thought, we're was the duty of care from the people around elvis , ? , a great shame we lost a great talent, as such an early age 👍❤️🇺🇲🇬🇧

[@brandonvandine1695]

Wow! You used my quote. I hope I get a kickback LOL. That's pretty cool though. I always try my best to be positive but objective in my opinions. Even though I'm probably one of the most Moody individuals that ever lived, I think that's probably why I feel so close to Elvis LOL. Because I get it. I get the mood swings. I get the ups and downs. I get the highs and the lows. But yeah, Elvis is the goat but when you are the goat people are going to have higher expectations even though sometimes to be fair. Maybe my expectations are a bit higher than they should even for someone at the caliber of Elvis. Presley. I want to encourage you to continue to do the good work you are doing. God bless you

[@ElvisistheMan_]

Thanks man I got the idea yesterday and decided to use your comment lol

[@brendataylor7905]

❤

[@MikeHorton-c1c]

David sometimes the prescription drugs played a factor in his performances . Where he slurs his song's really bad there was one concert where people got up and walked out

[@ElvisistheMan_]

Totally!

[@vickyclausen4631]

Wow ,did they,!

[@MikeHorton-c1c]

@@vickyclausen4631 yes dear I'm afraid so.. I can't remember what city it was in .. but it was around. In 76 or 77

[@vickyclausen4631]

Do u know how many?

[@vickyclausen4631]

Awwww poor elvis gave his all most of the time !! But near the end he was worne out phisically n emotionally, tradjedy as he gave so much !

[@brentstevenson1484]

he was on downers thats why duh

[@ElvisistheMan_]

Big reason!

[@James-d1k4j]

To be honest with you the reason Elvis looked so tired sometimes he burned himself out. Most true Elvis fans would know Elvis never had what you would call a great life-style. I mean when in Las Vegas doing two shows per night, after the show meeting special quests then going back to his penthouse and singing gospel until the sun came up. Not taking long enough breaks before touring the USA again heading back to Las Vegas. Another reason i believe poor Elvis looked so tired sometimes is because everytime went on stage to perform he would always give over 💯 percent to give a great show. Another reason for some bad performance was the arsehole parker pushing him, he supported to many free loaders and like i said burned himself out. Other people may disagree and their entitled to their own opinion.