On this day, December 3, 1968, "Singer Presents ... Elvis," aka the "'68 Comeback Special," aired.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sun Dec 25, 2022, 11:12 AM - Edit history (1)

{edited to add a link to the earlier post at DU and the video clip of "Blue Christmas"}

Sat Dec 12, 2020: On December 3, 1968, NBC aired "Singer Presents...Elvis," aka the "'68 Comeback Special"

Elvis (1968 TV program)



Publicity poster for the special, seen in Singer stores

Producers: Steve Binder, Bones Howe
Production location: Burbank, California
Release
Original network: NBC
Original release: December 3, 1968

Singer Presents ... Elvis, commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special, is an Elvis Presley concert special that aired on NBC on December 3, 1968. It marked Presley's return to live performance after a seven-year period during which he focused on his film appearances.

The concert was initially planned as a Christmas special by the network and Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Producer Bob Finkel hired director Steve Binder, who, rather than creating a Christmas special, created a concert that would reflect the musical trends of the time and appeal to a younger audience. Filming took place in June 1968 at NBC Studios in Burbank, California. The special included a sit-down session that showcased Presley in an informal setting, surrounded by fans and a small band.

The special received positive reviews and topped the Nielsen television ratings for the week in which it aired. It became the most-watched show of the television season, earning 42% of the television audience. Later known as the Comeback Special, it relaunched Presley's singing career.

{snip}

For the show's closer, Binder decided to replace the spoken statement with a song. He instructed Goldenberg and lyricist Walter Earl Brown to write a song that reflected Presley and his beliefs, and Brown wrote "If I Can Dream" that same night. Binder sent it to Parker, who still thought that the show closer was to be "I'll Be Home for Christmas." After Parker's negative response to the song, Binder bypassed him and played the song for Presley. After hearing it three times, Presley was convinced that he should record it. Seeing Presley's determination, Parker demanded 100 percent of the publishing rights. Goldenberg removed his name from the publishing sheet and told Parker that Brown had written the song. For the "If I Can Dream" number, Presley wore a three-piece white suit designed by Belew. A large sign in red letters that read ELVIS was placed on a black background, and Presley performed the song with a hand-held microphone. After finishing the song, Presley closed the special by saying "Thank you, Good night."

{snip}

Production

Binder and Howe hired the production crew, repeating their collaboration with various people whom they had used for past specials. Billy Goldenberg was assigned as the musical director, while the Presley camp chose Billy Strange as the arranger. Chris Bearde and Allan Blye were hired as the writers, and Bill Belew for the costume design. Bearde and Blye proposed an idea based on Maurice Maeterlinck's The Blue Bird that was intended to portray Presley's career through his songs. Singer's representative Alfred Discipio approved the idea, as did Parker. The snippets of the story were connected by a number covering Jerry Reed's "Guitar Man." An informal segment was planned featuring Presley talking to members of his entourage in a scripted conversation that was to show him as self-deprecating while discussing his film performances. A gospel number would be added, as well as a live standup performance. The Christmas song, requested by Parker, would then be played, and the special would close with a spoken statement by Presley. Binder wanted Presley to express his feelings about the current social climate, as Presley had been moved by the recent assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. King's assassination deeply touched Presley, who felt that the murder, which occurred in Memphis, Tennessee, "only confirmed everyone's worst feelings about the south."

By June 3, Presley returned to Hollywood to start the rehearsals that would last for two weeks. Howe insisted on the possibility of a soundtrack album from which he would earn royalties as its producer. NBC saw Howe's attitude as a potential danger to the special and ordered Binder to remove him from the staff. The production was further complicated when Goldenberg complained to Binder that Strange had not completed any musical arrangements for the special with only two weeks before the end of preproduction. Strange left the project, alleging that he was too busy with other projects. A week before the end of rehearsals, the production team allowed Howe to return as producer and engineer.



Presley performing in the special

{snip}



Presley during a stand-up session. The photo was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1969.

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Elvis Presley - That's All Right ('68 Comeback Special)

Elvis Presley
3.16M subscribers

9,611,260 views Oct 23, 2018
https://elvis.lnk.to/68ComebackSpecial!tar

About the track:
For his 1968 television special, Elvis Presley reunited with Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana, his first backing musicians, for a raw “sit-down” performance of his earliest and most favorite songs, including his very first single, “That’s All Right.” Though it did not feature in the original broadcast, you can experience every moment from the taping on ’68 Comeback Special: 50th Anniversary Edition, the new 5CD/2BD box set available November 30.

Follow Elvis Presley:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elvisthemusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElvisPresley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elvis/
Website: https://www.elvisthemusic.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE

{snip}

You're not going to hear anything better than this all day.

#ElvisPresley #BlueChristmas #OfficialVideo
Elvis Presley, Martina McBride - Blue Christmas (Official HD Video)
35,244,837 views • Oct 25, 2009

Elvis Presley
1.89M subscribers

Elvis Presley & Martina McBride performing "Blue Christmas"
Listen to Elvis Presley: https://Elvis.lnk.to/_listenYD

#IfICanDream #ElvisPresley #ElvisMovie
Elvis Presley - If I Can Dream ('68 Comeback Special)

Elvis Presley
3.16M subscribers

39,750,243 views Aug 16, 2018
"If I Can Dream" by Elvis Presley from the '68 Comeback Special
Listen to Elvis Presley: https://Elvis.lnk.to/_listenYD

{snip}

[Tomconroy]

1. Peak Elvis! Such a fabulous show.

[highplainsdem]

2. Remember that show very well, and being stunned by it. I'd sort of dismissed

Elvis for years, especially in comparison to the British bands that I loved. But that comeback special was a great reminder of how well he could sing, even though he didn't write his own songs. And he looked really good, especially in leather...