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Elvis Presley / ’68 Comeback Special 50th anniversary box set

50th anniversary • All existing audio and video • 5CD + 2 x blu-ray


Sony will celebrate Elvis Presley‘s ’68 Comeback Special will a seven-disc super deluxe edition box set, due to be issued at the end of November.

The TV special was actually called Singer… presents Elvis (the Singer corporation being the sponsor) and was rescued from being a schmaltzy affair (with The King singing Christmas Carols) by producer Bob Finkel and director Steve Binder who combined to produce something that would appeal to a younger demographic and help to update Elvis Presley’s sound.

The really memorable section of the show was the ‘sit down’ element, that had Elvis on stage dressed in black leather, guitar in hand, with guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana. This performance included raw takes of some of Presley’s best records, including ‘That’s All Right’ and ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ Great versions of  ‘Baby, What You Want Me to Do’ and ‘Lawdy, Miss Clawdy’ signaled Presley’s return to rock ‘n’ roll, after years in Hollywood making  forgettable movies and dubious soundtracks.

The ’68 Comeback Special, as it became known, aired on 3 December 1968 and helped rejuvenate Presley’s recording career.



The new box set features five CDs and two blu-rays and collects all of the existing audio and video from the show, including including the original album, both ‘sit-down’ and ‘stand-up’ performances, rehearsals and sessions recorded with the Wrecking Crew in June 1968, including outtakes. The box set includes an 84-page book with the story told through interviews conducted for this year’s HBO documentary ‘The Searcher’.

This 50th anniversary ’68 Comeback Special box set will be issued on 30 November 2018.

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Elvis: '68 Comeback Special: 50th Anniversary Edition

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Elvis Presley, “68 Comeback Special (50th Anniversary Edition)


CD 1
The Original Album
1. “Trouble” / “Guitar Man” (Opening)
2. Medley:
“Lawdy, Miss Clawdy”
“Baby, What You Want Me To Do”
Dialogue; Medley: “Heartbreak Hotel” / “Hound Dog” / “All Shook Up”
“Can’t Help Falling In Love”
“Jailhouse Rock”
Dialogue; “Love Me Tender”
3. Medley:
Dialogue; “Where Could I Go But To The Lord” / “Up Above My Head” / “Saved”
4. Medley:
Dialogue; “Blue Christmas” (5:34)
Dialogue; “One Night”
5. Memories
6. Medley: “Nothingville” / Dialogue; “Big Boss Man” / “Guitar Man” / “Little Egypt” / “Trouble” / “Guitar Man”
7. “If I Can Dream”
Bonus Cuts
8. “It Hurts Me” (splice/edit of part 1 – take 7, part 2 – take 7 & part 1 – take 6)
9. “Let Yourself Go” (splice/edit of part 1 – take 1 & part 2 – take 2)
10. “Memories”
11. “If I Can Dream”

CD 2
First ‘Sit Down’ show
1. “That’s All Right”
2. “Heartbreak Hotel”
3. “Love Me”
4. “Baby, What You Want Me To Do”
5. “Blue Suede Shoes”
6. “Baby, What You Want Me To Do
7. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy”
8. “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”
9. “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again”
10. “Blue Christmas”
11. “Trying to Get to You”
12. “One Night”
13. “Baby, What You Want Me to Do”
14. “One Night”
15. “Memories”

First ‘Stand Up’ show
16. “Heartbreak Hotel”
17. “Hound Dog”
18. “All Shook Up”
19. “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
20. “Jailhouse Rock”
21. “Don’t Be Cruel”
22. “Blue Suede Shoes”
23. “Love Me Tender”
24. “Trouble”
25. “Baby, What You Want Me to Do”
26. “If I Can Dream”

CD 3
Second ‘Sit Down’ show
1. “Heartbreak Hotel”
2. “Baby, What You Want Me to Do”
3. Introductions
4. “That’s All Right”
5. “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”
6. “Baby, What You Want Me to Do”
7. “Blue Suede Shoes”
8. “One Night”
9. “Love Me”
10. “Trying to Get to You”
11. “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy”
12. “Santa Claus is Back in Town”
13. “Blue Christmas”
14. “Tiger Man”
15. “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again”
16. “Memories”

Second ‘Stand Up’ show
17. “Heartbreak Hotel”
18. “Hound Dog”
19. “All Shook Up”
20. “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
21. “Jailhouse Rock”
22. “Don’t Be Cruel”
23. “Blue Suede Shoes”
24. “Love Me Tender”
25. “Trouble” / “Guitar Man”
26. “Trouble” / “Guitar Man”
27. “If I Can Dream”

CD 4
First rehearsal
1. “I Got A Woman”
2. “Blue Moon” / “Young Love” / “Oh, Happy Day”
3. “When It Rains It Really Pours”
4. “Blue Christmas”
5. “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” / “That’s My Desire”
6. “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”
7. “Peter Gunn Theme”
8. “Love Me”
9. “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again”
10. “Blue Christmas” / “Santa Claus is Back in Town”

Second rehearsal
11. “Danny Boy”
12. “Baby, What You Want Me to Do”
13. “Love Me”
14. “Tiger Man”
15. “Santa Claus is Back in Town”
16. “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy”
17. “One Night”
18. “Blue Christmas”
19. “Baby, What You Want Me to Do”
20. “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again”
21. “Blue Moon of Kentucky”

CD 5
The Wrecking Crew Sessions
1. “Nothingville (Guitar Man’s Evil #1)” – takes 5 & 6
2. “Guitar Man (Guitar Man’s Evil #1)” – take 2
3. “Let Yourself Go, part 1 (Guitar Man’s Evil #2)” – take 5 & 7/M
4. “Let Yourself Go, part 2 (Guitar Man’s Evil #3)” – take 7/M
5. “Guitar Man (Escape #1, fast)” – takes 1, 2 & 5
6. “Big Boss Man (Escape #3)” – take 2
7. “It Hurts Me, part 1 (Escape #4)” – take 5
8. “It Hurts Me, part 2 (After Karate #1)” – take 3
9. “Guitar Man (After Karate #2)” – take 1
10. “Little Egypt (After Karate #2)” – take 6
11. “Trouble / Guitar Man (After Karate #3)” – take 2
12. “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” / “Where Could I Go But to the Lord (Gospel #1)” – rehearsal & take 1 (5:23)
13. “Up Above My Head” / “Saved (Gospel #2)” – takes 4 & 7
14. “Saved (Gospel #3)” – takes 2 & 4
15. “Trouble” / “Guitar Man (Opening)” – takes 6 & 7
16. “If I Can Dream” – take 1
17. “If I Can Dream” – takes 2, 3 & 4
18. “Memories” – takes 3 & 4/vocal overdub #1
19. “Let Yourself Go” (closing instrumental)

Blu-ray Disc 1:
Elvis NBC TV Special originally broadcast on Dec. 3, 1968
Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1 – June 27, 1968
Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2 – June 27, 1968
Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1 – June 29, 1968
Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2 – June 29, 1968

Details as follows:


  1. Opening Production Number

  2. Lawdy Miss Clawdy

  3. Baby, What You Want Me To Do

  4. Medley: Heartbreak Hotel / Hound Dog / All Shook Up

  5. Can’t Help Falling In Love

  6. Jailhouse Rock

  7. Can I borrow your little whatchacallit?/This leather suit’s hot

  8. Love Me Tender

  9. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

  10. Rock & roll music is . . .

  11. Gospel Production Number

  12. Baby, What You Want Me To Do

  13. Blue Christmas

  14. Man, I just work here./No strap.

  15. One Night

  16. Memories

  17. Guitar Man Production Number

  18. If I Can Dream – Show Closer

  19. Credits Roll

  20. Elvis takes the stage.

  21. Elvis introduces band-mates.

  22. That’s All Right

  23. Heartbreak Hotel/Spoken Word

  24. Love Me

  25. Swapping axes./Are we on television?

  26. Baby, What You Want Me To Do

  27. Touching body with hands./Rock & roll music is . . .

  28. Blue Suede Shoes

  29. Baby, What You Want Me To Do

  30. Something wrong with my lip./He’s gotta be crazy.

  31. Lawdy Miss Clawdy

  32. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

  33. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again

  34. Blue Christmas

  35. Trying To Get To You

  36. One Night – Somebody pulled the plug, man.

  37. Baby, What You Want Me To Do

  38. Man, I just work here./No strap.

  39. One Night

  40. Memories

  41. Audience warm-up./Mr. Elvis Presley.

  42. Heartbreak Hotel

  43. Baby, What You Want Me To Do

  44. Elvis refers to script./Introduces band-mates.

  45. That’s All Right/Spoken Word

  46. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

  47. Baby, What You Want Me To Do

  48. Can’t even touch myself./You gonna get arrested, boy.

  49. Blue Suede Shoes

  50. We don’t have a strap?/Lines from MacArthur Park.

  51. One Night

  52. Love Me

  53. Hanky flies about./The new music./My style came from . . .

  54. Trying To Get To You/Spoken Word

  55. Lawdy Miss Clawdy

  56. Girl saves Elvis tissue lint./Never ceases to amaze me, baby.

  57. Santa Claus Is Back In Town

  58. Blue Christmas

  59. Tiger Man

  60. Another tissue girl./MacArthur Park lines.

  61. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again

  62. Memories/Spoken Word

  63. Audience warm-up./Here’s Elvis Presley.

  64. Heartbreak Hotel/One Night – Sound Goes Out/Spoken Word

  65. Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up/Spoken Word

  66. Can’t Help Falling In Love

  67. Jailhouse Rock

  68. Don’t Be Cruel

  69. Blue Suede Shoes

  70. Love Me Tender/Spoken Word

  71. Anybody got a handkerchief?

  72. Trouble/Spoken Word

  73. Baby, What You Want Me To Do – Impromptu Jam

  74. If I Can Dream – Lip-Synch Performance.

  75. Audience warm-up./And it stars Elvis Presley./Heartbreak Hotel – False start.

  76. Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up

  77. Can’t Help Falling In Love

  78. Jailhouse Rock

  79. Don’t Be Cruel – Moby Dick!

  80. Blue Suede Shoes – False start. One more time, gently.

  81. Blue Suede Shoes

  82. Can I borrow your little whatchacallit?/This leather suit’s hot.

  83. Love Me Tender

  84. Preparation./Who’s that strange man out there, Elvis?

  85. Trouble – Should I be on the microphone here?/Spoken Word

  86. Trouble – I got my lip hung on the microphone./Spoken Word

  87. Trouble/Guitar Man

  88. Lines from MacArthur Park and Tiptoe Through The Tulips

  89. Trouble/Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  90. If I Can Dream – Lip-Synch Performance./Spoken Word

Blu-ray Disc 2:
“Trouble” / “Guitar Man” TV Show Opener – June 30, 1968 – All Takes and Raw Components
If I Can Dream TV Show Closer – June 30, 1968 – All Takes
Huh-Huh-Huh Promo – June 30, 1968
Elvis Closing Credits Without Credit Roll – June 30, 1968
“If I Can Dream” Special Music Video 2004 – June 30, 1968
Gospel Production Number – All Takes and Raw Components
“Guitar Man” Production Number – All Takes and Raw Components
Blu-ray Special Feature Re-Cut

Details as follows:


  1. Trouble/Guitar Man

  2. Trouble/Guitar Man

  3. Trouble-Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  4. Trouble/Guitar Man

  5. Trouble/Guitar Man

  6. Trouble/Guitar Man

  7. Trouble/Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  8. Trouble/Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  9. Trouble/Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  10. If I Can Dream

  11. If I Can Dream/Spoken Word

  12. If I Can Dream

  13. If I Can Dream

  14. Huh-Huh-Huh Promo

  15. Elvis Closing Credits Without Credits Roll

  16. If I Can Dream – Special Music Video 2004

  17. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head

  18. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head/Spoken Word

  19. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head/Spoken Word

  20. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child

  21. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Spoken Word

  22. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head/Spoken Word

  23. Up Above My Head/Saved/Spoken Word

  24. Up Above My Head/Spoken Word

  25. Up Above My Head/Saved/Spoken Word

  26. Up Above My Head/Saved/Spoken Word

  27. Up Above My Head/Saved/Spoken Word

  28. Up Above My Head/Saved/Spoken Word

  29. Saved/Spoken Word

  30. Saved

  31. Saved

  32. Saved/Spoken Word

  33. Saved/Spoken Word

  34. Saved

  35. Saved/Spoken Word

  36. Saved/Spoken Word

  37. Saved/Spoken Word

  38. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  39. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  40. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  41. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  42. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  43. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  44. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  45. Big Boss Man/Spoken Word

  46. Big Boss Man

  47. Big Boss Man

  48. It Hurts Me

  49. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  50. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  51. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  52. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  53. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  54. It Hurts Me

  55. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  56. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  57. It Hurts Me

  58. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  59. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  60. It Hurts Me

  61. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  62. It Hurts Me/Spoken Word

  63. It Hurts Me

  64. Let Yourself Go/Spoken Word

  65. Let Yourself Go

  66. Let Yourself Go/Spoken Word

  67. Let Yourself Go/Spoken Word

  68. Let Yourself Go/Spoken Word

  69. Let Yourself Go

  70. Let Yourself Go

  71. Let Yourself Go

  72. Let Yourself Go

  73. Let Yourself Go

  74. Let Yourself Go

  75. Let Yourself Go

  76. Let Yourself Go

  77. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Words

  78. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Word

  79. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Recording

  80. Bordello – Insert Shots

  81. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Recording

  82. Bordello – Insert Shots

  83. Bordello – Insert Shots

  84. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Recording

  85. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Word

  86. Bordello – Insert Shots

  87. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Word

  88. Bordello – Insert Shots/Spoken Word

  89. Nothingville

  90. Nothingville/Spoken Word

  91. Nothingville/Spoken Word

  92. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  93. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  94. Guitar Man

  95. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  96. Guitar Man

  97. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  98. Guitar Man

  99. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  100. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  101. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  102. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  103. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  104. Guitar Man/Spoken Word

  105. Guitar Man

  106. Little Egypt/Trouble/Spoken Word

  107. Little Egypt/Trouble

  108. Little Egypt/Trouble/Spoken Word

  109. Little Egypt/Trouble/Spoken Word

  110. Trouble/Spoken Word

  111. Trouble/Spoken Word

  112. Trouble/Spoken Word

  113. Trouble/Spoken Word

  114. Trouble/Spoken Word

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