Elvis Presley Broke Into Hysterics While Singing This Hair-Raising Version of One of His Most Beloved Love Songs
After thousands of live performances and years of stage appearances, Elvis Presley had his stage banter down pat. However, he once broke into uncontrollable laughter during a 1969 performance of one of his most tender love songs. This blunder has become a favorite live recording of fans of the king of rock and roll. But what caused Elvis Presley to break down on stage?
Elvis Presley cracked himself up during a performance of ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’
Elvis Presley changed the lyrics to one of his most famous songs to switch things up during a live performance at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in August 1969. “Are You Lonesome Tonight” was a hit for the king of rock and roll in 1960.
Presley recorded the love song at the end of an all-night session at RCA’s Studio B in Nashville that started on April 3, 1960. He recorded eight songs before taking on “Are You Lonesome Tonight” early on April 4.
During his Las Vegas show, Presley switched the lyrics of the beloved ballad from “Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there” to “Do you gaze at your bald head, and wish you had hair?”
Following Elvis’ lyric switch, one audience member removed his toupee and swayed to the music. This caught Presley entirely off guard, and he could barely get through the remainder of the song.
This unguarded moment caught Elvis off guard. He couldn’t contain himself until the song’s conclusion.
Another cause for Elvis Presley’s giggles was Cissy Houston’s professionalism
Elvis Presley’s giggles increased between watching the audience’s reaction, the man’s dancing, and then, the professionalism of Cissy Houston. She was one of Presley’s background singers and Whitney Houston’s mother. Houston continued singing her high soprano part as if nothing was happening.
Presley turned to address Houston, which can be heard in the song’s official YouTube video. “Sing it, baby,” he told her as she continued to provide vocals throughout his giggling. He ended the recording by saying, “Whew! That’s it, man. Fourteen years of recording down the drain.”
Years later, in 1982, the live recording made the UK Top 30 after the song was commercially released after many years of only being available on bootleg.
How long did Cissy Houston tour with Elvis Presley?
It was in 1969 when Cissy Houston and the Sweet Inspirations (including Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shamwell, and Estelle Brown) joined Elvis for five weeks in Las Vegas.
However, Houston was less than enthusiastic when the call came to sing with Elvis. ”I wasn’t a fan of his,” she said. ”I just couldn`t imagine what we`d be singing behind Elvis Presley.”
”When we met him, he was marvelous,” she said, as reported by The Chicago Tribune. ”He could sing, and he did sing beautiful songs.”
After Houston left the group to move onto a solo career, the Sweet Inspirations continued to provide backing vocals for the king of rock and roll through 1977.
Elements of the story were reported by Elvis Presley News and Songfacts.
