1.20.2011

ELVIS SINGS WITH FRANK SINATRA 1960


Frank Sinatra Elvis Presley 1960

Elvis appeared with Frank Sinatra on his TV show after he left the Army in 1960. The show was billed as Called Welcome Home Elvis. Frank and Elvis sang a duet which featured Elvis singing Witchcraft and Frank singing Love Me Tender.

This was radical for a couple of reasons. One, that Frank was thought as not "cool" enough to sing an Elvis tune. Two that Elvis most likely couldn't croon a tune like Witchcraft. Elvis ran away with Witchcraft and Frank... well he will be forever cool no matter what he sang...


Frank Sinatra Elvis Presley 1960

Found this fantastic video of two Elvis songs and then the duet. The audience waited a long time for this show to begin and naturally completely freaked when Elvis kind of wandered onstage while Frank was still talking to the audience. You really feel the energy of Elvis in his prime.

Welcome Home Elvis was a 1960 television special on ABC starring Frank Sinatra and featuring Elvis Presley in his first televised appearance since coming home from his military service in Germany. The special was officially titled It's Nice to Go Traveling, but is more commonly known as Welcome Home Elvis having featured Elvis on his first TV appearance in three years. This was also Frank Sinatra's fourth and final television special that he did for sponsor Timex.

The special also featured Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Nancy Sinatra, who later starred with Elvis in his 1968 film Speedway.

Elvis performed Fame and Fortune and Stuck on You, which were the two sides of his first post-Army single. He also performed a duet with Sinatra. Elvis performed Sinatra's classic Witchcraft while Frank performed the Elvis classic "Love Me Tender".

None of these performances were released on record until the 1980s. Presley also sang a verse during the opening production number, "It's Nice to Go Traveling", which has yet to be commercially released. The remainder of the special consisted of performances by the additional guest stars.
The show was a great success grabbing 41.5 percent of the ratings.


1 comment:

Michael Lynn said...

Say Hey ~ I never saw this before ~ great ~~

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