The final versions of Polk Salad Annie
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 27.12.76 | -- | 1'25" | 35 | quick | 3'50" | 'Jerry play the Blues'-to a fast going down end. |
| 28.12.76 | -- | 1'25" | 30 | yes | 3'40" | 'daddy was lazy',chick a booms with 'sweets' |
| 29.12.76 | -- | 1'20" | 32 | no | 3'43" | Goes 'chick a boom,boom' to a low bass end. |
| 30.12.76 | 1x | 1'25" | 43 | no | 4'20" | Again chick a boom boom, long ending. |
| 31.12.76 | -- | 1'15" | 35 | no | 3'44" | Kick end,but not the best version. |
| 12.2.77 | -- | 1'17" | 45 | no | 3'20" | Ends very quickly as Elvis seems to run tire out. |
| 16.2.77 | 1x | 1'20" | 43 | yes | 4'06" | Chick a boom,then goes down last 40 secs to end. |
| 17.2.77 | -- | 1'20" | 33 | yes | 4'22" | 'down in the state of Georgia',down end good. |
| 19.2.77 | -- | 1'25" | 30 | nos | 3'30" | Drum bass fair loose ending as Elvis chick a booms. |
The Answer is quite simply NO -Elvis wasn't up to performing Polk salad on his 2nd or last tours in 1977, but DID however perform it on his April and May Tours. FEVER was performed in March 77 but instead of this being followed by PSA as before it didn't happen.Fairly frequently.he seemed to tire on his March tour easily and UNCHAINED MELODY also wasn't performed.Elvis seems to start to have more energy with his Toledo 23.4.77 show and performances over the next 2 nights are of a high standard.The interesting thing with the Toledo version is that Jerry's amp startles Elvis and after the song Elvis asks 'what the heck was that' also Jerry's Bass comes on very strong at the end of the song.Only on a few occasions since Jerry returned to the band on April 24th 1975 did Elvis ask him to 'play it' on PSA 99% of the time it was J. Burton taking the leed with the solo- even though soon in 1976 like Bardwell had done with James Jerry would play WITH James on his solos and of course do the low notes through PSA especially at the end.I don't think Elvis intentionally left Jerry out it's just that after always having James Burton their he really came to rely on him in 74 especially with Jerry gone. When Jerry came back initially he played too fast (as the pace had slowed down) and also soon he would get a SOLO spot in the band intros anyway to play his Bass Solo, therefore Jerry never went back to the main position he had in 72' with his 'freaky' PSA solos but of course he DID play a big part of the overall sound.
The Ann Arbour version athrough recorded is not listed as on 24 track recording and indeed Chris Brown says in his book 'Elvis in Concert' that Elvis tries to do a low leg stretch but can't quite make it? Ending the song with a little Karate Kick.Both the Milwaulkie and St Paul versions sound good .The Chicago 2.5.77 is good as well and after having complained a lot about microphones at this show he even changes the lines to 'sock a microphone' as he 'goes down' this version was really well received by the Chicago Fans.The Saginaw 3.5.77 version has the sound pack up at 50 seconds into the song, but Elvis finally delivers a good version after saying his equipment is falling apart!.
At the start of the 4th 1977 tour it's obvious that Elvis isn't well and not until Binghampton on 26.5.77 that he feels up to performing it.this sounds like quite a good version.A couple of nights later at his Philadephia 28.5.77 show Elvis starts ok to do PSA again - however tragedy happens as he gets to the 'going down ' part Seen on a video of this show Elvis prepares himself then noticeably winces saying 'not now baby' before giving a sheepish grin and cancelling out on the low leg squats to an weak arm jabbing end which is just tremendously sad to see and very dissapointing.It's just so obvious that he's more than overweight he is not well in pain and unable to perform properly.The next night in Baltimore he had to leave the stage because his pain got so bad! After performing quite well(but no extra's) in JACKSONVILLE on 30th May 77' Elvis next appeared on 31st May in Baton Rouge where despite not looking well he STILL performed a FULL BLOWN version of POLK SALAD ANNIE to an incredible and excellent sounding end at over 5 minutes a length of performance not heard for YEARS! ELVIS NEXT FINALLY PERFORMED psa in Mobile on 2.6.77. This version just so happens to be a good one (as was the standard of the whole show) it features a wild drum ending great playing from the whole band and a duet solo from James and Jerry, well appreciated by fans present.
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 23.04.77 | 1x | 1'24" | 29 | yes | 3'55" | @2.50 Jerry's Bass gets loud startling Elvis,fair end from Elvis but with great bass from Jerry.. |
| 24.04.77 | -- | 1'20" | 35 | yes | 3'55" | Elvis-'getting ready to test this suit',' Going Down'. |
| 27.04.77 | -- | 1'22" | 38 | yes | 4'00" | Pretty Good |
| 30.04.77 | -- | 1'24" | 37 | yes | 4'10" | Performed later in the show but pretty good version. |
| 2.05.77 | -- | 1'30" | 30 | yes | 4'10" | Receives a false start,but pretty good version-kick end |
| 3.05.77 | -- | 1'20" | 35 | yes | 4'05" | F.Start, Elvis says 'our equipment is falling apart'. |
| 26.05.77 | 2x | 1'20" | 36 | yes | 4'05" | Quite a good version. |
| 28.05.77 | 1x | 1'20" | 39 | no | 4'37" | 'going down',then after 10" -'not now baby'. |
| 31.05.77 | 1x | 1'32" | 48 | yes | 5'04" | 'goin' down' to excellent loud drum end. |
| 2.06.77 | 1x | 1'17" | 35 | yes | 4'42" | 'going down' to a wild drum end. |
In 1977 usually if performed it was again just prior to the introductions with the exception of the St. Paul 30.4.77 show when like in late 74' it was performed just before the closing song.In Elvis Monthly # 422 in THE SEQUEL article by the Ledgendary David G.Hall in the last page of his article he listed as POLK SALAD ANNIE being performed on 21.6.77 BEFORE HURT and after the Introductions. I'm sure we all know now that that WAS NOT the case even though up to 1995 it was thought so.Elvis NEVER performed POLK SALAD right after the intros! The muddle back then came from an 'unreliable' account which was the introduction to the 1979 John Reggero 'ELVIS IN CONCERT ' book and I feel some mix up has occurred between the Stanley introduction and the main body of the text which is taken from the two 19.7.75 Uniondale shows!.Thankfully the release on the BVC of the CBS tapes has put an end to this FALSE Rumour! The LAST version Was Performed on 2.6.77 in Mobile,Alabama!.
So here you have a concise tabular review of all the versions available and a text review of the interesting points as well.After listening to 360 versions of PSA I reckon that Elvis performed it about 700 times between 1970 and 1977(including rehearsal versions) It leaves about 345 versions 'unavailable' from the 70's. That's PSA sung at 61% of shows from 1969-1977! If we look back at the Evolution we see how it transformed from Tony Joe White's version to become initially extended under Elvis, then feature the STAGE 'STOP' additions of other songs (mainly I JOHN) THEN A REAL karate WORKOUT. From 1972 onwards the Dialogue introduction was omitted and as a result it became shorter in length.1972 gave us the 'ON TOUR' version and the magnificent Madison Square Garden versions with that fantastic Bass Solo! No official release of POLK SALAD after this and indeed 1973 was very much a year without PSA!. In 1974 Elvis would do longer low leg poses and Joe's Orchestration of his BRASS section keying in the last part was magnificent. In 1975 it only re-appeared whilst 'on tours' and then mostly in the July 75 one at that.As seen by the pictures from the 22.7.75 show Elvis although heavier still performed PSA well with a mean looking end kick!.Even back in Vegas in December 1975 he was performing it more than before at every show except the closing show and in a brilliant way(helped by his band) with that bare simple sounding 'going down' routine that became so watchable on stage!. After briefly flirting with a different 'chick a boom boom' vocalised ending in late 76' early 77' at the very last 77 performances it was back to a middle of 1976 standard as every move every poised leg stretch was lapped up by fans when he performed it. Remarkably some of his last versions stretched right out to 5 minutes (like the length of the 1970 versions!) Elvis was like an old large Tyrannosaurus at the end of the Cretaceous.Slow moving but still dangerous! He was soon to become extinct but left us with some tremendous versions of POLK SALAD ANNIE to remember. Always exciting never the same for long Listen to POLK SALAD with Elvis TODAY! Also check out the Web sites as there are some tremendous photo's (obviously whilst performing PSA) to be seen .
I'd like to say Special thanks to Evan Mueller for help with this article and Joe Guercio and Jerry Scheff for shaking my hand with a few kind words after the Sydney 12.11.99 Concert.(to hear 2 drum sets playing POLK SALAD was 'incredible'!) Great to see/hear it 'live'!.
