'In the early going at the Charlotte Coliseum, there were scattered notes here and there that made you wonder if finally he was gonna do it but, always, he would pull up short, rely on the grins, the charisma and the legend, until finally a little before 10:45, he came to the gospel classic, 'How Great Thou Art'-. And that was it. As he came to the part where he belts out the title, he sounded like Mario Lanza with soul, cutting loose a series of high notes that would tingle the spine of even the diehard skeptic; but crecendo came on a song called 'Hurt'; it's an old song that Elvis didn't record until a couple of years ago, and the key ingredient is its range, an awesome collection of notes that could leave a normal set of vocal chords in shreds; he finished in what seemed his most potent style, but wasn't satisfied, and mumbled to the band, 'Let's do that last part again.'; he did, and if there was anyone among the packed-house crowd who had thought Elvis was a fluke, they no doubt came away converted.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- During a Charlotte Coliseum show, Elvis delivered a powerful gospel rendition of 'How Great Thou Art' and a high‑note climax on 'Hurt', showing his vocal prowess even as he demanded repeats.
- In plain terms
- He gave a strong gospel performance and hit high notes on 'Hurt'.
- What can you take from it?
- A standout song can highlight a singer’s technical skill.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do artists repeat parts live?
- How does audience reaction shape setlists?
Another view
Repeated takes may indicate dissatisfaction with the performance.
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