Wait, wait, wait. Don't fire off a correction message to me just yet.
Yes, I said 1967 Christmas special. That was not a typo.
While Elvis' 1968 Christmas special is legendary, nearly lost to time is Elvis' Christmas special from the previous year. His 1967 Christmas special no doubt inspired the original concept of the ELVIS ('68 Comeback) special.
On Sunday, December 3, 1967, a special called Season's Greetings From Elvis aired on over 2,000 stations across the United States. Why is it mostly forgotten? Season's Greetings From Elvis was a radio special.
The special contained no new numbers by Elvis, but instead featured previously released Christmas and religious music. The songs in the half-hour show included:
• Here Comes Santa Claus (1957)
• Blue Christmas (1957)
• O' Little Town Of Bethlehem (1957)
• Silent Night (1957)
• I'll Be Home For Christmas (1957)
• I Believe (1957)
• If Every Day Was Like Christmas (1966)
• How Great Thou Art (1966)
• His Hand In Mine (1960)
• I'll Be Home For Christmas (1957)
The special's finale, I'll Be Home For Christmas, contained a new voice-over by Elvis : 'Thank you for listening. I'd like to wish you a merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year'. Oddly, this 1967 audio was later placed on top of Silent Night on 1982's 'Memories Of Christmas' (and re-released on 1994's 'If Every Day Was Like Christmas'). However, the beginning music of I'll Be Home For Christmas and not Silent Night can still be heard in the background on those releases as Elvis speaks the lines.
Exactly one year later, on December 3, 1968, the more famous Elvis Christmas special aired. Colonel Tom Parker's original concept for the '68 special sounded like little more than a TV version of Season's Greetings From Elvis. The eventual show turned out much different, of course, and changed everything.
To fellow Elvis fans across the world, I'd like to wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas.
Elvis' Christmas Special : By Tygrrius, December 25, 2010
Elvis Australia wish you and your family a very merry Christmas as much more Elvis in 2011!
Elvis with Lisa Marie, 1972.
Where do I find the song .... ? Check or Elvis Song DataBase !