Elvis Presley’s Soul-Stirring “If I Can Dream” Has Backup Singers Crying
On June 30, 1968, Elvis filmed the extraordinary “If I Can Dream” performance for his NBC-TV Special, later known as the ’68 Comeback Special. This performance took place at NBC Color City in Burbank, California. After years of focusing on films, Elvis returned to live music with this special, re-establishing himself as a top performer.
The song “If I Can Dream” was a powerful message of hope, written in response to the turbulent times of the 1960s, and Elvis’s emotional performance resonated deeply with the audience. The fifth take of this song was the one used in the broadcast.
Pouring his heart and soul into the song, he delivered it with a powerful Southern gospel style that moved not only the audience but also the three backing singers, who were brought to tears.
It struck a deep chord with Elvis, too, after hearing the final recording. He famously declared, “I’m never going to sing another song I don’t believe in. I’m never going to make another picture I don’t believe in.” Time flies, the performance is regarded as one of his most emotional moments, a key moment in relaunching his music career.
Listen the moving song in the video below:
According to his drummer at the time, D.J. Fontana (per Rolling Stone Magazine) “Elvis was hardly ever nervous – but he was then,” – “We played a couple of songs, and it got loose after a while, and it turned out fine. He just had been out of the public eye for a long time.”
Though the video was reuploaded after decades, it got huge attention, hitting over 66 million views. It also receives thousands of compliments like “This is probably one of Elvis’ most powerful moments, especially in context. You can feel the emotion in his voice, his movements, and can see it in his face. Incredible performance, the goosebumps are real.”
Interestingly, many youngsters love his music as one said, “I am a 24 year old about to be 25 this month. Listening to the great Elvis since I first heard him at 10 years old. His timeless music has saved me plenty of times.”
