PERRY COMO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

This is an actual Perry Como Christmas Special, from 1958. The picture quality isn't great, but neither were television sets back then. This is probably what it looked like on your TV. Suspend your disbelief and pretend it's 1958: Sputnik has just been launched by the Russians, Nabokov is causing a stir with "Lolita," and Elvis has just gone into the army. Listen to this and you'll wish Elvis had never left.

BLUE CHRISTMAS

Elvis Presley singing "Blue Christmas" from the 1968 Comeback Special. By 1968, the world had moved on from old Elvis rockabilly and his Hollywood shtick. This was the year of heavy albums from the counter-culture like the Beatles "White Album", the Stones' "Beggar's Banquet," and Jimi's "Electric Ladyland." Dylan had gone electric and back by this time. So Elvis staged this show. He came out looking lean and mean in black leather and sounded great. Even better than the big production numbers, were these loose informal jam sessions featuring original band members DJ Fontana and Scotty Moore. A casual King, predating "Unplugged" by a couple decades.