(Original) Elvis Presley - If I can Dream - '68 Comeback Special

"If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown and notable for its direct quotations to Martin Luther King, Jr. It was recorded by Presley in June 1968, two months after King's assassination. The recording was first released to the public as the finale of Presley's '68 Comeback Special.

Although the song is not technically gospel music, Presley performed the song with the intensity and intonations of southern gospel. It has since appeared on various Presley gospel and/or inspirational compilations.

Brown was asked to write a song to replace "I'll Be Home For Christmas" as the grand finale on NBC's "Elvis" (June 20-23, 1968). He wrote "If I Can Dream," and when Presley heard it he proclaimed "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."

Band-related errors prevented the first take from becoming the master. After the TV special, the song was released as a single - If I Can Dream/Edge Of Reality - in November 1968. It charted on Billboard's Hot 100 for 13 weeks, peaking at #12, with more than one million sales.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classic rock
• oldies
• actress
• broadway
• classics
• opera
• spirituality
• vocal
• grand
• retour
• 1968
• live
• excellent
• sound
• HD
• original

[matbo33]

THE KING

[SherryAnn68]

I still remember seeing him perform this on his 68 tv special and it completely blew me away. No one ever has or ever will sing with the kind of passion Elvis sang with and this song just goes right through your body and you feel every word he's saying. The greatest talent of all time, in my opinion. He deserved the title, The King. He will always be missed. BTW, I saw him in concert on New Years Eve in 1975.....a memory I will always cherish.

[deepystone]

King among the hand-shadow vids.....( 0:22 )

[compassbusinesscapec]

I hpoe you can rember me for this ONE!

[WalterJacksonFreeman]

I saw this It was Memorable

[Veronica4u2day]

This is the best

[rasslefight]

this was Elvis, he gave us a reason to believe

[label1877]

To place this song in context...1968 was a God-awful year for us in Vietnam...deaths were through the roof...nasty hippies were taking over Berkeley and San Francisco. Moral decay had just jumped on the fast train. This song somewhat addresses that.

[stevobath]

Shame a lot of people remember him for his fat appearances in Las Vegas,not to mention being found on the toilet after a bout of intense straining.He was cool here though...

[AmandABaR444]

I've been listening to Elvis since I was a baby, im only 22! And still prefer this over anything that has come out recently. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the great taste in music! Me and the King also share the same bday ;)

[label1877]

Vegas seemed to bring out the best in Elvis. It's like once his plane landed there... he always kicked it up a notch or two.

[wivineable]

this video start wiyh the hood caan you please take that a way