In 1976 Elvis started off performing POLK SALAD at EVERY show in his first 2 tours this year! As had suited Elvis well from 1975 onwards PSA continued to be performed in most cases just prior to the band introductions. There were exceptions however like in the Largo 27.6.76 E/S when it was performed just prior to C.H.F.I.L. or again in Roanoke on 2.8.76 before the closing song. PERFORMING POLK SALAD ANNIE for the BI-CENTENNIAL YEAR-Always a 'BIG ' production!
During this first tour #16 in 1976 Elvis still performed POLK SALAD at every show 'going down' to the low moves and an end Karate Kick.One positive thing present for this tour was a fresh and keen to work hard Drummer Larrie Londin - I'm sure Larry helped PUSH Elvis to perform better than he would without such 'busy drumming.Just looking at the video of his Johnson City 19.3.76 show we now see Elvis do right arm jabs, revolve,leg dances a back wiggle and praying before he 'goes down' to perform a left and right leg low pose. Then Elvis picks up the microphone finally giving a from right to left KICK at the end. These may not have been the most vigorous versions of POLK SALAD but being slower just gave fans more time to savour every move,every moment and to grab a picture! It's as if by doing these moves well, but slower it gave fans more time to worship at the Shrine!.POLK SALAD ANNIE in 1976 was STILL something to watch!.As he prepares to do the low squats at the Cincinatti E/S on 21st March 1876 Elvis says 'Lord I hope I don't go' after the ending Elvis then mentions that at this afternoons show he split his pants whilst doing POLK SALAD (In fact he came back on stage then showing the bi-centennial suit he had just taken off!) The closing tour version of PSA was 'sluggish' but that's the way it was.
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 17.3.76 | -- | 1'15" | 30 | yes | 3'58" | Guitar playing'going down' music,drum end. |
| 18.3.76 | -- | 1'20" | 32 | no | 4'12" | No going down drums,duo and long ending. |
| 19.3.76 | 1x | 1'20" | 37 | yes | 4'20" | f.start @30". Elvis prays before low leg squats. |
| 20.3.76 A/S | -- | 1'20" | 35 | yes | 4'04" | From 3.05 drums only to end |
| 20.3.76 E/S | -- | 1'20" | 25 | yes | 3'50" | Great'bare' going down music!.great drumming |
| 21.3.76 A/S | -- | 1'10" | 30 | no | 3'30" | Frantic ending-pant ripping here cuts it short. |
| 21.3.76 E/S | 1x | 1'15" | 35 | yes | 3'35" | 'Lord I hope I don't Go!'-before low leg squats! |
| 22.3.76 | -- | 1'25" | 40 | yes | 3'49" | Bass only as he 'goes down' sluggish moves. |
The next end of April tour went through to the close of another Lake Tahoe Season. Elvis's opening tour Kansas City show was Very,very good and so was his version of POLK SALAD! A good tour and versions of Polk Salad which continued into Lake Tahoe where it was not performed every night now,just sometimes. Indeed on 4th May at his show Elvis gave fans a choice again either POLK SALAD or BURNING LOVE- the fans chose BURNING LOVE that night! Again like 4th May on the 6th May fans were given the same choice and POLK SALAD it was!.On my muffled tape of the LAKE TAHOE 8.5.76 D/S POLK SALAD sounds like my washing machine with a heavy load!. Hearing Elvis perform PSA at the Lake Tahoe 8.5.76 M/S is super -especially the 'going down' part with a very simple sound of just the 'Sweets' chanting and the Guitars!leading up to a Drum Frantic ending!.
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 21.4.76 | -- | 1'15" | 36 | yes | 4'16" | Excellent Drum 'going down' music to end. |
| 23.4.76 | -- | 1'20" | 35 | yes | 3'57" | Full last minute going down drums till end. |
| 25.4.76 A/S | 1x | 1'20" | 36 | yes | 3'56" | @3.09 'going down' till great drum ending. |
| 25.4.76 E/S | 1x | 1'25" | 52 | yes | 4'21" | Loose drum going down music @ 3.26. |
| 25.4.76 E/S | 1x | 1'25" | 52 | yes | 4'21" | Loose drum going down music @ 3.26. |
| 26.4.76 | 2x | 1'16" | 36 | yes | 3'47" | @ 3' going down music to drum ending. |
| 30.4.76 o/s | -- | 1'22" | 37 | yes | 3'53" | 'I'm coming apart at the seams-really!' |
| 5.5.76 | -- | 1'25" | 30 | no | 4'00" | Long ending instrumental from the band. |
| 6.5.76 | -- | 1'17" | 37 | yes | 3'39" | going down music-just drums +Bass. |
| 7.5.76 M/S | -- | 1'16" | 37 | yes | 3'43" | Last minute just 'bare' drum and bass music |
| 8.5.76 D/S | -- | 1'15" | 32 | yes | 4'17" | 'sock a little' to going down drum end. |
| 8.5.76 M/S | -- | 1'20" | 37 | yes | 4'05" | Just bass and 'sweets' as Elvis does squats. |
| 9.5.76 10 pm | -- | 1'20" | 35 | yes | 4'00" | Very atmospheric sounding version. |
Following Tahoe the 1976 tours continued.Sure the tours continued but now usually instead of 'going down' on BOTH left and right sides with leg poses usually Elvis would just go down on the left only which showed he was somewhat reducing what he did. However Elvis in 1976 still looked good and if you've seen the nice pictures of Elvis doing PSA in Oklahoma on 29.5.76 or Lubbock on 31.5.76 you'll know he looks good doing each move with precision care and skill.As I have said PSA wasn't performed EVERY show now and the shows 30.5.76 E/S,and 6.6.76 certainly did not have PSA performed.In the next tour PSA wasn't performed at the 26.6.76 Providence shows or the Largo 27.6.76 A/S, Greensboro 30.6.76 and Tulsa 4.7.76 also missed out.Sometimes now though as in the end of tour Memphis 5.7.76 show he would be winded after performing polk salad and at this show asked the band to play an instrumental of Jambalaya whilst he recovered for the next song!.
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 27.5.76 | -- | 1'25" | 42 | yes | 4'19" | Low left leg 'squat' moves well,good drums. |
| 28.5.76 | 1x | 1'22" | 38 | yes | 4'02" | Last minute to a slow going down drum end. |
| 30.5.76 A/S | -- | 1'215" | 32 | yes | 3'45" | Great going down music for last 30 seconds. |
| 1.6.76 | 3x | 1'21" | 38 | yes | 3'45" | "Sock a little Tuscon" version pretty good. |
| 3.6.76 | 1x | 1'20" | 37 | yes | 3'45" | f.start, good version. |
| 4.6.76 | 1x | 1'15" | 27 | yes | 3'30" | 'down in the state of Georgia' fast but good |
| 5.6.76 e/s | -- | 1'25" | 38 | yes | 4'30" | Unusual 30 sec reprise end with J. Scheff. |
| 25.6.76 e/s | 1x | 1'22" | 33 | yes | 3'28" | 'play the Bass Jerry-you play it!''lord help me' |
| 29.6.76 | 1x | 1'25" | 35 | yes | 3'50" | 'play it Jerry',ok version |
| 2.7.76 | 1x | 1'27" | 46 | yes | 4'12" | Play it James and 'bare' drum going down end. |
| 3.7.76 | 1x | 1'35" | 47 | yes | 4'31" | 'down in the state of Texas'bare drum end. |
| 5.7.76 | -- | 1'20" | 40 | yes | 3'49" | 'goin' down' with 'sweets' chant 'sock it to me' |
A fatter less well Elvis continued in the high Summer Tours and polk salad was less frequent. In this tour though he still tried and performed it-sometimes with ok results. However an Elvis suffering from a Summer Cold as well as out of condition couldn't perform that well with his Fayetteville 3rd and 5th August versions.Elvis tried on his next tour but basically after a starting tour 27.8.76 version which was slower he wasn't up to performing it again until 1st September again.However 1.9.76 proved a big turning point as far as his 'couldn't care less' shows and performances continued to improve with afternoon good performances of Polk Salad in Lakeland and Huntsville with no problems with the good closing show PSA Performances in PINE BLUFF on 7th and 8th September.
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 23.7.76 | -- | 1'30" | 36 | yes | 3'53" | Pretty good start to the tour.seems 'up' for it. |
| 25.7.76 | -- | 1'20" | 40 | yes | 3'46" | Says 'not now Honey' whilst doing leg squats. |
| 26.7.76 | -- | 1'25" | 39 | yes | 3'57" | Just like the 25.7.76 version! |
| 27.7.76 | 1x | 1'20" | 44 | yes | 3'55" | Well received,wild applause. |
| 28.7.76 | 2x | 1'22" | 35 | yes | 3'50" | All moves performed but not even out of breath!. |
| 29.7.76 | -- | 1'05" | 30 | yes | 3'15" | 'bare ' going down music. |
| 2.8.76 | -- | 1'15" | 37 | no | 3'17" | Sounds like a poor version, penultimate song. |
| 27.8.76 | -- | 1'25" | 37 | yes | 4'18" | Slower than usual version to a slow drum end. |
| 4.9.76 A/S | -- | 1'25" | 37 | yes | 4'03" | Drum ending ok. |
| 7.9.76 | -- | 1'20" | 27 | yes | 3'40" | Good going down music drums + guitars |
| 8.9.76 | 1x | 1'17" | 40 | yes | 4'07" | Great drum ending-pretty good version. |
A thinner re-vitalised Elvis appeared for the October 76' tour.PSA again retaining it's favourite place as performed just prior to the band introductions.For his first version on this tour Elvis does all the moves and just drinks water during the solo's.He prays before going down on his left leg then ends with a final left leg Kick.He performed quite acceptably on this tour finishing with a final version in Carbondale on 27th October 1976
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 14.10.76 | 1x | 1'20" | 30 | yes | 3'45" | Jokes'cause the bass players' ends with 'kick'. |
| 22.10.76 | 1x | 1'17" | 39 | yes | 4'25" | Great drum end. Humid sounding start. |
| 23.10.76 | 1x | 1'27" | 30 | yes | 4'16" | Ex drumming,jumps around on pony stick after. |
| 24.10.76 | 1x | 1'12" | 39 | yes | 3'44" | Short,but good. |
| 26.10.76 | -- | 1'15" | 30 | yes | 3'40" | Not bad. |
The next tour ran into his last Vegas Season.Elvis first performed PSA in Eugene on 27.11.76 after MY WAY before the intros, then again on 28.11.76 with a great version to be seen in Anaheim on 30.11.76! Here Elvis pumps his arm to the left,then the right and before 'going down' hitches up his belt around his waist then going down on both sides left and right before a final left Karate Kick. Elvis continued this fine form with his opening night 2.12.76 version - which by all accounts was at least as good and well appreciated. This version has a great funky drum end and you just know Elvis appears in TOP FORM!. At the next days Dinner Show though Elvis moves as if in Stomach pain as we expect him to signal to the band to 'go down' but instead he just finishes with an arm Karate move and stance .After recent performances this is really quite a dissapointment!.The 4.12.76 M/S sounds a little better but again really seems to be 'cut short' when compared to the opening show version.The 6.12.76 version starts well but very sadly soon ABORTS @ 3.15 to an extremely rapid and disappointing ending!?. Clearly Elvis wasn't well enough to Perform PSA here. The final season version aborts again after less than 30 seconds of 'going down ' music and there is hardly any applause at all showing the fans must have been disappointed as well as me!.
| Date | 'LORD' | Play it J.B @ | R/T | Going Down? | END R/T | Comments |
| 28.11.76 | -- | 1'25" | 37 | yes | 4'15" | Piano - keyboard ending sounding pretty good |
| 30.11.76 | -- | 1'25" | 34 | yes | 3'55" | Hitches up belt before 'going down'bass end. |
| 2.12.76 O/S | -- | 1'25" | 40 | yes | 4'42" | Super version,funky drum end-'play it Jerry' |
| 3.12.76 D/S | -- | 1'20" | 40 | no | 3'40" | Ends in Karate arm pose-bit disappointing. |
| 4.12.76 M/S | -- | 1'25" | 40 | yes | 4'10" | v.brief 'goin' down' to a drum ending. |
| 6.12.76 10pm | -- | 1'20" | 36 | v.brief | 3'30" | 'going down' aborted after few secs 15" end. |
| 10.12.76 M/S | 1x | 1'25" | 40 | brief | 3'44" | Disappointingly short ending very fast. |
After Christmas was a tour that performance wise can be grouped with the first tour of 77'This is because AGAIN Elvis changed the WAY he was performing PSA. After a traditional version at Wichita on 27th he changes to do a strong 'CHICK A BOOM BOOM' chant with the sweets at the same point in the song that he would 'normally' be doing his low leg poses.To me I actually don't care for this as although he still did an end Kick (as at the 31.12.76 version) it seems to deflate the strength of his performance. The Karate moves were seen on this tour as well- NOT during PSA but in the closing VAMP at the very end of the show(just look at the end of the 30.12.76 and 31.12.76 shows!) For the first 1977 show Elvis comes across as 'unfit' as his version of PSA seems to run out of steam after a promising start @ 3.20. Thankfully after 4 days he was 'back on form' again for his 16.2.77 show and this overall performance shows us Elvis could still do a great show in 1977. POLK SALAD starts much the same as before even right up to Elvis vocalising with the 'CHICK A BOOM BOOMS' up to 3.26- THEN and ONLY THEN does the 'going down' music start bringing this version to a great end at 4.06 and Elvis has performed the really big FULL BLOWN version once again in 1977! The next night he sounds just as good but on 19.2.77 he simply 'chick a boom booms ' RIGHT UP TO THE END not doing his 'going down' routine it seems as if Elvis no-longer had the energy required to keep his shows on a high level all the way through-as he had been able to do until this tour.Would a break in Hawaii re-vitalise Elvis to perform PSA more often again?.
