I recently hit up Premiere Cinemas to see EPiC, the Elvis Presley documentary/concert film. It was stunning, fun, and a great way to see some concert history. It also got me to wondering about the King’s appearances in Lubbock.
Elvis
Elvis
Elvis
Elvis
Fortunately people hang on to memories, little scraps of paper, handwritten notes, or concert recollections they’ve kept tucked away for decades. Those tiny artifacts end up becoming the only surviving record of nights that should’ve never been forgotten.
Thanks to the contributors over at Setlist.fm, we’ve got at least some idea of what the King sang during his trips to the Hub City. For the record, none of the setlists we have are complete. They’re labeled as partial, but they’re still gold for Elvis fans.
🎸 A Look Back at Elvis in Lubbock: What the King Played
Elvis performed in Lubbock multiple times early in his career, but the only early date with any documentation is April 10, 1956. On that night, he’s listed as performing:
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Heartbreak Hotel
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I Got a Woman
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Blue Suede Shoes
We’ve got a fuller — though still partial — list from his last documented Lubbock performance on November 8, 1972:
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See See Rider
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Hound Dog
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Burning Love
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Heartbreak Hotel
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All Shook Up
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Don’t Be Cruel
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(Let Me Be) Your Teddy Bear
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How Great Thou Art
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Can’t Help Falling In Love
Here’s the wild part: the obvious move would be to check other dates on the tour to fill in the blanks, but nope — Elvis changed up his setlists constantly. Even shows just days apart don’t match. The man kept things interesting.
So unless somebody’s grandma or great-uncle scribbled down the songs at the time — and unless they’re willing to dig that treasure out of a drawer and share it — these partial setlists may be all we ever get…