TCBCast 249: The Final Ed Sullivan Shows (feat. Ryan Droste)

For the first time since Baz Luhrmann's Elvis dropped, Ryan returns to TCBCast for an extensive discussion on Elvis's final two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 28, 1956 and January 6, 1957, with the latter being the infamous "filmed from the waist up" program. Are these performances truly as legendary as the myth around them? We'll find out together! Then, Ryan finally get to put forward his list of favorite Elvis songs by year in lieu of Song of the Week while Justin closes out the episode and 2022 by spotlighting the history behind the understated hymn, "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem," from Elvis's best selling 1957 Christmas album. It wouldn't be a TCBCast Christmas without starting out scratching the surface of the life story of its lyricist, Phillips Brooks, and his choice to imitate an archaic style of writing and ending up spiraling into an unexpectedly heartfelt exploration of the history of the Puritans and the Church of England, early America, the literary impact of the King James Version of the Bible, Abraham Lincoln's funeral, and the perpetual conflict between sincerity and crass commercialization. Happy holidays to all our listeners near and far! Thank you for a wonderful 2022 - see you next year!