40 Year Itch : Aloha From Hawaii

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On January 14, 1973, just half an hour past midnight, Elvis Presley made TV history when his concert was beamed live via satellite from the Honolulu International Center Arena  to Australia, Thailand, Japan and many other countries. 40 in all. European nations watched on a delayed basis. Because it was the same day as Super Bowl VII,  NBC broadcast the concert April 4, 1973 where it was reportedly seen by more people than those who watched the first man step onto the moon.




 Colonel Tom Parker got the idea of a satellite concert from Nixon's televised visit to China. He told reporters a billion people would see Elvis perform.
To prepare for the concert, Elvis lost more than 20 pounds training with his Kung Fu master Kang Rhee.

Following the "Also Sprach Zarathrustra" intro,  Elvis , wearing his "American Eagle" jump suit, stepped in front of 6000 fans on a huge stage and put on one of the best shows in his life. The stage was built with a runway which allowed Elvis to walk out into the audience, kiss the ladies and wipe his sweat off onto anything they handed him. He was tan. He was playful. He sang 24 songs including hits "Burning Love", "Suspicious Minds" and "Hound Dog" and covers from George Harrison ("Something"), James Taylor ("Steamroller Blues") and Marty Robbins ("You Gave Me a Mountain").

After the show Elvis met the actor he singled out during the concert, Jack Lord of "Hawaii 5-0". The two agreed to meet for dinner at Lord's house and began a friendship that lasted until the King's death.

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40 Year Itch: Aloha From Hawaii Press Conference

On November 20, 1972 reporters gathered at the Hawaiian Village Hotel where Elvis Presley announced he'd be performing a live concert called "Aloha From Hawaii" on January 14, 1973 that would be beamed around the world via satellite.He also announced the concert would also raise money for the local Kui Lee Cancer Fund. If the King seemed a bit off, he may have been tired. Elvis had performed three shows on November 17 and 18.

 

 To prepare for the concert Elvis rehearsed like mad and lost about 20 pounds by dieting and training with his Karate master Kang Rhee.

Reporters were told about a billion people in 40 different countries would see the live broadcast. More than saw the moon landing. That's probably not even close. In fact, most Americans didn't get to see the concert until April of 1972 when NBC broadcast the concert.

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40 Year Itch: King Of The Garden

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Elvis may not generate the polymorphously perverse hysteria the Rolling Stones arouse, he may not move around and jump into the air and wiggle his hips as much as he used to, but he's come through superstardom without forgetting what it means to rock, that's the important thing. So everybody gets enough of what they want to get what they need.
-Bob Palmer, Rolling Stone

On June 10 and 11 of 1972, Elvis Presley performed four sold out shows at Madison Square Garden, his first live appearance before a live NYC crowd since 1956. In the audience: George Harrison, John Lennon, Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon, David Bowie ( with red hair and a padded space suit), the entire band Ten Years After, Jerry Leiber,Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen who had just signed his first record contract with Columbia Records earlier that week.



After the audience endured "toothless old men hawking Elvis pennants, Elvis posters, albums of Elvis pictures" , the singing of the Sweet Inspirations and an awful comedian, the show begins with the epic  "Also Sprach Zarathustra" .

Elvis comes out as the TCB band ( led by guitarist James Burton)  rocks out on "That's All Right".The show ends with the emcee announcing "Elvis has left the building"

In between, the 37 year old singer showed everyone there he was still the king.

He used the stage, he worked to the people. The ones in front, in the best seats, the ones in back, and up in the peanut galleries. He turned, he moved, and when a girl threw a handkerchief on the stage, he wiped his forehead with it and threw it back, a gift of sweat from an earthy god..
- Chris Chase New York Times


SET LIST
1. Introduction "Also sprach zarathustra"

2. That`s all right






3. Proud mary
4. Never been to spain
5. You don`t have to say you love me
6. You`ve lost that lovin` feelin`

7. Polk salad annie



8. Love me
9. All shook up
10. Heartbreak hotel
11. Medley (let me be your) teddy bear - don`t be cruel
12. Love me tender
13. The impossible dream
14. Introductions by elvis
15. Hound dog
16. Suspicious minds
17. For the good times
18. American trilogy
19 Funny how time slips away
20. I can`t stop loving you
21. Can`t help falling in love
22. End theme

Friday night, at Madison Square Garden, Elvis ... stood there at the end, his arms stretched out, the great gold cloak giving him wings, a champion, the only one in his class.
 -Chris Chase, New York Times

 One of the entire shows can be heard here.

 

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40 Years Ago Today : Elvis On Tour

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"My daddy had seen a lot of people who played guitars and stuff and didn't work. So he told me, you should make up your mind about either playing guitar or being an electrician. I never saw a guitar player that was worth a damn."- Elvis Presley, opening lines of Elvis On Tour


The concert footage in the 33rd and final Elvis Presley movie, Elvis On Tour, was mostly shot April 9, 1972 in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The King --who received a million dollars to take part in the film--came out wearing his "blue nail" one piece sequined suit and entertained his audience with the following songs:

See See Rider
Proud Mary
Never Been To Spain
You Gave Me A Mountain
Until It's Time For You To Go
Polk Salad Annie
Love Me (in the classic  movie outtake below, Elvis does NOT ignore the underwear tossed on stage)


 All Shook Up
Teddy Bear
Don't Be Cruel
Jailhouse Rock
One Night
Hound Dog
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Suspicious Minds
An American Trilogy
For The Good Times
How Great Thou Art
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
A Big Hunk Of Love
Funny How Time Slips Away
Can't Help Falling In Love

The Hampton Roads newspaper, The Daily Press sent reviewer, Kathy Wells - now Kathy Van Mullekom, the gardening columnist - who exclaimed that the performance of "the living legend" wouldn't be forgotten and that it "left sweet memories of a dashing hero."

Check out the trailer for ELVIS ON TOUR




Among the editors working on the film: Martin Scorsese, who oversaw the montages between the concert footage. Three other April concerts were filmed for Elvis On Tour including those in Richmond, Greensboro and San Antonio. Each one ended with the announcer telling the crowd: "Elvis has left the building".

Though still in fighting shape, Elvis gained weight on the tour. He'd soon become addicted to Demerol.  Friends say he never recovered from his separation with his wife Priscilla. The King died in 1977.

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40 Years Ago Today: A Hunk, A Hunk Of Burning Love

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On this day in 1972, Elvis Presley recorded his final Top Ten hit "Burning Love". The song would rise all the way to #2 before getting blocked from the top spot by "My Ding A Ling", an egregious novelty hit by another rock n roll veteran Chuck Berry. (And yet you can buy the song on Elvis's 30#1 Hits collection.



Presley reportedly did not care for the song which was first recorded by Arthur "You Better Move On" Alexander in 1971.

The song was written by Nashville recluse Dennis Linde whose 1973 version sounds like something John Fogerty might have put out in the mid 80's. Linde played guitar on the Elvis single and alos wrote "Goodbye Earl" for the Dixie Chicks.

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40 Years Ago: Esso's "Rock Star" Commercial

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Elvis Now , a collection of studio tracks recorded over a two year period, is released February 20, 1972. The album includes songs by Gordon Lightfoot, Kris Kristofferson and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

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