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1973 - January: Elvis Presley ”Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite”
By 1973 Elvis had definitely not left the building. In fact, January 1973 would be the month that Elvis Presley would broadcast a concert live via satellite to 38 countries. The concert would air in the United States on NBC in April 1973, and would be the basis for the album we are featuring - Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite, the four-month delay being a result of a conflict with Super Bowl VII (which Miami Dolphin fans will recall as the culmination of Miami's undefeated season).
Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager, got the idea of a live satellite broadcast from Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China. There is also speculation that Parker took this step in lieu of an international tour to avoid revealing his status as an illegal immigrant in the United States (Parker was Dutch). The concert was scheduled at the conclusion of the fifty-nine show engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton.
The special was produced by Marty Pasetta, who had produced television specials for others like Perry Como, Glen Campbell, and multiple specials from Hawaii for Don Ho. Pasetta was concerned after seeing what he considered a lackluster live Elvis show in Long Island. Despite a dismissive stance from Colonel Parker, Pasetta took his ideas directly to Presley. He wanted a lower stage with a runway, allowing better audience participation. He wanted mirrors to frame the stage and neon lights to read "Elvis" in the language of all the countries to which the concert was broadcast. Finally, and most controversially, he wanted Elvis to lose weight for the show. Presley was impressed with his frankness, and took up his ideas, even embarking on an exercise routine at Graceland.
Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite would bookend the comeback era for Elvis which was started with his 1968 television special. Elvis would encounter difficulties in his family life, health, and prescription drug use that would eventually result in his untimely death in 1977.
Also Sprach Zarathustra/See See Rider
The Ricard Strauss tone poem made famous in "2001: A Space Odyssey" starts off the concert. The intro leads into the blues standard "See See Rider" first performed by Gertrude "Ma" Rainey in the 1920's, and covered by many performers including Chuck Willis, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, and the Animals.
Burning Love
Dennis Linde wrote this song for Elvis in 1972, and it was a big hit, rising to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track would be the last Elvis song to reach the 1op 10 in the U.S.
My Way
This song is a cover originally performed by Frank Sinatra in 1969. The lyrics are from Paul Anka. Although it remains closely associated with Sinatra, it would also become a staple of Elvis performances in the 70's, and would hit number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 shortly after Presley's death.
American Trilogy
Country composer Mick Newbury wrote this medley, and it would be popularized by Presley as the showstopper for many of his concerts. The medley includes the 19th century southern song, “Dixie,” the marching hymn of the Union army, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and the African American spiritual “All My Trials.”
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from the television series “Bonanza"
The final episode of this long-running Western TV series aired in this month.
STAFF PICKS:
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone by the Temptations
Bruce's staff pick is a funky and long song, with the album version of the song running 11 minutes and 46 seconds. Originally released by The Undisputed Truth, the Temptations would take this song to number 1, and would win 3 Grammy awards. “Papa was a rollin' stone. Wherever he laid his hat was his home, and when he died, all he left us was alone.”
You Turn Me On I'm a Radio by Joni Mitchell
Rob heads into the folk genre with singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell and this single from her fifth studio album. David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Neil Young all participated in the recording session for this song, but only Nash's harmonica work made it to the final cut. This was Mitchell's first top 40 hit in the United States.
Dixie Chicken by Little Feat
Wayne's Southern Rock staff pick was actually recorded by a Los Angeles band. Bonnie Raitt sings backing vocals on this song. The story is about a guy who marries a girl in a drunken haze, only to be left shortly thereafter.
Living In the Past by Jethro Tull
Brian's pick is a 5/4 metered song by rock flutist Ian Anderson. This is the highest charting track from Jethro Tull. It was a rejection of the happy tone that was fashionable in the post-Beatles music of the time. Despite its success, Anderson did not like it.
FINISHING TRACK:
I Can't Help Falling in Love With You by Elvis Presley
Elvis closed out his concert with this song, and we're closing out this week's podcast the same way..
Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”
NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.
Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.
Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!
**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.
View all episodes
By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch
4.9
4747 ratings
By 1973 Elvis had definitely not left the building. In fact, January 1973 would be the month that Elvis Presley would broadcast a concert live via satellite to 38 countries. The concert would air in the United States on NBC in April 1973, and would be the basis for the album we are featuring - Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite, the four-month delay being a result of a conflict with Super Bowl VII (which Miami Dolphin fans will recall as the culmination of Miami's undefeated season).
Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager, got the idea of a live satellite broadcast from Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China. There is also speculation that Parker took this step in lieu of an international tour to avoid revealing his status as an illegal immigrant in the United States (Parker was Dutch). The concert was scheduled at the conclusion of the fifty-nine show engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton.
The special was produced by Marty Pasetta, who had produced television specials for others like Perry Como, Glen Campbell, and multiple specials from Hawaii for Don Ho. Pasetta was concerned after seeing what he considered a lackluster live Elvis show in Long Island. Despite a dismissive stance from Colonel Parker, Pasetta took his ideas directly to Presley. He wanted a lower stage with a runway, allowing better audience participation. He wanted mirrors to frame the stage and neon lights to read "Elvis" in the language of all the countries to which the concert was broadcast. Finally, and most controversially, he wanted Elvis to lose weight for the show. Presley was impressed with his frankness, and took up his ideas, even embarking on an exercise routine at Graceland.
Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite would bookend the comeback era for Elvis which was started with his 1968 television special. Elvis would encounter difficulties in his family life, health, and prescription drug use that would eventually result in his untimely death in 1977.
Also Sprach Zarathustra/See See Rider
The Ricard Strauss tone poem made famous in "2001: A Space Odyssey" starts off the concert. The intro leads into the blues standard "See See Rider" first performed by Gertrude "Ma" Rainey in the 1920's, and covered by many performers including Chuck Willis, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, and the Animals.
Burning Love
Dennis Linde wrote this song for Elvis in 1972, and it was a big hit, rising to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track would be the last Elvis song to reach the 1op 10 in the U.S.
My Way
This song is a cover originally performed by Frank Sinatra in 1969. The lyrics are from Paul Anka. Although it remains closely associated with Sinatra, it would also become a staple of Elvis performances in the 70's, and would hit number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 shortly after Presley's death.
American Trilogy
Country composer Mick Newbury wrote this medley, and it would be popularized by Presley as the showstopper for many of his concerts. The medley includes the 19th century southern song, “Dixie,” the marching hymn of the Union army, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and the African American spiritual “All My Trials.”
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from the television series “Bonanza"
The final episode of this long-running Western TV series aired in this month.
STAFF PICKS:
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone by the Temptations
Bruce's staff pick is a funky and long song, with the album version of the song running 11 minutes and 46 seconds. Originally released by The Undisputed Truth, the Temptations would take this song to number 1, and would win 3 Grammy awards. “Papa was a rollin' stone. Wherever he laid his hat was his home, and when he died, all he left us was alone.”
You Turn Me On I'm a Radio by Joni Mitchell
Rob heads into the folk genre with singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell and this single from her fifth studio album. David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Neil Young all participated in the recording session for this song, but only Nash's harmonica work made it to the final cut. This was Mitchell's first top 40 hit in the United States.
Dixie Chicken by Little Feat
Wayne's Southern Rock staff pick was actually recorded by a Los Angeles band. Bonnie Raitt sings backing vocals on this song. The story is about a guy who marries a girl in a drunken haze, only to be left shortly thereafter.
Living In the Past by Jethro Tull
Brian's pick is a 5/4 metered song by rock flutist Ian Anderson. This is the highest charting track from Jethro Tull. It was a rejection of the happy tone that was fashionable in the post-Beatles music of the time. Despite its success, Anderson did not like it.
FINISHING TRACK:
I Can't Help Falling in Love With You by Elvis Presley
Elvis closed out his concert with this song, and we're closing out this week's podcast the same way..
Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”
NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.
Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.
Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!
**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.
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