Elvis' most famous performance.
Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite
CD
Rating:
3.6 / 5
ElvisNews review
Elvis Presley performed before a worldwide television audience of over one billion people on January 14, 1973. The soundtrack from this performance, Aloha From Hawaii, was released on February 4, 1973. It reached number one on both the pop and country charts selling close to five million copies in the United States alone, and almost twelve million worldwide. Oddly the concert was not broadcast on American television until April of that year.
He looked good, performed, well and sang superbly. He surrounded himself with his usual crack band, a full orchestra and two backup groups of singers. The resulting album remains one of the great live documents in music history.
The first section of the album presents Elvis at his best. The usual introduction of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” leads into “See See Rider” and an energetic and rocking “Burning Love.” He would always begin his concerts in like fashion in order to ramp up the energy of the audience and the response here is immediate.
It was then Elvis’ custom of slowing a concert down and here we find a cover of George Harrison’s “Something.” He follows with “You Gave Me A Mountain” which remains one of the best live performances ever recorded by him. The vocal and passion still send chills up the spine 35 years later.
“Steamroller Blues” was originally a simple song by James Taylor. Elvis would release it as a single and interprets it from a blues/rock perspective. This song was a classic example of how he could transform songs and make them into his own unique creations.
Elvis continued his trend of giving short shrift to his classic fifties hits. “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Hound Dog” both clock in under a minute. He sounds disinterested on “Love Me” and “A Big Hunk Of Love.”
He is on more solid ground with the country hits, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams and “Welcome To My World” by Jim Reeves. He just had the knack of taking these classic country songs and updating them with his wonderful pop voice. He made them accessible to both pop and country fans.
His continued to present "American Trilogy" as a highlight of any live performance. This song was a medley of “Dixie/Battle Hymn Of The Republic/All My Trails.” Elvis always treated this song as a gospel type performance. It is also a song of patriotism and it finds Elvis completely invested.
The original release of Aloha From Hawaii contained 22 songs and was only Elvis’ second two disc album. It remains one of the essential releases by Elvis Presley and no serious music collection should be without a copy.
Tracklisting
- See See Rider (1973/01/14)
- Burning Love (1973/01/14)
- Something (1973/01/14)
- You Gave Me a Mountain (1973/01/14)
- Steamroller Blues (1973/01/14)
- My Way (1973/01/14)
- Love Me (1973/01/14)
- Johnny B. Goode (1973/01/14)
- It's Over (1973/01/14)
- Blue Suede Shoes (1973/01/14)
- I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (1973/01/14)
- I Can't Stop Loving You (1973/01/14)
- Hound Dog (1973/01/14)
- What Now My Love (1973/01/14)
- Fever (1973/01/14)
- Welcome to My World (1973/01/14)
- Suspicious Minds (1973/01/14)
- I'll Remember You (1973/01/14)
- Long Tall Sally (1973/01/14)
- Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (1973/01/14)
- An American Trilogy (1973/01/14)
- A Big Hunk o' Love (1973/01/14)
- Can't Help Falling in Love (1973/01/14)
- Blue Hawaii (1973/01/14)
- Ku-U-I-Po (1973/01/14)
- No More (1973/01/14)
- Hawaiian Wedding Song (1973/01/14)
- Early Morning Rain (1973/01/14)
Rating: 1 / 5
JerryNodak wrote on
January 12, 2007
The inmates have escaped the asylum again. Great stuff. 5 stars.
Rating: 5 / 5
dbacke1 wrote on
February 05, 2007
Why would someone refer to this awesome concert in a negative way? This concert was groundbreaking in more ways than one, and Elvis gave a great performance. This concert truly is the one that all others that follow are compared against, because it set the standard for others to follow. Elvis was only 38, and he was already a living legend of the highest magnitude, something that most performers today don't attain until they are much, much older. This is the King at his best!
Rating: 5 / 5
JimmyCool wrote on
April 11, 2007
Although I like this show and I'm aware of its historic importance, I can't help to notice that Elvis was very nervous (specially at the beginning); his voice was trembling and he hardly moved on stage, as he did one year earlier (On Tour). The bonus tracks are uninspired tracks with a tired and bored Elvis wanting to sleep or maybe take some pills...
Rating: 4 / 5
OtisBlue22 wrote on
June 14, 2008
How can anyone say that this is Elvis at his best? Have you heard Elvis in the fifties, when he did each song to the best of his ability, when he moved onstage, when he had taste?! You listen to this Vegas lounge act in poor sound quality, and I'll stick to the Memphis live album ('74), the Alternate Aloha or -- better yet -- the Ed Sullivan Shows.
Sandman wrote on
February 01, 2010
A billion people saw a fresh Elvis do his last great big performance. After that there were no challenges left.
Rating: 3 / 5
OtisBlue22 wrote on
January 26, 2013
I wish to retract my previous testimony! Elvis gives some incredibly moving performances here: a spirited "You Gave Me A Mountain," a beautifully wrought "I'll Remember You," and "An American Trilogy," which is quite simply one of the most affecting performances I have ever seen. He also reclaims his rock 'n' roll throne with barnstorming versions of "Johnny B. Goode," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "A Big Hunk O' Love," all of which are enlivened by hot licks courtesy of James Burton. One of the main pleasures, when viewing the DVD, is to read the sheer delight on Elvis' face, as he spurs on Burton or commands his orchestra to give him everything they've got. I have seen the light!