I noticeda lot of programming tonight starring Elvis Presley. I deduced it must be Elvis Presley's birthday and it is. I watched a little of Elvis Presley Aloha Live From Hawaii. I watched it live in 1973 at age 9. My mother has always been a huge Elvis fan and of course she much anticipated the upcoming television show. It was not only my family that watched. The show was broadcast in over 40 countries throughout Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Asia. An estimated 1.5 billion people across the world watched that night too. I am not sure how it ranks today, but the broadcast set a record for the most viewers ever that night. In a twist of irony, Michael Jackson's (once married to E's daughter, Lisa Marie) funeral was viewed by an estimated 2.5 billion people. The production and promotion was just over $2.5 million dollars in 1972-73. As I listened to then oldies of Elvis and watched as the camera panned across the audience, Elvis and his band, I thought how things have changed in 50 or so years.
Bonus: Parody song about the ghost of Elvis not happy about Lisa Marie's marriage to Michael Jackson. I remember this making the rounds on some of the morning shows way back when the two were first married. I had not heard it in decades, but thought of it while penning this. Pretty funny, but dated.
I saw Elvis as a12 or 13 year old kid in the early 70's, having also been raised by a mother who adored him. He was in decline, but what a performer- and his voice and range were always stunning Having just past the holiday, it was a rule in our house and still is, it ain't Christmas until you hear EP sing Blue Christmas. . Long live the King.
Don't forget it is my birthday too. Still have an Elvis t-shirt brand new never worn from I think a year or 2 before his passing. My Mom cried for days. Eastwood
I was thirteen years old when Aloha From Hawaii aired. I sat directly in front of the TV holding my portable cassette recorder microphone against the little TV speaker. Even after the album of the concert came out, I continued to listen to my cheap cassettes because the album did not include the songs from the pre-taped segments that aired during the telecast. I'm pretty sure I wore all the oxide off of those cassettes!
Best entertainer that ever lived. Period.
ReplyDeleteFull stop.
Mozart. Bach. Beethoven, Vivaldi are the best. Brahms and Sibelius are up there also
ReplyDelete…..Elvis is everywhere, Elvis is Everything……The late great Mojo Nixon had it right
ReplyDeleteI saw Elvis as a12 or 13 year old kid in the early 70's, having also been raised by a mother who adored him. He was in decline, but what a performer- and his voice and range were always stunning Having just past the holiday, it was a rule in our house and still is, it ain't Christmas until you hear EP sing Blue Christmas. . Long live the King.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget it is my birthday too. Still have an Elvis t-shirt brand new never worn from I think a year or 2 before his passing. My Mom cried for days.
ReplyDeleteEastwood
Born in '73 on Elvis's birthday
ReplyDeleteI was thirteen years old when Aloha From Hawaii aired. I sat directly in front of the TV holding my portable cassette recorder microphone against the little TV speaker. Even after the album of the concert came out, I continued to listen to my cheap cassettes because the album did not include the songs from the pre-taped segments that aired during the telecast. I'm pretty sure I wore all the oxide off of those cassettes!
ReplyDeleteI did the same thing with a cassette recorder in front of the television. Like everyone I knew, we were "three channel" folks in those days.
DeleteThankyu,
ReplyDeleteThankyu very much.
-lg