Viva Las Vegas (song)

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"Viva Las Vegas"
Elvis Presley Viva Las Vegas Picture Sleeve.jpg
Single by Elvis Presley
B-side "What'd I Say"
ReleasedApril 28, 1964
RecordedJuly 10, 1963
Studio Radio Recorders, Hollywood
Genre
Length2:24
Label RCA
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"Kissin' Cousins" / "It Hurts Me"
(1964)		"Viva Las Vegas" / "What'd I Say"
(1964)		"Such a Night" / "Never Ending"
(1964)

"Viva Las Vegas" is a 1964 song recorded by Elvis Presley written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman [1] for his film of the same name, which along with the song was set for general release the year after. Although Elvis Presley never performed the song live, it has since become popular and often performed by others. The RIAA certified the single disc "Viva Las Vegas/What'd I Say" gold on March 27, 1992, having sold 500,000 copies in the United States. [2]

Contents

History

The song was recorded on July 10, 1963. Released as a single in 1964 with the B-side "What'd I Say" from the same film, "Viva Las Vegas" charted separately from its B-side, reaching No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. [3] The Elvis version of "What'd I Say" peaked at No. 21, the two sides having equivalent appeal in the marketplace. "Viva Las Vegas" reached No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart, improving to No. 15 after a reissue in 2007. The single reached No. 20 on the Record World chart in the U.S. and No. 14 in Canada. [4] The song was published by Elvis Presley Music, Inc.

In the years since, the song has become popular. In 2002, the city of Las Vegas requested Elvis Presley Enterprises, the company that handles Elvis-related music rights, to allow it to be the official song of the city. Negotiations stalled over the price. EPE had not controlled the copyright to the song since 1993, at which time it became the property of the families of the songwriters Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. [5]

Use in other media

A cover of the song by country folk musician Shawn Colvin was featured during the end credits of the 1998 crime comedy film The Big Lebowski .

The song was featured in the 2010 video game Just Dance 2 . [6]

The song has been adopted as the victory theme for the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Vegas Golden Knights when they win games at T-Mobile Arena, and was played during their victory parade following the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals. [7]

During the trophy ceremony of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium, Travis Kelce, a tight end for the victorious Kansas City Chiefs, "belted out an impromptu, raggedy chorus" of the song. [8]

Dead Kennedys version

In 1980, San Francisco hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys recorded a sardonic version of the song for their debut album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables . This version has altered lyrics, making references to cocaine and methamphetamine. It appeared on the album as the 14th and final track. [9] The song was later featured during the end credits of the 1998 surreal comedy film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas .

"Viva Las Vegas"
Song by Dead Kennedys
from the album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
ReleasedSeptember 2, 1980
Genre Punk rock
Length2:42
Label Cherry Red, Alternative Tentacles, Faulty Products, Manifesto
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman

ZZ Top version

"Viva Las Vegas"
Single by ZZ Top
from the album Greatest Hits
B-side "2000 Blues"
Released1992
Length4:47
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
ZZ Top singles chronology
"Burger Man"
(1991)		"Viva Las Vegas"
(1992)		"Pincushion"
(1994)

ZZ Top recorded a version of "Viva Las Vegas" as one of two new tracks on their Greatest Hits album (1992). "Viva Las Vegas" was released as a single and reached the Top 10 in both the UK (No. 10) and Ireland (No. 8). [10] [11] This version appeared in a 1993 episode of Beavis and Butt-head . [12]

Bruce Springsteen version

In 1990, Bruce Springsteen recorded a version of the song that appeared on the U.K. release The Last Temptation of Elvis, a charity album from the New Musical Express featuring various artists performing songs made famous by Elvis Presley. The song was also considered for the soundtrack to the 1992 movie Honeymoon in Vegas , which again featured many Presley songs covered by famous artists. However, Springsteen's version was not included on the soundtrack album.


Charts

Elvis Presley's original version

Chart (1964)Peak
position
Australia4
Belgium12
Canada (CHUM) Hit Parade [13] [4] 14
Denmark3
Germany21
Ireland (IRMA) [14] 8
Italy8
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade) [15] 4
Norway6
Spain16
Sweden5
UK Singles Chart [16] 17
US Billboard Hot 100 [17] 29
US Cash Box Top 10016
US Record World 20
Chart (2007)Peak
position
UK Singles Chart [18] 15

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [19] Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [20] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

ZZ Top cover

References

  1. ↑ "Doc Pomus – Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved June 27, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ Jorgensen, Ernst. Elvis Presley A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998; pp. 182, 416
  4. 1 2 "Song artist 2 - Elvis Presley". Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  5. ↑ Halberstadt, Alex "Lonely Avenue The Unlikely Life & Times of DocPomus", 2007; DaCapo Press
  6. ↑ "Just Dance 2 Tracks". Just Dance. UbiSoft. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  7. ↑ Katsilometes, John (May 5, 2018). "Bellagio fountains cue up 'Viva Las Vegas' after Knights wins". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Travis Kelce's Super Bowl 'Viva Las Vegas' Scored a Payday for the Song". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables". Discogs . February 7, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Viva Las Vegas | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  12. ↑ Daniels, Neil (2014). Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers: A ZZ Top Guide. Soundcheck Books. ISBN   978-0-9571442-7-9 . Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  13. ↑ "CHUM Hit Parade, June 22, 1964". Chumtribute.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  14. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Viva Las Vegas". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Flavour of New Zealand - search lever". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. March 18, 1964. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Elvis Presley – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. November 10, 2007. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  19. ↑ "British single certifications – Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  20. ↑ "American single certifications – Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  21. ↑ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  22. ↑ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  23. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
  24. ↑ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  25. ↑ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  26. ↑ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  27. ↑ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  28. ↑ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  30. ↑ "ZZ Top Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Årstopplistan 1992, Singlar" (in Swedish). Grammotex. Archived from the original on February 25, 2001. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
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