There is no doubting the greatness of Elvis Presley. But this footage of The King performing live at his 1973 Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite concert shows that he truly is the finest.
Elvis performs the Frank Sinatra song “My Way” to the top of his lungs, demonstrating to the world why he is referred to as “The King.”
The song opens with a melancholy piano tune before Elvis sings the first few words, “And now, the end is near / And so I face the final curtain / My friend, I’ll say it clear.” The King’s many supporters can already be heard whistling and encouraging him as he performs on stage with his supporting band.
Elvis is dressed in his signature white jumpsuit covered in hundreds of rhinestones and studs, and he is wearing a brilliant yellow lei around his neck, clearly indicating that the show is being held in Hawaii.
The song begins fairly somberly and slowly, with him singing in his distinctive low voice. As soon as the music starts, theatrics increase without the song speeding up. Elvis starts to sing louder and higher around halfway through, and the music helps to amplify the grandeur of his already beautiful voice.
By the conclusion, Elvis is showcasing his range and vocal chords, striking both high and low notes with equal proficiency. The reason why Elvis is known as The King is made abundantly obvious as he sings the song’s famously moving concluding lines, “The record shows I took the blows / And did it my way.”
In the entire world, the Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite concert was a momentous occasion. The event, which took place on January 14, 1973 in the Honolulu International Center Arena, was broadcast live the following day to numerous nations around Asia and Europe via the Globecam Satellite.
Despite the fact that the United States was responsible for the invention of satellites, the event was held on the same day as Super Bowl VII and was not broadcast in the United States until April 4, 1973. NBC made the right choice to postpone the stream, since when it finally did air, it received 51 percent of the total television audience, making it their highest-rated program of the year. Aloha from Hawaii was the most costly entertainment special at the time, costing $2.5 million to produce.
After the concert, which was a global rating blockbuster and confirmed Elvis’ place in music history as a performer who was able to hold the world’s attention, over 40 countries and about 1.5 billion people watched it.
Elvis had one of his best performances of his career at the concert, which saw him in all of his splendor at the height of his superstardom, as is evident from this amazing film.
Are you a fan of Elvis? What did you think of this really potent performance of My Way? Please share this with any The King fans you know and let us know in the comments!
