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Viva Las Vegas (song)

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"Viva Las Vegas"
Single by Elvis Presley
B-side"What'd I Say"
ReleasedApril 28, 1964
RecordedJuly 10, 1963
StudioRadio Recorders, Hollywood
Genre
Length2:24
LabelRCA
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]

History

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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

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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.[6]

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.[7]

ZZ Top version

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"Viva Las Vegas"
Single by ZZ Top
from the album Greatest Hits
B-side"2000 Blues"
Released1992
Length4:47
LabelWarner 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).[8][9] This version appeared in a 1993 episode of Beavis and Butt-head.[10]

Dead Kennedys version

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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.[11]

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

Charts

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Elvis Presley's original version

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Chart (1964) Peak
position
Australia 4
Belgium 12
Canada (CHUM) Hit Parade[12][4] 14
Denmark 3
Germany 21
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 8
Italy 8
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[14] 4
Norway 6
Spain 16
Sweden 5
UK Singles Chart[15] 17
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 29
US Cash Box Top 100 16
US Record World 20
Chart (2007) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[17] 15

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[19] Gold 500,000^

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

ZZ Top cover

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Chart performance for "Viva Las Vegas" by ZZ Top
Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 28
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[21] 21
Germany (GfK)[22] 34
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 27
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24] 17
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 20
UK Singles Chart[27] 10
US Billboard Album Rock Tracks 16

References

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  1. ^ "Doc Pomus – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
  2. ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  3. ^ Jorgensen, Ernst. Elvis Presley A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998; pp. 182, 416
  4. ^ a b "Song artist 2 - Elvis Presley". Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  5. ^ Halberstadt, Alex "Lonely Avenue The Unlikely Life & Times of DocPomus", 2007; DaCapo Press
  6. ^ Katsilometes, John (May 5, 2018). "Bellagio fountains cue up 'Viva Las Vegas' after Knights wins". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  7. ^ "Travis Kelce's Super Bowl 'Viva Las Vegas' Scored a Payday for the Song". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  8. ^ "Viva Las Vegas | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  9. ^ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  10. ^ Daniels, Neil (2014). Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers: A ZZ Top Guide. Soundcheck Books. ISBN 978-0-9571442-7-9. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables". Discogs. February 7, 2024.
  12. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade, June 22, 1964". Chumtribute.com. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  13. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Viva Las Vegas". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  14. ^ "Flavour of New Zealand - search lever". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1964-03-18. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  16. ^ "Elvis Presley – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-12-30.
  17. ^ "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 2007-11-10. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  18. ^ "British single certifications – Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  19. ^ "American single certifications – Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  20. ^ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  22. ^ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  23. ^ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  24. ^ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  25. ^ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  26. ^ "ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  27. ^ "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1992-04-11. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
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