On This Day Elvis Presley Immortalized Las Vegas With One Iconic Track originally appeared on Parade.
Elvis Presley was associated with countless unforgettable songs throughout his decades-long career. However, one track in particular became inseparable from his legacy and helped define the spirit of Las Vegas. Recorded at the height of his fame, the song captured Sin City’s glitz, energy, and larger-than-life appeal, much like the King of Rock and Roll himself. However, he never performed it live.
On July 10, 1963, Presley recorded “Viva Las Vegas” at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, per a Facebook post shared by The Wrecking Crew. The band of musicians were a group of highly revered studio players who appeared on thousands of popular records throughout the 1960s and ’70s, including hits such as “Mr. Tambourine Man” by The Byrds, “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas And The Papas, and Presley’s recording.
“Viva Las Vegas” was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. Released on RCA Victor Records, the song was the theme song to the movie of the same name, starring Presley and Ann-Margret.
Although the song is now wildly popular among Presley’s fans, when it was first released in 1964, it only hit Number 29 on the Billboard Charts. The song was subsequently certified gold on March 27, 1992, having sold 500,000 copies in the United States, reports Remind Magazine.
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Despite the song’s popularity, Presley never played it live during any of his 636 sold-out Sin City Shows from 1969 through 1976, according to American Songwriter. There was never a reason given as to why the entertainer didn’t perform the unforgettable tune.
The song was recorded for the soundtrack of the film of the same name. Viva Las Vegas told the story of two competing race car drivers, Count Elmo Mancini (Cesare Danova) and Lucky Jackson (Presley), who vie for the affections of Rusty Martin (Margret).
Margret recounted her experience filming Viva Las Vegas in an interview posted to the Elvis History Blog. The excerpt comes from her autobiography, Ann-Margret, My Story.
“We experienced music in the same visceral way. Music ignited a fiery pent-up passion inside Elvis and me,” she said of their on-and-off camera chemistry.
“It was an odd, embarrassing, funny, inspiring, and wonderful sensation. We looked at each other move and saw virtual mirror images. When Elvis thrust his pelvis, mine slammed forward too. When his shoulder dropped, I was down there with him. When he whirled, I was already on my heel.”
Viva Las Vegas is widely considered one of Elvis Presley’s most memorable and best-loved movies. The tune has subsequently become the city’s unofficial theme song.
On This Day Elvis Presley Immortalized Las Vegas With One Iconic Track first appeared on Parade on Jul 10, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
