Elvis Presley’s performance of “An American Trilogy” is one of his most memorable moments, particularly from the historic ‘Aloha from Hawaii’ satellite broadcast. This iconic song became a staple of his live shows, and its presence in the groundbreaking Elvis An American Trilogy Show broadcast solidified its place in music history and cemented Elvis’s status as a global superstar. The story of how this powerful song came into Elvis’s repertoire is as fascinating as the show itself.
The connection began with Priscilla Presley. In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, she recounted discovering the song. “I was driving down Sunset Boulevard, and I heard Mickey Newbury singing it, and I went ‘Oh, my God’ and made a U-turn and went back to the house,” she said. Unlike the usual process where Elvis himself selected his songs, often with the exception of movie soundtrack numbers tied to specific scenes, Priscilla felt compelled to share this one. “No one usually ever brought songs to him,” she noted. “No one ever said, ‘Hey, El, you got to do this song’.”
The Lyrics of “An American Trilogy”
Words & Music by Micky Newbury
Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton
Old things they are not forgotten
Look away, look away, look away Dixieland
Oh I wish I was in Dixie, away, away
In Dixieland I take my stand to live and die in Dixie
Cause Dixieland, that’s where I was born
Early Lord one frosty morning
Look away, look away, look away Dixieland
Glory, glory hallelujah
Glory, glory hallelujah
“Glory, glory hallelujah”
His truth is marching on
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry
You know your daddy’s bound to die
But all my trials, Lord will soon be over
Bringing the Song to the King
Priscilla’s intuition about the song was strong. She continued, “So I said, ‘There’s a song I think you really should listen to’.” Elvis’s reaction confirmed her feeling. She played it for him, and “he just sat there at the desk. He put his head down and kind of nodded to it. He closed his eyes and said, ‘Damn, damn good song’.” The adoption was swift. As Priscilla put it, “And the next thing I know, we’re back in Vegas, and he ate it up and spit it out.” It quickly became a centerpiece of his live repertoire.
The Landmark “Aloha from Hawaii” Satellite Special
The song gained even greater prominence as part of the Elvis An American Trilogy Show: the historic Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii – Via Satellite special. Performed at the Honolulu International Center Arena on January 14, 1973, this concert made television and entertainment history. Broadcast live at 12:30 AM Hawaiian time, it was beamed via the Globecam Satellite to countries across Australia, Asia, and Europe, seen on a delayed basis in approximately thirty European nations. The tap recorded during the live show would later be shown in America on April 4th on NBC.
The global impact was immense and unprecedented for a single performer. The live broadcast in January captured massive viewership: 37.8% in Japan, a staggering 91.8% in the Philippines, 70% in Hong Kong, and 70-80% in Korea. When the taped version aired in America in April, it attracted 51% of the television viewing audience and was seen in more American households than the broadcast of man’s first walk on the moon. In total, estimates suggest the special was seen in about forty countries by an audience of one billion to 1.5 billion people. It was the first time an entertainer had performed a concert broadcast live via satellite worldwide.
For this monumental show, Elvis commissioned a striking American Eagle design for his jumpsuit, a powerful patriotic message delivered to his vast worldwide audience. This performance is widely considered the pinnacle of his superstardom and one of the greatest moments of his career.
Behind the Scenes of the Satellite Broadcast
The technology was new and expensive for the time. Renting the satellite for an hour was a significant cost, which led Colonel Parker to strike a deal with NBC, who owned the satellite (and their recording company). This collaboration made the groundbreaking broadcast possible.
Despite his legendary stage presence, Elvis was incredibly nervous about this technical feat. “Elvis was a nervous wreck,” according to accounts from those close to him. The pressure stemmed from the strict timing required for a satellite broadcast; you had to start and end exactly on schedule, or the feed would simply cut off after the allotted hour. “The hardest part that Elvis was worried about, was to time it right.”
However, as he rehearsed and enjoyed his time in Hawaii, he grew more comfortable. The show proceeded perfectly. Joe Esposito, a member of Elvis’s close entourage, helped manage the timing by signaling Elvis with a flashlight from the side of the stage ten minutes before the end time.
The concert was not only a technical and artistic triumph but also a charitable effort. Audience tickets for the January 14 concert and its January 12 pre-broadcast rehearsal show carried no fixed price. Instead, attendees were asked to donate whatever they could. These performances and concert merchandise sales successfully raised $75,000 for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii, honoring the Hawaiian composer who had passed away from cancer in his thirties.
The Setlist Highlights
The “Aloha from Hawaii” special featured a diverse setlist showcasing Elvis’s range. Key songs performed included:
Also Sprach Zarathrusta – See See Rider – Burning Love – Something – You Gave Me A Mountain – Steamroller Blues – My Way – Love Me – Johnny B. Goode – It’s Over – Blue Suede Shoes – I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – I Can’t Stop Loving You – Hound Dog – What Now My Love – Fever – Welcome To My World – Suspicious Minds – Introductions by Elvis – I’ll Remember You – Long Tall Sally / Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On – An American Trilogy – A Big Hunk O’ Love – Can’t Help Falling In Love
Exploring Elvis’s Legacy: Tupelo’s Own
Beyond his global satellite shows, insights into Elvis’s early career can be found in unique releases. The “Tupelo’s Own Elvis Presley DVD” offers a rare look at the King in his prime in the 1950s.
DVD cover featuring Elvis Presley performing in Tupelo 1956
This DVD contains recently discovered, previously unreleased film of Elvis performing six songs live in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1956, including early hits like Heartbreak Hotel and Don’t Be Cruel. It also features the first-ever public viewing of a live performance of “Long Tall Sally” from that era. The release includes bonus DVD audio and footage of a parade, placing the performances in historical context. Interviews with Elvis’s parents are also featured. The afternoon show footage, in both color and black & white, captures the electrifying energy of Elvis rocking and rolling before an audience of 11,000 people. This release is highly recommended for any fan seeking to understand the origins of the phenomenon that led to global events like the elvis an american trilogy show.
In conclusion, the journey of “An American Trilogy” from a song heard on the radio to a show-stopping piece in a global satellite broadcast highlights Elvis Presley’s incredible ability to connect with audiences and make musical history. The ‘Aloha from Hawaii’ special remains a testament to his unparalleled fame and the power of his performances, forever linking the song “An American Trilogy” with one of the most watched concerts in history.
