Zz Top Viva Las Vegas Midi File
Recordings of Viva Las Vegas Recordings of Viva Las VegasI've got a soft spot in my heart for the title track to Elvis Presley'smovie, Viva Las Vegas, which was shot in 1963 and releasedthe next year. Viva Las Vegas was released as a B-side tothe single What'd I Say, but rose to #29 on the charts inthe USA. Despite this, the first album which contained this track wasn'treleased until 1970.
Viva Las Vegas was originally written byDoc Pomus and Mort Shuman. Over the years, a number of other artists havecovered this tune, some of whom are listed below.For each version of the song that I've heard, I've listed the artist,the album it appeared on, its duration, the label that produced it,and the year inwhich it was released. I've also provided a mini-review of thatrendition. These are listed in chronical order by releasedate, and not in order of my preference. Elvis Presley, Viva Las Vegas/Roustabout, 2:21, BMG Music,1964The original, recorded by The King for the movie of the same name. A classic. Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, 2:37,Alternative Tentacles Records, 1980A very good version recorded fairly true to Elvis' original, except forsome DK license with the lyrics and a bit faster.
Jello Biafra's distinctivevoice works well here. Probably my favorite cover of the song. Nina Hagen, Punk Wedding, 2:49, Amok Records, 1988German 'Post Punk' artist Nina Hagen did a pretty good version of thesong on this out of print album.
Residents, The King and Eye, 3:09, Enigma Records, 1989Now this is truly weird. Non-ambient spoken word over ambient instruments. Bruce Springsteen, Last Temptation of Elvis (Compilation),3:11, MNE, 1990Bruce and the E Street Band recorded this song in 1977, but never releasedit. He recorded it again in 1989 (with different musicians) for useon the Last Temptation of Elvis charity CD.This version was used in the movie Honeymoon in Vegas. Italso appears on The Essential Bruce Sprintgsteen.
Larry Victor, Our Time Will Soon Go By, 2:34, OriginalCast Recordings, 1993Live lounge music with conga percussion. Not bad but not great vocalsover a very mediocre recording. ZZ Top, Greatest Hits, 4:49, Warner Brothers, 1992This is pretty good, heavy on the synth/keyboard stuff that places itpretty precisely in ZZ Top's timeline. If you don't know it's ZZ Top,you probably won't figure it out from the song. Dread Zeppelin, No Quarter Pounder, 3:35, Birdcage Records,1995For those who don't know, Dread Zeppelin is a reggae Led Zeppelin coverband with an Elvis impersonator as a front man. I think they're veryamusing, but only for about 5 minutes.
This is a pretty cool version,though. One of my favorites.
Zz Top Viva Las Vegas Midi Files
Includes voice samples from the movie,The Amazing Colossal Man. Shawn Colvin, Till the Night is Gone, 4:52, Rhino Records,1995A slow, dream-like rendition. This version is one of two that is used inthe movie, The Big Lebowski, although its sound track sadlycontains neither. Sensitive New Age Cowpersons, This CD Will Change Your Life,2:57, self?, 1995These folks are a recently disbanded Australian banjo band with a sense ofhumor. That works for me, I guess. This version is strange in that it'sup-tempo with an emphasis on the up-beat.
Blues Brothers & Friends, Live From the House of Blues,3:58, House of Blues Records, 1997.Who would have thought that the Blues Brothers would miss the musicaltalent of John Belushi? From this recording it's clear that they do. Wayne Newton, Viva Las Vegas!
(Various Artists), 2:34,PolyGram Records, 1997What could be more Las Vegas than Mr. Las Vegas singing Viva LasVegas? I like the unusual guitar and Hammond lead-in. I'veheard Wayne's voice better, and I've heard it worse, although hecloses the song well. Hey, it's Wayne Newton. That should tell youjust about everything you need to know about this version.
Hell City Hell Philharmonic, Hell City Hell, 5:25,Diablo Musica, 1998Fairly uninspired speed-metal version with a distorted harmonica. The NineInch Elvis version is much better thought out and executed. It's not bad,though. Gipsy Vagabonds, Vive La Vide, 3:02, BMG, 1998Traditional south-of-the-border version done in Spanish but recorded inEurope. Unless that excites you, there's no reason to check this one out. Mr. Pink, Red White and Pink, 2:11, Six Degrees, 1998Sounds like a pretty straightforward lounge act.
Decent enough, butnot worth seeking out. Lynette Morgan & Her Tennessee Rhythm Riders, Little RedWagon, 2:55, Studio 28 Records, 1999This is a self-styled 'Hot dance hillbilly & western swing' band thathails from London, England. This is not my cup of tea. The Legendary Raw Deal, Southern Boys, 4:00, Raucous Records,1999Another British pseudo-country band. It makes me think a person couldn'twalk into a London pub without hearing some Johnny Cash/Stray Cats wannabeblasting Elvis tunes. I don't think this version is that interesting, northat well recorded. Hannah Elisabeth, The Sixties Show, 2:48, Bareback RiderRecords, 1999A recreation of the '60s (actually early '70s) lounge sound, perhaps ridingthe Austin Powers nostalgia wave.
In my opinion, given the genre and thesong, I think it takes itself just a little too seriously. Nine Inch Elvis, Nine Inch Elvis, 4:44, Invisible Records,2000An industrial cover of the tune by members of industrial bands Nitzer Ebband Skrew on an album of industrial Elvis tunes. I like it. Billy Swan, Like Elvis Used to Do, 2:17, Phantom Records,2000An a capella version, which makes it especially short, but fairly well done.Although, it's nothing like how Elvis used to do. Jailbirds, Viva Las Vegas, 2:56, Tombstone, 2000A German rockabilly band. Not bad, but not great. Swing Cats, A Special Tribute to Elvis, 2:58, CleopatraRecords, 2000Surf/punk (more surf) instrumental version featuring Johnny Ramone on leadguitar.
Ann Margaret, Viva Rock Vegas Soundtrack, 3:11, Hip-oRecords, 2000Actually 'Viva Rock Vegas' for the movie of the same name. Filled withsilly Hannah-Barbara sound effects, but the fact that it's Ann Margaretsinging lends credibility. Not great, but not nearly as bad as I hadfeared. Venetian Snares + Speedranch, Making Orange Things, 3:22,Planet Mu Recordings, 2001An industrial primarily instrumental ahem version of this classic tune.I'll say this for it, it's original.
However, that doesn't mean it's worthlistening to it. One can pick out riffs based on the original, but it'sonly barely recognizeable. Great Pretenders, Point of View, 2:20, Great Pretenders,2002A very true-to-the-original version by a four piece cover band. I wouldsay it's very much in the Las Vegas lounge style. Paul Ansel's Number Nine, Sweet Inspirations, 2:34,Coolsville Records, 2002Country version on an album of rare Elvis songs.
Respectable, butunspectacular. King Junior, Tribute to the King, 3:38, Risque Recordings,2003King Junior does a pretty credible Elvis homage. The Elvis hits on thisalbum have been 'updated' in a dance club style. Some of the work onthis album is interesting. His version of Viva Las Vegasisn't all that strong.
Kelly Wright, No Secret Anymore, 3:21, self, 2003A lounge version for the beat generation, complete with bongos andfinger snaps. I'm uninspired. Lisa Dames, If These Walls Could Talk, 2:56, WaffleRanch Records, 2004Yet another country version of this song. The vocals aren't bad, ifunremarkable. The arrangement and backing instruments leave me cold,though. Royal Crown Review, Greetings From Hollywood, 3:27, RoyalCrown Records, 2004The Royal Crown Review is sort of an updated big band/swing band combo.They're pretty tight, and this arrangement of Viva Las Vegasis pretty well conceived and executed.
Viva Las Vegas Zz Top
The Grascals, The Grascals, 3:12, Rounder Records, 2004A bluegrass version by Dolly Parton's sometime backing band includinga guest appearance form Ms. Parton herself. It's about what one wouldexpect from a competant bluegrass band.
The Thrills (Featuring James Burton), The Irish KeepGate-crashing, 3:13, Virgin Records, 2004I don't know much about these guys except that they have a reallycrappy web site. These folks feature some rock elements and some countryelements in a live recording. It's not bad but not especially inspired. Citigrass, Serpent in the Grass, 2:26, Borderline Music,2004More bluegrass, only this time I'm unsure as to whether this is a self-parodyor not. If you have to have a bluegrass version of Viva LasVegas, I'd stick with the Grascals version.
If you don't haveto have a bluegrass version, you're probably better off. La Frontera, La Frontera, 2:53, Universal Music Spain, S.L.,2004A Spanish band does another version in Spanish. Similar to the original,except with much more reverb.
If you're only going to listen toone version in spanish, I'd stick with the version by the Gispy Vegabonds.It makes me laugh more. Washington Dead Cats, Treat Me Bad, 2:36, Revel Yell Music,2005The best I can categorize this is French rockabilly punk with horns (bothfor musical and defensive purposes, as far as I can tell). It'sactually sort of cool, although I suppose I'm a sucker for a decent hornsection. Lee Rocker, Burnin' Love-The Best of., 2:49, UprightRecords, 2005As I understand it, Lee Rocker was the bass player for the rockabilly band,the Stray Cats, and this version is true to his style. Very faithful tothe Elvis version, and well recorded, but there's nothing new here. Cornell Hurd Band, Texas By Night, 2:44, Behemoth Records,2006A country/rockabilly version with a decent horn section. I'm not impressedwith the lead vocals, but the backing band and arrangement are all right.
Plastilina Mosh, Tasty + b Sides, 2:43, EMI, 2006Another strange version from Mexico, but sung in English. What is theSpanish speeking world's fascination with this song? Traditionalinstrumentation with heavily distorted vocals.
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as the 'King of Rock and Roll' or simply 'the King'.Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was 13 years old.
His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience.