VIVA LAS VEGAS^©

Studio version

Hey Blackjack dealer!
Come on, hit me man!

Bright lights city gonna set my soul
Gonna set my soul on fire
I got a whole lotta money that's ready to burn
So get those stakes up high
There's a thousand pretty women just waitin' out there
They're all livin' just the devil may care
And I'm just a devil with love to spare
So viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas

How I wish that there were more than 24 hours in a day
Even if there were 40 more, I wouldn't sleep a minute away
There's Blackjack, Poker, and a Roulette wheel
A fortune won and lost on every deal
All you need is money and nerves of steel
Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas

Well, viva Las Vegas with the neon flashing
And your one-armed bandits crashing
All your hopes down the drain
Yeah, viva Las Vegas turning day into night time, turning
Night into day time if you seen it once
You'll never be the same again
Whoa!

Johnny I'm going to the crap table, to throw some die
Ah come on sweet sugar
Ah come on give it to me baby
??? just real nice ???

I'm gonna keep on the run
I'm gonna have me some fun
If it costs me my very last dime
If I wind up broke, well, I'll always remember that I had me a swinging time
I'm gonna give it everything I got
Lady Luck won't you let the dice stay hot
Let me shoot the seven with every shot
Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas
Viva, viva Las Vegas
Busted!

Hey man, you going anywhere near Vegas, do you?
??? drive back home
Whoa!
Yeahhh whoa!

Originally written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and performed by Elvis Presley who recorded it in 1963 and released it the next year on a single as a B-side to WHAT'D I SAY. Wasn't released on an album until 1970 when it was included on the 4-LP set, Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits, Vol.1. Check Evils Presley's original version.

Over the years, a number of other artists have covered this tune, including Bruce Springsteen who recorded it with various musicians (read below for recording info) on 13 and 14 Sep 1989 at One On One Studio, North Hollywood, CA.

Bruce's version was first released in 1990 on The Last Temptation Of Elvis (various artists), a UK only charity album in support of the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy organization, issued in both double-LP and double-CD formats. Also appeared that year on the "VIVA LAS VEGAS / IT'S NOW OR NEVER (by Paul McCartney)", a promotional single for The Last Temptation Of Elvis, in both CD and 10" vinyl formats (so far, this is the only official 10" release containing a Bruce Springsteen recording).

Note that Bruce's VIVA LAS VEGAS on The Last Temptation Of Elvis set starts with a dialogue by Elvis Presley (read it below).

Bruce's version of VIVA LAS VEGAS was used in the 1992 motion picture Honeymoon In Vegas [read about the movie below], but was not included on the soundtrack.

Released in 2003 on The Essential Bruce Springsteen bonus disc, without the Elvis Presley's introductory dialogue. Appeared that year on an odd 1-track promotional single in Spain only, reportedly limited to 100 copies.

Also appeared on a 6" square - 45 rpm Russian "Budkon" unofficial flexidisc, catalogue # BUDKON 2361, that comes in clear, red, brown, or green colors. For more information, check out the Lost In The Flood website.

The song appeared live for the first time on 23 Mar 1993 at Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ, during a benefit and warm up show for the Human ouch tour. Later played twice during the tour on 24 Apr 1993 at Flanders Expo, Gent, ,Belgium, and on 22 May 1993 at the National Bowl, Milton Keynes, UK. Note that it was reported that the song was sound-checked the previous year, on 13 Aug 1992 at The Centrum, Worcester, MA.

Played off-tour on 12 Apr 1995 at Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY, when Bruce joined various artists for the Sixth Annual Benefit Concert For The Rainforest Foundation.

Played once during the Reunion tour, on 27 May 2000 at MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas, NV. Actually it was played twice, being the opening and the closing number at that show.

Played once during The Rising tour, on 18 Aug 2002 at Thomas And Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV. That was the last known live performance of the song.

The above lyrics refer the studio version on The Essential Bruce Springsteen. Check also the live 18 Aug 2002 version and Evils Presley's original version.

Track credits:
Bruce Springsteen - vocal, guitar
Ian McLagan - piano, organ
Bob Claub - bass
Jeff Porcaro - drums
Produced by Bruce Springsteen, Jon landau, and Chuck Plotkin
Engineered by Toby Scott
Assisted by Mike Taci
Recorded at One On One Studio, North Hollywood, CA
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain
Assisted by Bill Kennedy

Thanks isabruce and themichiganline from Greasy Lake for some lyrics help. Scans and info for the VIVA LAS VEGAS singles taken from the Lost In The Flood website.

Elvis Presley's introductory dialogue at the beginning of Bruce's VIVA LAS VEGAS on The Last Temptation Of Elvis set:

I like it, I enjoy Rock 'N' Roll. Lot of people like it, like of people don't. But uh, as long as it lasts, as long as it sales, I'll continue doin' it, as long as that's what the people want. And if they change, if it dies out, I'll try to do something else, and if that doesn't work, I'll just say "Well I had my day."

Liner notes by Bruce Springsteen from The Essential Bruce Springsteen booklet:

Cut for the NME benefit record in support of Nordoff-Robins Music Therapy with Jeff Porcaro on drums and Bob Ludwig on bass.

From Backstreets Magazine #62, page 22:

On September 13 and 14 [1989], he records with different musicians for the first time on "Viva Las Vegas."

From Backstreets Magazine #62, page 23:

In February [1990], as The Last Temptation of Elvis gives fans the first taste of the post-E Street Bruce on "Viva Las Vegas," work on the next album really begins.

Info about the motion picture Honeymoon In Vegas:

Before Jack and Betsy take the plunge to become man and wife, Jack loses her in a poker game. In a wild, love-crazed pursuit to win her back, Jack flies from Vegas to Hawaii and then back to Vegas again hitching a return flight with the "Flying Elvises" (a group of sky-diving Elvis impersonators). Starring: James Caan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicolas Cage, Burton Gilliam, Anne Bancroft Directed by: Andrew Bergman