I'll Remember You

[George Smith]

Friends

Elvis introduced I'll Remember You into his live act in January 1972. It's a beautiful song and was an inspired additon but it was also an unlikely choice (ie; it wasn't even a single let alone a hit record).

Did its inclusion have anything at all to do with the forthcoming Aloha show or was the Kui Lee Cancer Fund connection just a wonderful and rather poignant thought that developed as the Aloha show took shape.

When I first heard the Aloha gig many, many years ago, I assumed that this song was used specifically and uniquely for the Hawaii shows but when I discovered that he'd been using the song for a year then I did wonder what had moved him to select the song for Vegas '72.

Was it one of the "Priscilla" numbers or did he just really like the song?

[ColinB]

Friends

Elvis introduced I'll Remember You into his live act in January 1972. It's a beautiful song and was an inspired additon but it was also an unlikely choice (ie; it wasn't even a single let alone a hit record).

Did its inclusion have anything at all to do with the forthcoming Aloha show or was the Kui Lee Cancer Fund connection just a wonderful and rather poignant thought that developed as the Aloha show took shape.

When I first heard the Aloha gig many, many years ago, I assumed that this song was used specifically and uniquely for the Hawaii shows but when I discovered that he'd been using the song for a year then I did wonder what had moved him to select the song for Vegas '72.

Was it one of the "Priscilla" numbers or did he just really like the song?

Well, the studio version was a bonus track on the Spinout soundtrack album in 1966.

Don't know the reason for its introduction to his stage performances.

But it fitted in perfectly with the Aloha charity show.

[Spellbinder]

Friends

Elvis introduced I'll Remember You into his live act in January 1972. It's a beautiful song and was an inspired additon but it was also an unlikely choice (ie; it wasn't even a single let alone a hit record).

Did its inclusion have anything at all to do with the forthcoming Aloha show or was the Kui Lee Cancer Fund connection just a wonderful and rather poignant thought that developed as the Aloha show took shape.

When I first heard the Aloha gig many, many years ago, I assumed that this song was used specifically and uniquely for the Hawaii shows but when I discovered that he'd been using the song for a year then I did wonder what had moved him to select the song for Vegas '72.

Was it one of the "Priscilla" numbers or did he just really like the song?

Well, the studio version was a bonus track on the Spinout soundtrack album in 1966.

Don't know the reason for its introduction to his stage performances.

But it fitted in perfectly with the Aloha charity show.

There was a very good reason why he started to use it in his live shows. Anyone know the answer?

[George Smith]

Yes, Colin, you've expressed my point perfectly.

The other oldies which Elvis introduced during this 1971/72 period were more obvious choices: How Great Thou Art and Lawdy, Miss Clawdy were personal favourites, Hawaiian Wedding Song came from a hugely successful album and A Big Hunk O' Love was a big hit single.

But I'll Remember You ... a little known (but beautiful) song from a lacklustre soundtrack album?

Its eventual use in the forthcoming Aloha show was just perfect.

Was it ever used again after Hawaii?

[drjohncarpenter]

Elvis introduced I'll Remember You into his live act in January 1972 ... Did its inclusion have anything at all to do with the forthcoming Aloha show or was the Kui Lee Cancer Fund connection ... Was it one of the "Priscilla" numbers ...?

Elvis liked "I'll Remember You" enough to cut it in Nashville in June 1966. It was issued that year as a bonus cut on RCA's Spinout OST.

Although Elvis would pay tribute to the song's author, late Hawaiian singer/songwriter Kui Lee, with his January 1973 "Aloha Benefit" TV broadcast, he likely found "I'll Remember You" from Don Ho ->



The Don Ho Show (Reprise, 1965) was a hit album, and Kui Lee's lovely ballad the third cut in. Ho's US LP debut also included a version of "Hawaiian Wedding Song." Elvis' Nashville recording was nothing like Lee's almost bossa nova rendition of "I'll Remember You", following Ho's hit arrangement instead.

Did Priscilla like it? Nobody knows.

Elvis would offer the song in his later concerts until at least 1975.

[Cryogenic]

Doc, nice info. Good chap!

I don't think Don Ho will ever do much for me, but Kui Lee had a splendid voice. Some of the other cuts on his one and only CD album are more up-scale -- he could really deliver. I wish there was more material from him available. I wish he'd cut more material before his untimely death, but it seems he was more content writing.

[stefan kock]

Elvis would offer the song in his later concerts until at least 1975.

Make that '76 Doc, 'I'll Remember You' was also performed 4 times in Lake Tahoe '76 (May 2nd, 3rd and 6th Dinner Shows and for the last time during the May 7th Midnight Show)

After '73 it was only performed once in '74 (Lake Tahoe, May 24th Dinner Show), 35 times in '75 and the above mentioned 4 times in '76.

[George Smith]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your informative replies.

It seems as though he really just liked the song.

And yes please, Ray: why did Elvis start using the track in January 1972?

[Spellbinder]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your informative replies.

It seems as though he really just liked the song.

And yes please, Ray: why did Elvis start using the track in January 1972?

I've absolutely no idea. But it must have been for some good reason.

[ColinB]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your informative replies.

It seems as though he really just liked the song.

And yes please, Ray: why did Elvis start using the track in January 1972?

I've absolutely no idea. But it must have been for some good reason.

He must have started doing it for a reason.

Whether it was a 'good' one or otherwise is subjective............

[Spellbinder]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your informative replies.

It seems as though he really just liked the song.

And yes please, Ray: why did Elvis start using the track in January 1972?

I've absolutely no idea. But it must have been for some good reason.

He must have started doing it for a reason.

Whether it was a 'good' one or otherwise is subjective............

I think it was a good reason - whatever it was. Elvis did no wrong. He was a saint.