The final song Elvis Presley performed before his death
Elvis Presley‘s final years have been well documented. Although he was once ‘The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’, Elvis had become a bloated, dysfunctional shadow of his former self. Tragically, he looked destined for death for some time. Nevertheless, when his passing occurred in 1977, the world stood still.
While Elvis’ health struggles had been well publicised before his death, the full scale of his problems wasn’t made public knowledge. Presley lived an extraordinary life with barely a moment to rest, and his jam-packed schedule would have caused anybody problems. However, in 1977, the general public was less aware of the dangers of fame, and few had empathy for Presley’s position.
Elvis had become reliant on drugs to sleep and to perform, which drastically altered his image. He was no longer the sexualised teenage icon, and in the eyes of many, Presley had become yesterday’s news. Nevertheless, he was still performing in huge arenas shortly before his death, with his final show taking place at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis on June 26th, 1977.
Shortly over six weeks later, Presley was found unresponsive in Graceland on August 16th. The iconic singer was discovered on the floor by his fiancé Ginger Alden in the master suite bathroom, and although he was quickly rushed to hospital, it was too late.
An initial autopsy showed Presley had died following a “cardiac arrhythmia”, and drugs were not ruled to have played a part in his passing. However, upon further inspection, Elvis was found to have high levels of several different types of opiates in his system, including codeine and the sedative methaqualone.
Following his death, President Jimmy Carter fittingly mourned: “His music and his personality, fusing the styles of white country and black rhythm and blues, permanently changed the face of American popular culture. His following was immense, and he was a symbol to people the world over of the vitality, rebelliousness, and good humour of his country.”
While he didn’t know when he took to the stage in Indianapolis that it would be his final outing, Presley delivered a symbolic performance. As he departed, Elvis told those in attendance: “We’ll meet you again. God bless, adios.” Sadly, there was no follow-up encounter.
His set included classic cuts such as ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Jailhouse Rock’, and a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’. To conclude the concert, Presley played fan favourite ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’, which was a fitting way for him to close the curtain on an iconic career that forever changed the fabric of pop culture.
For over a decade, ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ was the closing track during his sets, marking the perfect way for him to close the show. Unfortunately, despite Market Square Arena playing a significant role in his legacy, the building was demolished in 2001 and became a parking lot. Although a memorial exists on the unglamorous site, allowing fans to pay respects to Presley’s final show.