Does Las Vegas Have an Official Song?

Does Las Vegas have an official song? I was reading the Wikipedia article on the Elvis song “Viva Las Vegas” and it says at one point the city tried to negotiate with EPE (Elvis Presley Enterprises) for the rights to the song, but nothing was ever resolved. Can you add any perspective on this?

Las Vegas doesn't have an official song. The only official song we know of is for the whole state, "Home Means Nevada." It was written by Bertha Rafetto, a poet with a popular column in the Reno newspaper Nevada State Journal, in 1932 and adopted by the Nevada Legislature in 1933 as the state song.

As for Vegas, any number of songs could serve as its anthem and we compiled a long list thereof (more than 120 possibilities) for a QoD in 2014; here's a link to it. Note that it was put together and presented by the one and only QoDmother, Jessica Roe, whom we miss to this day and which will explain the first-person pronoun.

You can also google "Las Vegas theme song" and come up with a few on YouTube, but none is official.

As for "Viva Las Vegas," that's a strange one. Oddly enough, we don't remember hearing anything about the city's attempt to buy it when it was supposed to have taken place in 2002. Also, Wiki says that the city was negotiating with Elvis Presley Enterprises, though EPE hadn't controlled the rights since 1993, when they reverted to the families of songwriter Doc Pomus and composer Mort Shuman, though EPE does own the rights to the Elvis version of the song.

However, so many artists -- from the Dead Kennedys and Killers to ZZ Top and the Flintstones -- have covered the song that, although Elvis's version is perhaps the best known, we can see why the city balked at the obviously high price EPE was asking for it and subsequently, it appears, dropped the whole idea.

This is all conjecture on our part, but since you asked for our perspective, there it is.

Anyone else have any ideas about it -- or memories of it?

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

Have a question that hasn't been answered? Email us with your suggestion.

Missed a Question of the Day?

Have a Question?

Tomorrow's Question

Has Clark County ever considered legalizing prostitution?

Comments

Donzack Mar-08-2020

LV song

I think Don’t fence me in by Cole Porter was used a few years ago on Nevada tv commercials. Always liked it.

Jackie Mar-08-2020

“What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.”

Oops wait, that's not a song.
But sometimes sang.

rokgpsman Mar-08-2020

Las Vegas Song

For the culture of Las Vegas I've always liked the U2 song "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". To me the song represents the dreams that often don't work out for the thousands of hopeful Vegas visitors - whether to make some big money by gambling, or to move there and get a better job to improve their life, or to get married and live happily ever after. Lots of people come to the city with the hope for something better but it often doesn't work out.

rokgpsman Mar-08-2020

Vegas theme songs

I forgot to say that the music video for the song "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (what a long song title!) was shot in Las Vegas down on Fremont St. So it had a Las Vegas connection from the very beginning.

I used to play the Elvis song "Viva Las Vegas" all the time in the rental car on my vacations until my vacation friends got tired of hearing it so much. So I just play it when they aren't around. It's a good way to quickly get upbeat about having fun in a town full of things to do. I'm not surprised to hear that the EPE people want an outrageous fee to license the song, it seems like everything they do is only concerned about huge money coming their way. That's what killed the Elvis Exhibition at Westgate not long ago.

Annie Mar-08-2020

Vegas theme song

How about this for Las Vegas's official song:

"Big Spender" with lyrics by Dorothy Fields for the 1966 musical "Sweet Charity"  sung by a "dance hostess" at a strip club.

The minute you walked in the joint
I could see you were a man of distinction
A real big spender
Wouldn't you like to have fun, fun, fun
How's about a few laughs, laughs
I could show you a good time
Let me show you a good time!
So let me get right to the point
I don't pop my cork for every man I see
Hey big spender,
Spend a little time with me

Adam Cohen Mar-08-2020

Down on Fremont Street

The Sax guy downtown played a song called Down on Freemont street that could be a great song for the downtown. Speaking of that anyone know were I could find that song

Kevin Lewis Mar-08-2020

Well, duh...

"Money" by Pink Floyd.

David Sabo Mar-09-2020

VEGAS SONG

For me, my Vegas song is "Beating the Odds" by Molly Hatchet.

Dave Mar-09-2020

KATY PERRY

I guess maybe "waking up in Vegas" is too obvious, but it is brilliant. The video is equally great.

IdahoPat Mar-10-2020

Top 5 Vegas songs, ranked

5. Do It Again, Steely Dan. Only the third verse specifically mentions Vegas, but the first two verses bring about a lot of Wild West and adulterous affairs imagery, both of which have a strong connection to Las Vegas.

4. Let's Go to Vegas, Faith Hill

3. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Agree with rokgpsman -- this is a Vegas song. The video clinches it.

2. Waking Up in Vegas, Katy Perry

1. Viva Las Vegas, Elvis Presley

rokgpsman Mar-14-2020

Fremont St sax player

@Adam - I think the guy on Fremont St that plays the saxophone is named Carl Ferris, he has a website and you can probably get that song you are interested in from him there. Here is his website:  www.safe-sax.com  

His website has a lot of interesting info about him. He's been playing on Fremont St for years.

You can also find a bunch of videos of him on youtube, just search for "Fremont Street saxophone".  And he has a facebook page, just get on fb and search for "Carl Ferris". He allows people to send him a message or email from there.

Question of the Day - 08 March 2020

Comments