The music world was shocked by the untimely passing of Elvis Presley in August 1977. The singer was only 42 years old when he died from cardiac issues at his home in Memphis.

Fans of Elvis had no idea that they were seeing his last public performance when they gathered to watch the star on June 26, 1977 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. The setlist consisted of Elvis rock favorites like “See See Rider” and “Jailhouse Rock” as well as slower hits like “It’s Now or Never” and a cover of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

Then there was the well-known ballad that finished off the night, capping off Elvis’ performance and later becoming the last song he performed publicly.

“A performance in true Presley style”

Presley’s appearance in Indianapolis pulled in 18,000 fans, ending a three-night run of shows in the Midwest that also included Madison, Wisconsin, and Cincinnati, Ohio. The singer hit the stage in a white-and-gold jumpsuit that has become synonymous with his 1970s style, along with long sideburns and some karate kicks.

After running through his setlist that included plenty of his popular hits, he ended the show with one of his most famous ballads: “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

The song had become a signature closer for his shows in the late 1970s, which might be why “Can’t Help Falling in Love” still holds a sentimental place for fans—not only because it was the last song fans saw him sing in public, but because of its place in his setlist in the ’70s.

A review in the Indianapolis Star after the show shed a positive light on Presley’s performance. “And then he appeared, in a gold and white jumpsuit and white boots, bounding onstage with energy that was a relief to everyone,” recalled dwriter Rita Rose. “At 42, Elvis is still carrying around some excess baggage on his mid-section, but it didn’t stop him from giving a performance in true Presley style.”

The Hawaiian connection to Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”

Fans of Elvis Presley were introduced to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in 1961 when the song appeared in his movie Blue Hawaii. The film, about an Army vet working as a tour guide in Hawaii, starred Elvis along with Joan Blackman and Angela Lansbury. The song was written for the screen by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss.

But the song’s origins can be traced back way before that movie—or really any movie—was released. “Plaisir d’Amour” (or “The Joys of Love” in English) was written in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini.

This song has been covered in the modern era by singers like Joan Baez, Andrea Bocelli, and Placido Domingo, among others, and the familiar melody of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is audible in the track. Even the old song’s lyrics may sound familiar, thanks to references to water that are similar to those found in Presley’s version.

The original lyrics, “As long as this water will run gently/Towards this brook which borders the meadow/I will love you,” may remind listeners of the chorus of “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which famously contains the lyrics, “Like a river flows/Surely to the sea/Darling, so it goes/Some things are meant to be.”

The song continues to resonate with music fans, with several high-profile covers emerging over the years. British group UB40 released a reggae cover of the song in 1993, and their version spent two weeks as the number-one song on the Billboard Top 100 chart in the U.S. Another Hawaiian-set movie also featured a cover of the song when A-Teens covered it in 2002 for Lilo and Stitch.

In 2022, Kasey Musgraves performed a haunting cover of the track on the soundtrack of an Elvis Presley biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann. She first performed it live earlier that year at the Met Gala, which she attended with Presley’s wife, Priscilla, and Austin Butler, who played Presley in the film.

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