“Elvis Presley is the undisputed King of Rock and Roll. He rose from humble circumstances to launch the rock and roll revolution with his commanding voice and charismatic stage presence. In the words of the historical marker that stands outside the house where he was born: “Presley’s career as a singer and entertainer redefined popular music.”
http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/elvis-presley
I always wanted one of these suits…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krh0nrJHx1c&feature=related
ADDENDUM:
James Brown – “Last time I saw him, we sang ‘Old Blind Barnabus’ together, a gospel song. I love him and hope to see him in heaven. There’ll never be another like that soul brother.” “Elvis and I are the only true American originals.”
Little Richard – “Elvis was God-given. There’s no explanation. A messiah comes around every few thousand years, and Elvis was it this time.”
Al Green – Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us.”
John Lennon – “Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn’t been an Elvis, there wouldn’t have been a Beatles.”
Bruce Springsteen – “Elvis is my religion. But for him, I’d be selling encyclopedias.”
Jackie Wilson – “A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis.”
Chuck Berry – “Describe Elvis Presley? He was the greatest who ever was, is, or will ever be.”
One of my favorite Elvis songs – and the mother cries – In the ghetto –
Vox Populi begins in 5 minutes! See you there: http://planetpov.com/live-events/vox-populi/
Can I just watch? I can’t type fast enough.
No you must participate. Just kidding it may be a little slower tonight. I don’t know think there are that many folks here tonight.
I looked but can’t find it: Does anyone else remember a semi-ongoing SNL skit about Tiny Elvis? Apparently, Elvis was actually about 6″ tall and the entire skit was from the perspective of his overwrought staff. I thought it was so silly and funny.
Happy Birthday to Elvis, although (and I will get flack for this) I was never truly a fan of his. I grew up with his music from my mom, dad, aunts and uncles listening to it and taking me to his movies, but I started getting in to music with the advent of the Beatles, The Temps, The Stones and until I got older never really had an appreciation for what Elvis did.
Now if you want me to recap my Candlestick Park attendance of the Beatles concert, I can do that.
Hi, Sue!
Scroll on down and you will find that you are not alone! 😮
We had a friendly debate on the merits of Elvis!
hey Kes
Good, i am not in the minority, then.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS!
He was my first real crush, well after a neighbourhood boy when I was 7 that is.
Elvis was my first big pop-star crush back in the day (yes, that dates me) and I still to this day think of him as the King.
Btw, I recently watched the wonderful indie film Bubba Ho-Tep (available from Netflix) which centers around the idea of the real Elvis quietly retired in a rest home in East Texas, who teams up with another oldster to save their friends from a marauding Egyptian mummy … I know, I know it sounds nuts, but it’s really heartfelt, moving, and funny – and imo a fine tribute to the King himself 🙂
We saw that movie!
It was entertaining and I’m shocked that someone else actually saw that, let alone remembered the name!
Well, I just saw it a week ago! But I’ve wanted to see it for some time, so I’ve remembered the name for a while – after all, it was “about” Elvis, my first big rock-star crush 🙂
😎
That’s better than having a crush on Pat Benatar.
Actually my first crush was on Thelma from Good Times.
I’ve been told my first crush was Pat Boone!
I guess he had a variety show on TV and my mom used to tell me that if anyone changed the channel that I’d cry!
I have no idea how old I was and no idea why Pat Boone!
😆
Mine may have been “Karen” on the Micky mouse Club.
😆
I made a fool of myself over John Foster Dulles.
Before of after Bay of Pigs? 😉
b’ito, there is NO reference that you do not catch!! 😮
anything that happened yesterday (or within the last 15 minutes.) lol
Mine was Paul McCartney
Speaking of Elvis, has anyone ever seen Jack White’s version of Elvis. I don’t know why, I think this is really funny.
😆
Something about the way he says: “Mill-yones and mill-yones…” LOL.
There are a lot of entertainers that have led or lead vacuous lives.
Frank Sinatra wasn’t a boyscout and then there’s Jim Morrison who wasn’t exactly a nice person, besides his addictions.
Has anyone ever read Clapton! By Eric Clapton?
His life is disturbing and my husband and I agreed that we wished we’d never read his autobiography, because he was a very selfish man.
I don’t understand the star-worshipers either, but Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson provoke the same type of obsession as do others.
I don’t know, but I like listening to Elvis music at times, especially some of his gospel songs, just as I enjoy other stars that aren’t exactly deep thinkers or upstanding individuals.
I love Eric Clapton’s music and The Doors and we still blast Thriller every once in awhile.
Entertainers are people, too, with all the flaws, it’s just that they have a lot more money to indulge.
Like any other profession there are good and bad natured people. But you also can’t deny some professions favor some real selfish personality traits. I don’t think the talent end of the music industry is necessarily one of them.
Hard to say.
A lot of very talented singers/entertainers, usually from poor backgrounds and messed up lives, come into fame and fortune so young.
They never have the chance to mature normally, whatever the definition of normal is, but instead they live in a bubble filled with luxury and excess.
Then again, a lot of famous people come from very wealthy backgrounds and messed up lives, and they never mature either – Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus and Casey Johnson.
Somewhere there must be a psychological analysis of arrested development due to sudden wealth or wealth.
That’s true but I think about the true artists too like Alicia Keyes or even some rock guitarist who starts a band who train their whole lives in the arts and are really talented.
I do agree that manufactured performers, celebrities, are a different class. Also that childhood performers face more unique challenges in their lives but again look at people like Fred Savage who had really blossomed not so much in front of the camera but with producing and such.
In any profession especially at the top you are going to find people who have blind ambition and who are selfish. You could not imagine the egos and selfishness of many top scientists for example in industry or academia. It’s much more political than people realize.
j’avaz, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to come across as disapproving of people who do like Elvis. I totally respect people who do. I guess it’s one of those things like coffee vs tea. It doesn’t mean that one or the other is “better.” Just a difference in preferences.
And you’re right. He wasn’t exactly the first and only performer to live a somewhat self-destructive life. I guess there’s a part of me that feels a little sorry for a guy who seemed to be searching for something he never could quite nail down. There was so much potential there.
I wasn’t insulted, kes!
I just think that maybe we all know a little too much about people’s personal lives.
Now, I must light all the candles on my Elvis shrine tonight for his b’day! 😎
Don’t forget the flowers and incense, J!
😉
Javaz you never have to defend you personal tastes with me. People like what they like and I never look down on people’s tastes. I’m sure there is music, art, movies whatever that I like that you would not.
None of us really knows any of these artists. We just know what we hear about them and occasionally from them.
Here’s a unique cover of an Elvis song.
I know I may be in the minority–again. Never liked him. But Happy Birthday, DEA Special Agent, Elvis.
He was some sort of freaky…
Here’s how much I didn’t care about him: My mom was married to (hmmm, that must have been her third husband) when I was 13 and he was a second unit director at MGM, where Elvis made a couple of movies. “Kissin’ Cousins” was the one that this guy worked on. I was invited to the set to meet Elvis and I passed. Now I wish I had gone to get some memorabilia, but back then, who knew?
I hear you both, Cher and b’ito. When I see him in films or even in still photos, I look into his eyes and see……vacancy….. I have a feeling that spending an evening with him would have been–well, disappointing is the kindest way I can put it–as far as conversation went.
There’s no denying he had a pleasant voice, but there were so many black performers who could have rocked him right off the stage. Had they been given the chance.
Black performers were given a chance because of what he acomplished…
I guess you could look at it that way, Tiger. That he was a sort of “bridge” person who opened up the mainstream market for black music styles/performers.
Motown really started to flourish right around the time Elvis came to prominence. Would that have happened without him? Good question.
Looking at it that way in my opinion Motown deserves 99% in promoting specific black performers. The black music sound would have become mainstream no matter what because it was good. Elvis only unintentionally helped at best.
Maybe not mainstream, before MoTown, Chess Records. 2120 S. Michigan Ave. Chi, Ill. And Duke Ellington with his and first black owned publishing and recording company.
Motown was an absolutely unique, golden era in American music, as far as I’m concerned. Huge talent there–and lots of it.
Huh? I know what you mean in one regard that he made black sounding music at the time more mainstream but I don’t really think he made it easier for black performers to be successful.
I’m not a white guy stole music from the black man person either. Music evolves based on previous music. Led Zeppelin probably used more blues riffs than any band but they were just building of their influence to create novel music.
Now that you mention it, Kes, you are right– blank eyes. Very astute. There was no ‘there’ there.
Good way to put it, Cher. I know it’s somewhat stating the obvious, but I think he was a very troubled man. I think he was probably happiest before celebrity struck. But once he became famous, he seemed lost. Had trouble even coming up with creative ways to spend all that money. I mean, how many cars can you buy before the thrill is gone?
oops!
Looks like I’m in the minority for liking Elvis!
LOL
I liked his voice and in his younger days, I think he was quite handsome.
As for his personal life, well, I like his voice!
Nope I never liked him either. I understood his appeal a little but the people that obsess about him after his death I just don’t get.
But I thinks it a great way to start Planet Music night.
It’s The Big 75 today…
Is today Elvis’s birthday?
No wonder the local channel is showing Elvis movies today!
Did you know that Charles Bronson was in an Elvis movie?
Kid Galahad! and it’s actually not a bad movie.
The last video of Elvis performing in leather and in front of a smaller audience was the very best concert, imho.
He was fit and trim and healthy and his voice was in good form.