Honest Question About Elvis Presley...

[otterinbham 0]

Lots of hoopla over the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death on the television yesterday. People were congregating outside Graceland, etc. etc.

Meanwhile, I'm asking myself, 'What gives?'

My chief memory of Elvis was him performing in rhinestone jumpsuits in Vegas, causing middle-aged women to swoon right out of their polyester pants suits. To me, the true geniuses of early rock were people like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. While Elvis had an occasional flashes of inspiration, I never thought of him as a genius.

However, I would be interested in a differing viewpoint.

[TitanTiger 22,006]

When he burst on the scene, he was revolutionary. Not as revolutionary as The Beatles, Rolling Stones and such but still, judging him by the last 7 years of a career that was almost 25 years long doesn't seem to be fair.

[saniflush 0]

I really would say somewhere in between those two choices.

If I had to narrow to one of those though I would say he "is smooth pimp daddy, who loved all the *****".

[AU_tiger_2000 0]

When he burst on the scene, he was revolutionary. Not as revolutionary as The Beatles, Rolling Stones and such but still, judging him by the last 7 years of a career that was almost 25 years long doesn't seem to be fair.

I wouldn't really consider him revolutionary. Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard were already doing the same thing, Elvis just happened to be white and so was acceptable to be played on regular radio and be sold in mainstream record shops.

[abrnfanatc 6]

It really depends on your generation. I liked his music, but meh, he was just another very good singer.

I think the people who grew up listening to his music, especially the females, have a different opinion. Just like the 14 year old girls who thought Sanjaya was the best singer EVAR this year, they were caught up in the moment. Some have never wriggled out of that hook...

[DKW 86 8,097]

He innovted Rock by making black music acceptable. To me he is an icon, but in a Phil Specter way (before the arrest.) He introduced a marketing idea, a white R&B singer, to the world.

Was he a revolutionary writer? No.

Was he a revolutionary singer? Maybe.

Was he a revolutionary innovator? Certainly.

Did he forever change popular music? Absolutely! But it wasnt his talent that did it, it was his marketing.

I think the first music guy to go get Lionel Richie and send his sheet music portfolio to Nashville will be a Billionaire in about ten years. The plain truth is that the difference between southern whites and southern blacks is primarily cultural, not experiential. What Richie did for Kenny Rogers back in the 80's he could easily do for ten other acts.

JMHO.

[deepseas 0]

Whether you like him or not, he's probably the closest thing to a living god in the past 1,000 years.

I went to an Elvis reinactment show one time (David Lee from B'ham) it was one of the most amazing spectacles ever witnessed. Women were weeping, people got out of wheelchairs and danced, other people temporarily went insane, it was as if the whole auditorium went back in time.

[otterinbham 0]

Hey. Who changed my poll questions? If you're going to do that, then add a fourth, titled "Peanut Butter Sandwich Addict and Chimp Owner."

[DKW 86 8,097]

Hey. Who changed my poll questions? If you're going to do that, then add a fourth, titled "Peanut Butter Sandwich Addict and Chimp Owner."

okey dokey

[otterinbham 0]

Hey. Who changed my poll questions? If you're going to do that, then add a fourth, titled "Peanut Butter Sandwich Addict and Chimp Owner."

okey dokey

That's better. Hey, what was the name of his chimp anyway? Wasn't it Jeter?

Nope...the AUNation research department now tells me that Elvis's chimp was named Scatter.

[Wishbone 0]

I have also see David Lane live. Best concert I have ever seen in my life.

I had no idea Elvis had a pet chimp...fascinating.